Much of the interpersonal tension stems from the girls' grandfathers, who were rivals and friends. This "legacy" dynamic mirrors classic romantic rivalry tropes found in older mecha or magical girl anime.
Yuna is obsessed with Mao. Her storyline is a dark mirror of the romance Kaito offered. Sex Outside With Mao-Chan -Cvjt0rp5-
The romance peaks not with a kiss, but with Kaito leaving. He is contractually bound to another survey. The final shot of this arc shows Mao standing outside with his left-behind compass. The fandom is still divided on whether this is a "will they, won’t they" or a devastating statement on professional impermanence. Much of the interpersonal tension stems from the
Jt0rp5 excels at the non-sequitur confession : moments where Mao says something about moss or cloud formations that, in context, is clearly about her feelings. When she tells Haru, “Ferns unfold in their own time. You can’t rush them,” the audience knows she’s talking about her own heart. Her storyline is a dark mirror of the romance Kaito offered
By the final arc, Haru has learned to identify wild edibles. Mao has started using a smartphone (badly, but earnestly) to text him photos of sunsets. There is no kiss. No “I love you.” Instead, the climax of their romance is a single scene: Haru decides to stay in the village for another year. He tells Mao while she’s planting seedlings. She pauses, dirt on her cheek, and simply says, “Then you’ll see the plums bloom.” In the context of the show, that is the equivalent of a wedding vow.