Seriously. The more it goes on the more impossibly cruel and distant he gets. He blames her for everything, ignores her, forgets her, calls her names, and then does some half hearted gesture to apologize. Only to do it again.
This isn't much of a romance.
When Uehara calls attention to her dirty face he is distracting her from her attack. Again when he is calling her a dimwit it is to incite her to respond - and FORGET that she was feeling low on learning of Daichi's unreciprocated feelings for her. I do think that when he pushes her away while wondering what was for supper she should tell him BREAD AND JELLY UNTIL YOU BEHAVE!! Also, TUTORING should be part of an exchange for SUPPER !!
shareI think your understanding is close to correct, and I have to agree with the original poster that Uehara is a jerk in the beginning. But as the series progresses we see that while he still has trouble expressing his emotions through most of it (most guys do) and appreciating hers more than his own, he does eventually learn to do so. Love kind of does that to a person - make them appreciate the other more than themselves. He also learns to share with her the problems they face, but that doesn't happen until much later in the series. After all, he's grown up almost on his own most of his life and has always had to do things on his own. Learning how to love and share are not easy things for most males to do, but Nao's persistence, patience and ability to teach him worked out to be the best for them both.
The point I'm trying to make is that it is easy to judge a series by how a character is behaving, and sometimes that character doesn't really change much, but, and because of Nao's strong love for him, he does change. And part of the beauty of the series is that Nao understands and appreciates him far more than the rest of us do in the beginning, which is why she falls for him.
I like your post. My post actually only aimed at his name calling. Ex. - After being left by Daichi she was in such a funk she was even oblivious to the lit-up Tokyo Tower. He caused her to respond to his 'attack' on her without ever meaning her harm. She knows it too. Kind of like 'What just happened?' His smile lets her know it was another GOTCHA moment.
Many posters favor her other suitors over Uehara (including Daichi) and I get upset. At the Tower scene, Daichi has left her across town, without her phone, well after dark, and with no money. He SLAMS Mitsuishi out of his way on discovering the living situation (in a fashion that makes me think they must have used a stand-in dummy for the actor). Why is violence such an easy resort for him? He also hints at blackmail to Nao ( "your parents don't know about them living together, right"). It is wrong for Uehara to live with Nao but okay for Daichi to ask her to live with him? Issei resorts to blackmailing Nao and outright lying to his stalker as his first choices. ONLY when Nao is IN THE ACT of apologizing does he step forward. Cowardice much? He surely knew he was losing a customer anyway. Abe was pathetic. I have to wonder how low he would go to find a GF. He didn't even know when he was offending Nao (lunch) or when Uehara had had enough after the party and had to give up his bed to him. Childish much??
I think the key thing about Uehara was that he had never had a friend (according to Yuri) and that EVERY girl lost all control at the sight of him. Had he been filthy rich, he would have grown up with every person trying to get some $$. I don't really see him as being SUCH a jerk at the start. They all want something from him, he tells Nao. His big mistake was making Nao go out after the Milk Pudding. As soon as he realized it he RAN out after her. I wonder if he saw girls as more like predators to avoid. His self-control (taking Daichi's sock to the jaw and NOT responding?) was amazing. He also doesn't retaliate against the bullies, though maybe he should have.
I like that they BOTH grew rapidly, learning from each other. I think Nao is quick to recognize his basic honesty and decency. She knows she is safe with him, within limits. He recognizes the same honesty and decency in her. She has friends whom she values - and will defend. To be Nao's friend IS SOMETHING SPECIAL. I wish he had chosen to help her more freely with her studies - she doesn't hesitate to start doing the cooking. Imagine going from bread and jelly to the fabulous meals she prepared!!
I think by the end of Season 1, they are a committed couple and I am curious what we will see in January. Cut a doorway in the wall between rooms 401 and 402 ???? I think they could pretend 3 years have passed and just 'age' Nao. She is 18 but all the other actors are in their 20's , I believe. They could marry, move back to 305, and start a family after University.