I have a friend who gets presents on ordinary, casual dates. I think I’m cuter and have a better personality than she does, so I don’t understand why she receives so much—and it honestly bothers me. Things with great taste that don’t even seem like they’d suit her, such as an AHKAH necklace or Miu Miu shoes.

I’m Taro, a male member. Are you looking for gifts rather than money? Is it more that you want to feel valued enough for him to give you presents? Jealousy is certainly unattractive, but if those feelings are rooted in having feelings for the man involved, it might be worth expressing that frustration to him honestly. I’m not really the type to give presents, but I once had a girl let out her pent-up feelings in a similar way. I thought it was silly, but at the same time, I found her childishness endearing. Of course, it depends on the person and the relationship you’ve had up to this point, so if you decide to act, do so at your own risk. If you want to take a more reliable approach, don’t ask here—question that friend of yours thoroughly. Ask things like, “How do you do it?” or “What would you do in a situation like this?” There should be hints hidden in the specifics. If you have a successful example close at hand, study it thoroughly. She may be a rival you don’t want to lose to, but that’s precisely why you should swallow your pride and ask her how she does it. In the end, the people who can do that are the ones who win.

I’m in Seattle. Isn’t cash better than gifts? With your looks and competitive spirit, you should round up as many generous (well-paying) papas (male supporters) as you can. Luck plays a part, too. If I were told I had only a few months left because of cancer, I think I’d give at least $1,000 to every woman I’m currently seeing regularly. I’d still be leaving several hundred million yen to my daughter. I’d like to die feeling that, thanks to my inheritance, ○ people were able to become independent and find happiness.

I’m Meg, a female member. > Even though I think I’m prettier and have a better personality than she does… I feel like that says it all… Basically, wouldn’t you rather give gifts to a girl who wouldn’t send you a question like this?

I’m Maezawa from the CEO’s office, and I’ll answer this one too. Thanks for your question. > I don’t understand why she’s receiving so much when I think I’m prettier and have a better personality than she does. It doesn’t feel fair. Sometimes men and women have very different ideas of what’s “cute.” You may hear, “My friend is really cute. I’ll bring her next time,” and then meet her only to think… “Wait, I think he’s actually cuter than his friend… What’s going on here?” That seems to happen pretty often. So while other women might agree that you’re prettier, there’s a good chance men find your friend more attractive. The same may be true of her personality. Her personality may simply be more appealing to men. Whether or not someone receives presents probably also depends on how good she is at hinting that she wants something. Men generally don’t feel like buying things for someone who directly says, “Buy this for me.” But if she says things like: “I don’t really know much about brands, and I don’t need anything,” or “You don’t have to give me an allowance,” then the man may think, “No, no, I can’t just do that,” and give her an allowance anyway. If he starts thinking she’s a sweet girl with no ulterior motives, he may even want to buy her presents. That said, simply copying this approach won’t work. Some strange men may take it as an excuse to get away without giving either an allowance or presents. If you run into someone like that, it can be disastrous. Also, when you’re only pretending, your desires tend to show through somewhere, and they’ll notice. There’s also the question of whether you can genuinely act that way without trying. In your case, you don’t seem suited to playing the naturally innocent type, so I think it would be better to approach this logically: think, think, and think some more about what you need to do to receive presents. For example, as I mentioned earlier, men become less inclined to buy things for women who directly say, “Buy this for me.” That’s important. So instead of asking him to buy something, you need to think about how you can get him to want to buy it for you. One basic approach might be to have him accompany you shopping and let him know what you like, while saying something along the lines of, “I’ll save up and buy it myself someday.” Then, when he feels like giving you a present, he may say, “You wanted this, didn’t you? Here—it’s for you.” Of course, luck is also a factor. If a man doesn’t have much financial leeway, presents may be difficult for him. He’s probably already stretched just giving the allowance. On the other hand, some men have plenty of money but simply don’t give presents.

I’m Paper Airplane, a male member. That’s just how it is. The key is for it to feel natural and unforced. I prefer girls who aren’t used to dating clubs and have never received an allowance before. With girls like that, I’ll usually give them a casual gift. Even without an allowance, they’re the kind of girls who can enjoy spending the whole day on a date. They’re carefree and genuinely delighted by the smallest things. So I guess they’d be the opposite of the kind of girl you’re looking for.

I’m Flagmaker, a columnist. Oh... as it happens, I just got done begging her in real time: “Please let me buy you a ○○ necklace!” Sorry, but this may be way off from what the questioner intended. She stopped accepting an allowance and has become nothing more than a dinner companion, so I thought, “Maybe she’d accept something instead of money—and I might even have a chance at an adult relationship (intimate).” That’s what prompted me to do it. Will it work out for better or worse? Who knows what will happen... Update: Maybe her strategy is to offer 20% more “service” whenever she receives a gift.

I’m Kazu, a male member, and based on the kinds of questions being asked, I’ve started to worry about whether the women registered with dating clubs are really okay. Maybe the pandemic is wearing everyone down mentally. First, take a moment to calm down and reread your own question. It’s overflowing with jealousy, and you come across as having a pretty nasty personality. Personally, I’d only want to date—and give gifts to—women who seem kind-hearted, at least from my perspective. In that case, looks have nothing to do with it; I don’t give gifts simply because someone is attractive. In reality, I think meeting a papa (a male supporter) who likes giving gifts is basically a matter of luck. The amount of the allowance is also a matter of luck. Whether he likes giving gifts, what kinds of gifts he wants to give, how much allowance he’s willing to offer, whether he likes the woman, whether her profile catches his eye, and whether he happens to be looking for someone at that particular time—all sorts of factors have to line up by chance for a relationship like your friend’s to happen. Of course, your friend may simply be skilled at getting gifts out of men.