Hitomi is Ritsuka and Yuiko's teacher, characterized by her naivety and innocence, traits she is acutely aware of. At twenty-three, she faces ridicule for still having her ears, symbolizing her virginity, which embarrasses her. However, as the story unfolds, she gains confidence and pride in making her own choices.
She is deeply troubled by the abuse Ritsuka suffers at the hands of his mother and wants to intervene, despite her fears and colleagues' disapproval. Her caring and naive nature clash dramatically with Soubi's brusque demeanor. Despite her non-romantic approach towards him, he rejects her, claiming he doesn't care for older women, even though they are only about three years apart in age. This rejection leaves Hitomi heartbroken, evident when she bursts into tears over him in volume 2 of the manga (episode 8 of the anime).
Soubi's actions toward Hitomi are perplexing yet intriguing. He seems to take pleasure in tormenting her, confronting her face-to-face during their first meeting and holding her close when she faints in volume 2 of the manga (episode 6 of the anime). Notably, Hitomi is one of only two characters Soubi physically interacts with throughout the series, the other being Ritsuka.
Soubi's behavior towards Hitomi might stem from jealousy. He refers to her as 'childish,' despite her being older, but still addresses her respectfully as "Shinonome-sensei." His degradation of her focuses on her sexuality, possibly because she remains a virgin while he lost his 'ears' much earlier. In volume 2 of the manga and episode 6 of the anime, Soubi 'saves' Hitomi from the male Zeroes, Youji and Natsuo, who threatened to remove her ears. Although grateful, this incident further embarrasses her.
In contrast to his intense dislike of his own teacher, Ritsu, Soubi treats Hitomi as a subordinate, constantly belittling her. Their relationship adds traditional sexual tension to the story, complementing the major same-sex pairings and enhancing the narrative's variety and interest.
