There it is. Kaoruko finishing Ayu off (in a good way) with kindness. But at the same time, we also get to learn a bit more about Kaoruko, and how she is not exactly the perfect, cheerful sweetheart some would say she is. Ayu's friendship matters to her, a lot. The "saintly scholarship student" was also a bit of an act she could not have kept up forever, without Ayu introducing her to new friends to make everyday life just a little more bearable.
It's just a beautifully wholesome manga of love and friendship. An excellent counterbalance to the many dumpster fires I read out there, I do like that I can often count on this as a palate cleanser when I need it.
Some people make fun of how often apologies go around in this manga, but I think the world could stand to have more people making (sincere) apologies, more often. Life can only get better with more kindness and forgiveness to go around.