Who couldn't love Shimizu? She's so cute.
Anyway Maekawa, even if you don't want to admit it, you will fall for her!
I don't even think it is a step back. Maekawa could just have said, sure let's go out. But she knows that she would be using Shimizu that way. Considering that she values Shimizu more than that and doesn't want to lose her is a good thing to me. Plus like this we can have more chapters of this manga. lol