YES!!! ALL OF THIS! I love how the manga went about to making sure it was clear that Pin had no intention or even interest in Ayane. He didn't give her false hopes, he treated her appropriately and allowed her to have a safe space to express herself to him but was able to respectfully turn her down.
Kimi ni Todoke is one of the few shoujo manga in which a student having a crush on a teacher is handled well. Like the bar is below the ground but Ayane is both a young adult with a clear vision of what she wants but also an experienced child that is taught she is a better person than she let's herself believe and that she deserves to be treated well and not her trust betrayed.
Pin doesn't betray that trust. He sets boundaries. He recognizes the humanity of his student and gently turns her down and let's her know there is no chance he can view her romantically while acknowledging her feelings. Pin doesn't hint they can get together when they are older or that he would have dated her if the circumstances were different. Also, the story doesn't treat her as a character that has to be paired with another one and has to be a romantic interest. This whole arc is more about Ayane's self-discovery and learning to appreciate herself and trusting others even though she feels like she hasn't experienced love as she has a whole life ahead of her.
I won't deny that the manga does tease then and even I thought that maybe Ayane and Pin would end up together and wasn't happy with the hints. But I'm glad it didn't take the usual teacher student tomance route and didn't use Pin's immaturity to justify dating his student whole having moments that reminded readers he is a teacher and an adult and in a position of power he light-heartedly uses to order the kids around. Even if he rarely shows it, he is more mature and older than his students. It would be scummy to date a vulnerable girl who is his students and who has been in questionable relationships with older college students.
I am pretty sad tonight so naturally I decided watching Adele: Live in New York City for the first time was a good idea. These pictures encapsulate my emotional journey.
“So perhaps it just speaks to the heartiness of women, that put on your boots and put your hat on and get out, slog through the mess that is out there.” - Senator Lisa Murkowski (R - AK)
On January 26, 2016, two days after a large blizzard in DC, something was different in the US Senate. No men showed up. For the first time ever, the entire present Senate staff was female. (video)