Ayaka is in Love with Hiroko! - Vol. 2 Ch. 12
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She's worried about being outed at work, and is affected by their age difference. She rejects her partly since she's in denial, yes but she's in denial largely because mentally she does not want to deal with the problem of dating a coworker who could reveal her sexuality to the workplace. Clearly, she has some reasonable caution when it comes to Japanese business, and careerwomen who "come out." Outside of work, among her peers, in her safe places she is different. She has established reasons and beyond this personal line, she's been nothing but nice to everyone (as this chapter showed again). All the characters have been nice actually. People are free to dislike her but I keep seeing this idea that she has "no reason," which is demonstrably not the case.
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Really need to suspend your disbelief that Hiroko is supposedly a Social Butterfly and Raging Lesbian yet she has stonewalled Ayaka for over a year, even though she made it clear since the beginning that she was interested in Hiroko…
Yes, not wanting to be outed is a valid reason but we know that the main motivation for her not flirting with Ayaka back is for thinking she might be straight, which at that point it’s ridiculous.
Yes, not wanting to be outed is a valid reason but we know that the main motivation for her not flirting with Ayaka back is for thinking she might be straight, which at that point it’s ridiculous.
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Not sure how she would even be outed in the first place. She's been sleeping around since her teens without any problems up to this point. Why would her getting with Ayaka magically change that?
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Ayaka is a coworker. She's worried about being outed at work. Only work, a place largely male dominated, where others likely have a large say in her career.
No this is only part of it. We moved past that now right? She knows she's not straight by now. I mentioned that her denial is coming from a desire to avoid the subject, because she is afraid of what that will mean at her workplace. Denial always has a reason. You deny something for a purpose and I'm arguing what that purpose is. She's definitely still in denial but by now she obviously knows Ayaka is gay.
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Although I hate her methods and want either Risa or the bar owner to slap some sense into this woman, I kinda understand why the character is the way she is.
I think this might be the first time something’s going on with a subordinate. That can lead to a lot of insecurities. It’s about age difference (different values) and power imbalance.
Hiroko might have had some hookups back in the day with coworkers, who by being raised with the same mindset that you have to hide such things in your workplace would have understood the secrecy. Her being a womaniser also makes me think that if any woman in the company knows, they never got too serious and treated it as a one-night stand.
Ayaka is different. She’s young. Young people are bold and outspoken about those things. She seems to want something serious. If it got out that these two are in a same-sex relationship, Hiroko knows (or fears) it wouldn’t be treated the same way as a male boss dating a subordinate. She’d be outed and the difference in treatment by her peers could make her workplace environment really bad. And she worked for 10 years to be the beloved Hiroko-san/-senpai of this company.
The other workers from her generation might be understanding, but neither us readers or the character herself knows because she never tested it. She can’t. And that’s something she never did because she was taught people will treat you differently even if they are not outright homophobic, she came to the conclusion this is something that must be hidden. The business world is shitty and full of prejudice.
Young workers experience some places having LGBT+ affirmative actions and acknowledging them. The older generation was bound by the unspoken “Don’t ask, don’t tell” rule.
I think this might be the first time something’s going on with a subordinate. That can lead to a lot of insecurities. It’s about age difference (different values) and power imbalance.
Hiroko might have had some hookups back in the day with coworkers, who by being raised with the same mindset that you have to hide such things in your workplace would have understood the secrecy. Her being a womaniser also makes me think that if any woman in the company knows, they never got too serious and treated it as a one-night stand.
Ayaka is different. She’s young. Young people are bold and outspoken about those things. She seems to want something serious. If it got out that these two are in a same-sex relationship, Hiroko knows (or fears) it wouldn’t be treated the same way as a male boss dating a subordinate. She’d be outed and the difference in treatment by her peers could make her workplace environment really bad. And she worked for 10 years to be the beloved Hiroko-san/-senpai of this company.
The other workers from her generation might be understanding, but neither us readers or the character herself knows because she never tested it. She can’t. And that’s something she never did because she was taught people will treat you differently even if they are not outright homophobic, she came to the conclusion this is something that must be hidden. The business world is shitty and full of prejudice.
Young workers experience some places having LGBT+ affirmative actions and acknowledging them. The older generation was bound by the unspoken “Don’t ask, don’t tell” rule.
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I've read all the previous comments about how Hiroko just want to separate her personal life and her job, how she's been living like that her whole life and everything else. Sure I agree with y'all.
But there were certainly gentler ways to say no or delay the conversation. Hell she could have avoided her until clocking out like she avoided that the possibility of Ayaka loving her could exist.
