Yes, the author is making a joke at our (the reader's) expense. We should all feel embarrassed and stupid for continuing to fall for it every time. In this same amount of time the Managaka has completed 3 other works and a slew of side-items. Yet, like an addict or a masochist, we keep coming back for more...
I dropped this ages ago and came back to see if he did the deed, wow I’m not surprised this has gone to even deeper shit. It’s becoming a close second to rent a girlfriend.
This manga could’ve been peak like it was in earlier chapters, when there was way less girls, and he was actually actively making out with his gf and they were cute