he plays his role like a champ and he's really into his role, dont get me wrong. but like deep down in his core he probably just thinks of them as normal childhood friends…… like, i think rather than being "childhood friends with one infatuated with the other", they're more like "childhood friends who play the role of one being infatuated with the other". i think if totoko ever did break the kayfabe and showed any kind of romantic affection towards him he'd totally panic and shut down. it's not in the script, it's not something he's actually accounted for, like we saw with nyaa

in cutie next door, when he notices something is genuinely up with totoko- it's cuz he realizes like oh, this isnt part of the bit. she's not playing her role right. something's genuinely off, something's genuinely wrong- im just gonna cut to the shit. he drops the act, and totoko realizes she's been seen through because of it. them peeking behind the curtain, them shutting off the cameras for a second to go hey, real talk, are you good?

but of course totoko doesn't want to be seen behind the curtains, she doesnt want to admit she's having real genuine human feelings like a real person might rather than a bit character so she just leaves. sasuga.

and of course, totoko can see through him in the same vein too. she knows him, too. she can sense when something is wrong, if he's not playing his role right. theyre childhood friends, after all