Responses
Excellent way of putting it, very observant of you. I think the same. Basically, poor Satomi was friend-zoned. I suppose that's all they could have ever been. And it's probably something Satomi would eventually accept. Who knows? I just know I can't accept it right now, even though I find the ending beautiful
The more I read the more those subtle details got me. The two hug really symbolize their relationship. First hug, Satomi hold Kyoji so tight from behind his back, desperate holding him back while Kyoji did nothing, not outright rejection, but not acceptance too, just inaction as his subtle rejection. The second hug, however, Satomi came to term with what he wanted and asked for it directly, them facing each other, on equal footing (not just Satomi looking at Kyoji’s back), Kyoji gently denied the hug (which he didn’t do previously) but showed another gesture suggesting that he would still intervene in Satomi’s life, just not what Satomi hopes to be. Then an official art showing them together afterwards. This is just beautiful.