That's not going down a horrible path or playing with the readers. It's just a more realistic relationship than most of the mellow all too perfect love stories. If you've ever been in a long term relationship you'd know it. Couples fights, they have up and downs, they don't always have the...
@TwenyTwo Yeah Akari crush on Minami was more akin to what you could have toward a celebrity, or a person you've only seen from afar in place you regurlarly go to, while the feelings she developped for Jirou made her realize that that's what genuine love was.
@pmntamp it's meant in the context "am i not enough company for her"
Basically it was a rethorical question to shoo her potential harasser off. Or that's how I interpreted it