懐く and 慕う: growing attached, admiration and longing
Compare a dog or child becoming attached with students admiring a teacher and a poem about longing for home. Read targets and changes without making attachment obedience or every use of 慕う romantic.
A dog growing attached to family and a child warming to a teacher
「保護した犬が少しずつ家族に懐いてきた。」 (The rescued dog gradually became attached to the family.)
Another example says it took time for a shy child to warm to the teacher. 懐く applies to the dog and the child here, describing a developing attachment or the time it took.
Admiring a teacher and longing for home
「多くの弟子がその教師を慕って集まった。」 (Many students gathered because they admired the teacher.)
Another scene concerns a poem expressing longing for the hometown. Admiration for a person and longing for a place show that 慕う need not describe romance or obedience to a person.
Follow the target and the developing feeling
The 懐く examples describe becoming attached to family or a teacher. The 慕う examples concern admiration for a teacher and longing for home; these are not all the same act of obedience.
Writing a poem about longing for home reports the writing and the feeling. It does not also report a completed visit to the hometown.
Must 慕う describe obedience to a person?
Show the answer and why
No. Students gather because they admire a teacher, while another example expresses longing for a hometown in a poem. Read the person or place toward which the feeling is directed.