I never understand the logic "I will turn all others against you so you only have me....but I want you to know it was me so you REALLY only force yourself to come to me" bitch wat
Another naively moronic logic by a romcom MC of creating 'distance' (i.e. staying as classroom friends only) to protect someone.
The more you push someone away, the less you protect them and actually giving more chances for Hanabi to pounce and succeed in what she is aiming for.
I think Ichinose is underestimating how evil Hanabi can be. Also Ichinose is oblivious to the fact that he is also projecting his self-deprecating mannerisms (of which Hanabi instilled in his mind for all those years) making himself think that "keeping Yukishiro away" until he figures out what to do with Hanabi, is the best way to 'protect' her. Let us remember that Hanabi isolated him since childhood so that he will only be hers, and now unconsciously, Ichinose is thinking that he will be able to find closure with Hanabi if he also isolated himself from Yukishiro for the meantime (i.e. which is want Hanabi wants).
I mean bro, yeah good luck trying to recover the pieces of what's left of Yukishiro once Hanabi is done with her if you do that.
P.S. You can also say this is how NTR/kataomoi scenarios come to be. MC holds back on engaging real romantic relationship with someone in mutual understanding with MC because he needs to fix things about himself first - only to find out that everything was too late by the end and everything could've been better if he took the chance and stayed with her
"maybe i should put some distance between us"
Is he actually retarded? That's EXACTLY what she wants. She is a cancer in his life and all he has to do is continue with his life ignoring her. Why jeopardize your current relationship with shawty for some piece of sub-human filth who's just annoying to be around.
MC holds back on engaging real romantic relationship with someone in mutual understanding with MC because he needs to fix things about himself first - only to find out that everything was too late by the end and everything could've been better if he took the chance and stayed with her