Aro/ace spec person here. I'll say that having romantic feelings for a person but no sexual feelings can be quite different than allo folk might expect. It's obviously different for each person but for me it's easy enough to just enjoy a close friendship without any expectations of romance down the line. I have a crush on a friend and they have a crush on me but for various reason we decided to just say friends. I still talk to them daily, share my feelings, say I love them (in a platonic sense), and just generally enjoy being around them. Those romantic feelings still exist but with such a strong friendship I just don't feel like I'm missing out on anything. That's just me though and I'm generally quite happy with the ending, even though it felt quite rushed.

I'll also say, the whole living separately was likely just the author using it as short hand for them not being in a romantic relationship. If they both lived in the same place it'd be a bit harder to convey in what ended up being 1 panel. That's not even to get into some people just might like a lot of personal space that can't be provided with just having separate rooms.

I didn't exactly have high expectations for the ending but wow this limboed way under them. Akira doesn't even get a partner? She doesn't even seem to get HRT? Really? I know Japan is a bit ass backwards but I know for a fact it's possible to get HRT over there. Then Hime ending up with that dude who's name I can't even bother to remember? Like fair enough if she's het leaning bi or something but like that dude? Really?

I'm just kind of confused what the message of this was supposed to be? They did a time skip, didn't give Akira a partner, and didn't even flirt with the idea of same sex marriage being a thing in Japan. It really feels like the message is being queer sucks and will continue to suck. Is the message supposed to be strive for acceptance? But the end doesn't even really give hope of that.