For romance to actually happen, somebody has to cross the line and express their feelings straight.
Keep going, Akari! Break through his stubborn defenses! Because he's a hopeless dolt, you have to carry this romance and now you can do it... and of course she chokes at the end.
But just this once Motomu wasn't being stupidly averse to the idea of love, and did what I couldn't have expected from him: confess. There wasn't even any fireworks interrupting, the stars aligned for this!
I have to hand it to him. He was the hero this night!
Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat? Akari, please answer him!