the last part, 愛してる (ai shiteru) cannot, it's only used romantically (with some very, very rare exceptions, which this isn't).

This is a common misconception that gets spread around. In a context where 好き is ambiguous, then 愛してる isn't any more specifically romantic.

(Stare)

(looks at every source he has)

BULLLLLLLSHIT.

Aishiteru is not -exclusively- romantic, but it is WAAAY more explicitly romantic than suki. The only expression that would be less ambiguous would be koishiteru, and almost nobody ever uses that.

I am honestly flabbergasted by this whole conversation. I thought we HAD to be past this.

They kiss. They live together. They plan to live together indefinitely, probably forever. They get jealous of each other. They cuddle, they sleep together, they say "I love you" in explicitly romantic ways.

They're A COUPLE, YOU DENSE MOTHERF-(is tackled)

And, so, we carry the original Japanese version of that scene as the torch of victory (despite some (maybe even most) of us, myself included, being unable to read Japanese).

I’m not even sure that “victory” is the right rubric here as much as just dispositive evidence to put the matter to rest—if not this, then what? (Short of that hypothetical fisting scene I alluded to, of course).

But then, I answered that question previously—nothing. (After Chapter 53, I can only assume we’d get the “platonic fisting” argument should it ever be required.)

Hey, friends can engage in sexual activity! Haven't you heard of sex friends? Just because a woman goes wrist-deep in another girl's vagina doesn't mean it's romantic or sexual in any way. Why do you have to make everything gay?

(Beat head on wall)

Why do you have to make everything gay?

Um, because it's better?

@ Bugdevil

You're twist my words and say I'm ignorant, even though I said, "I'm not saying that's impossible for Kasumi to have romantic feelings for Sakurako, but it could also be platonic." Who can not accept that it may be possible that she has platonic feelings for Sakurako !? You and not me!

And no, there does not have to be a sexual act, but I just do not feel like Kasumi is in love with Sakurako!
But I understand now, your opinions are facts for you, just like the kiss on the CHEEK.

Oiiiii @Heavensrun, want some booze?? Drinking is the only way out of this headache!

Urgh... I'll be honest... I'd rather debate flat-earthers at this point. At least they are funny.

Why do you have to make everything gay?

Isn't that why we're on Dynasty Reader?

Just asking an idle question here, but it just occurred to me:

Is there a sex fetish for seeing things as "platonic"?

Just asking an idle question here, but it just occurred to me:

Is there a sex fetish for seeing things as "platonic"?

"OH yeah baby! I love the way you treat me like a family member! The way you stare at me with non-romantic interest or desire really shows how much you want it!"

opens the second bottle of white wine

last edited at May 7, 2019 9:45AM

Just asking an idle question here, but it just occurred to me:

Is there a sex fetish for seeing things as "platonic"?

No, I always wear my Yuri googles, but if you put them away for a while, you might as well see something else.

Oiiiii @Heavensrun, want some booze?? Drinking is the only way out of this headache!

Urgh... I'll be honest... I'd rather debate flat-earthers at this point. At least they are funny.

<-----Physics professor

(sobs)

Why do you have to make everything gay?

Isn't that why we're on Dynasty Reader?

Touche'.

And no, there does not have to be a sexual act, but I just do not feel like Kasumi is in love with Sakurako!

This is an example of poor reading comprehension.

But I understand now, your opinions are facts for you, just like the kiss on the CHEEK.

Let's be charitable and say that that picture shows the moment of contact, meaning you're right, it is a kiss on the cheek.

When you kiss someone on the cheek, how do you do it? Do you nestle your nose into their eyesocket and kiss next to their nostril? Or do you go around the side of the face and kiss the outer part of the cheek? If you do the former, you're profoundly weird.

https://www.google.com/search?q=kiss+on+the+cheek&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS758US758&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwii_N694IniAhUPIKwKHezHCiMQ_AUIDigB&biw=1920&bih=888#imgrc=_

Notice anything? Cheek kisses are all on the side of the face.

https://www.google.com/search?q=manga+cheek+kiss&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS758US758&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjS0NrI4YniAhUO5awKHf5jAusQ_AUIDigB&biw=1920&bih=888

In manga, this usually means either the kissee's head is turned away or the kisser's lips are drawn on the far side of the curve of the face.

So, hey, maybe Yukiko-sensei just didn't draw it very well and made an accidentally ambiguous cheek kiss. Of course, then it's just as plausible that it's an ambiguous lip kiss, and it's far from the only time they'd have locked lips, but let's grant you that it's a cheek kiss.

It's still a romantic cheek kiss. Leaving aside that if you kiss someone like that, you're basically kissing the corner of their mouth, It comes at the tail end of a conversation about what Sakurako means to her. She can't really put it into words, but thinking about it on the way home, she mentions the way she calls out to her.

I have had some exceptionally close friendships in my life. I've been blessed with that. If you ask me why I care about my friends, I might mention their loyalty, their care, their patience, their humor....

