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I think what makes me love shibaken and arisa so much despite disliking the flirt/tsundere dynamic is that 1) shibaken was in deep way before he even realized it and 2) he was silently supporting arisa all the time. This summed up that both of them have similar struggles?? Good.
Like it isn't even that he was half commited by sending kotarou to watch over her— he was extremely worried, but was at lost on how to approach the situation. He saw too much of himself in Arisa, yet still wanted to help her— thus, "watch over her for me"
We're even clued into the fact that hes terrified of commitment, because he sees kotarou and sees a love hes terrified of (seeing how his parents fight all the time, this is no surprise). Yet he still pushes through and supports her as much as he can.
If he was a generic flirt character who wanted to win Arisa's favor, he would've just handed her the panda himself. "Heyyy here's your keychain im ken btw ;)" or even when he saw her struggling with her pens. Yet when he sees hina arrive, he backs off.
Just like arisa he doesn't view himself as someone kind. mean encounter is to shibaken what assertion of the heart in the sense that just how arisa had to learn to be herself and realized she could find allies, shibaken needed to learn that loving someone isnt scary.
Its sweet how arisa found someone she can 100% rely on to respect her and her boundaries (which is what namaiki honey is all about!!!) and who still loves her for all that she is— not the sad fake arisa that could please others, but the strong arisa that loves cute things
Meanwhile, shibaken also learnt to be vulnerable! To stop hiding his feelings to please others! To be funny and friendly (and ngl kinda clingy in the cute way) shibaken in a love that seriously is requited, not just an empty attempt at finding sources of love
Why did this turn into a shibaken arisa lovemail meta thread thing.....anyway i love them
