Synopsis

The narrator is primarily trying to convince himself – and perhaps, by extension, the reader – that he and Tagaki are *not* a couple. He's grappling with the potential misinterpretation of their friendship and the awkwardness it might create within their social circle. He's also subtly attempting to preemptively address a perceived societal expectation or assumption. By explicitly stating his concern about being mistaken for a couple, he’s trying to control the narrative before others can de