We still at it? Huuuh.
By the way, I don't need to read anymore seeing the end as it's easy to guess ---maybe..
This manga never planned to see the resolution of a relationship, but somehow it actually does imo. That encourages the reader to hope. And that is the position of all of us right now.
If the author plans to pull the winner from the struggle for one insensitive girl, this really will be a lopsided result.
It is a fact that individual problems go hand in hand with the ongoing matches.
It's about sports, but we also see something behind the scenes regarding the players' emotional movements.
Chihaya walks on it, but she acts as someone who rises to pursue her ambitions. That's the part that questions where her heart will dock because she never seriously thought about the problem, the confessions.
The reason why I ship Arata over Taichi :
I always felt Chihaya's reaction to Arata was special. A look of admiration and pride, a passionate encouragement along with her love for Karuta. This is a poetic description of love, not childish, but really really something.
Arata introduced her to the world of Karuta, and she was obsessed with it. Thus lead to a major conflict where Taichi will question his intention to walk together next to the girl he likes.
While Chihaya's relationship with Taichi is not a matter of fighting and fighting for, it is different, even though Taichi sacrificed himself until he lost control.
I really want to say this is not shoujo. So maybe it's better not to look there.
The stereotype with definite results is a bit unsettling but intriguing.