Hitomi Shinonome
東雲瞳
Ritsuka and Yuiko's teacher. She is very naive and innocent, and painfully aware of these characteristics. At twenty-three years old, she is teased and ridiculed for retaining her ears (and therefore her virginity) to such an age. She is visibly embarrassed, but as the story progresses, she gains confidence and pride over making her own choices. Hitomi is greatly troubled by Ritsuka's mother and the injuries he sustains from her, and greatly desires to involve herself in the situation to make a change, despite her fears and her colleagues' dissent. Her very caring and naive nature clashes spectacularly when confronted with Soubi. He brusquely rejects her and says he doesn't care for older women, despite the fact she never made a romantic move towards him and no more than three years older than him. Despite his cold treatment, Hitomi seems to have had some feelings for Soubi, due to the fact in volume 2 of the manga (episode 8 of the anime), she burst into tears and brooded over him. His brash actions are mysterious, but understood a bit more when you consider his undiscerning hatred towards teachers as a result of his experiences with Ritsu Minami. Although he has rejected her,
