Chocolate Solves Everything.
As he searches the city, he passes by places that brings back memories in their friendship. He almost instinctively goes through the places he thinks she could be, and at the same time he remembers the times they were together and how they really were “friends.” These are the times that prove that they aren’t the bad friends they both claim to be. Honestly would you take a bad friend shopping for clothes, playing pool with just the both of you and heck, buying chocolate? To a certain extent maybe, but they are much closer than both give themselves credit for. They’ve opened up to each other now and in the past much more than they previously realized.
Thus, seeing the way Junichi remembers their friendship helps the viewer delve into the possibilities of a friendship-turned-romance, as well as for him to put into perspective just how he really feels. He is confused as he searches for her, but as he slowly reminisces through the places of their shared memories, he slowly begins to understand that perhaps, they were much closer than they thought.
Perhaps the episode tried to downplay Junichi’s giving her chocolate by having him act like a complete dork in wondering if he was cool. Maybe for some viewers it would simply be Junichi being thoughtful of her and giving her something to cheer her up. For others it may simply be friends consoling friends, but for me this isn’t. For me, telling her it’s okay to cry and giving her chocolate is the proof that he deserves her, and she deserves him.
The mere fact that he could remember, out of everything the two of them have been through, that chocolate could be the one thing that would help put a smile on her face is much more than sympathetic understanding, but true empathy. He cares for her enough to do more than what is required of him than as “just” a friend. He could have simply listened to her sob story and given his advice, but he went the extra mile for her. Chocolate may come of as a simple gesture, but in times like this, it could easily mean the world to people.
And crying? As Junichi so aptly puts it, crying is okay when you need to, because crying isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign that you’re human.
This for me is the best scene of her arc so far, as it is the sign that things have become mutual between the both of them. Maybe Junichi hasn’t figured it out consciously yet, but he is becoming aware. The entire city search for him was really a journey of self-awareness for him as he tries to figure out if there’s more to this friendship than meets the eye. On that short talk behind the cafe, I think he already knew. I think he knew that he loved her.