Boyfriend Behavior

What constitutes being in a relationship?  Meaning, does it have to be defined by one or both parties?  Does someone need to make a declaration of “we are in an exclusive committed relationship”?  My friend that I work with is dealing with this dilemma. 

Now, this friend is the same one that I blogged about in “Friends with Benefits” (see below for blog).  She went out with this guy for a few months, he broke it off with her, and then they started hanging out again as friends.  Somehow though, the hanging out part has suspiciously turned into boyfriend/girlfriend behavior. 

They have regular sleepovers including sex now, they cook together, go out together, cuddle on the couch together and so on.  Recently, they took a trip away together with another couple (who say they’re a couple) for a long weekend.  When she got back, I asked her if they were “together” again.  She still doesn’t know!  WTF??  He paid for the trip, and it was just like they were a couple, but he’s not really admitting that they are. 

The guys were having a discussion on Ivanka Trump and how hot she is and he told my friend that if Ivanka wanted to go out, he might have to break up with her.  Huh???  She didn’t realize they were together! If it walks like a boyfriend, talks like a boyfriend and has sex like a boyfriend, is it really a boyfriend?? Are there any rules regarding this?  Who gets to make the decision?