i guess it depends on where you live since some ppl don't wanna be seen as 'predatory' or making the first move versus going specifically to a lesbian bar or sofor a meetup versus someone that might be bi-curious or "straight but X-san is the exception" in a lot of stories tho lately ppl are more direct versus the 'straight person falling in love' that happens a lot in BL mangas too
(and it'd be awkward but idk if ppl would necessarily 'fear' unless your social circle or overall place you live isn't the most gay friendly area [altho lots of 'comic' relief manga panels where another girls just 'groping' another girls chest in the locker/changing room and being like "i'm jealous" and such, some 'animanga behavior' you can let slide in fiction but i imagine irl ppl wouldn't risk attempting that, but outside of live action jdramas it might be amusing to see a kabedon tho depending on the personality ppl would prolly get kneed in the stomach/crotch for that])
But being casually affectionate is prolly more accepted in high school, tho my group of friends were more huggers, we even sat on each others laps sometimes during breaks, surprised the teachers didn't yell at us for that but not like we did anything pda/couple-y otherwise versus couples that'd just kiss each other before class. Crushes can develop afterwards with friends, sure, tho i wonder how many closeted ppl would be like "i would never befriend someone i'm attracted to" since ppl might act flustered around someone like that either way
Uhh…
The flipmode reality/fiction in this made me give up trying to understand it pretty quick, sorry.
It’s all blended together and I can’t make heads or tails.
Yuri is meeeeeh ethereal ephemeral sparkle sparkle 404 men not found or the chain of basic tropes (see “Whispering you a…” for recent example of that, main couple, best friend unrequited, stuco pres, school nurse blah blah zzzzzz).
BL is BL. Pretty basic structure, but is at least improving over time, aside the Greek letters, but that’s easy to avoid.
In real life, in the USA?
Bars and clubs are bars and clubs. Obvious shet. NTY, have fun with that, but even then people will start “hanging out” but one of them thinks they’re a couple and the other wants to start dating.
Other ”Queer Spaces?” Similar, but more awkward?
Lotta pride swag with the youths these days, so seems rather easy to spot people, but still…
Girls can get touchy feely a lot. That’s part of what gets the “useless” thing to be a thing.
Back to manga:
Maybe I’m overthinking the hug, but not in the face of WRITING HER A LOVE SONG AND ALL THE FLIRTING UP TO NOW.
She went full butch, saw the eyes, the (now this is some full-on manga ish) the nosebleed, hugged her, thought about how much she is loved by her.
Do I expect they start dating next chapter? No. They’re awkward kids in the dawn of gayening.
Do I expect it soon? Yes. At the very least Uncle is gonna hand them tickets to a something because he can’t stand them beating around the bush (bad choice of words I’m not changing it)