Reading this is always the best time of the day!
I don't understand why Yamada's friends were so repulsed by the dog thing on Ichikawa. Did they perceive him as trying hard for appeal? Did they recognize it was matching Yamada's?
I like how Yamada has been using her assertiveness for bringing out the best of him, not only doing it to get closer. Despite all her quirks her maturity shows every now and then, this was a prime example. By not letting him speak vaguely, forcing him to talk more openly about his feelings, he's taking less the most comfortable and passive route of isolation.
I have a feeling that the one who will confirm their relationship to others will actually be Ichikawa, signaling his ultimate character growth.