But "The way I feel when they say my name" would not be on any of those lists. That is an explicitly (and exclusively) romantic sentiment. Then she kisses her (maybe) on the cheek and says "I'm home", like a spouse returning from work. (Because that's basically what she is.) I think that was a lip kiss, but even if it's not? That is some super gay homo romantic lesbian waff lovin'. If you think that's platonic, I feel sorry for anyone that ever falls for you, because you are more impervious to signals than a faraday cage.

I feel a remarkable sense of deja vu. Except I was sorry for Nyangomaru. As long as we are all sorry...
I can also feel another deja vu coming with the response.

I feel a remarkable sense of deja vu. Except I was sorry for Nyangomaru. As long as we are all sorry...
I can also feel another deja vu coming with the response.

I know I'm kinda retreading territory you already covered, but while you made a strong argument for why it's -not- a cheek kiss, I really wanted to cover that even if it was, it's still definitely romantic.

I know I'm kinda retreading territory you already covered, but while you made a strong argument for why it's -not- a cheek kiss, I really wanted to cover that even if it was, it's still definitely romantic.

No no, it's fine, I actually prefer your point. I just can't see that reaching someone who is with their head in the sand... below a layer of concrete.

PS: I read that as "Faraday Cat". That's equally parts disturbing and hilarious.

last edited at May 7, 2019 12:46PM

It's still a romantic cheek kiss. Leaving aside that if you kiss someone like that, you're basically kissing the corner of their mouth, It comes at the tail end of a conversation about what Sakurako means to her. She can't really put it into words, but thinking about it on the way home, she mentions the way she calls out to her.

And this is on the same page where Kasumi mentions the "tons of girls who have called out to [her]" before (and about whom she implicitly could give a flying fuck).

Only Sakurako has ever been special.

At this point we're just talking to each other, though--"I don't think Kasumi's feelings are romantic" trumps all.

Can't you see Kasumi is just lying to herself ? She just like Sakurako as her private food dispenser obviously

Can't you see Kasumi is just lying to herself ? She just like Sakurako as her private food dispenser obviously

Lol That's the ticket--if we assume that everything we see is fake, then things are really entirely different than they seem to be!

It's all so clear now . . .

Can't you see Kasumi is just lying to herself ? She just like Sakurako as her private food dispenser obviously

I'm inclined to believe that you said that jokingly?

I feel a remarkable sense of deja vu. Except I was sorry for Nyangomaru. As long as we are all sorry...
I can also feel another deja vu coming with the response.

No, there won't coming a response, because it is meaningless.
So, let's end this. You're all too stupid to accept opinions from other people, and you're offended and insulting them, so, good job!
You're even say there's certain way to do a cheek kiss, it's just stupid. #facepalm

You're all too stupid to accept opinions from other people, and you're offended and insulting them,

An example of a self-enacting statement.

I can't believe we're still arguing this after the author made Sakurako describe their relationship for those who still didn't get it before...

I can't believe we're still arguing this after the author made Sakurako describe their relationship for those who still didn't get it before...

Ah, but this tells us nothing about Kasumi's feelings toward Sakurako--she may just be putting up with the sleeping together, the being together all the time, the half-naked cuddling, the planning the rest of their lives together, and the integration into each others' families because she wants to eat Sakurako's cooking.

See how easy it is?

@ Bugdevil

You're twist my words and say I'm ignorant, even though I said, "I'm not saying that's impossible for Kasumi to have romantic feelings for Sakurako, but it could also be platonic." Who can not accept that it may be possible that she has platonic feelings for Sakurako !? You and not me!

And no, there does not have to be a sexual act, but I just do not feel like Kasumi is in love with Sakurako!
But I understand now, your opinions are facts for you, just like the kiss on the CHEEK.

I agree that Kasumi's feelings for Sakurako could be platonic, but that doesn't preclude her loving her. There is a mountain of evidence pointing to the fact that Kasumi does deeply care for Sakurako even if she isn't attracted to her sexually.

In the most recent chapters we have even started to see evidence that Kasumi's complete lack of interest in a romantic or sexual dimension to her life with Sakurako may be starting to change with her even going so far as to give her a light surprise kiss after spending the day thinking about their relationship.

It is true that one light kiss and a handful of other much more subtle and ambiguous recent examples of Kasumi becoming more interested in romantic aspects of their relationship doesn't really undo the countless instances we have seen Kasumi completely ignore or shut down Sakurako when she starts to push things in an amorous direction, but it does suggest that maybe Kasumi has started to become capable of experiencing at least a mild desire for romance if not more.

last edited at May 7, 2019 3:44PM

I can't believe we're still arguing this after the author made Sakurako describe their relationship for those who still didn't get it before...

Ah, but this tells us nothing about Kasumi's feelings toward Sakurako--she may just be putting up with the sleeping together, the being together all the time, the half-naked cuddling, the planning the rest of their lives together, and the integration into each others' families because she wants to eat Sakurako's cooking.

See how easy it is?

Yeah, I know, I know... I guess she'll have to do the same with Kasumi next time. Not that it would change any minds that refuse to be changed.