i don't honestly think it's a checklist as you suggest, since fjmt often dabbles in very blurred relationship forms. it's a romantic relationship for sure, but one mired in horror — that's what makes it interesting to me... i don't see romance as a positive quality here, merely a setting stage upon which trope & history are contested & filtered. not very confident in them ending up as on friendly terms, really, either? i've said since even before the aquarium date that i think asaden's romance frame (as wholesome, uninterrogated) is suspect to me, and well: that's what ended up being proven esp w/ the later chapters — but it still makes use of this frame and locates its horror alongside "romance". ultimately, i dont often like predicting on exact details — my analysis is more just talking about themes & speculating on future ones. it's probably going to get worse in many directions, in that regard. i hope this somewhat answers your question?