This thread has been a very therapeutic read. I really had to understand why I felt such deep disappointment, nearly anger at this ending, especially since I was pretty satisfied after watching CPK.

The most heartbreaking thing for me was Mari asking about the “embarrassing stuff” on the train and platform. It’s as if they had completely avoided talking about what happened during the six months, leaving Mari in the dark. An explosive and emotional finale to then crush any feeling of fulfillment so they can maximize broad appeal by avoiding explicit lesbian romance.