The Patch 6 Kisses removed Player Agency. The whole point of a RPG is that the player gets to decide how they want to play. You can be incredibly mean to every companion if you choose. You can even kill them. With the Patch 6 kisses, agency was removed, because the Player Character appeared frozen with terror after asking for a kiss.
It works in both directions, though. Now Player Agency is removed for those who don't want to see happy faces during such scenes and RP differently than you. Everyone has the right to RP just like they want, especially when it's supported by the narrative, like OP said.
Oh, and that the faces now are neutral, is your opinion, not a fact. For others, like me, they aren't neutral at all. They are triggering.
