
The author has said on multiple occasions that tsubaki will be the seme/top. They're feelings will be mutual. If that's not for you it's okay to stop reading. The author even makes suggestive panels of the two so it's no secret. I love the manga personally but I don't see why you're trying so hard to read a shota manga and deny what it is

It has sexual undertones involving a child, why are you trying to look away from the fact that it’s a pedo manga and trying to portray it as something innocent and cute when it’s clearly not?? First of all, it’s a shotacon manga, look at the title "shota oni" if you don’t know what that is, I’d suggest you look it up and also check the author’s other works, because all of them revolve around the same pedophilic theme. You’re no better than the people who enjoy this and want to see them get involved sexually. There is nothing innocent about shotacon and pedophilia.
Even if you try to see it as an “aged-up couple” (which is never going to happen, considering the title and the fact that it already has around 150 chapters without the kid growing up), it would still be disturbing. The adult is fully aware and conscious of the kid’s feelings, and that makes it grooming. That is still pedophilia.
The author is clearly trying to portray pedophilia as something “cute” and “innocent,” which is exactly why you’re getting that impression. But get a grip , there’s nothing wholesome about this.
By the way, here are some panels from the manga gallery that might clear up your doubt if it’s innocent or not
https://www.mangago.zone/home/photo/34460307/
https://www.mangago.zone/home/photo/34585707/
https://www.mangago.zone/read-manga/shota_oni/uu/mk_chapter-99/pg-1/
https://www.mangago.zone/read-manga/shota_oni/uu/mk_chapter-98/pg-1/
https://www.mangago.zone/home/photo/37484468

Nah I think I know the definition very well, but you on the other hand didn't give any argument proving there's no potential grooming. You see even if the author portrays the teenager as innocent, the actions of the character are questionable (for examples check those scenes that were linked in someone's response here) when it comes to real life, because yes in fiction there's no consequences for the actions of the older person. If author says it's mutual, than it is, but the same actions in real life would be very questionable. For example teenager shouldn't let a child do things like jumping on top of him, and just joke about it being "perverted" especially when the child doesn't really get the sexual content yet and didn't do that on purpose. Little action like that, when repeated regularly can shift child perception and feelings towards certain things and make it easier to cross the boundaries later. It would be different if the teenager didn't feel anything in those situations and was oblivious to the child feelings, but that's clearly not the case here. So yeah there's a potential grooming in this story, if you don't know what's grooming is than check the definition before saying that someone else doesn't know it.

I'm not going to argue with you. In fact, I did not even respond to you. So for you to say I did not bring forth any arguments is silly. Not everyone on the internet is here to debate or change opinions.
This isn’t about real life. This is about a manga. Fiction.
Grooming is an active action with a goal in mind. There is a plan and it is a drip drip drip to the mind. I don't see any of that in this manga. And I have seen manga with active grooming.
But like I said, beloved, I'm not arguing with you. I'm certainly not trying to change your opinion. ヾ(❀╹◡╹)ノ~

Wow you're really nice, I didn't expected that.
I still need to voice my opinion that I do not think that real life doesn't influence how we see themes in fiction and vice versa, but I respect your opinions and the way you voice them, so that's okey if you don't feel the need to engage in changing opinions of the strangers on the internet so I won't dwell on the topic any longer.
Have a wonderful day
I feel really gross out about the stuff people write here. I like the story because it's shows how people develop feelings and see love in various ways and ages, it's a comedy manga for me not a romantic one. I honestly can see my self in these kids shoes, because when I was in primary school I also didn't really understand what romantic love really is and how some actions can be seen differently when you age up. But never had I ever thought that I want to see them as an romantic couple right now and I don't think I want to see them as an age up couple, because of the potential of grooming in their relationship (even if that doesn't seem like the thing characters would do nor the author's plan for them to do that) but still would be uncomfortable