Spoilers for all episodes of The Boyfriend ahead. Netflix's Japanese LGBTQ+ reality show The Boyfriend came to an end on July 30, with two couples deciding whether or not to continue their relationship as they return to the real world. One of these couples, outgoing IT worker Alan Takahashi and quiet chef Kazuto Kasahara, were an unlikely pair that had their challenges, but their sweet slow-burn romance has fans wondering whether they made things official once they left the Green Room. Read on for everything we know about Alan and Kazuto's relationship, including any hints of whether they're still together post-filming.
What happened between Alan and Kazuto on 'The Boyfriend'?
Kazuto, a 27-year-old chef, made a captivating entrance on the men's first night in the Green Room. Rather than arriving earlier in the day with the other cast members, he arrived in the late afternoon toting fresh fish for a sashimi dinner. Though some of the men were intrigued about Kazuto from the start (especially go-go dancer Usak), the chef did not spend much time at the Green Room in The Boyfriend's early episodes. Instead, he had to leave often for work, since the cast of the series could not put their lives entirely on hold for several weeks of filming.
Meanwhile, Alan, a 29-year-old Japanese-Brazilian IT worker, arrived at the Green Room in episode 3. It turned out that he had a history with another one of the cast members, university student Dai Nakai, but the pair just remained friends on the show. (Dai, meanwhile, had a serious connection with Shun, which even continued outside of The Boyfriend.) Instead, Alan openly expressed to all the men that he was interested in Kazuto—Usak and model Ryota (and eventually late addition Ikuo) were also admirers of the chef. While running the coffee truck with Shun in episode 4, Kazuto revealed that he already had a crush on one of the men in the house. That night, Kazuto texted Alan to ask him to chat when he arrived home, and the pair made their mutual interest clear before sharing a hug.
For the season's first overnight date in episode 5, Kazuto and Alan chose each other. They bonded over discussing their childhoods; Alan shared that he was born in Brazil but had a difficult time growing up in Japan with his mother and sister. Kazuto expressed admiration for Alan's considerate nature, while Alan said that he felt love at first sight. However, Alan was more forward, heavily flirting during a trip to a hot spring bath. The pair did share an intimate massage, but Kazuto later admitted that he was used to taking things slow, and became a bit overwhelmed during the date.
During the group picnic in episode 6, Kazuto told Alan that he considered him as just a friend at that point, but he did not entirely cut things off. Kazuto spent some time getting to know the other men in the house, but he gently turned down Usak, Ikuo, and Ryota, telling them all that he only saw them as friends. For the show's final private date, Kazuto and Alan chose each other and had fun cooking a barbecue at a small guest house. Kazuto explained his previous feelings and said that taking a step back "alleviated his worries" and let him feel more comfortable.
In the show's season finale, the men of The Boyfriend chose whether to leave the house alone or with a partner. As he was leaving, Ryota asked Kazuto to leave with him, but Kazuto turned him down. Instead, when Alan and Kazuto were the last two remaining members, Kazuto explained that he didn't have a clear answer for how he felt about Alan, but that he believed that the relationship they had built while staying at the Green Room was special. Kazuto revealed that he wanted to continue to date Alan in the real world and take it slow, and Alan agreed. They left the Green Room together, taking one last look at the vacation house before walking away hand-in-hand.
Are Alan and Kazuto still together after 'The Boyfriend'?
It turns out that Alan and Kazuto were just meant to be besties after all. During The Boyfriend's reunion special that was released on August 3, the pair revealed that they did not make things official after the show, but they are still close friends and important in each other's lives. They reiterated how much their friendship has affected them during the special, with Kazuto explaining, "Although we are not lovers now, I am still grateful to have met my best friend."
Meanwhile, though Alan admitted that he still likes Kazuto, he wants to keep the chef in his life as a friend. "I still like him. I want to keep cherishing that," Alan explained. "That memory has become a big part of my life … It’s made me a better Alan ... Even if our relationship is just friends, if we’re not lovers or boyfriends, I want to continue it."
