@Lilisionnach ah yes, there was that one manga... but exceptions don't make the rule. So sure it did happen but it's extremely rare.
And again, there is nothing in this manga that points to that happening if you look at where the story is and how the two MCs feel/think of each other. Kaede is not out here denying her feelings and trying to be "normal" such that she'd force herself to date a guy, which is what happened in Girl Friend's, and she was very uninterested at even the idea of dating him when it was brought up
So ya, even if it did once happen in another manga, that doesn't mean anything here. Also, man that manga (Girl Friend’s) was melodrama mess of "can't talk to each other cause drama" -_- but anyways, in Girl Friend's:
she didn't really date the guy as much as she was just spending time hanging out with him. I mean, the manga even says as much in chapter 17: the dude's friend calls them hanging out as "study group and not really dates" and mentions how the two hadn't even met up since summer break started. They only planned to meet at the fireworks festival, and at the festival, she ran off from him when he tried to kiss her. Then she didn't even spend the rest of summer with him or even contact him.
So it was basically nothing, barely spent time with him/texting and didn't even kiss the dude is not really dating. Her feelings were all for the other FMC, and she was forcing herself to hang out with him to try and "be normal"
Just that I could see that as a possible story arc to get Nanaki jealous enough to confront her feelings for Kaede and confess to her.
third time I'm saying this: if you are going to go with "anything is possible" as your reasoning/proof, then sorry but that means nothing. Like I said, if anything's possible then maybe the dude is in love with Iroha and just wants to ask Kaede for help but he got embarrassed
but ya, I said I do agree that this will be used to progress Nanaki and Kaede, but where I disagree with you is that the dude will not actually date Kaede. Nothing supports the wild assumption that she would even accept him asking her out, nor is Kaede in a situation like the FMC in girl friend's. Furthermore, Ajiichi's other manga have never done something like this, it's almost all just pure yuri fluff
sooo ya, I've made a few points here as well as in my previous posts that show how there really is nothing backing up your assumption. If you're going to stick with "oh anything's possible" and ignore my points, then w.e I guess... you do you~