You keep saying this and it keeps leaving me baffled.
How in God's green Earth can you go from the starting point in the relationship with Nami to the "change in perception" and the "race with impossible odds" without all the cut content? Nothing was added. And you cut the most important bits of intimacy and meaningful relationship progression between them. So how does it make sense to you??? It's like getting from the point of meeting each other to getting married without all the dating.
Keep in mind I haven't played the Steam release. I just glanced at the renders and script. So it's utterly confusing to me how anyone can make sense of their relationship evolution. Considering there is no physical intimacy after her finding out about Nick. No going too far and kissing after spending the night together and no jacuzzi scene. HOW DOES IT MAKE SENSE?!?!!?
The pacing of Nami's path feels better me. Before, I felt like she was forcing herself on Nika, everything was intense, the football hulk arms at every moment. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but as a character, I liked her humour, but she felt exaggerated. Everything was too fast, too intense. As his most trusted person, she didn't really show much reason to trust her, she was like a loose cannon, I half expected her to get distracted at every moment. Too hyper for me. Now her darker/shy side is visible before the impossible race. There are times when she gives Nika reasons to trust her, that weren't there before in the same way.
It's mostly the pacing of things. Placing season 1 for the first time I actually felt drawn to her character and wondered why she was saying certain things.
I certainly think the change of perception in previous versions didn't make sense - Nika let's her grind on him, he had a chub at the lake, and those things aren't reasons to re-evaluated? Simply letting her grind would be starting the race, right there. It's way too over the top for Nika, who was just arguing why he doesn't want to hear about Nami's lady parts.
There is still the cuddling and nuzzling prior to that, but it feels comfortable, and shows Nika as comfortable with her. It also makes Noji's prohibitions/prejudice seem tyrannical, as there is nothing 'weird' going on, they just have a close bond. The race starting with a kiss, rather than grinding then a kiss, it feels like it takes a step down, because Nami was escalting it too quickly. Nika should be having a panic attack, especially as Nami's basically rocking one herself.
I know you're not feeling based on what's been cut, but give season 1 a playthough, it feels different to me than before, and not just the cuts. Also, some of the reworked Ch2 stuff really adds to her character - the first basketball game really shows her care, and reflects on the way she wants to help him with the first team, but Zara holds her back.
TLDR: I feel she's better balanced than before, more rounded as a character (not as a model thankfully)