poor itome ....

Pretty much the same as what I was thinking. Honestly I feel sad for Itome-kun. And for Jimmy. And also for Tamura when he basically got raped. And also for Yuri, how the hell does someone end up being like that? And also for Yacchan because the guy basically has a massive inferiority complex.
This manga is so light hearted most of the times but sometimes it gets deep and we get to see how complex and layered these characters really are.
Uh I really want everyone to end up with the person they love and happy.

I want them to be happy too (づ￣ ³￣)づ

Please bare with me while I try to explain what I think xD

To put it simply, I believe they're both genuinely in love with each other. I think Akemi had fallen in love with Itome a while after they started dating, but way before the manga takes place. Mainly because Akemi told Toono that it's ok to get into a relationship and then develop feelings later. But I think the main issue is communication, unresolved issues, and assumptions.
One of my theories is that Akemi might have been a bottom to Manami. So Akemi strictly being a top makes Itome feel like he isn't loved completely. I remember a little part of the manga where it asked if Akemi ever bottomed and the response was that it was a secret.
My second theory is that regardless of why Akemi is strictly a top, maybe Itome feels like Akemi isn't truly in love with him because Akemi has never bottomed for him. Maybe Itome feels like he's proven his love by bottoming, even though he's a top. And that since Akemi won't bottom for him, his love isn't the same.

What I think is really interesting is how it comes to light that Itome is the one who suggested an open relationship (even though his expressions and lack of sex with others say otherwise). During the camping trip, Akemi says, "Itome-kun, you haven't been doing it with others lately, are you angry?" Itome says, "Not really..." and Akemi says, "Even though you proposed it..." Ch. 9.2, page 19.
Also notice how the guy Itome had sex with in the woods was small and cute like Akemi is. This suggesting that he may be desiring to top Akemi. He also gets angry and squeezes that guys head when he suggests breaking up with Akemi. That right there proves to me that somewhere along the lines, Itome isn't happy with some things in their relationship, but definitely loves Akemi and does not want to break up. It seems like he might be desiring to top Akemi, but something is holding him back from discussing it. Or maybe he wants to end the open relationship rule, but is afraid Akemi might not feel the same.

Now! For my final thought- I was also interested in the scene where Itome finds Akemi in the woods trying to pet the cat. Akemi says, "Here... You knew I'd be here..." and Itome says, "It's just that... Kei-chan, you come here often." Ch. 9.2, page 18. Why is he there so often trying to pet the cat?
But the part that made me start thinking hard was when the cat scratched Akemi and he said, "As I thought, It's impossible if it's me..." and then at the end of the chapter, Akemi also says, "It seems that even the cat hates me." Ch. 9.2, page 20.
WHO was he referring to? Why does it seem like he has lingering feelings for them? Could it be... Minami he's referring to?
There's no doubt that I think Akemi loves Itome. But... maybe he has unresolved past ties with Minami?

I fully agree with you!
I think back to Tamura and how bitter he was over the fact that Toono and Kashima didn't get gang raped the way he had. It makes me wonder if he was just angry that it wasn't fair, or if it was something deeper.
For Yuri, I have this theory that he might have had/has a bad home life and the glasses is sort of his way to become a different person. That as long as he has on the glasses, he can hide behind a facade and be a complete idiot (and we all know he's actually intelligent, because of the way he spoke to Fujisaki when he kissed him without sunglasses).
Ch. 6.1 page 11 always interested me. Because what does Akemi mean by Yuri having special lessons and having more exams to take? And then Toono mentions Yuri wearing his sunglasses, even during exams, and Akemi cuts himself off by saying, "He was... Hmm, now that I think about it, I've never seen Yuri-kun's face." I don't know if I'm reading too much into that. I'm like 80% positive it said somewhere that Yuri was good at exams and had decent grades, so that's still an "eh idk". He could also be suffering my some kind of mental disability.
Also agree with Yacchan. I think his terrible personality is cute, but in a real world sense it's gotta be super distressing and sad. He basically feels like he was never good enough and was pretending to be someone else for a majority for his life. I couldn't imagine the mental toll that't gotta be.
And then I also feel for Itsuki because he has something going on as well, but his past is still very vague.

Thank you for sharing ^^

That's an interesting point of view (づ￣ ³￣)づ