WT Theory Time: Ninomiya Was In Love With Hatohara + There Might Be Reveals Soon.
I've had this suspicion since they introduced Ninomiya.
We'll discuss under the cut because this ended up being longer than I thought it would be when I started.
Part One - Ninomiya's personality and Ninomiya Squad.
When Ninomiya showed up, I was confused. Why is he investigating Hatohara's disappearance?
HQ clearly didn't ask him to do it because he says they're covering the whole thing up. They also demoted Ninomiya Squad to B-rank, which they wouldn't have done if they trusted Ninomiya enough to give him a sensitive case such as this. Not to mention, it isn't practical to have someone with personal connections to a suspect investigate their disappearance. So, he took matters into his own hands with no authority to do so.
Border's executives would probably see Ninomiya questioning Chika and Osamu as violating their orders since he revealed classified information. When he went to Tamakoma, Yuma heard everything, then Konami and Usami found out at Jujuen. As a result of Ninomiya's actions, five additional people found out about Hatohara's disappearance.
Ninomiya talks about Hatohara in a completely different way than the rest of his squad. He's so bitter and angry while Tsuji, Inukai, and Hiyami are just like, "Damn, that was crazy. I guess a girl's gonna do what a girl's gonna do, you know?"
I don't think this means the rest of the squad didn't care about Hatohara. We know that she was one of the two girls Tsuji could communicate with comfortably.
Everyone seems to be fond of her. When referring to Hatohara, Inukai uses the honorific -chan, implying endearment. Tsuji and Hiyami use -senpai. Ninomiya doesn't use honorifics, but that's probably because he's her senior.
I think the rest of the squad's casualness is due to understanding. Inukai, