WARNING: the following contains spoilers for My Senpai Is Annoying Episode 11, "The Seasons Come and Go," now streaming on Funimation.
Igarashi Futaba and her boisterous office senpai Takeda Harumi continue to slowly but surely develop their relationship, and after ringing in the new year at a local temple, a bonafide romance might just be around the corner. Both of them feel good about the state of things, and the same can be said of their co-workers.
Kazama Sota felt inadequate compared to the popular and beautiful Sakurai Toko at first, but as the new year dawns, they take the next step in their relationship -- even if it's an awkward and silly step to take. The new year bodes well for their rapidly-growing relationship, and they're grateful for all they have.
While Igarashi and Takeda grapple over their confusing New Year's fortunes at the shrine, Sakurai and Kazama enjoy a two-day date of sorts, which started with Kazama's visit to the Sakurai household the previous evening. Kazama initially claimed he'd spend the evening playing video games, so Sakurai would have spent the evening alone too. Yet Kazama visited after all, and on the morning of New Year's, Sakurai still feels grateful for his kind gesture, something she won't soon forget. She feels more comfortable than ever around Kazama, to the point she'll gently sniff his hair when he's asleep -- as a snooping local child saw for herself.
Kazama and Sakurai's relationship in My Senpai Is Annoying still has some kinks to smooth out, such as Kazama's questionable habit of gazing at Sakurai's chest at his leisure, while she isn't exactly proud of sniffing his hair when he's asleep. Clearly, the two have some work ahead of them before they're on the same page personally. After all, Kazama is clearly not used to being in a real relationship, and neither is Sakurai. They have to shed their oddest habits first, and habits don't die easily.
Even if these two main office couples still have some minor issues to work through, both are past the point of no return, and all four are committed to their respective romances as the new year begins. For Kazama, it would be easy to say "never mind, let's just be friends" to Sakurai, but he has an evident interest in her -- including a shy comment he made to a girl who asked him about his feelings out of curiosity. Being a typical kuudere character, Kazama won't easily admit his feelings to Sakurai or wear his heart on his sleeve, but his feelings are genuine and he is increasingly willing to act on them. At first he wouldn't even accept a chocolate bar from Sakurai, but now he's willing to visit her apartment on his own volition. And Sakurai gratefully welcomed him inside without hesitation.
Their budding relationship can easily keep pace with that of Igarashi and Takeda, and given that Sakurai and Kazama lack Igarashi's tsundere-style stubborn streak, they might actually outpace their coworkers. Sakurai and Kazama are easygoing and honest people, and may just set a good example for the office's other budding romance. If so, Takeda might actually come to Kazama for advice when the time is right, and Igarashi may once again approach her friend Sakurai with questions about love. Given their personalities, Kazama and especially Sakurai should be eager to help as My Senpai Is Annoying continues.
