GIVEN CODE 20 (Chapter 20)
I watched the anime/manga/stage play a thousand times to understand every scene. I still see a lot of people in YouTube, X and Reddit hating Akihiko and still debating whether they stopped or not in Chapter 20 which was heavily debated. In this Tumblr Thread, I am giving you the answer.
I've read every past subreddit and Tumblr and see some inaccuracy from each answers.
In the stage play, it was very clear even after the "I'm sorry" Akihiko and Haruki continue to have sex. After it was over, Haruki said it was consensual. I am annoyed with the inaccuracy translation in most manga sites of Chapter 20. Thanks to X (Twitter) and Tumblr community for the accurate translation. Akihiko and Haruki did had sex. There was a mistranslation that not everyone knows even in 2025.
The original is Haruki was wanting Akihiko to "Slow Down". He did say "No way" and "You're not really going down are you?". Haruki said "Stop" once when he was saying to Akihiko "Don't do that face like you are hurting" and tells Akihiko to open up. Akihiko said it wouldn't help anyway. Even after the "I'm sorry." They did it.
In the manga, you will noticed Akihiko's shirt is gone and his pants are slightly down (the v shape noticeable) before fading to black and in the anime, it is covered through angles. Not to mention after the manga faded black, Akihiko's ZIPPER IS DOWN.
Same goes with the Stage Play where even after the "I'm sorry" and "Why can't it be you?" Akihiko continued to have sex with Haruki and he did not say stop. (I am not saying this is okay.)
In the manga and anime Haruki's clothes changed. He told Akihiko that in the end it is "consensual" or "sex with consent" (which was also mentioned in the stage play and Drama CD for those who haven't watched or heard it).
Here is a scene above from the stage play. Akihiko said "I'm sorry" and then continued to have sex with him during fade to black.
Watching all three versions countless of times makes it clear that Haruki was hurt more of the rejection than the sex.
Translation: I said I’d do anything, in the end, it’s basically consensual sex anyway, right? So… for now, you can stay over today.
Why some people misinterpret it as “almost had sex”:
1. The word ほぼ (hobo) can mean “almost,” so if you read it quickly, it might seem like:
• “We almost had consensual sex.”
• But in this context, ほぼ softens the tone, meaning more like “basically” or “practically”, not literally “almost didn’t happen.”
2. The scene’s tone:
• Before this line, Haruki is flustered and overwhelmed, so readers might assume sex hasn’t happened yet.
• That, combined with ほぼ, leads some to think: “Oh, they almost did it,” rather than “They did it consensually.”
⸻
So did they have sex.
Yes.
• The use of 和姦 (wakan) explicitly indicates that sex occurred and it was consensual.
• Haruki’s post-line comments about staying over today and “basically consensual anyway” reinforce that the act already happened.
• The “ほぼ” just softens or teases the phrasing — it does not mean they didn’t actually have sex.
✅ Conclusion:
• They did have sex.
• The confusion comes from misreading ほぼ and combining it with the earlier flustered scene, which makes it feel like it’s pre-sex.
Also Haruki changed hair from braids to ponytail and his clothes changed from green shirt and joggers to blue shirt and pants after it faded black. Implying they did screw around.
Also even a lot of Japanese fans did said that Haruki never said Stop during the act. Spoke with multiple Japanese fans and they told me Haruki and Akihiko did NOT stop. Haruki did not verbally asked him to stop as he continued.
I do not condone what Akihiko did since he took advantage of Haruki's vulnerability.
Haruki did not ask Akihiko to stop therefore it is not rape. I do consider it as sexual assault since Haruki was in vulnerable state and was being used. He was not in the right mind to be intimate.
Now here is another question from a fan who is not paying attention. "WHY DID HARUKI LET HIM STAY? If I were him, I'd kick Akihiko."
If you read the manga, Haruki said “If you weren’t a band member, I would’ve thrown you away…”
Because Haruki is the band leader of given and Akihiko is their drummer and not to mention they have an upcoming live show. Haruki is simply being a good leader and he is not thinking of himself, he is thinking of the whole band. It is not hard to understand.
Did Haruki forgave Akihiko fast?
No. It has been four seasons had passed. Plus why would Haruki accept Akihiko after everything?
Because Haruki realised that Akihiko changed for the better. He also realised that he wasn't one sided all along even Yayoi mentioned it that Akihiko has always been in love with Haruki.
Why am I explaining this? Because I am an avid fan who wants to explain to casual fans who aren't keen to pay attention to the details. And I'd like to change their minds about the what really happened to Chapter 20.
I hope this helps!
More post at: https://x.com/eritentan
