... Slice of life romance is orgasm denial but for romantic development. Eventually we'll get our sweet release in the form of the proper confession and dating etc etc but for now we're helpless on the ground as the mangaka OH SO GENTLY teases us. Some of us like that. Some of us are tired of it. Unfortunately for all of us, there's no safeword that we can yell at the author.
Except, yknow, "you've got three chapters and then it's axed". But that's for the publisher to decide. And also where my metaphor falls apart.