I don't think suselle is forced, it's just awkward, and maybe a little forced, but not just quite narratively forced
I think why Noelle had a crush on Susie despite hardly knowing her isn't just because she was scary but because she was new I think Susie never really felt deserving of love before the prophesy so of course she doesn't know what to do and is awkward, she wants to do this right so bad
another thing i've seen is that the weird route noelle is the real noelle and that liking susie is the fake noelle and like, no? Did we play the same game? Noelle is changing in the non-weird route with Susie, being more confident against her mom at the beach, sure it goes wrong but that direction of Noelle is likely starting to real like susie at that beach. those kids spend all day just talking to eachother just like how easy it was for them at noelle's house. Even if Suselle isn't end game it has a reason to exist and made Noelle and Susie better people, mostly noelle, susie just wears ribbons now/j
