
That actually makes someone normal not a weirdo. Most people excuse the things in fiction that they would never defend in real life. But I guess that means I'm a weirdo, then. Because I don't make that distinction since I have finally come to the understanding that fiction and real life intersect. After all, it's not as if fictional people are writing fiction, nor that fiction draws from completely fictional circumstances. I mean, you did say it yourself, after all. Or at least lent your tacit support for the idea of the realism of this manga.
Let me end with this, I like realism myself, but this manga reversed the way I like my realism to play out: A realistic setting with a slightly or even overly unrealistic narrative.
And, no, you and Sakata are not disagreeing about disliking a character based on their flaws. You're disagreeing about disliking their flaws. I, personally, can love flaws that characters may have. In this case, I despise the ones Itou has.

He did act like an asshole. And I"m glad he suffered. He should. Yuuki suffered MORE, he didn't have a companion all those years sharing meals and taking care of him when sick and helping with the home. Akira was not alone. Yuuki was alone. And Akira didn't seem discontent fully until about 4 years after he dumped Yuuki. That's when he cried. FOUR FUCKING YEARS to realize he loved Yuuki, while Yuuki had a broken heart and was ALONE all that time, having one-night stands to try and get a little "taste" of make-believe Akira.
I'm glad Yuuki got some happiness, but from what I heard from people who saw the raws--SPOILERS AHEAD, skip if you don't wanna know---
Yuuki outlived Akira by many, many years. How is that a happy ending. The one who should have died first was Yuuki so Akira could live alone and suffer the loneliness of being alone t hat Yuuki did for 8 years. So, not that ending sucks. Yuuki should not have been left alone again. Not again.
Although I think it was the author giving Akira his wish: never to be apart from Yuuki again, never to be dumped or lose him.
But I really want Yuuki to not be alone again. That hurts. Akira deserves that suffering, not Yuuki.

I have them downloaded so I don't have links

There was a foreshadowing for him to die earlier and that was smoking he was a smoker since he was I believe 19 years old.
These people, they come here saying the seme is an asshole. This is realistic situation where they are faced by society. Some fights back like Yuuki and some gives up like the situation for Akira. Gosh you complain about him an asshole? Better complain about that shit with truly asshole seme like castle heaven or killing stalking or at the end of the road.