I think it's more like the editor did not want to have an official LGBT couple. Japan Higher-ups don't want to go fully gay, they just like hinting it.

The situation happened with Love Live, since Gen 1 they been including some LGBT into it and slowly building up the LGBT. It finally reached its peak when in Gen 3, one of the girls literally pins another girl onto the bed and wraps herself around her and tells her that she fears losing her and that she should only be with her. Everyone was freaking out because this was the closest to a confirmation to a lesbian couple....only for Sunrise to say "TOO FAR" and dialed it back and turns out they were just friends.

Though the Head Writer did include a "Fuck You Sunrise Easter Egg" where the girls exchange flowers and the flowers represents "Undying Love". It's not a surprise when the Head Writer of Love Live before she got the job, was the Author to Strawberry Panic, A collection of Lesbian Short Stories.