I’m a female member and a student.

Maezawa from the CEO’s office here, too. It may not be a culture you find in Japan, but overseas, it’s considered the “duty” of wealthy people to help those who are struggling. There’s even a term for it: noblesse oblige. Egypt has something similar called baksheesh. For some reason, Japan has developed a culture where simply being wealthy is seen as bad, and equality above all else is considered ideal. Because of that, it seems the culture of wealthy people helping those in need has also faded. Even so, some individuals still feel that way deep down. > As a gift for moving up a grade, he gave me a large sum of money—enough to cover the period when I couldn’t work part-time. I was honestly quite shocked because it was such a lot of money. In this case, the meaning is slightly different because he likes her, but I think anyone would want to help someone they care about if that person were struggling. He happened to be someone who could afford to give her money without putting himself in a difficult position. Rather than giving it because she was in trouble—which might have made her uncomfortable—it seems he was able to give it because the timing coincided with her moving-up celebration. Even couples who meet through ordinary dating sometimes spend money for each other’s sake. (Though it seems marriage scams that take advantage of this are also quite common.) So I think it’s actually pretty normal. Wanting to help someone you care about when they’re struggling is only natural.

I’m Taro, a male member. If we’re genuinely dating and she might be struggling financially, I’d naturally support her. She should just accept it honestly—not only the money, but also the feelings behind it. This might put a damper on the nice atmosphere, but I’d like to suggest a slightly cynical way of looking at it. Before that conversation, I assume you were meeting on a pay-per-meeting basis. So try calculating the number of intimate encounters you’ve had since that conversation × the allowance per meeting. If the amount you received this time falls within that range, he may have calculated that he was returning you the amount you needed from what he would otherwise have paid for intimacy anyway. Even so, that’s still very kind of him. On the other hand, if it exceeds that amount, then it goes beyond any rational theory—it isn’t financially reasonable. In short, I think it can only be love. If the man is married, there may also be a reason to keep things financially structured, since that’s legally safer for both of you. But you should talk about that as well. You met in a somewhat complicated setting, like a dating club, and are gradually building a good relationship. Rather than bottling up all your little worries and concerns, I think it’s better to build a relationship where you can talk things through. There’s no single right answer on this journey, but I believe the best kind of relationship is one where you move forward while discussing things together.

I’m a male member, Paper Airplane. If it’s someone he really likes, giving that much all at once is pretty normal, so I don’t think you need to worry about it.

I’m Kazu, a male member. I think he probably just gave you money because he knew things must be tough for you since you can’t work part-time. I don’t think you need to overthink it.