You are welcome.
In response to your questions within spoilers, below are my speculations and/or factual statements based on original reading and having gone through the author's thoughts in Syosetu + personal blog. I do not recommend anyone expand this before completing the series -- you have been warned. I also apologize for poor wording, grammar, or ramblings since I wrote this in one shot and did not proofread.
The story has a theme of Kurumi being associated with sacrifice, and the last or semi-last main chapter even has the husband ruminating that she might think of the couple as one single entity, and the self-inflicted pain on their marriage being a form of "self-sacrifice".
The painter (Makabe) doesn't have much time left due to cancer obtained from treatment. She feels guilty and it's the reason why despite having always denied vaginal insertion, she starts asking for it in their recent months' meetings. However, he doesn't oblige due to her doing so out of sympathy rather than raw desire.
Kurumi is sent to the hotel by the husband who, based on the beginning of the main story's final chapter, has already seen the original DVD where she is sexually tortured, has fluids spread all over her body, and even has semen enter vaginally without penetration. This is probably his way of ensuring that she has no regrets.
(Note that Makabe anticipated the final meeting could happen based on Kurumi's personality and how the husband might respond in turn. This is speculated by the author himself in terms of how the character might act in response to a reader question, since it's not in the plot. Though the author also said that Makabe was supposedly genuine in willingness to jump out of the window, which in-story the husband doesn't want because then Kurumi might follow; hentai logic...)
Anyway, as a result, Kurumi beingthe hidden nymphomaniac tart saintess that she is, goes to the hotel with the mentality of submitting fully to Makabe due to it being farewell. Submission doesn't mean a romantic gesture since her husband remains the #1 priority and Makabe re-affirms that he has "lost" to the husband again.
The painter (Makabe) doesn't have much time left due to cancer obtained from treatment. She feels guilty and it's the reason why despite having always denied vaginal insertion, she starts asking for it in their recent months' meetings. However, he doesn't oblige due to her doing so out of sympathy rather than raw desire.
Kurumi is sent to the hotel by the husband who, based on the beginning of the main story's final chapter, has already seen the original DVD where she is sexually tortured, has fluids spread all over her body, and even has semen enter vaginally without penetration. This is probably his way of ensuring that she has no regrets.
(Note that Makabe anticipated the final meeting could happen based on Kurumi's personality and how the husband might respond in turn. This is speculated by the author himself in terms of how the character might act in response to a reader question, since it's not in the plot. Though the author also said that Makabe was supposedly genuine in willingness to jump out of the window, which in-story the husband doesn't want because then Kurumi might follow; hentai logic...)
Anyway, as a result, Kurumi being
The side story depicting the last 24 hours preceding the main story's final chapter are tricky to fully comprehend since there's a bit lost in translation throughout the novel, but continuing on:
The aforementioned final sendoff and heartfulness is highlighted with her finally comparing spousal sex with Makabe - which she adamantly never did before - where she admits that the painter is both phallicaly larger and better at sex; everyone involved in the orgy knows it won't happen again, nor will she ever leave her husband, and she is being heartful in the last acts. Plus, as she says, it's not really unknown; she also emphasized "big dicks" in earlier letters.
At the same time, she is obviously enthusiastically enjoying the masochistic sex -- much of it involving hentai logic about creampies. The part about her being in too much heat to worry about whether the broadcast will be sent to her husband - as Makabe threatened, and would not be well received by the husband - is designed to demonstrate that sexual fervor / downfall.
Makabe, on his part, in the side story is immediately revealed to be unsatisfied. He's angry and gnashing teeth since it's a reminder that all of his hard work in the preceding year trying to win her over (mainly before contracting terminal cancer) ended up being glorified foreplay for the couple.
Even though it's not new, it still rankles him that his finesse is wasted as the couple's spice. Thus, since he's ultimately on Kurumi's side for all that she did for the father-son duo, during their departure he tells her to immediately bring back the husband and have sex in the very bed where the over-night orgy took place.
On the last note, his bullshit about "repaying" the couple by making her more sensitive is actually introduced earlier in the novel during the main story. Even though he wanted her for himself (which could never happen based on Kurumi's personality, who resembles his departed wife, and paradoxically why he wants her so badly in conjunction with her sensitivity and circumstances), and is reiterated in the conclusion of the side story, that she can discover similar pleasure with her spouse now that it's been unmasked.
At the same time, she is obviously enthusiastically enjoying the masochistic sex -- much of it involving hentai logic about creampies. The part about her being in too much heat to worry about whether the broadcast will be sent to her husband - as Makabe threatened, and would not be well received by the husband - is designed to demonstrate that sexual fervor / downfall.
Makabe, on his part, in the side story is immediately revealed to be unsatisfied. He's angry and gnashing teeth since it's a reminder that all of his hard work in the preceding year trying to win her over (mainly before contracting terminal cancer) ended up being glorified foreplay for the couple.
