One of the greatest mysteries in the series is Saionji's relationship with Anthy. Acting as the passive Rose Bride, Anthy's mistreatment at Saionji's hands raises the question of what Saionji's definition of "love" truly is.

Saionji claims he is in love with Anthy, and he has the exchange diary to prove it. While Anthy's entries can be dismissed as her writing simply to follow the will of the victor of the duel, Saionji's entries are a different matter altogether. Here we see a more expressive, deeper side of him that few have seen or ever will see. It is obvious that he does have some feelings for Anthy, but it would be a mistake to classify them as feelings of love.

With Anthy, the words that most describe Saionji are lust and power. This lust is not so much a sexual lust but the mere act of possessing the body of the Rose Bride. Anthy, as an object to be possessed, regarded as almost sexless and void of human characteristics, has a great sexuality in Saionji's eyes. His mistreatment of her can either be viewed as a discomfort with his own sexuality, a kind of masochistic acknowledgement of her sexuality, or both. The need for power that he feels is directly related to the second viewpoint. The only way Saionji knows how to express dominance over anyone or anything is to physically assert it, and that is what he does to Anthy.

Saionji views Anthy as something more than an object, but perhaps something less than a person. She is perhaps sexual as the Earth is sexual, dark, deep, and feminine, but not truly a real, living, breathing woman in Saionji's eyes. She is a well of mystery that is fascinating to him, and he longs to possess her for that very reason.