What’s the difference between liking someone and loving them?

I’m Kazu, a male member. “Love” is a broad term. I suppose liking someone can be included in love as well. I imagine you’re using “love” to mean “agape.” You may want to look up exactly what agape means, but in short, it’s “unconditional love”—love that expects nothing in return. As for your question about the difference between liking someone and loving them, I think it comes down to whether or not you expect something in return. I’m a selfish person, so I’ve never felt anything like unconditional love toward a woman who isn’t family. I understand the concept, but I’ve never experienced it myself. If I had to imagine what it’s like, I’d say the love a mother feels for her child may be an example of agape. As for your next question—whether it’s possible to come to love someone you met here—as I said, I’m a selfish person. So far, regardless of whether I met someone here or elsewhere, I’ve never felt unconditional love, or agape, toward another person, and I don’t think I ever will. However, there are plenty of people different from me, so I suppose some men may develop agape for their dating partner.

I’m Nana Ayase ♡ More than being in love, I want to be loved. That’s what makes me feel cherished. I don’t want it to be just about intimacy. I want to go grocery shopping together, watch movies, and go sightseeing together. I don’t want to be treated like nothing more than a hole…

I’m Joe, a male member. When Christianity was introduced to Japan in the 1500s, there was some debate over how to translate “love.” Translating it as “ai” was problematic because, in Japanese, the word primarily carried the connotation of “aijō”—passionate or sexual desire. So, when spreading their faith, Portuguese missionaries translated “love” as “go-taiset​​su,” meaning “to cherish someone deeply.” That’s why Joe believes the difference between love and simply liking someone is whether you can truly cherish them. If that’s the case, then unfortunately, I don’t think I’ve ever truly cherished any of the captivating women I’ve met through the club.