Even though it's not new, it still rankles him that his finesse is wasted as the couple's spice. Thus, since he's ultimately on Kurumi's side for all that she did for the father-son duo, during their departure he tells her to immediately bring back the husband and have sex in the very bed where the over-night orgy took place.
On the last note, his bullshit about "repaying" the couple by making her more sensitive is actually introduced earlier in the novel during the main story. Even though he wanted her for himself (which could never happen based on Kurumi's personality, who resembles his departed wife, and paradoxically why he wants her so badly in conjunction with her sensitivity and circumstances), and is reiterated in the conclusion of the side story, that she can discover similar pleasure with her spouse now that it's been unmasked.
BTW, if anyone knows what the 7 Hiragana symbols in episode 96 mean, please let me know:
I thought it was some cliched form of "I love you", but I don't think that's 7 syllables even when twisted with permutations like "too".
Kurumi does like Makabe, but it's not really a romantic love. This is why the Ferrari vs. station wagon comparison by 1 of the readers was well received.
So, I'll go with "I forgive you", which can be written as "ゆるしてあげる". Not sure if it's thematically correct, though it kind of fits with her having sympathy for him and Makabe having some regrets, even if said regrets are not explicitly expounded upon.
This mystery drives me crazy!!
Kurumi does like Makabe, but it's not really a romantic love. This is why the Ferrari vs. station wagon comparison by 1 of the readers was well received.
So, I'll go with "I forgive you", which can be written as "ゆるしてあげる". Not sure if it's thematically correct, though it kind of fits with her having sympathy for him and Makabe having some regrets, even if said regrets are not explicitly expounded upon.
This mystery drives me crazy!!
Revisiting the wife, this is extremely speculative:
There's a mystery about how much she planned and knew.
What is clear is that she felt guilty for a very long time, and prepared to tell her husband eventually. It's why she struck fast when the opportunity with the virus came about -- as later revealed, it was known to her at the onset there was no hacker, but it allowed her to unburden herself...
Slyly. Drip by drip, so that the husband did not immediately commit suicide, but the lies by omission betraying him further. As the husband admits, Kurumi set it up in a way he could accept it despite the various anguish, and the bitter and sweet outcome is more pleasant due to the bitterness. This is where the analogy with bitterness of the matcha? and sweetness of milk is probably supposed to be relevant.
The events of the side story are not yet known to the husband, but she says to Makabe that she will reveal what happened in the hotel room / supply the video footage at a later time. This aligned with the overall theme of "virtuous faithlessness".
What's not clear: did she somehow plan even more from the beginning? There's the aspect of BDSM images unrelated to her that were uncovered leading up to the main story's final reveal. However, it doesn't really align with the plot, so I'm guessing "no" and that she instead sought out the images once she was familiar with Makabe and his teachings.
Overall, she does clearly manipulate the MC and slowly instill into him the fact that she isn't as pure as he thinks she is as part of unraveling the truth. The very 1st novel erotic scene involves her exhibitionally playing with the waiter, and I think she caught onto the MC's response, and continued escalation from there.
She, of course, also plays with the readers' emotions, as one faithful reader said leading up to the end (and later came around to loving the story once it actually ended):
But Kurumi is unforgivable. It feels like it's been a while since I've hated a character this much. If Kurumi gets caught in a jet engine, it will be a super happy ending!
Ha ha ha.
What is clear is that she felt guilty for a very long time, and prepared to tell her husband eventually. It's why she struck fast when the opportunity with the virus came about -- as later revealed, it was known to her at the onset there was no hacker, but it allowed her to unburden herself...
Slyly. Drip by drip, so that the husband did not immediately commit suicide, but the lies by omission betraying him further. As the husband admits, Kurumi set it up in a way he could accept it despite the various anguish, and the bitter and sweet outcome is more pleasant due to the bitterness. This is where the analogy with bitterness of the matcha? and sweetness of milk is probably supposed to be relevant.
The events of the side story are not yet known to the husband, but she says to Makabe that she will reveal what happened in the hotel room / supply the video footage at a later time. This aligned with the overall theme of "virtuous faithlessness".
What's not clear: did she somehow plan even more from the beginning? There's the aspect of BDSM images unrelated to her that were uncovered leading up to the main story's final reveal. However, it doesn't really align with the plot, so I'm guessing "no" and that she instead sought out the images once she was familiar with Makabe and his teachings.
Overall, she does clearly manipulate the MC and slowly instill into him the fact that she isn't as pure as he thinks she is as part of unraveling the truth. The very 1st novel erotic scene involves her exhibitionally playing with the waiter, and I think she caught onto the MC's response, and continued escalation from there.
She, of course, also plays with the readers' emotions, as one faithful reader said leading up to the end (and later came around to loving the story once it actually ended):
But Kurumi is unforgivable. It feels like it's been a while since I've hated a character this much. If Kurumi gets caught in a jet engine, it will be a super happy ending!
Ha ha ha.
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