"Haruno and I are just childhood friends, you shouldn't care about it..."
That was a nice try playing an uno reverse on her but it didn't work, that was pretty unsatisfying.
But man, I really hate how this guy is so easy. He sounds like a doormat to his childhood friend who just broke his heart and triggered his suicidal thoughts and now it's like none of it happened. Just leave her. Haruno storming off was probably the best thing that could happen to the new him given she's looking more and more like a crazy yandere. So she's now switched to using emotional manipulation on him.
I'm not gonna be surprised if Haruno was Ayana's stalker, now that I think her missing parents might be related to Riku's parents' death and his traffic accident trauma (pg. 28 on c. 1). Haruno seems to know something about it and Ayana. Just don't tell me she has feelings for Ayana, because it could explain why she:
- Rejected Riku's love confession
- Is trying to gaslight gatekeep girlboss him away from Ayana despite having no romantic feelings for him
- And now she is conveniently watching them both from afar