Regarding papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan): If an issue comes up early on (through no fault of the other person), is it often difficult to continue the relationship?

Maezawa from the CEO’s office here—I’ll answer as well. Thank you for your question. It’s hard to say without knowing what kind of trouble occurred, but if it was something minor, I don’t think it should be a problem. However, if it was serious enough to make the other person not want to see you again, I imagine it may be difficult to continue the relationship.

I’m Flag Maker, a columnist. “Regret” isn’t necessarily a bad thing—it can be a good thing. The more deeply you regret something, the better. Without that kind of shock, people rarely change. So don’t try to gloss over it. If you’ve made a mistake, accept it with your whole being, let yourself fall once, and then get back up. You’ve got this!

I’m Paper Airplane, a male member. What kind of trouble are we talking about? For example, even if you feel like you’ve made an incredibly embarrassing blunder and think, “This is the absolute worst,” the man you’re with may not mind at all. If he watched over you, helped you, or supported you through it, his feelings for you may even grow stronger. In that case, the experience may leave a lasting impression on both of you and bring you closer. Just like the two people who remain engaged despite the obstacles surrounding their royal marriage, relationships can sometimes grow stronger when there are difficulties and barriers. So it may be best to simply stay in touch. Also, if it was a once-in-a-lifetime mishap or an unbelievable problem that no one has ever heard of before, revealing yourself in that state is almost like showing each other everything. You may even be able to continue seeing each other comfortably, keeping it as a secret just between the two of you. After all, it’s unlikely anything more outrageous than that will ever happen again. And if it was a problem that the man helped you escape from or overcome, you may find him even more dependable and develop stronger feelings for him. I hope this leads to an even deeper bond between you.

I’m Tetsu, a male member. It probably depends on the nature of the trouble, but at best, things will stay as they are. Usually, though, I think the outcome will be negative. Even if you say you’ll be more careful next time, the same kind of problem will usually happen again. If they really like you and don’t want to lose you, they may just think, “Oh well.” But otherwise, they’ll probably decide that looking for someone else is better than putting themselves through more unpleasant experiences.

I’m Kazu, a male member. I think it depends on when the trouble occurred, as well as its type and severity, but if you stay in touch and continue meeting afterward, the arrangement can often continue. If it does come to an end, I feel it’s more often because something was lacking—there wasn’t enough to make the other person look forward to meeting again.