An experiment in writing in a new fandom... always a little bit uncertain when I do this. Any feedback is much appreciated. -Adali

Everyone Knows

Everyone knew Shin's idea of the perfect woman. She would have to be beautiful - everyone in 3D knew Shin was handsome enough to be an idol (although maybe that was only in comparison to the rest of them) so there was no way he could end up with some plain-looking girl. She would be smart, too - Shin was a genius (by comparison, at least, and perhaps even in fact) and there was no way he would want some stupid girl he'd have to explain everything to. She couldn't be too lively, either, because Shin thought that was troublesome. She shouldn't be poor - because that just wouldn't look good - but she couldn't be super rich, either, because then she might be pretentious (and Shin had left home because he didn't like rich, pretentious bastards).

Everyone also knew that Shin's perfect woman didn't exist. That was why he never went on group dates with them. That was why he never joined in the eager discussions about this girl or that. That was why he even had the balls to turn down any girl who confessed to him. In the eyes of 3D, Shin was perfect, so it was alright if he wanted to wait around for the perfect girl. Besides, that way they wouldn't have to compete with the bastard; not that they'd ever had any hope of winning in the first place.

Everyone didn't know that Shin thought they were all idiots for thinking about it so much in the first place - who he dated was his own business, and he'd thank them to just butt out. Most girls liked his face, and stuck around only long enough to discover his personality before they decided it wasn't worth the effort. Shin was fully aware that, if there was no woman in this world that was right for him, it was because he was insufferable. (But, since he did have some pride, and some hope, he figured he wasn't that insufferable, so the perfect woman was just hard to find, not non-existent.)

Ucchi knew a bit more than everyone else. He knew, for instance, that Shin spent a lot of time with Yankumi: they'd hang out on the roof together sometimes, or casually hang out together whenever they were all gathered together. He didn't know why Shin spent so much time with her, since Yankumi was completely dense, flat as an airport runway, and way too enthusiastic about everything. Then again, Ucchi knew he was an idiot, so he probably just didn't understand Shin's reasons - it was probably something complex and important, knowing Shin.

Minami knew a bit more than Ucchi. He knew that Shin thought Yankumi completely dense (which was true) and needed looking after. He also knew that Shin had a habit of being the one to look after Yankumi, or at least stop her when she was about to do something completely over the top. He didn't know why Shin would do something like that: 3D had always let teachers do whatever they want until they couldn't take it anymore and quit. But Yankumi would never quit, and Shin wasn't about to let her get herself killed. Shin probably just didn't want to have to deal with the cops - that would explain everything.

Kuma knew more than Minami, but no one would have believed it of him. He knew that Shin respected Yankumi a great deal (as a person, not as a teacher - to be fair, even Kuma knew she could get a bit out of line for a teacher). He even knew why Shin respected Yankumi; after all, he respected her a lot too. She was courageous and compassionate and, above all, she cared about people, even idiots like the boys of 3D. Kuma just didn't know why it mattered.

Noda knew a bit more than Kuma, although in some ways he knew less. He knew - or at least, strongly suspected - that Shin liked Yankumi. He just really, really did not understand why. Everyone knew what Shin's perfect woman would be like and everyone knew (or would have known, if they had ever thought about it) that Yankumi was nothing like that person. Shin had obviously missed the memo about his perfect woman.

Shin knew everything (or so he wanted to believe). He knew he had a very large, very irrational crush on his homeroom teacher. He knew she was smart (in some ways) and caring and strong and fierce and... and the list went on. He also knew she was childish, and naive, and completely idiotic (in a lot of ways) and... that list went on for a while too. Mostly, though, he knew he couldn't do a thing about it until he graduated, even though it was (very slowly) driving him crazy.

Yankumi didn't know anything.