Shinonome, Hitomi
Summary
Hitomi Shinonome serves as the instructor for Ritsuka and Yuiko. At twenty-three, she is painfully aware of her naive and innocent demeanor, often facing ridicule from peers for still retaining her ears and thus her virginity. While she is visibly embarrassed by this attention, she gradually develops confidence and pride in her autonomy as the story unfolds. She is deeply troubled by the injuries Ritsuka suffers at the hands of his mother and wishes to intervene, despite her personal fears and the objections of her colleagues. Her caring nature clashes with Soubi, who brusquely rejects any implied romantic interest, claiming he dislikes older women despite Hitomi being only three years his senior and never making a move. Although she harbored feelings for him, evidenced by her emotional breakdown in volume 2 of the manga (episode 8 of the anime), his coldness is partly explained by his disdain for teachers stemming from his past with Ritsu Minami. Despite his rejection, Soubi seems to enjoy tormenting Hitomi. He takes pleasure in confronting her in their first meeting and holds her when she faints in volume 2 (episode 6 of the anime). This physical contact is significant as he only interacts physically with Hitomi and Ritsuka throughout the series. His behavior may stem from jealousy, as he calls her 'childish' despite her age, yet still addresses her respectfully as "Shinonome-sensei." His degradation of her sexuality might relate to her virginity contrasted with his own early loss of innocence. Soubi also 'saves' Hitomi from male Zeroes Youji and Natsuo, who threatened to take her ears, an act that embarrasses her further. Ultimately, Soubi treats Hitomi as a subordinate, constantly belittling her, which creates traditional sexual tension that complements the story's major same-sex pairings.
