Given theyre in year 1 (year 2?) of middle school, Shinta is doing the responsible thing by keeping their relationship platonic. Unlike most romcom protags he's aware that multiple people like him. When he rejects their advances its a deliberate choice on his end rather than him being clueless. His young age also explains his clumsy efforts at rejecting advances st times. I quite like Shinta as a character. More authors should model theirs MC's off of him.