Quote 37
I'd never had such a powerful, immediate connection with another human being before. Not even with Aech. (17.163)
Boy, by the time Art3mis comes along, Wade seems to have forgotten the "immediate" connection he said he felt with Aech back in chapter 3. What happened to the bro code?
Quote 38
After [the quest], the three of us had parted as friends, if not necessarily allies, and I considered that an ample reward for my efforts. (20.30)
It's nice here that Wade/Parzival has made two new friends in Daito and Shoto, but the fact that he seems to have been shooting for an alliance in the Hunt shows that he is still placing the competition ahead of friendship.
Quote 39
I sent Aech a brief e-mail to say thanks. [...] I also copped to being a colossally insensitive, self-centered asshole and begged him to forgive me. (23.46)
This is one of the few un-selfish acts Wade does during the course of the book, showing us that his friendship with Aech really does mean something. That comes as a bit of a relief, because his one-track mind was starting to become a bit worrisome.