To the people confused and saying bs on natsumi saying that the boy calling her cute was the first time she was called that, she is the literal anime/manga trope of a cool beauty that everyone calls cool, beautiful, and above all else, unapproachable. We all know in anime and manga that middle to high school boys in these stories are afraid to approach women that are "leagues" above them and we all know that we were in similar situations of not going up to beautiful girls due to insecurity issues. But getting back to the main point, she hasn't had a bf and all the guys who meet her prob always say something like " hey, you're beautiful, wanna go get a cup of tea or go karaoke with a group of strangers you've never met before" or some generic manga pickup line like that. And it just took her by surprise that a person of the opposite sex, albeit a younger one, called her cute. It was a compliment in this case, nothing more, nothing less. And it meant more to her since she likes the kid for his personality and since she also knows him than rando's off the streets, it means more when she understands his sort of thinking. That is literally the entire thing.
She didn't feel him up, didn't seduce him or make advances on him on the train, didn't bring him back to her place, none of that shit. They hung out, had fun, and he gave her a compliment. Fuck out of here with all that pedo talk and shit. Prob half of yall liked an older woman at some point in yall's lives and should understand his position. They haven't done anything illegal or immoral, he likes her prob romantically, she likes him as a person rn (or maybe more) but the kid is sensible, i think, and so is hatsumi. They both know their positions as well. Nothing wrong with building up feelings for one another without getting physical. It seems she's warming up to him and he also wants to become a man she can like or even love. He knows or is prob reminded that will take time so she'll prob wait or sumthin till he keeps his promise and they finally go out when he's legal. She seems the type that if the person means that much to her, she'll def wait. And don't even try bringing up the term "grooming" or fucking cradle robber in this shit. Grooming is trying to persuade a minor into getting involving in illicit and sexual actions such as sending nudes.
SHE IS NOT DOING THAT, SHE IS HANGING OUT WITH THE KID, GETTING TO KNOW HIM, AND HE IS STRIVING TO PROVE HIMSELF!
SHE'LL PROB WAIT FOR HIM, HE'LL BECOME A WORTHY MAN FOR HER BY THE TIME HE IS LEGAL, AND THEY WILL GO OUT! HELL, THE SIS SUPPORTS THEM CAUSE SHE KNOWS NATSUMI, OKAY?!!!!!
So again, no pedo shit here, just a friend of his sister and a boy hanging out, playing games, having fun. No illicit relationship here.