This, "you pity us" and "you're just being kind" is something that often appear in mangá and anime and it appears in a negative way, like it was something bad.
I don't understand, what's wrong about feeling for someone's struggles? And wanting to be kind to someone else in particular? Isn't like he feels and wants to act that way with everyone, but with they both in particular.
Why can't these characters react like, "oh, good to know that there's someone out there thinking about me and willing to lend their strength" instead of being all offended? Maybe cause it makes them feel "weaker"? Everyone have it's weakness. Yes, some more than others, but still I don't think this is something "bad".
You can only pretend to care about others? Like Akari did when she first talked to Fumi in that corridor?