i've reread this a few times, such a good chapter, their relationship was always one of the highlights of this already exceptional manga, in terms of the nuance behind it atleast
just the mc's slight instinctual resistance but also his slight heartfelt interest for seemingly no reason is just great, it doesn't really have to be a romantic thing, but it's something that makes you hope they become closer
despite being such different people, they are still so similar somehow after all, something about their earnestness and passion, both fragile and innocent
it makes sense that ryuji was the one who drew him into all this art stuff
it's one of the big beauties of life, meeting unfamiliar people who somehow have more in common with you than most of the other famaliar people who you've met before throughout your life , who should seem much more similar to you on the surface,
people mean and feel all the same things a lot of the times but they just say it in different ways i guess, depending on their own circumstances
i also don't get why and if the translator dropped this already because it's been some time since this release
cause that would be a shame, this a genuine gem