Do you guys think Asami is already aware at this point that Akihito is in love with him? N...

I think Asami knew it when he told Aki, "but you'll always come flying back to me," the day Aki had the stalker tied up and went to Asami's instead of the police. Maybe Asami even knew it before then. The problem is that Asami also knows Aki has not really fully realized it. Asami is trying to be patient and let Aki work it out, but it drives Asami crazy, especially when Asami thinks Aki may have been with someone else. I think Aki has made a lot of progress in the last chapter though.

I'm not sure Asami is fully aware what Love is in the first place. lol He strikes me as being a very immature person when it comes to expressing and processing emotions/ feelings, specially if the emotion ends up showing some degree of vulnerability on his side. I doubt he's ever felt a sense of deep emotional, unselfish connnection with anyone (before Aki, that is). I say this, because Asami seems to think that everyone around him does stuff for him/ on his behalf because they want something out of him (like Kuroda and the gift the prosecutor received from Asami), even though that assumption on Asami's part is not necessarily true (Kuroda for example, seems to be genuinely devoted to him). Don't know, but through all his high mightyness Asami seems to me a tad emotionally insecure at times and that he is only now realising the extent of Akihito's unselfish feelings towards him. Sensei, being the queen of subtlety that she is, has dropped a few hints on the matter imo. Remember that latest panel where Asami ruffled Akihito's hair in silence after the guy practically offered himself as a human shield to protect Asami? sigh I which we knew more about Asami's backstory. I'd love to know how and why he turned out to be the way he is...

I think he knows since Akihito practically trying so hard to be acknowledged by him and reluctant to leave Asami alone in dangerous situation. Then again, Akihito is like an open book. Asami probably realized that Akihito is in love with him way before Akihito realized it himself lmao

I don't know. If Akihito is an open book, a couple of his pages are stuck together because as recently as chapter 43, Asami couldn't read him as clearly as he thinks he can. As far as we know, Asami never did understand why Akihito left him for those three days.

So I don't think Asami knew Akihito was in love with him or he wouldn't have reacted the way he did when Akihito was brought back. Maybe now with everything that has happened post-warehouse, but even then, they're both still dancing around their true feelings and God forbid one of them should say something direct and clear.

I get the sense that Asami thinks he's made himself clear, but he isn't really getting how insecure Akihito feels. And I think he can tell himself and Akihito that Akihito belongs to him, but he sometimes says stuff like that because on some level, he has doubts.

With what passed between them in the panic room and now on the roof, you would think Asami would get it, that what Akihito feels is more than just strong attraction. I'm looking forward to seeing how they deal with each other once they're out of this mess.

I'm actually kind of afraid of a direct "I love you," because that will defuse all of the emotional tension, once they really declare themselves.

both of them are difficult, I agree with you. One is too insecure and the other one thinks that he made himself clear with his feelings, but actually doesn't know what the other is thinking. I do hope the "I love you" won't come out so soon, their relationship like this is already interesting enough. But if they are not officially together, Aki will be always called as "Asami's pet" by people around Asami (which the term I don't really like, but let's hope that soon enough people will stop calling him that)

I have a slightly different take on Asami than you do. I think he uses gifts and giving people things he knows they want as a way of expressing affection,not buying it. He never gives Sudouh a gift because he expects Sudouh to do his job and does not think he should have to buy Sudouh. I think the people Asami gives things to are people Asami really likes,and that Asami takes the time to find out what those people like the most that they could not get for themselves. I don't think Asami is emotionally immature. I think he simply thinks talk is cheap (and a little cheesy) , so he expresses himself with actions instead. I think the only one who ever made Asami feel insecure is Aki, and that's because Aki is fighting Aki's feelings. Asami is possessive,true, but that is because that is because he's the boss and he can be.

Agreed