My Hopes for the Ending + NakaHiro Relationship Analysis
With the leaks, interviews, and rumours going around regarding the ending, I'd like to also provide my speculation and hopes! This anime is something that I deeply care about as I find it incredibly relatable, in a good way. I relate a lot to Hirose and how his relationship with Nakamura developed, so my analysis could be seen as a bit of projection onto his character and how his story will go, but this is how I hope the series will end.
Episode 11: the girlfriend chapter, marking the shift from slice-of-life rom-com to something that feels a little more serious. I can see this episode mostly being about Nakamura's heartbreak, but the ending should mark a notable shift in their dynamic.
Firstly, I think Hirose, similar to the manga, should reveal to somebody (and by extension the audience) his feelings about how he may be queer. I picture the scene being similar to how Otogiri came up to Hirose at the end, but instead of a conversation occuring off-screen, it would be shown to the audience. Hirose could come out about possibly being queer and not being into girls to a trusted adult, and receive support that way... possibly even hinting at some growing feelings towards a certain trusted friend of his?
As for the change, I think that this episode should shift the NakaHiro dynamic upside down. Nakamura begins accepting that Hirose is straight. After all, he likes girls right? He dated one! Besides, through all his attempts, Nakamura still gained something valuable; a friend. Someone he can hang out with >!(as suggested by episode 10 leaks)!< and it's someone who is truly kind and accepting to all of his quirks that scare others away. To Nakamura, that much is already so valuable, it's something he never had before. Meanwhile, Hirose found someone special in Nakamura. Nakamura is unlike all his other friends; he's thoughtful, considerate, and a good listener, someone he feels safe with.
Episode 12: Hirose's POV! I'd love to get a deeper look into the way he thinks, and episode 12 would be the perfect time to do so, especially if the audience gains a better understanding of him by the end of episode 11. I imagine this episode being a retread of previous events, but now with the added context that Hirose is queer and has a growing interest in Nakamura. It could recontextualize all the "coincidences" that got Nakamura closer to Hirose as intentional moments spurred by Hirose's interest. Like, their coincidental run-ins back in episode 4, or Hirose choosing to take Nakamura to the infirmary in episode 5.
Episode 13: while anything can happen for the ending, following my hopes, it would be a continuation of the dynamic flip from back in episode 11. Nakamura tries to accept Hirose as a friend, while Hirose wants more. Near the end, as Nakamura finally accepts that he'll never date Hirose but he's managed to gain a best friend out of his attempts and that's meaningful enough for him, Hirose confesses. The two become a couple, happy ending.
What Makes NakaHiro a good pairing? From my interpretation of these characters, I think what makes them so perfect for each other is that they fill a role that the other lacked. For Nakamura, he lived a life of solitude, growing up with no friends and essentially being a forgotten classmate or a social outcast his entire life. Meanwhile, Hirose is someone who has connections, but many of which he cannot express his true feelings around. It's telling that Hirose would rather open up to Nakamura, a boy who he's just beginning to know, rather than any of his established friends. While he is popular and has friends, he lacks someone he can truly feel comfortable with.
Their presences in each other's lives actively improve one another, they are each other's compliment. Nakamura would be living a grey, boring life filled with loneliness and solitude if it weren't for Hirose. Hirose would be outwardly social and happy, but he wouldn't have found the person he feels safe with, the one he would choose over anyone else to spend time with (at least in episode 6).
All this to say, this anime means a lot to me. Nakamura and Hirose remind me a lot of my relationship with my boyfriend, he introduced me to the manga right around when we got together in our final year of high school. I ended up finding Hirose very relatable as a teenage boy who's figuring out his sexuality and ended up falling in love with his best friend, a boy he trusts more than anyone else.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on my speculations!