The following contains spoilers for Episode 23 of Komi Can't Communicate, "It's Just Ripped Tights," now streaming on Netflix.
There's no denying that Komi Can't Communicate's Ren Yamai has a creepy obsession with protagonist Shoko Komi. That much has been evident since Episode 4 of Season 1, when she kidnapped Hitohito Tadano and threatened him with death to remove him as a love rival. She's also looked up Komi's skirt to take pictures of her underwear, both successfully and unsuccessfully. She has even tried to get a glimpse at Komi's nude body on at least two occasions: once in the changing room of a water park, and again in the women's changing room at a public bath in Kyoto.
Much of Yamai's creepy behavior amounts to sexual harassment, and it was only a matter of time before it would escalate into sexual assault. In fact, she nearly did so in Episode 20 of Season 2 when she asked Komi if she could grope her breasts in a public bath during a school trip. Though Komi asserted her boundaries that time, this hasn't stopped Yamai's sexual harassment. During Valentine's Day, Yamai managed to turn the innocuous practice of exchanging chocolates with friends into an act of sexual harassment when she made chocolates in the shape of her own face so she could get Komi to indirectly “perform sexual acts” on her.
Episode 23 of Komi Can't Communicate depicts more of Yamai's continued trajectory toward sexual harassment, only this time she succeeds in getting Komi to give her what she wants. During class, Komi's usual black tights tear when she gets up from her seat, which doesn't go unnoticed by Yamai sitting behind her. Though it's a fairly small hole that's not likely to be noticed by anyone else, Yamai obsesses over the fact she can see a tiny piece of skin all the same. From there, her behavior fluctuates between creepy and dangerous.
When Yamai sees the tear, she decides to "protect" Komi from other spectators by getting behind her and maneuvering around Komi's legs like a crab. She also brings her face uncomfortably close to the space between Komi's legs, which only escalates her desire to touch her inappropriately. Though Yamai manages to restrain herself from committing sexual assault, her behavior still gets Tadano's attention and he finds himself keeping a vigilant eye on her.
Yamai eventually decides to inform Komi about the tear in her tights to spare her further embarrassment. To "help" Komi out, she offers her replacement tights in the same color and brand she normally uses, and accompanies her to the washroom to change. Yamai even offers to hold on to Komi's ripped tights while she changes into the new ones. Unfortunately for Komi, she takes the bait and gives Yamai exactly what she wants: an article of clothing she's worn that's the closest thing to obtaining her underwear.
Once the ripped tights are in her possession, Yamai wears them creepily on her head and runs off with them, much to Komi's embarrassment. It's never confirmed whether Komi got those old tights back from Yamai, but one thing is definitely clear: Yamai is determined to get her way with Komi however possible. Between the attempt to grope her breasts at a public bath, the theft of her old tights and repeat attempts to look up her skirt and get pictures of her underwear, Yamai's friendship with Komi may come to an end when Komi Can't Communicate continues.