I don't think the thing in ch3 with the condom box was him being manipulative-- like, the two of them had already started a physical relationship, so "he had to be patient" for them to have proper sex since mayo was tired that day (which is also why he thinks abt the condom later that day after they have unprotected sex again). There were def other moments of him being manipulative, tho, I just don't think this was one of them lolol
Also even if he was an ugly dude and mayo was a woman, this would still be a gray area of the "manipulative weirdo territory". Ogink's obvs not all there mentally, and he *did* play every card he could to his own benefit-- but he *was* (and is) genuinely worried about mayo (and mahiru). Like, he for sure has a saviour complex about it all (and it gets translated into their s/m dynamic too) but he didn't get the job on pretense just to get under mayo's pants, so I wouldn't say he's "predatory" per se-- just another blend of weirdo
there's a comment saying the seme unsettles them. here's what it is.
not even the s/m dynamic is what makes it weird, really. put it this way. imagine seme is an ugly dude and imagine mahiru as a woman.
isn't it so much easier to see now how predatory the seme is with how he approached his job to become mahiru's manager? and that page in ch 3 where he says "I have to be patient" while looking at the condom is literally how groomers and similar manipulative men think as they wait for their victim to be more dependent on them.
there you have it LOL still love the art though