Kono Kaisha ni Suki na Hito ga Imasu’s survey course of the modern workplace relationship continues. This was an especially productive week, checking off several road hazards. Christmas (in Japan, a big one). Karaoke. Bounenkai. For good measure we also got age-gap romance. No one ever said this was going to be easy (it isn’t in RL). But the overall tone here remains relatively low-key as compared to something like Kekkon suru tte, Hontou desu ka. The focus on the challenges is mostly about working through them.

I’ve enjoyed Somei-san and Hayakawa-san every time the spotlight has shifted to them. They’re a nice contrast to the main pair in addition to being a needed change-of-pace generally. They’re at a very different place in the courtship dance to be sure, not even a couple yet. But they were in a different place to begin with. Hayakawa outranking Somei is important from the workplace side, even if they are in different departments. She also outranks him on the calendar by eight years – she’s 32 and he’s 24. That’s far from insurmountable (it passes the “half plus seven” rule, anyway). But it’s not trivial, because those are ages at a very different point in the average person’s journey, both personally and professionally.

Make no mistake, Hayakawa has definitely fallen for this kid. It’s harder to tell with him, because Hayakawa has the world’s worst poker face and Somei is pretty stoic. But he drops plenty of hints, including not-quite hiding his disappointment when she stops coming to “their” cafe. She does this because she’s worried about what she’ll do, quite honestly (and she has a history with bad workplace romances). But now that this is in the air between them their paths seem to cross incessantly at the office. And since the Planning and Accounting departments are co-hosting the bounenkai (year-end drinking party) that’s sure to continue.

There are no huge breakers for Yui and Masugu this week, but it’s not 100% smooth sailing. He’s somewhat surprised at her seeming lack of interest in celebrating Christmas as a couple. But as it turns out she’s laser-focused on trying to get her next project greenlit, and the sight of all her rivals’ holiday products harshes her mellow. Masugu is swamped himself – both with calendar-year end stuff at work and studying for his exam. But as usual he occupies the role of supportive partner quite admirably (and eventually, she learns that her contest submission won).

Then it’s time for the bounenkai. The highlight here is definitely the karaoke after-party (it’s always the after-party that’s the true minefield). Morizono-san (thus, Taichi You) shows off some serious enka pipes. You know things are serious with Masugu and Yui because they sing the OP. Somei belts out a track from the CD Hayakawa loaned him (d’aww) but that’s too much for her, and she bolts the room. But their corridor exchange – where he makes his position pretty unmistakable – only serves to deepen the couple vibe.

There’s one more encounter between Hayakawa and Somei, this time in the archives (an action locale to be sure). She flat-out tells him to keep their meetings a secret, he misunderstands (or pretends to) the reason. He says, flat-out, he doesn’t care if people get the wrong impression about them as a result. That’s a pretty clear signal if ever there was one. But this is a lot easier for him, not only because he’s basically a kid and less concerned about weightier issues. He’s not the one who’s going to get in trouble if the company disapproves of their theoretical relationship. And she carries the weight of making sure she doesn’t screw him up by leading him into something he’s not ready for, because she’s older and not a cavalier jerk…