This is an old comment, but I thought I would add something here that would make you feel a little better.One of the key stumbling blocks with Hanako and Hisao's relationship is that both of them have put up defenses around themselves to keep other people away. Because of this, they have an almost impossible time expressing their true feelings for each other.Hanako is obvious - she makes several attempts to try and engage Hisao in a deeper conversation or make a romantic move towards him but fumbles badly every time. Her birthday party is one example. Even though she is tipsy (and maybe the booze is helping her get over her anxiety) she does a totally unexpected hug attack on Hisao. She even asks him to not go. Hisao misses an opportunity here to talk to Hanako because he stupidly writes it off as her just being drunk, but as we all learn later - that's actually her true feelings. She does this again on their group outing, when she tries to tell Hisao that he can count on her, but lets herself get blown off by Hisao himself being defensive. The game is actually littered with little events where she tries to make how she feels known but just can't quite get it out or get it through to Hisao.Hisao for his own part is just insecure. He hides his feelings for Hanako by covering them with "concern" for her well being. Of course, he's actually concerned, but rather than admit or state that it's because he's falling in love with her, it's because "she needs" his help (despite her never asking for it). This is best illustrated in Hanako's bad end when she keeps asking him "Why" he wants to do something with her. If Hisao had half a brain and said something a simple as, "I just miss hanging out with you." or even a much more romantic, "It's because I miss you." she would have gladly assented. In fact, Hanako's anger can be easily construed as simple boiling over of frustration at this point.So, bringing this back to the act 4 sex scene -It's not as sad as people think. It's more bittersweet than anything else, because here are two people who love each other who can't bridge the chasm between them to express it. Hanako is someone who just can't talk. She can't express her feelings well, but she takes the initiative. You basically don't get naked in front of someone you're romantically interested in without expecting it to go where it eventually did (and she completely consents, as she admits later, it was her plan).This is why the scene is both sad and sweet at the same time. It should have been, and in a perfect world where both of these people were more emotionally well adjusted, would have been a sweeter experience for both of them. However as awkward as it was, the good part of it is that Hanako does finally get to express how she feels and not only that, but Hisao finally treats her like something more than a box of fragile glass. The end of that scene is very telling, because it has Hanako laying down next to Hisao and she's smiling even though she just had a pretty bad and awkward sexual encounter.Anyway, what I'm saying is that it's okay to feel bad for Hanako, but also you should feel a little happy for her as well. You have to remember the one thing that Hanako wants above all else in a relationship is to be seen as a person and not as she puts it "a helpless child". Like I said, she's smiling at the end of that scene, not because of the terrible sex she just had, but because she was able to express how she feels about Hisao and he didn't blow her off. Sure there are better ways for people to do this, but maybe not for these two in this story. They have to stumble through a lot of awkwardness and their own insecurities before they're finally able to verbalize how they feel. So, while the scene itself may be somewhat sad and not romantic, if you think back from the end about Hanako's feelings, there is some sweetness there too. So yeah, bittersweet is what I'm calling it.