Did Akai really love Akemi?

[Tenken]

It's been so long since I've read those chapters so please remind me: what are the indications that Akai really loved Akemi and didn't just use her to infiltrate the B.O.? As I remember, her last message to him was, "If I manage to escape, will you be my real boyfriend?" which implied that she knew she's being used, but how about Akai? Did he really love her or did he just feel guilty about her death?

[kkuuddoo]

As said in the Manga, Akai really fell in love with Akemi, Although he originally was using her to get into the Black Organization
I think there was a conversation back in Kir's arc, they talked about how Akemi's death affected him since he really fell in love her.

Akemi Knew she was being used by him and was asked why she didn't leave him since she found out his motive, but she hinted that her love for him is the reason why she stayed with him despite figuring out he wasn't serious about her.

I personally think that he actually fell in love with her, one reason is that he kept the last message he got from her before her death. He does show that he feels guilty, and especially towards her younger sister (Shiho) Haibara.

[Tenken]

Thanks.

I only remember that James or Jodie talked about how Akai had cut his long hair after Akemi's death. He does feel a tremendous guilt and I think he does have some emotions for her. She had touched him on an emotional level. But whether he felt/feels romantic love for her, I don't know, because the guilty feeling can be even bigger because he knew she loved him and he couldn't return her love or didn't feel the same.

[Serinox]

Akai really loved Akemi, he says as much in that little flashback sequence we get in Chapter 677, where he breaks up with Jodie during the undercover operation because he fell in love with Akemi.

[DCUniverseAficionado]

Akai really loved Akemi, he says as much in that little flashback sequence we get in Chapter 677, where he breaks up with Jodie during the undercover operation because he fell in love with Akemi.

Yep.

File 677, Page 5, Panel 3–Panel 5
Panel 3
Jodie: "You mean Akemi Miyano? The person involved in the Organization you mentioned before?"
Shuichi/Dai: "Yes... that's why I want to end it with you."

Panel 4
Jodie: "W-wait a minute! You're doing it as a part of your undercover job, right? You don't have to break up with me..."
Shuichi/Dai: "This is an organization that won't be destroyed even if I sacrifice you..."

Panel 5
Shuichi/Dai: "I'm not that capable of a person... to love two women at the same time..."

[MeiTanteixX]

Akai really loved Akemi, he says as much in that little flashback sequence we get in Chapter 677, where he breaks up with Jodie during the undercover operation because he fell in love with Akemi.

Yep.

File 677, Page 5, Panel 3–Panel 5
Panel 3
Jodie: "You mean Akemi Miyano? The person involved in the Organization you mentioned before?"
Shuichi/Dai: "Yes... that's why I want to end it with you."

Panel 4
Jodie: "W-wait a minute! You're doing it as a part of your undercover job, right? You don't have to break up with me..."
Shuichi/Dai: "This is an organization that won't be destroyed even if I sacrifice you..."

Panel 5
Shuichi/Dai: "I'm not that capable of a person... to love two women at the same time..."

I'm not sure if that can really be taken as him confessing that he loves her. He says that he is not capable of loving two women at the same time, meaning that he can't be a lover for jodie while at the same time being a lover for Akemi as a part of his infiltration. So, whether his love for Akemi really was genuine or not, it's in my opinion more up in the air that this specific statement confirms anything.

[DCUniverseAficionado]

Akai really loved Akemi, he says as much in that little flashback sequence we get in Chapter 677, where he breaks up with Jodie during the undercover operation because he fell in love with Akemi.

Yep.

File 677, Page 5, Panel 3–Panel 5
Panel 3
Jodie: "You mean Akemi Miyano? The person involved in the Organization you mentioned before?"
Shuichi/Dai: "Yes... that's why I want to end it with you."

Panel 4
Jodie: "W-wait a minute! You're doing it as a part of your undercover job, right? You don't have to break up with me..."
Shuichi/Dai: "This is an organization that won't be destroyed even if I sacrifice you..."

Panel 5
Shuichi/Dai: "I'm not that capable of a person... to love two women at the same time..."

I'm not sure if that can really be taken as him confessing that he loves her. He says that he is not capable of loving two women at the same time, meaning that he can't be a lover for jodie while at the same time being a lover for Akemi as a part of his infiltration. So, whether his love for Akemi really was genuine or not, it's in my opinion more up in the air that this specific statement confirms anything.

Another instance, then:

File 599, Page 11, Panel 4–Panel 5
Panel 4
James: "Even after realizing the FBI had used her, [Akemi] couldn't forget about him."

Panel 5
James: "Judging from the way Akai reacted to her death..."
Jodie: "I know. He was in love with her, too."

Yes, until it comes straight from Shuichi's mouth, it can be technically classified as "we don't truly know."

But do you really think Gosho's gonna have him say, "Nah, I wasn't in love with her."?

[MeiTanteixX]

Another instance, then:

File 599, Page 11, Panel 4–Panel 5
Panel 4
James: "Even after realizing the FBI had used her, [Akemi] couldn't forget about him."

Panel 5
James: "Judging from the way Akai reacted to her death..."
Jodie: "I know. He was in love with her, too."

Yup, that's better. This addresses his feelings towards her directly.

[CrimsonGenius]

He actually said Don’t make such nervous face. I’ll protect you, even if it costs my life! To both Akemi (Detectives' Nocturne) & Jodie(Dimensional Sniper) ..........

[DCUniverseAficionado]

He actually said Don’t make such nervous face. I’ll protect you, even if it costs my life! To both Akemi (Detectives' Nocturne) & Jodie(Dimensional Sniper) ..........

In Movie 18, he said to Jodie (in a flashback):
"Face the target head on, and aim for the tip of their nose. How about it, think you can do it? Don't worry. As long as I'm around, you'll never have to do something like that. I promise." (0:38:15–0:38:33)

Him telling her, "Don’t make such a nervous face. I’ll protect you, even if it costs my life!" was from a trailer for Movie 18 (0:40–0:43):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtwRBjmUHX8

As for Detectives' Nocturne (File 800/Episode 674, specifically), Shuichi/Subaru said, "Don’t make such a nervous face. I won't let them get away." to Shiho/Ai.

We've never actually seen him say it to Akemi, so far—not even in the one flashback we got with them (File 607/Episode 502).