Kimi ni Todoke delves not only into Sawako and Kazehaya's relationship but also the romance between childhood friends and next-door neighbors Ryu and Chizuru. They are like brothers and sisters to each other but do Ryu and Chizuru end up together in Kimi ni Todoke?
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Does Ryu Like Chizuru?
Ryu has harbored romantic feelings for Chizuru for a long time. He has loved Chizuru since they were children.
Despite their differences, they were childhood friends and next-door neighbors, so Ryu would frequently spend his time playing and hanging out with Chizuru.
When Ryu's mother died in a car accident, Chizuru was the only person who could reach his heart after he had fallen into depression.
Since then, Chizuru has promised Ryu that she will never leave his side, no matter what.
Ryu and Chizuru would eventually become classmates at Kitahoro High School. Despite her poor academic records, Chizuru persists in her application to the school, knowing that Ryu intends to enroll himself at Tooru's alma mater.
When the two of them got in, Ryu began playing softball with Kazehaya, while Chizuru became close to Ayane Yano.
Even before Sawako entered the picture, the four of them were frequently seen together.
Due to Sawako’s curiosity about romantic feelings, Ryu told her about his own feelings, even though they were only one-sided.
He told Sawako that he likes Chizuru, and she will be the only girl in the world who will receive his love.
Ryu is also a patient man who prioritizes Chizuru's feelings. He constantly worries about her, even going so far as to console her after Tooru broke her heart.
Does Chizuru Like Ryu?
Unfortunately, Chizuru is oblivious to Ryu's feelings. She only sees Ryu as a brother because she is obsessed with Tooru, Ryu's older brother. The difference is that Tooru treats her as a girl, whereas Ryu does not.
Chizuru's heart was broken when Tooru brought his fiancée home. That would be the ideal time for Ryu to console Chizuru, but the latter would be furious at Ryu for dismissing her serious feelings.
Nonetheless, they reconciled and have grown closer than before. Tooru, on the other hand, would only encourage Ryu to do his best and win Chizuru's heart.
Now that Tooru is out of the picture, Chizuru’s attention is on Ryu and her friends.
She starts to get conscious of Ryu, especially after a girl confesses to him and gets rejected.
Moreover, she became aware of Ryu’s feelings, and she didn’t know how to act around him, just like before.
Eventually, Chizuru realized her feelings for Ryu, and she confessed to him in a very awkward yet wholesome way.
Do Ryu and Chizuru End up Together?
Yes, Ryu and Chizuru end up together in Kimi ni Todoke, despite some stumbles along the way. In fact, the two of them are planning to get married and start a family after Ryu is done with his university while Chizuru waits for him to come home.
Ryu and Chizuru's love story is far more interesting and problematic than Sawako and Kazehaya's.
It was a different love story than any other childhood friends turned couple in other romance anime.
The bond between Ryu and Chizuru is stronger than that of any other character in the series. They went through a lot of ups and downs, but they always stayed by each other's sides.
Even if they have a lot of misunderstandings, the two of them will make up because they can't bear the thought of losing the other people.
They also respect each other, especially Ryu, who has been waiting for Chizuru to return his feelings for a long time.
Their dynamic is also very well done, in the sense that they are polar opposites but complement each other well.
While Chizuru enjoys talking a lot, Ryu enjoys listening to her, and vice versa.
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