Hi, I have a question about JR novel, I know the story is very slow burn, but can you tell me when Richard started having feelings for Seigi and viceversa? I don't mind spoilers, considering the last volume has to be released in Japan and the tenth has been released in english, I already know some things, in fact the spoilers made me discover this wonderful novel, I'm just curious
It's heavily implied that Richard has some kind of feelings other than friendship for Seigi as early as the first novel - the fun is in reading between the lines of Seigi's narration to recognise that.
When Richard encourages Seigi to pursue Tanimoto, it's not just friendly advice, but an indicator of how Richard sees himself as doomed to a life of loneliness - he thinks he is being magnanimous in supporting Seigi's crush, but he is also being somewhat masochistic - I've referred to it as like prodding a rotten tooth, knowing it's going to hurt but doing it anyway to feel something.
He also recognised that Seigi is attracted to him, but doesn't understand it yet, and part of the fun is seeing Richard's patience being tested as Seigi unintentionally courts him. When Richard asks if all Japanese boys can make pudding, he's really asking if Seigi has done something special just for him. When Seigi, in that conversation during the jadeite auction about pulling back from a kiss, says that he won't push Richard for details about his life and Richard says, Are you a philanthropist or a coward/Are you protecting me or protecting yourself, he's really asking if Seigi is covering up his feelings for Richard or trying to let Richard down gently, because he only just realises there and then that Seigi has no idea he's attracted to Richard while Richard has been trying to make sense of Seigi's ostensibly flirtatious behaviour.
If you want admissions, then Richard says in book 4 and book 6 that he loves Seigi, but it's not received as a romantic confession - book 8 still has Seigi overjoyed at the thought of being upgraded to Richard's friend. But the feelings are clearly there from the start, and everyone knows it but Seigi.