I'm not accusing her of lying. I'm just accusing her of being inconsiderate. She could have stay in the closet all she wanted, I won't deny her the right to protect herself. But she didn't have to hurt Ayaka this much to do it, even more when it's clear Hiroko really cares for her
You can call me a robot, say I'm heartless or taking this manga too seriously. You can bash me all you want. But I wouldn't protect myself if it means hurting someone I care. That, for me means she's not ready for any serious relationship (and that goes for all orientation)
But there were certainly gentler ways to say no or delay the conversation. Hell she could have avoided her until clocking out like she avoided that the possibility of Ayaka loving her could exist.
I'm not accusing her of lying. I'm just accusing her of being inconsiderate. She could have stay in the closet all she wanted, I won't deny her the right to protect herself. But she didn't have to hurt Ayaka this much to do it, even more when it's clear Hiroko really cares for her
You can call me a robot, say I'm heartless or taking this manga too seriously. You can bash me all you want. But I wouldn't protect myself if it means hurting someone I care. That, for me means she's not ready for any serious relationship (and that goes for all orientation)
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Which, while I do get, and Hiroko being worried about being out at work is valid, she’s done shit all for Ayaka since putting her in the same situation. I can definitely understand the criticism for Hiroko to a degree, and even Hiroko criticizes herself for the position she and Ayaka are now in.
But I do think it’s odd that she’s been so steadfast in believing both Ayaka and Risa are straight. Even now she thinks Risa is straight.
But I do think it’s odd that she’s been so steadfast in believing both Ayaka and Risa are straight. Even now she thinks Risa is straight.
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Gotta love how everyone has long paragraphs of opinions while I'm just here waiting for everything to hit 
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Remember though that Ayaka (cute as she she may be) is literally following her around. Ayaka is the one who tracked her down! I mean the woman ran from Ayaka and Ayaka ran after her and cornered her in a public office. We're talking like Hiroko wasn't put in the absolute spot. She's trying to remain closeted and a woman tracks her down at work and asks her to reveal that she's lesbian. I would have lied too. Is remaining closeted and thus denying your true sexuality to others lying now? I guess technically it is but I've never criticized someone for doing it. I think in that moment she just panicked. She also does not know that Ayaka is hurting. We do but she does not get to follow Ayaka to her home. Ayaka only shows her the bubly side.
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No no, I think you are right. Despite her motives being valid, her way of dealing with it is by no means commendable.
Ayaka doesn’t deserve being treated this way and it pained me so much so see her crying face, specially after the flashback showing us that her infatuation by Hiroko was born from something so genuine.
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And let’s not forget, Ayaka has already been outed after Hiroko forcefully pulled her out of that bar while drunk. And now Hiroko is avoiding her at work when Ayaka wants to talk about it. Another way to look at it is Ayaka wanting to discuss the possible implications of that revelation and her boss avoiding her. Hiroko is essentially stonewalling any attempt Ayaka can make about trying to keep her own sexuality a secret while at work and Ayaka is forcing that conversation. Hiroko had an opportunity to discuss this in a rational way and didn’t take it.
Now certainly, two wrong don’t make a right, but I can’t say I blame Ayaka too much for doing essentially the same thing that Hiroko did to her.
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lmao hiroko defenders are fighting for their lives in the comments
calling her the r word is crazy tho ngl
calling her the r word is crazy tho ngl
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I really don't buy the "s-she's worried about being outed at work!" when we saw her going a hundred times before "damn, she's such a cutie if only she weren't straight..." in previous chapters.
Of course people will get pissy at her being unable to walk her talk, despite her previously being presented as a ,uh, womanwhore?, now that what she wanted is now at arm's reach. Her characterization is flip-flopping and becoming contradictory and not even in an entertaining way.
Of course people will get pissy at her being unable to walk her talk, despite her previously being presented as a ,uh, womanwhore?, now that what she wanted is now at arm's reach. Her characterization is flip-flopping and becoming contradictory and not even in an entertaining way.
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Thats why she a women slayer...That senpai is a natural ( complimenting other people as she breath) she kindda stupid when on the receiving end tho..
If someone told me they are interested in me.. I'll die and would think in which- kind-of-way lol
If someone told me they are interested in me.. I'll die and would think in which- kind-of-way lol
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thank you for the translation!
cute reasoning behind her crush on hiroko
cute reasoning behind her crush on hiroko
We haven't seen her do that even once, though. We only saw her chanting "she's straight" as a mantra against temptation (and thinking that Ayaka's oblivious to how flirty she's being).
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I'm on my last breath but the fight is still in me.
Don't engage in objectionable behavior towards others
as a young worker myself, few things are more annoying than the LGB-T+ people who do nothing but sit around and the second they get called out fall back on the "I'm a minority, you cant touch me" before whining to the blue haired man in a dress at HR and getting one of the three out of thirty people doing something fired and that creates prejudice against further interactions for both people working who are part of those groups and normal people...your sexuality and gender DO NOT belong in work, only how well you can adapt to the workload
