Tokyo Fake Romance
In Japan, some women are turning away from relationships and renting boyfriends instead. A 20 years old guy wanted to be called Jin, he is one of those “boyfriends” to rent in Tokyo. At least for a couple hours which is how much of this romance the client should pay for. He’s been a “cast” - that’s how the company he works in called their boys, for 3 years apart from doing a part-time job in a restaurant. His parents are divorced times ago and life forced him to struggle alone in this compact concrete forest, Tokyo. He has a dream to study abroad one day, this is how we begin our conversations.
I asked him why does he do? He stared at me closely, “Because I’m helping those lonely ladies. They are alone with their problems, I’m giving what they longing to have without any emotional attachment which they discouraged”.
We finished our dinner and walk out into the deep evening, our “romantic relationship" nearly done. I asked him if the clients ever asked to go to the hotels as we passed by the street in Shibuya full of a tacky interiors love hotels. “You know that physical intimacy is not allowed in this business” He added with a laugh and he added, “Because we are not a prostitute, and we sell fantasies with boundaries”. At the end of this "short romance" we part ways, we’ll agree to stay in touch, though probably I won’t, we’ll mean it at that moment.
The experience I had with Jin brought me to think, when we are young, a relationship is pure but as we get older, we see it can be complicated. Clients seek a company of these rental boyfriends to feel loved and emotional security even for couple hours without being attached for a long run.
I asked him why does he do? He stared at me closely, “Because I’m helping those lonely ladies. They are alone with their problems, I’m giving what they longing to have without any emotional attachment which they discouraged”.
We finished our dinner and walk out into the deep evening, our “romantic relationship" nearly done. I asked him if the clients ever asked to go to the hotels as we passed by the street in Shibuya full of a tacky interiors love hotels. “You know that physical intimacy is not allowed in this business” He added with a laugh and he added, “Because we are not a prostitute, and we sell fantasies with boundaries”. At the end of this "short romance" we part ways, we’ll agree to stay in touch, though probably I won’t, we’ll mean it at that moment.
The experience I had with Jin brought me to think, when we are young, a relationship is pure but as we get older, we see it can be complicated. Clients seek a company of these rental boyfriends to feel loved and emotional security even for couple hours without being attached for a long run.