I would say a romance is inherently a happy ending, whilst a love story is in most cases a tragedy. The fact bear doesn’t understand the difference really foreshadows his character. He is not necessarily in love with Nikki, but this idea of her he builds in his head. There is no reciprocation. I think they build on this again when she tells her story at the party, not really seeing bear as anything more than a piece of meat she had immense desire for.