Responses
It would be impossible for Niki to change that rapidly. His emotional (and mental ) state can't accept major change, unless he, himself, sees the need for change. Shoji can point things out to Niki until his face (and n*ts) turn blue, but it is up to Niki to make the difference and the way things were set up, it wouldn't have mattered because he cannot cope with a certain level of 'normalcy.' After, when Niki realized some things (sort of ) I wonder how many people really realized that he had changed?
I was eating dark chocolates while I was eating this, and in the sad parts I felt like it was getting harder and harder to chew... Because of the story. By the time they reached the ending, I had finished all the chocolates. Maybe it would be nice an alternative type where the mangaka has grown independent and they encounter each other, mangaka gets all cool and the like, but after some time he realises he still loves Shoji. However, I prefer this. Besides, it fits the title totally, and I also believe that it's nice to see him dependent on Shoji; it's just so romantic for me.