My papa asked me to get a PCR test, but I wasn't reimbursed for the cost.

I’m Taro, a male member. Maezawa’s answer is so outrageous it’s almost funny. Hopefully it doesn’t cause another backlash... To cut to the chase, this was the questioner’s mistake. The man was simply acting selfishly; it’s not like he actually deceived her. Sure, it would be reasonable for both sides to get tested, and the man who brought up the arrangement should pay for the woman’s testing. But while those are all perfectly valid arguments, the world doesn’t run on what’s objectively right. The reason gentlemen are praised is that the average man isn’t one. They call it a “relationship,” but really, it was just an arrangement where they were intimate and he gave her money—maybe he was a repeat client, but that’s about it. It doesn’t necessarily mean they had a relationship built on trust or mutual consideration. Isn’t it simply that she failed to build that kind of relationship, and spent money upfront without realizing it? Oh, I agree that men like that are no good in general. But that’s about as effective as saying we should reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Maezawa from the President’s Office here. I suspect that man wanted you to get tested, but never intended to pay for it in the first place. Either way, what a terrible guy. > I don’t mind ending things with him, but I’d like to recover the cost somehow. Next time you see him, try saying something like: “I thought you were going to cover the cost, but you only gave me the usual amount.” Then see how he reacts. If he doesn’t seem willing to pay, say something like: “Then please see me a lot, okay? I’m in a tight spot because of the testing fee.” You can get through the meeting that way, and afterward, at the hotel, try to make sure you receive your allowance before taking a shower. Come up with a plausible excuse. Then send him into the shower first. If that’s the opposite of your usual routine, say something like: “My friend just messaged me. Would you mind taking a shower first while I reply?” Then quickly leave the room and go home. Cost recovered. Even if you collect more than the testing fee, you can consider it compensation for emotional distress. After that, block him on LINE and your phone. He may report you to the club, but if the club contacts you, you could respond with something like: “Huh? Which day are you talking about? Maybe you have me confused with another woman?” To be honest, I wouldn’t want anyone to do something like this as a person. But if the man was the one who treated you badly first, I think retaliation is understandable. That said, this should only be done as payback after being wronged. It’s absolutely not something you should normally do.

I’m Shingo Lee (Shingori), a male member. The cheapest PCR tests start at around ¥2,000, and since the results come back the next day, I use them myself. Perhaps your papa (a male supporter) assumed you would use a test like that as well, so he may not have thought it would cost very much. I completely understand that it was difficult to bring up, but before taking the PCR test, you might have asked, “It’ll cost around ¥20,000. Would you be able to cover that?” Rather than assuming he wasn’t willing to show consideration worth ¥20,000, why not first tell him, “It cost me ¥20,000. I thought you would cover it, but did you realize it would cost that much?” Then follow up by asking, “It was a major expense, so would you be able to cover part of it?” Incidentally, saying “cover part of it” is a phrase that makes it easier to get a yes (the foot-in-the-door technique), so make sure you ultimately receive the full amount. This seems to have been a miscommunication between you and the other person. I hope you’re able to repair the relationship.

I’m Kazu, a male member. That’s awful. If he asked you to get tested, he should cover the cost. I can’t think of any way to recover the money, though. I suppose all you can do is tell him, “The cost of the test wasn’t included in my allowance.”

It’s Seattle. Don’t just send a receipt—send him a legally valid invoice. He should obviously pay for something like this.

If you had the test done at your papa’s request, I think you’re entitled to have the cost covered. Especially when he won’t even tell you what his own results were. Two million yen and 200,000 yen a month may both be incomes, but 20,000 yen means something very different to each person. Maybe you didn’t think to confirm beforehand because you never imagined he wouldn’t pay, but there really are some awful people out there. Try telling him that it was a very painful expense. If that doesn’t work, offset it against your allowance and forget about such a petty man. Marika

I’m a male member, Paper Airplane. > I sent photos of the results sheet and the receipt. There’s no need to send something like this—not even the receipt... The man is awful, but honestly, both of them are pretty terrible...