No one denies that this is a manga about childhood friends pairings; it's the series' main running gag. But then again, you're trying to take it too seriously, generalizing it to ALL childhood friends in the story. Like the popular meme that all female characters in yuri are lesbians until proven otherwise. If you read everything as subtext or romantic tropes, you can pair any characters together. Even bitter enemies, because "from enemies to lovers" is also a basic romantic trope. But then again, if you want to ship them, that's your business. You don't need my permission to do that, lmao.