Do Yumeko and Ryan End Up Together in Bet?

Netflix’s ‘Bet’ tells the story of Yumeko Kawamoto, a high school kid with compulsive gambling behavior, who arrives at a private school to disrupt the established hierarchy. After starting at the lowest social rungs, she soon gathers a bit of notoriety following some high-profile victories against the elite student council members who reign over the institute. To that end, the story mainly focuses on her climb up the leaderboard ranks and a secret revenge mission unknown by others. However, another intriguing storyline explored within the drama is Yumeko’s relationship with Ryan, an ostracized school student who develops a crush on her. While their bond starts off in a playful manner, it evolves into something more meaningful as the story progresses, challenging the protagonist to sort out her priorities. SPOILERS AHEAD.

Yumeko and Ryan are Driven Apart By the Former’s Crusade

While Yumeko and Ryan have a lot of romantic tension and chemistry, their relationship is quite complicated. At the end of ‘Bet’ season 1, we see them flee from St. Dominic’s retreat after the former kills Ray, Michael’s dad. Ryan helps her escape in a sports car in a scene highly reminiscent of a dream he had previously. However, despite their closeness in that moment, drawing comparisons with Bonnie & Clyde, their bond has one problem in coming to fruition: Yumeko’s obsession with revenge. This constantly rears its head time and again in the story, suggesting that a wholesome romance between the two might be impossible. Although Ryan is infatuated with her, the same cannot be said for the protagonist because of her fixation on her vengeful crusade.

From the beginning, it is evident that Ryan likes Yumeko. Right after their initial meeting, he goes out of his way to help her constantly navigate the challenges awaiting her at St. Dominic’s, especially with the stratified hierarchy of the place. However, there is not much he can do to help because his own predicament limits him. When Yumeko arrives at the school, she witnesses Ryan losing a game of cards against Mary, a student council member, which effectively strips him of his privileges and turns him into her house pet. As a result of his new duties, he has to carry out everything Mary says, even if it might be detrimental to the protagonist. On the other hand, she understands his circumstances and plays a big role in freeing him from his demeaning position, which makes him eternally grateful to her.

In the aftermath, Ryan tries to show his appreciation for Yumeko by helping her in whatever capacity she requires. However, it is all in the hope of gathering enough courage to ask her out. He repeatedly fluffs his lines whenever afforded the chance, significantly reducing the probability of them ever coming together. Still, the biggest reason behind their romantic lack of success is that Yumeko is more interested in avenging her parents than in starting a relationship. She blows Ryan off at crucial moments within the narrative because she is busy plotting new ways to achieve her goals. Meanwhile, Ryan has no idea that she is on a personal mission, reading her disinterest as a sign that maybe she doesn’t like him like he does. However, the truth could not be further.

Yumeko and Ryan Constantly Misunderstand Each Other

In season 1, one of the big issues Yumeko and Ryan face is that they are constantly trying to approach their relationship from one side without understanding the other. For instance, Ryan tries his best to ask her out without realizing she has other concerns. Meanwhile, Yumeko is too obsessed with her vengeful plans to realize how much Ryan likes her. During one episode, Ryan becomes the subject of public teasing in the school because a bet is placed on him losing his virginity soon. However, Ryan holds out on the prospect of having sex because he wants to have it with Yumeko. When Mary relays this information to the protagonist, she willingly accepts the deal and shows up in his room. With the connection so close, Ryan decides to forgo it because he feels that the reason she agrees to sleep with him is less motivated by love than a convenient arrangement.

The virginity scene exposes the constant miscommunication and misunderstanding between the pair throughout the show. They assume that the other person is either not interested in them or does not like them romantically, creating a rift constantly. Additionally, the fact that Yumeko keeps her revenge mission a secret from Ryan only opens the door for more misunderstanding. At times, Ryan reads her general disposition as a sign that he is wasting his time trying to love her romantically, even though the reality might be the opposite. In fact, several incidents throughout the narrative showcase Yumeko having some sort of romantic interest in Ryan. However, based on what we see, her feelings are not as intense as his feelings. Undoubtedly, there is still room to explore their bond, especially with where we leave off at the end of season 1.