On a more serious note, we have heavy parallels between Tohru and Kana here, from Tohru's first reaction to Hatori-as-seahorse resembling Kana's first reaction to Tohru getting the riddle of what snow becomes correct.
(spoilers through 126) And this, of course, foreshadows how so many of the couples in FB are doubled: Kyoko and Katsuya, Kyo and Tohru, Hiro and Kisa.

And I love Kyo telling Tohru that she's got an umeboshi on her back too. A reaaaaalllly tiny one.
And this, in a nutshell, sums up why I find Kyo so adorable. He's so awkward, but in the end, also so honest.

And because I am twelve, I am so amused by the kotatsu because of Ouran!
Me too! I will forever associate kotatsu with Kyouya and Tamaki.

I am thinking that wafuku is more a symbol of being closely tied in with the curse and the Sohmas and extra behind-the-scenes plotting.
(spoilers through 126) The major break in that pattern is Kazuya; aside from that, the pattern holds. Think of how very much Rin and Haru avoid traditional dress. And I think Yuki is a very liminal figure in this: we see him in traditional dress as when he's child living in the main house, but in the present he's normally in youfuku, albiet on the formal side. (As opposed to say, Kyo.)

Notes on imagery: I think the maple leaves in Hatori's story are references to autumn and the coming of winter (the coming of the snow), etc.
(spoilers through 126)Akito with birds is, I think, a hint about Kureno.