I’m an A-type female member. I have a question about dining together.

Maezawa from the CEO’s Office here. > How should I ask him so I can get my point across without making him uncomfortable? You could simply say: “Because of COVID, I’d prefer not to eat from the same plate during meals, if possible.” I don’t think that would make him particularly uncomfortable. These days, it’s perfectly normal to be mindful of COVID. If someone brings it up, he might even think, “If I were going to catch it there, I’d probably have caught it already,” and the only thing he might wonder about is whether to explain that or not. So if COVID is the reason, I don’t think he’ll take offense. That said, he may start explaining which situations do and don’t carry a risk of infection.

I’m a male member, Frieren! If you’re that worried about it, I think canceling the date would be better for your peace of mind. As others have said, it probably wouldn’t really change the level of risk anyway. That said, if you’re okay with that understanding, then… > How can I ask without making him uncomfortable? The safest approach would be the standard “blame someone who isn’t there.” “ My workplace (school) guidelines say we should avoid shared platters and similar dishes, so would it be possible to go somewhere that serves small dishes or individual portions?” You haven’t made any requests about choosing the restaurant before, right? Making a request could also be seen as showing initiative, so as long as it’s a reasonably priced restaurant, I don’t think naming a specific place would leave a bad impression. > Also, could you tell me if there’s anything else you do to prevent infection? Above all, avoid large groups. That’s really the main thing. I don’t mind meeting someone I already see regularly, even multiple times.

I’m Kazu, a male member. If you’re that concerned, I think it’s best not to go on dates. If you simply say, “I’m worried about COVID, so I don’t want to go out,” I won’t take it personally. The precautions I take are avoiding public transportation and choosing private rooms at restaurants whenever possible. If even that isn’t enough, then I suppose the only option is to stay home and avoid seeing anyone altogether.

I’m Paper Airplane, a male member with a bald, meatball-shaped head. I usually order several dishes and share them from the same plates. If you can’t share dishes with someone, you normally wouldn’t date them in the first place, right? If you usually eat from the same plates, I think it would be fine to ask just this time, “I’m a little worried about COVID, so would it be okay if we had the food served on separate plates for a while?” They’ll bring it out already divided into individual portions. If you normally share dishes, I’d assume it’s okay that day too. But if she’s Type A, sharing from the same plate is part of the fun, so personally, I can’t really imagine it… That said, with Type A, you can freely insist on all sorts of things: no driving, no being alone together in an enclosed space, no holding hands… > Mc I’ve started thinking that even for a regular offer date, it might be less stressful to say at the first date that I’m Paper Airplane, so I won’t have to worry afterward that she might not read the Q&A… Wow, amazing—the name is exactly the same! I’ll try it with the girl I meet next time. Some girls may be comfortable saying it, while others may not, depending on the atmosphere.