Because it’s just different culture. Dating doesn’t have a “exclusive dating” or “just figuring out” for them, and in my own culture too (south Asian) . Both know they like each other and knows what it means.
Well to clarify, the way they started their relationship was way too fast. MC seems genuine but ML seems like he’s just going with it. Let’s see how this goes…
lmaooo no the japanese is very open minded when it comes to dating. they do not consider dating as exclusive what are you on about
in fact they are the most tolerant for infidelity in the world. not saying that this situation is cheating but that open minded gives you a gist of how they view it
That’s not all Japanese though. MC clearly wouldn’t want his partner to be having sex with others, and doesn’t know the full situation so he’d obviously be shocked and hurt.
Rather than okay with it, more like tolerant.
then he should ask for exclusivity and set boundaries. these are not kids
Traditionally? Yes. I’m just saying that it’s not the exact same with Western culture where they go on several dates with other people before figuring things out. Not saying that there isn’t hookup or dating culture at all in Japan, but MC definitely means a exclusive relationship.
Even so, clearly MC said: Will you go out with ME?
That doesn’t imply it’s not exclusive…why would he want a non exclusive relationship? He seems to genuinely like ML. As for ML, he did jump to it pretty quick and was like “I like you too”, it felt bland?
My point is, asking someone out doesn’t mean they’re figuring things out to make it exclusive or not. It’s already exclusive for them. I do agree they should talk but MC doesn’t know much.
he said "will you go out with me" and then jt cut to the aquarium scene. he's simply asking him out to go somewhere scenic to confess. nowhere after that did he ask for exclusivity. secondly since "it's not the same where they go on several dates" you'd expect them to be popping out the "can i be your boyfriend" already. which they didnt
it's not exclusive so it's not cheating
Okay let’s say it’s not exclusive, either ways, it is icky that your potential partner is having sex with others (if we didn’t know the situation ML was in, if MC didn’t know). It would come as a shock and hurt when you’re going out with that person.
Cultural differences. In Japan directly asking someone out usually means expressing serious romantic interest and expecting exclusivity. So you’re not exactly wrong, my bad. But it is icky still. We can agree to disagree.
You think MC didn’t want exclusivity, I think he meant it as exclusivity.
Honestly my bad, idk why I’m arguing like a kid. You’re not wrong either, it could be either, shit..
I mean, yeah it's not cheating because they're not dating (therefore, not exclusive), but most of us think that ML is still in the wrong because he knows that MC likes him and is serious about it, but even though ML isn't, he still keeps seeing him and giving hope (and hides the fact he's a prostitute). If he just wanna fuck with MC and doesn't want anyone serious, why let this situation drag on? Just so MC gets hurt in the future?
Also, you could say "Well, MC is in the wrong here because if he wanted to date he should have said so", and while I agree with that, I also think that doesn't make what ML is doing is right either. ML already catched on MC's feelings; he didn't deny nor correspond, so if he doesn't have any intentions of getting serious, he is just playing with his feelings and is being as immature as MC imo.
Just like MC is an adult and should set his boundaries, ML is also an adult and should stop giving false hope and seeing someone whom want something serious when he himself doesn't.
MC is an airhead (overly naive) and probably is not even thinking about MC going out with other people, so, given the circumstances, I agree with @Huaran when they said MC will probably be shocked and hurt when he learns ML is sleeping with other people the whole time they were seeing each other.
Thank you. I will agree that it may not exactly be cheating but the whole situation is icky, because MC may find out HIMSELF, and just more drama causing ML to come out about his situation when he may not want to. He made the choice to reciprocate MC’s feeling, he did say: I like you too.
There’s not a lot of clarity…and MC thinks all is fine. Even if it’s not exclusive, dating non exclusively just means figuring out if he’s the right partner, and finding out that he’s having sex with others will def be a shock, not everyone is fine with it. You said you like me, but you didn’t tell me about this? Is probably how MC will feel…
If ML doesn’t want anyone to know about his work, he most definitely shouldn’t have accepted to go on a date with MC.
to be clear i agree with criticizing the ml, never said he was in the right. but people are calling it cheating when it isn't
never said that, what i said is mc never asked for exclusivity. so there's no cheating in the manga. they're went on dates and are having sex, but neither of them asked for exclusivity (meaning "can i be your boyfriend").
what you said is he assumed exclusivity, which would be entirely wrong on his part since assumptions get you nowhere. since neither of them clarified the relationship, he shouldnt exactly act hurt over something his sex partner did. im NOT SAYING what the ml did is right, thats an entirely different story. i dont want to speak on him rn since its long but whether immoral or moral, what he did was not cheating. that's the only thing im defending him on
Ok thank you for taking the time to explain, appreciate it.
Some will still see it as cheating technically and that’s alright. We all have different interpretations of the dating, I won’t try to change yours, so you don’t try to change others.
Hahah turns out Huaran about cultural differences was confirmed on chp. 5, MC indeed assumed they were dating, and so did the author.
The cheated vs not cheated topic we were discussing actually was never a thing —cheated 5 showed us they really were indeed intended to be exclusive even though that was never talked about, and ML was on put as the one being I the wrong (as in, he cheated lol).
Well, this mangas writing was so mid anyways soooo that's it
they went on two dates and fucked two times. but theyre not exclusive. why are people calling this cheating