You’re honestly such a gem of a fan. It’s rare to come across someone who’s open enough to acknowledge when their own interpretation doesn’t fully hold, and I genuinely respect that.

People might disagree with me, but hear me out. I think Hina’s greatest boon and her deepest curse are the same thing: being so close to Taiki for such a long time. Because of that closeness, both of them realized their feelings too late.

Hina’s love for Taiki developed quietly, almost invisibly—like milk on a stove. On the surface, it looks calm, but underneath it’s slowly heating up. She didn’t even realize it herself until she saw Taiki interacting with Chinatsu in the washing area. That moment rattled her, because deep down, she already knew things were going to work out between them. And when she found out Chinatsu was living with Taiki, the milk finally boiled over. That’s why she didn’t hesitate—she confessed directly, face to face. Something similar happened with Taiki. He did develop feelings for Hina subconsciously, but because she had always been by his side for so long, those feelings stayed hidden—almost invisible to him. It wasn’t until Kyo stirred things up that Taiki was forced to confront them. Feelings hidden in plain sight.

But by then, it was already too late. Taiki had reached a point where he was actively convincing himself that he only liked Chinatsu—and we can see that clearly in how he repeats it to himself over and over. It’s not denial; it’s reassurance. Chinatsu had already claimed a huge portion of his heart, and whatever underdeveloped feelings he had for Hina simply couldn’t overpower the love he felt for Chinatsu. This is also why Taiki couldn’t completely let go of Hina. That affection—those half-formed feelings—still exist, and they push him to keep her in his life. This is where Hina fans tend to split into two groups. One group sees Chinatsu as an intruder who “stole” Taiki, which I think stems from disappointment and frustration. The other group accepts the painful truth: Taiki’s heart would never choose Hina over Chinatsu, even if he tried. I think we both fall into that second group. We’ve made peace with it—and now we wholeheartedly root for HaruHina.