Ah-ha, the 'bonus chapter'. I forgot that. We obviously differ in interpretation of Shigeko's intentions. I thought it was really funny and wrote a ficlet about it for blind go". I suppose she could easily be hinting though (and they certainly look like they might be a couple in the single picture from this story that appears in one of the anime outros).

As for Kurata, he does come over as rather gross. But is speaking with your mouth full considered rude in Japan?