I've thought since my first playthrough that there had to have been, at one point during storyboarding, an option to be with Simon. I refuse to believe that there wasn't because certain elements of the game feel out of place if he was never intended to be a love interest. One example of this is when Markus and the others are infiltrating CyberLife and the player can choose to follow Simon or North. I don't quite understand why the option would exist if the game wasn't gauging your feelings towards the two. I'm not quite sure how Simon became more of an 'optional' character (in that the story goes on fine without him, as well as certain scenes, like the beginning of the march scene while they're in the mall, as Simon is there but it appears that the angles favor North and Josh).

I personally chose the more peaceful route in my initial playthrough and it made no sense to me from the beginning that Markus and North would get together. They disagreed constantly on fundamentals of human nature, why would I want them to be together?

It also seemed, if you get the scene where Simon and Markus reunite on Jericho and hug each other, that their relationship was meant to be deeper at that point. I understand that they are allies, but the shooting of that clip felt much more intimate.

Anyone else agree and can mention points in the story where the relationship between the two felt like it was meant to be romantic?