Do you have a best friend you can talk to about anything? Could you tell them that you do papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan)? Thank you.

I’m Aya, a female member. There’s one person I trust. I once told a few girls who seemed trustworthy, but they ended up posting all sorts of true and untrue things about me on an online forum. Ever since then, I’ve only told that one person. If anything gets posted now, I’ll suspect her. I had a similar experience with a doctor I met through the club in the past, too—so bad that I can’t even go into the details. Basically, I don’t trust anyone.

I’m Flag Maker, a columnist. I can’t really call them my best friends, since I feel like I’m the only one who sees them that way. But I do have several male and female friends I can talk to about anything, including this kind of pastime. When I’m heartbroken, they listen to me vent.

I didn’t even tell a friend of mine—she’s seven years younger than me—who says she has a kept partner and receives ¥400,000 a month. Even when she says things like, “It wouldn’t be surprising if you had a boyfriend, Marika,” I just brush it off with, “Really?” There’s no way I can tell her I have several papas (male supporters). When I asked her, “Why did you tell me?” and she replied, “Because you give off the same vibe,” I was definitely taken aback. I understand wanting to talk about various worries or ask little things like, “What should I do in a situation like this?” You may feel like sharing, but you really shouldn’t tell ordinary friends. Not only could you lose that friend, but there’s also a chance they might spread rumors. Fortunately, I can chat on LINE and talk things over with fellow answerers I met here, so I don’t feel stressed. If you’re hesitant about joining the group of answerers, try posting questions here from time to time. Marika

I’m Kazu, a male member. I don’t have a best friend I can talk to about absolutely everything. As Mac mentioned, being best friends doesn’t necessarily mean you can tell each other anything and everything. I do have both male and female friends—more like fellow papa-katsu (compensated dating in Japan) participants—whom I talk to about papa-katsu. Among the women I’m seeing, some have told their best friends about papa-katsu, while others joined Universe Club after hearing about it from a friend. I’ve even gone out for drinks with one of the women I’m seeing and her best friend—the one she had told about papa-katsu. Occasionally, that best friend asks me for advice about her boyfriend through the woman I’m seeing. I’ve also met the boyfriend. I remember feeling pretty exasperated when he asked me how he could start making money（笑）.