Quiz answers (even though you always get them right, I think folks only answer when they’re sure ^^')
They met using a paid dating app (because people are less serious on free apps)
梓 is read あずさ. Or あづさ, but that’s the same thing. Or しん or し according to the internet, I don’t know if that really happens as a standalone given name?
Haven’t finished the chapter yet but I feel like this section will likely set the philosophical framework for the rest of the book. I’ve definitely been taking it slow for the sake of comprehension (and for the sake of knocking out the JLPT. Glad to finally have that behind me! )
It’s starting to seem fairly likely that 真美 left to be with someone her parents did not approve of.
I expect that, due to her 善良、真実 initially tried to escape this relationship. She obediently engaged in her parents’ version of 婚活, and earnestly tried even though it made her miserable. She probably found some respite through using dating apps to make choices with less parental oversight.
I expect she moved to Tokyo for two paradoxical reasons. One was to distance herself from the lover from her hometown (善良), and the other was to get away from her parents’ direct influence in order to make choices based on her own values (傲慢). She was distraught when her past followed her to Tokyo, which drove her closer to 架, of whom her parents do approve.
There are still some gaps in my theory. I’m a less sure of how 傲慢 plays into the situation—perhaps we can look at it from 架’s perspective and call the 傲慢 his 70% rating. Thus 真実’s departure represents an escape from both 架’s 傲慢 and her own 善良.
I’m not sure your theory matches up with the prologue section we had from 真美’s perspective. That wasn’t just “oh, damn, this guy has followed me to Tokyo and is making me regret my life choices”. She was genuinely afraid for her life in a “got to get somewhere where there’s bright lights and people and maybe beg some stranger for help” way. And that was all presented in narration, so it wasn’t “she’s lying to 架 about how afraid she is”.
The whole prologue felt a little bit “off” to me. I’d be surprised if the situation were as straightforward as 架 makes it out to be. 真美 is clearly terrified, but she’s also sad, and the information she gives is conspicuously vague. I don’t think she’s lying, but 架 seems to have a habit of filling in gaps and making assumptions without genuinely communicating, and so far, aside from this brief emotionally-charged glimpse, 架’s is the only perspective we get.
Definitely agree with you that 真美 hasn’t been telling 架 the whole truth and there’s more to it that it seems. I just don’t really buy the specific idea that the guy from her past isn’t physically threatening in some way. I guess we’ll find out…
I am completely with you on this. I also got the impression that she was both genuinely in fear of that guy from her past and at the same time hiding something important from 架. I would be really suprised if she actually willingly ran away - which, of course, does not mean that I may not (also) be completely wrong here.
I know I got some wrong before, haha.
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