Same here. Star-crossed lovers who met at wrong time and circumstance. I am assuming physically and mentally they are perfectly matched but unfortunately marriage, baby and successor and Yakuza got in the way. Their personalities match, though I need more of Akitora to confirm this. But they happened, did not and should not work out, so they ended it.
I think Beriko is engraving the past to us readers because their personalities are very complicated, we need to know them from the past and then witness how their character development shines as we move towards the present.
I think Akitora's the type of person who doesn't do anything if he doesn't want to and it's because of that, that I believe he married his wife because he wants to and not because he was forced to. So far their interactions indicates a mutual trust, understanding and love for each other. Whereas for his relationship with Rogi, I think he cares for and in someways pity him as well but I don't think he romantically loves him. If anything their relationship is probably physical and this is proven in the present. After Rogi left the yakuza Akitora made no efforts to contact him even after he blackmailed Tatsuyuki. Rogi himself stated that Akitora saw through his plans and because of that he didn't even attempt to communicate with Rogi or try to resolve anything and the fact that Akitora has remained a widower for so long after his wife's death, I think that speaks volumes about his love for her even though he does do some douchebaggery things.
I don't know. Right now though I have my theories, I'm still open to anything that Sensei will tell us. You could be right. But I was thinking that Akitora isn't exactly forced on marrying his wife (her name.....). It's probably not because he didn't want her but he wanted to do his best for their family. They are running a business that is tied with their life and he'll do everything to uphold their values, even if it is not exactly how he wants it to be. To me Akitora is still lost with his feelings and with his wife, they are simply compatible, personality-wise. She's a badass after all, thus the mutual trust that they have. But yeah he loved his wife and probably has so much respect for her esp after knowing about Rogi (which we'll still find out, just one of my many theories), so Aki not re-marrying or having a partner later (at Yondaime) can be his way for eternally making up for what he did and his utter respect on her demise.
He is compatible with Rogi as well. Mentally at least, or their thought process somewhat align. Both are deviants in the society, I think the three of them are, but it's just that Rogi has the freedom to exercise it, which is very enticing to Aki. It is still a speculation at least to me if they are the perfect couple in the most imperfect circumstances since there's a lot of years still to cover up. Rogi was with Tatsuyuki when they rescued Nogami, at that time Yuki was what? 7 years old? Now in the series he is still an infant. So we'll see.
I probably didn't mention it. I didn't mean that Aki didn't want to marry his wife. He clearly is a type of person who will only do what he wants, but the fact that he also develops feelings of love toward yogi is also true. However, it's just not enough to make him lets go of his wife and his family which he also holds dearly. This is what I meant.
They're connected by some wierd fates. They're fated in many ways, but the fates came in a wrong time. The fates drown them together hurtfully. This happens all the time in our real life. Fate makes people meet and feel for each other but we're hold back by personal circumstances. Even if it's the fate that makes people meet, but if it happens in a wrong place, wrong time and wrong person, it's not a right fated person for you.
Quit my blabbing. Well, I just want to read the story about Rogi's new love. I don't want to get my hope up on something impossible anymore! It's been ages and this manga still focuses on the past which we all know it's not going to end well.