As we all know, Ruka becomes the third girl in the series to kiss Hayate on the lips, following Athena and Izumi. Of course, this creates a huge debate all over the world. Some people like their relationship, some people don’t. As for me, I simply think that a romantic relationship between Hayate and Ruka would not work – at least, not now.
So here I put forward five reasons I think that this relationship is not the real deal. Do note that I am trying to put forward “practical” reasons, i.e. practical concerns over the relationship, instead of something more… theoretical. As such, there is no reference to Tropes or flashforwards. They could be legitimate reasons, but they are not included in my article. Suit yourself to make those reasons your sixth, seventh and so on.
So, here we go. Admittedly some of them are fallible or at least debatable, but well… let’s discuss.
1. They are too similar for the relationship to work
It is the general consent that Hayate and Ruka are very similar people. You can even say that they are identical: they both have a debt of 150M yen, they are both saved by someone else, and they both have to work for said someone else to repay their debts. In fact, it is their similarity that leads Ruka to understand how Hayate feels, and to realize how deep is her love for him.
But the problem here is that they are almost identical, and as such they would view the same thing in the same way. If they are a couple who share everything together, then while the happiness of sharing wonderful things is doubled, the sorrow of sharing miserable things are also doubled. The thing is, they cannot offer any help when the other one is in trouble, because they suffer from the same problem.
The common problem for them is a serious lack of money, and they both know that money is essential for them (to repay their debts). While both of them have to spend most of their time working for money, how do we expect them to enjoy a happy romantic relationship? “I reduced my debt by 12 yen today” is not an overly lovely topic, mind you.
2. The career of Ruka could be harmed
Do you know who would be the first ones to know about Ruka’s relationship with Hayate? Funny enough, it might not be the other residents at the Violet Mansion, but the paparazzi. They are (in)famous for exploiting the private life of celebrities and making anything they know (or not know) into tabloid headlines. Now, Ruka is a very popular young idol, and what could sell better than her love life?
Well, it might not be a bad thing to have paparazzi reporting (or making up, should they choose to) Ruka’s love life, because an appearance in the newspapers would always remind the public that she exists. However, such coverage can benefit her career only when the public take Ruka’s relationship as a positive thing – for example, if it was a date with a likable young male star.
Unfortunately, instead of said young male star, Ruka is with Ayasaki Hayate, who is a nobody to the general public. This is disappointing enough, but to make things worse, the paparazzi will begin their investigation into Hayate, and soon they will find out that Ruka is going out with an indebted butler. The public won’t like it, and Ruka’s reputation as celebrity could be harmed. This is cardinal sin for idols.
3. Hayate wouldn’t like too much attention
Whatever we say about Hayate, he is not an attention-seeking boy. We all know that he simply wants a quiet life, in which he can serve Nagi well as her butler, and that hopefully he wouldn’t get into troubles.
But the paparazzi suggested above would give him anything but a quiet life. They would start gathering his details, following him anywhere he goes, and firing questions at him should they be stupid enough to do so. Soon enough the whole country (or even world) would know everything about him, including his huge debt and the fact that he is currently living with eight girls in an apartment.
And that is not the point yet. Let us not forget that Nagi, Hayate’s mistress, doesn’t really enjoy that company of a big crowd. The paparazzi would cause too much troubles for Nagi’s liking that Hayate would begin to feel that he is underperforming as her butler. Let us also not forget how often is Nagi kidnapped. Now if those kidnappers target Ruka as well…
4. There is no way to survive the wrath of the other girls
Unless Hayate and Ruka somehow manage to keep their kiss (or even relationship) a secret, the other girls living at the Violet Mansion would know about it – sooner or later, through them or the tabloids.
Now think about who they are and how they would react. Nagi, Hayate’s mistress, was and probably is known as a jealous type. Maria, Hayate’s co-worker and senior (in a sense), is not shy to make her displeasure known. Athena, Hayate’s first love, is arguably the strongest (when in full power) and most violent. Hinagiku, the Student Council President known for her temper, has two powerful swords and an even more powerful punch. Ayumu, the Hamster who moves in to speed up her relationship with Hayate, is an aggressive carnivore.
Of course, it is not necessary to look for approval from the other girls, but then Hayate and Ruka will have to bear the displeasure of them, which is made more difficult by the fact that they are all living together. The pressure of living with (at least) five possibly unhappy girls under the same roof would probably have them to think whether they are better off just be friends.
5. Hayate might not want a love life with Ruka
Okay, so Hayate remembers his monologue in Greece, and he has also just realized that Ruka is a very cute girl. Now, does it mean that Hayate will fall in love with her just because she kisses him on the lips? Arguably not. For one thing, Hayate still has strong emotional attachments with Athena. For another thing, even if Hayate really has decided to move on and find another lover, it really doesn’t have to be Ruka.
One major point is that, as it has only been two months since they very first met, Hayate doesn’t know Ruka as well as other girls. He has been staying with Nagi and Maria 24-7 for over seven months. He has know Athena for ten years and Ayumu for over a year. Even Hinagiku, who has known Hayate for a relatively shorter period of time, is still four months ahead of Ruka. All of these girls know Hayate well and vice versa, so why should Hayate feel closer to someone who is relatively a stranger?
Another major point is that, Hayate is currently Ruka’s stand-in manager. In other words, he is serving the role of Atsumari for these two weeks. As such, he considers Ruka his client – someone no responsible managers would fall in love with. While Ruka could persuade him to “stop working” and enjoy a relationship with her now, this “holiday” would come to an end very soon. Can their relationship last once the manager-client relationship resumes? I seriously doubt it, given how responsible Hayate is to his work.
So…
Hayate Report 