The Golden Orchid
joined Jan 19, 2017
What if it was Tarumi who confessed first, would Shimamura say yes?
Shima wouldn't have accepted her confession, as before the Gon chapters, something as bothersome as other's feelings wouldn't be something she'd want to have to deal with. After the Gon chapters it's clear she prioritizes Adachi and even before the Gon chapters, she thinks of Adachi when she's hanging out with Tarumi. Not to mention the most recent chapters with Iruma's heavy-handed fate explorations show Shima and Adachi always find each other.
Seems like Shimamura is feeding Adachi sweet words that are not from the heart.
I think there is a difference between dreaming and awake Shima. After all awake Shima doesn't remember her dreams. The novel even goes out of its way to say that even if she remembered her dreams, nothing big would change. Because dreams are only fabrications of the mind, and being able to confront both reality and the past is more crucial. The things that dreaming Shima think of are important and explore more complicated aspects of their relationship, but they're also a distorted reflection of reality. What awake Shima does with them is far more important than what the specific contents were. And awake Shima's first response upon talking about their date is to have a note of ecstasy in her voice and feel happy that she could fight the real world with someone by her side. And feel vulnerable enough to not want her girlfriend to make fun of her. Even in her mind she calls Adachi her girlfriend.
So basically they've got some issues they need to work through, but their affection for each other is also real and likely growing on Shima's end. Just like any relationship really.