After Joji finds out that Naomi has been carrying on intimate relationships with other, younger men, he is immediately broken and humiliated. He kicks Naomi out of his home and wishes to remove her from his life entirely. However, repeated episodes of seeing Naomi retrieve her possessions from him remind him that he bears a love for her that he sees as unconditional. In reality, Naomi is manipulating him. She causes him to beg for her to return, even under completely ridiculous conditions. Joji will do anything to get Naomi back because he has become completely obsessed with her.

Joji most likely will do anything to get Naomi back because he has already put so much time and effort into his relationship with her. This can be explained by the "sunk cost fallacy," an error in decision making used to explain why gamblers continue gambling after losing millions, or businesses double down on investments that have already proven to be poor. Joji has dedicated so much of his time, energy, and money to Naomi that the idea of it all having been for nothing is more unbearable than the wretched existence that becomes his day-to-day life with her. We can hardly pity Joji, as his inappropriate initial attraction was based in pedophilia and obsession. Joji does not love Naomi, he simply wants to possess her. From the first, he is obsessed with her features as though she is a prize, and wants to "win" her back because he sees her as a trophy, not as a person.