it's like someone realized that the volume is ending and there is still plot to advance
I feel like we don't really need any of this (the male coworker, Rio) to advance the plot, though. I think it would have been more natural to, after their separation, build on the growing romantic feelings between them. It could have been an interesting story about a relationship that is romantic in nature, but not sexual (with the absence of sexual desire (and acceptance of it) being an actual theme, something I was quite excited about when starting this manga). It might still end up being about this, but the pacing and tonal shift of this chapter is pretty jarring.