Japanese with Manga

To end up betraying with 〜ことになる

Grammar Explanation: To end up being with 〜ことになる

Manga panel from レンタルおにいちゃん showing example of To end up betraying with 〜ことになる.
レンタルおにいちゃん » Volume 3 » Page 120

Makoto explains to Misuzu that he’s been looking into various things since meeting Kanami, such as housing for orphans. However, he realizes what Kanami wishes for is to have her once-kind brother back to the way he used to be.

真(まこと):
「俺(おれ)が引(ひ)き離(はな)してしまったら」
“If I separate her from him...”
「叶(かな)実(み)ちゃんを傷(きず)つけて……　裏切(うらぎ)ることになる」
“...I'd be hurting Kanami... I'd end up betraying her.”
Literal: “I would hurt Kanami-chan... and it would become the situation of betraying her.”

Key Points

1裏切ることになる means the result would be betrayal
  • Makoto is not saying he wants to betray Kanami.
  • He means separating her from her brother would end up having that effect.
2引(ひ)き離(はな)してしまったら adds regret to the condition
  • 俺(おれ)が引(ひ)き離(はな)してしまったら means “if I were to separate them”.
  • 〜てしまう adds the sense of doing something regrettable.
3The pause shows the emotional weight
  • 傷(きず)つけて leads into 裏切(うらぎ)ることになる.
  • The structure piles up consequences: hurting her, then betraying her trust.
  • ちゃん is an affectionate, informal suffix attached to names, used mainly for children, close friends, and family members.

See Also

レンタルおにいちゃん © its respective creators. It is used here for educational commentary.