Again, "asexual" in japan is aroace, alloace people are "nonsexual". It's two different words and they don't use the split attraction model like Western queer community do, so there isn't any overlap. Aroace people cannot fall in love.
If Kiryuu was able to experience romantic feelings, I honestly think she would know by now, and her friend also tells her that she might be "asexual/aroace".
Also it isn't only japan who associates romance with sex, it's literally every culture in the world.
I don't think you get my point.
If Japan thinks that being asexual makes you automatically aro that doesn´t remove the fact that there are asexuals who aren´t aro, it is simply a wrong idea not to say that they are excluding the idea that romance and sex don´t go hand in hand, perhaps the author wants to teach japanese readers that there are many types of specters and sexualities.
And it seemed to me that the protagonist is only talking about experience, perhaps she changes her mind or perhaps it turns out that she is demisexual (which is also an asexual sexuality), and since she hadn´t fallen in love before, she didn´t know.
PS: In my opinion, this sexuality isn´t something that you decide once and cannot change again in your life, rather it is a process of self-discovery while you grow up, and you can surprise yourself (In the same way that something that you liked when you were young and you don't like when you are older and vice versa).
In these things you have to be flexible and not too hard on yourself.
I don't think you understand me either. What I'm saying is that JAPANESE AND WESTERN LGBT CULTURE DONT USE THE SAME TERMINOLOGY. The Japanese equivalent of asexuals who aren't aro are NONSEXUALS (非性愛), which is different from the Japanese term ASEXUAL (無性愛) which ONLY refers to aroace people. UNLIKE WESTERN CULTURE WHERE BOTH ORIENTATIONS GO UNDER 'ASEXUAL', THEY DO NOT OVERLAP IN JAPANESE CULTURE.
I know that sexuality is fluid, but it is not fluid for everyone and can send harmful messages when portraying the idea of fluidity. Imagine writing a lesbian protagonist and she ends up with a man in the end. She could be discover she's bi, but it honestly really reeks of erasure and sends the idea that being a same-sex attraction is a 'phase'. Same applies to asexuality.
I truly hope this is not gonna happen. I also like that she’s self reflected and still self reflecting without just continually being ‚swept away‘ by the, uh how to say, typical romance plot of general manga? AND what sells it for me is that she’s really missing those ‚cues‘ because she’s plainly just not feeling the / thinking about/ in sexual innuendo some of her actions have or others might have towards her (which also makes her suspicious of others intentions and put her a bit on edge) the manga is really interesting and absolutely refreshing.
I kinda wish she could go for the tactician dude for once and not the pre-teen incel emo wannabe type. He's nice. Got a cool job. Easy to communicate. Respect her and he looks like an actual adult. >_>