Japanese Idol, 25, Married Her 41-Yr-Old Ex Teacher Who Rejected Her Confessions Throughout High School

In 2023, Japanese idol Aki Aihara made headlines after revealing that she had married her former high school homeroom teacher, Shinichi, who is 16 years her senior.

She was 23 at the time, and many criticised the relationship as "inappropriate".

Now 25, the former Aimamieru member has appeared on a web variety show with her 41-year-old husband to share how their relationship began. Surprisingly, many online have since softened their stance, with some describing the story as "straight out of a romance manga".

According to Aki, she developed feelings for Shinichi shortly after starting high school, when he cared for her while she was ill.

She didn't keep her crush a secret either.

Aki wrote "Teacher, I like you the most" in the class attendance book, made him a heart-shaped hamburger, declared in an essay that she wanted to "become a teacher's bride" one day, and even confessed to him in front of her classmates.

Shinichi, however, rejected every advance.

He said dating a student never crossed his mind and that he simply wanted Aki to stop pursuing him. He even turned her down again when she confessed after graduation.

Despite the rejection, the pair stayed in touch.

Shinichi initially assumed Aki's feelings would fade over time. Instead, he found himself moved by her persistence and sincerity, and eventually confessed his own feelings on her birthday.

The couple later got married.

After hearing the story, guests on the show likened it to "a romance manga".

Many Japanese netizens also defended Shinichi, saying he maintained clear boundaries while Aki was still his student and never pursued her during that time. They pointed out that Aki continued pursuing him long after graduation and felt the relationship was not the "taboo romance" it had initially been portrayed as.

Others, however, stressed that the story should not be seen as encouraging teachers to view students as romantic partners or pursue relationships with them.

When Aki first announced her marriage, she also faced criticism from fans for having a boyfriend while working as an idol.

Her response?

“It’s normal for idols to have boyfriends. But when I’m on stage or meeting everyone, my boyfriend isn’t on my mind.”