Ooooor you could go with the simpler solution that he did a series about two friends for a non-yuri magazine and still managed to slip some yuri in anyway.
Yeah, I also got the impression he was straining hard against the limits of his publisher's spec, but I guess we'll never know. Even if that were the case, he wouldn't be able to state as much without burning bridges. He won't pay any bills by fostering a reputation for being non-compliant or indiscreet, especially after the whole tracing thing.
I might fantasize that he'd done this or that instead, or circumstances had been different, but whatever happens, he's a talented writer with a knack for elliptical storytelling and slow burn. I wish him well. Perhaps the stars will align for us all in the future.