WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Sasaki and Miyano, Episode 5, “Bit by Bit”, now streaming on Funimation.
After 5 episodes, a lot of fans are already wondering when can Sasaki and Miyano’s relationship move to the next level. Compared to other series in this genre, such as Kimi ni Todoke or Given, Sasaki and Miyano is actually moving quite swiftly. The fact that Sasaki has been so proactive just makes everything seem slower, and Miyano’s very reluctant attitude can also be a bit frustrating. But it is because of Sasaki’s patience, that his confession feels more genuine, and not just an infatuation based on surface-level attributes.
Unlike a lot of romance, where a confession is carefully planned for a special occasion, Sasaki’s confession happened spontaneously, though it might not feel this way since Sasaki had been holding in his feelings for so long. The reason why Sasaki confessed at that precise moment is that he had so much fun talking with Miyano that he doesn’t want it to end. It just goes to show how much Sasaki treasured every moment with Miyano, that every moment feels like a special occasion.
This is perfect for Sasaki and Miyano because it is a story about normal people falling in love under rather normal circumstances. The trivial nature of their conversation is what actually made this scene feel unique. In the romance genre, we rarely see characters casually chatting about random things, but real-life romance is much more about casual conversations than dramatic declarations. And people who feel the most comfortable with each other often make the best couples.
Miyano did not expect this to happen and paused. Sasaki, with his endless positivity, figured that Miyano’s wavering attitude meant that he had a chance. A less hopeful person would have immediately thought that Miyano was just trying to let him down softly. Sasaki said he was willing to wait for Miyano’s answer, as long as he could give it some thought. Sasaki’s patient yet straightforward personality are two traits that make him a great companion to Miyano, whose constant self-doubt gets in the way of his own happiness. He could need someone more self-assured to push him forward but in a gentle and respectful fashion.
Miyano’s lack of confidence was demonstrated in his struggle over why someone like Sasaki would actually like him, something that has troubled him ever since he found out about Sasaki’s feelings in Episode 3. Miyano asked Sasaki for the reason, and Sasaki, who was already nervous enough about the whole thing, drew a blank and just says that he liked Miyano’s face. This was the worst possible thing he could have said and he knew it, but it was too late since Miyano had already run away.
Sasaki understood why Miyano would be offended by his answer because he also understood Miyano’s insecurity. He also knew that his feelings go much deeper than outward appearance, even though it is what initially drew him to Miyano. Over time, he had grown to appreciate everything about Miyano, including his passion for BL, and even his strange inferiority. It is because of these that Sasaki has been slow to confess, fearing that he will scare Miyano.
Luckily, thanks to Hirano, who is a great friend and senpai, Sasaki got to tell Miyano that he likes more than his face. But this very straight and not-at-all-romantic confession surprisingly cured Miyano’s insecurity. Because Miyano tends to overthink, he needs someone who can be as honest with him as possible, and Sasaki is just that person.