I want to just scream, "YOU DAMNED CHERRY BOY JUST TELL HER STRAIGHT ALREADY AND BE DONE WITH IT" but I relate to him hard in many ways so, I'm in no position to say it.
It's difficult to be affectionate, especially when you've barely even experienced that as you grew up. I do hope he learns how to be soon though. That's an important thing, and he isn't growing any younger.
My only hope on being straightforward is Canaria but she has her circumstances as well (one of them being as dense as a rock).
I understand her fear of the future. I mean, if you knew the happy ending, and know the other endings can just lead to disasters, wouldn't you choose the happy ending so that no one will suffer as you know?
There's no save point here, it's not a book she can just close either, it's reality for her. Once she does something, that's it. Let alone they're in high society, and she's facing the upper dogs of it. One wrong move, everything is over.
For someone that lived a normal modern life, I think she's actually doing amazing going this far. But I wish she just tries to look一 even just looking would do一 at the other solutions as well, rather than just one. Then maybe she can have the strength to make her own happy ending.