After all that build up and they just went back to their status quo?
This is not necessarily a full reset. Regardless of how Yokoe wears her hair, she can still change.
I think it's likely that Sugiura is attracted to Yokoe, but is even more insecure about it, and wants to ignore any signs that Yokoe feels the same way, perhaps also fearing rejection. This is a staple of the yuri genre, so a real twist would be to subvert this plot.
The fact that Sugiura took it upon herself to remove the hairpin, may also indicate that she's the one more desperately clinging to their friendship staying the way it is. And, perhaps when Yokoe's hair obscures one of her eyes, it's easier for Sugiura to ignore how pretty Yokoe is.
last edited at Oct 23, 2021 2:18PM