my issue with this type of reasoning is that it equates Taka's frivolous lifestyle as some act of martyrdom. NO ONE is saying he owed Aoi anything romantically or sexually but it's so irritating how half assed he was about ensuring his apparent attempts at overcoming his love for Aoi by obviously self indulging as he did to claim he's suffered emotionally in turn for it. You don't get to have your cake and eat it too, but that is the point of a fictional story like this. For me personally that's always been the annoyance I've had in the childhood friends fall in love later in love plot using the playboy trope specifically, because for most rational people the point of dating and sleeping around as Taka did is with the intention of distancing themselves from the feelings they feel they cannot express. Or they simply enjoy pleasure more than anything else. Take clearly tires easy of things and chases the next point of pleasure, we get a clear understanding of this from Aoi's memories. It's unfortunately the reality and the most realistic approach for a man like Taka to behave as he does. Aoi in turn would have harbored his feelings in silence and would have eventually come to the realization his obviously "straight" friend would never be an option. Hopefully Aoi would have found happiness with someone else but with his love for Taka always remaining a dull ache. That's truthfully how a scenario like theirs given the era and location would have played out. That's not a very romantic story now is it? Instead we have the stereotypical "waiting for her husband lost at sea" best friend who never takes on a lover, lives as if frozen in time for an unrequited love, and only begins to live again once their love has returned of their own volition. But of course we have the object of this unrequited love continue behaving as they've always done and ultimately get rewarded for having lived their lives while another waited patiently and steadfast. Our "widow" would take no other suitors as he waited and the moment a potential rival of love is introduced our adventurous hedonist only then does he takes his claim for his misplaced toy. The thing is had Aoi been a women he would have been an easy Penelope to Taka's Odysseus. Taka did what he wanted all the same and it's suppose to be romantic that Aoi never lived a life without Taka in mind, while Taka did so not returning the sentiments. It brings to question why then is it fair that Aoi happiness hinges on Taka's love when Taka did everything prior to destabilize this with his actions? I can't speak for others but for me, this type of plot is the sort I dislike the most because of how it romanticizes unrequited love as being noble for the one who suffers it. While the one who realizes it's fruitless nature early on is seen again as some sort of martyr for no longer lying to themselves through their acts of escapism. It's shallow and cliche.
Everyone praises this plot but I just really can't see it.
Takahiko is the type of man who would express their feelings in action more than words. A young master of house means all their lives are restricted. In that time the breaking of society and old values on the verge of war was very visible. Takahiko was a free minded free spirited person, he loved AOI that's why he didn't return for 3 years because he hoped that AOI will move on from his god for saken self and find happiness on his own, yet AOI waited. Neither Taka or Aoi ever tried to push their feelings for each other nor they tried to confine each other. Taka maybe slept with many but he felt insecure when he realised his sister has feelings for aoi, I think to judge anyone on the perspective of love we should also consider the tiebthey were living in the atmosphere they were moving. I think this manga is realistic. I felt they were humans rather than those mangas where everything is full of fluff and they are living in a fairytale. Taka is human, aoi is human everyone is saying taka didn't deserve aoi well taka also knows that's why he gave aoi 3 years to move on and but aoi loved him earnestly. And making fuss about sleeping lmao sex is sex even if he didn't slept end of the day he went back to him and was with him only aoi belong to his heart and no one else, no matter how many women warmed his bed. I am sure taka would not mind if aoi slept with someone too even he hoped he would in the 3 years.