Right around Valentine’s Day, when everyone was preoccupied with finding the right gift or making the perfect gesture for that special someone, I noticed a story about a rather unusual way to respond when one’s romantic overtures fall flat: sue. A Singapore man, K. Kawshigan, could not believe it when the woman of his affections, Nora Tan, said she didn’t see a romantic relationship in their future and only wanted to be friends. When Tan cut off contact with Kawshigan in September 2020 after urging him to be more “self-reliant,” Kawshigan threatened legal action for “monetary damages arising from negligent infliction of emotional distress and possible defamation.” Kawshigan demanded that Tan join him in sessions with a counselor, and she agreed—believing it would help him come to terms with her desire for platonic friendship.

But after a year and a half of this therapy, Tan stopped attending the sessions and initiated harassment proceedings against Kawshigan. He responded with a lawsuit seeking $3 million in damages, claiming that Tan’s alleged “breach” had negatively impacted his life as a “busy CEO by day” and “active high-capital trader by night,” causing him to need “deeper psychological assistance.” In January, a Singapore judicial official dismissed Kawshigan’s suit, calling it “manifestly groundless and without foundation,” amounting to an abuse of the court system. Sorry Mr. Kawshigan—it looks like it’s back to “the friend zone” for you.

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