#Hirano thinking of the whole situation as a Problem is in part inspired by sunnnfish's post

[squealing-for-harusono-sensei]

Hirano to Kagiura Analysis Ch.9: Hirano's answer

We've finally reached the chapter where Kagiura manages to make Hirano get that Kagiura is in love with him!

The chapter is divided in four parts. The first is in the school hallway, where Niibaashi tells Kagiura that he probably really did confess to Hirano. Second part is in the dorm room and is where the third confession takes place. It's also by far the longest part. The third part is in the dorm hallway, where Hirano affirms that he's staying in the dorm the next year. Last part is back in the dorm room with Hirano waking up Kagiura. I'm gonna track Hirano's feelings and thoughts during the last three parts, because there are some odd ones in there. Mostly caused by Hirano having zero understanding of how romance works.

Like how Hirano didn't get that the confession in the nurse's office was meant in a romantic sense.

Some very important context for this chapter: Hirano thought Kagiura's odd behavior and sleeplessness in the last chapter was because he had scared Kagiura. So for Hirano, the confession was mostly reassurance that the sleep deprivation wasn't his fault. Plus, as this chapter VERY CLEARLY ends up showing, Hirano just does not get romance.

Okay, that's not COMPLETELY fair. He gets it enough to try and let Kagiura down gently. Not gonna go into details of his reactions during the whole confession and talking about it. He's awkward, gets a little mad when Kagiura doesn't accept the rejection, and gets bashful when Kagiura explain his feelings more in depth. I'm more interested in Hirano's relief after them talking about it.

Hirano first thought that he had done something, then that it wasn't because of him, and then learns that it was kinda because of him, just not something specific that he had done. His relief comes after Kagiura says that he wants things to stay the same. As it becomes clear in the next part, at this point he thinks that the whole thing has been Solved.

Because in the next (very short) part, he's acting the same way that he usually does when Kagiura compliments him or shows that he cares, even though Hirano now knows that Kagiura is in love with him.

Of course Kagiura would miss Hirano, he's in love with him. But Hirano is reacting the same way to that minor confession as he did before learning of Kagiura's romantic feelings.

That changes when Hirano wakes Kagiura up in the next part and Kagiura blushes.

Suddenly the problems from ch.8 aren't solved.

Hirano genuinely thought that after he had rejected Kagiura and they decided to keep going as they had, it would be over. Problem solved, moving on. Pretty much anyone knowing anything about romance would recognize that Kagiura was settling for second best when wanting things to stay as they had, and that he'd still want to be with Hirano romantically if he could. But Hirano very much DIDN'T get that. But now he kinda does, which means the source of Kagiura's sleep deprivation and avoidance of Hirano is, as Hirano sees it, still very much a Problem.