Talk:SaneKana/@comment-47053050-20201003234149

This should have more info. Sanemi is implied to hold genuine (platonic, but probably romantic) affection for Kanae. In the third novel (Kaze no Michishirube), he blushed when Masachika teased him about "taking care of himself" because Masachika was reminding Sanemi of Kanae's words, and Sanemi thought of Kanae's smiling face while he was being teased. Sanemi was also comforted by Kanae's touch, she reminded him of how gentle and loving his mother was.

Kanae was probably the only person who could actually immediately calm Sanemi down. Gotouge would not have made their relationship this explicit if she didn't want to show how Sanemi considered Kanae close and dear to his heart.