WARNING: The following contains spoilers for My Senpai is Annoying Episode 2, "Udon With the Occasional Full Moon," now streaming on Funimation.
My Senpai is Annoying is an all-new office rom-com series starring Futaba Igarashi and her giant senior co-worker Harumi Takeda, and while Futaba may have secret romantic feelings for Takeda, she is not alone. Another co-worker, the stoic and aloof Sota Kazama, nurses a crush of his own.
So far, Sota Kazama has kept himself apart from the office shenanigans, such as Futaba's drama and workplace gossip, but he later decides to listen to his heart and finally make his move before it's too late. Toko Sakurai is the apple of his eye, and he can't let this chance slip by.
Futaba Igarashi struggles to impress her co-worker Takeda and convince him to see her as an appealing dating partner, not just a petite co-worker who needs protecting. Meanwhile, Kazama takes a ramen lunch break with two male friends, who admire the beauteous Toko Sakurai as she passes by. Kazama acts disinterested, claiming that no man around here has what it takes to score a date with her. Sakurai is confident and attractive, after all, and she can afford to be picky. When Futaba and Takeda meet up with Kazama and make a minor scene, Kazama acts completely detached, but this is just a cool, aloof exterior to hide his true feelings.
Back in the office, Kazama finally makes his first tentative move to impress Sakurai... by calling her on the phone. Sakurai picks up, and Kazama panics and claims it was a wrong number. Too late -- Sakurai can already see Kazama partially hidden around a corner with his own office phone to his ear, and Kazama retreats. Kazama is all talk when Sakurai isn't around, but once he actually commits to something, his shyness becomes evident. He doesn't yet have the nerve to ask her out, and he must find that frustrating. Like Futaba, Kazama feels unsure how to express his interest, and he likely fears that he's not good enough for Sakurai.
Later that evening, Kazama walks out of the office and Sakurai catches up to him, thanking Kazama for the "wrong number" call earlier. Kazama still lacks the resolve to express his true feelings and tells her he was just going to spend a quiet evening at home. Sakurai proves herself a proactive and generous person when she asks Kazama out instead, and Kazama double-checks whether this will be a group date or a private one.
He still can't fully believe that Sakurai would be interested in him and him alone, but to his relief, Sakurai wants a date with him alone. If Kazama doesn't have the courage to ask someone out, Sakurai will do it herself, and she appears to harbor no resentment toward Kazama's lack of resolve. In fact, she might even find it endearing.
This secondary budding office romance is off to a promising start, and already, Sakurai sets a good example for Futaba to follow, even if Futaba wasn't there to see it. Sakurai knows what she wants and how to get it, and if she and Kazama go steady, Futaba will no doubt catch wind of that and find it inspiring and empowering.
At this rate, Futaba really will need a friend to take that romantic plunge first and prove that the water's fine. And if the Kazama/Sakurai relationship takes off, it may also inspire Takeda, bringing Futaba and Takeda closer together sooner rather than later. They both need to see a proper romance done before they can try it for themselves.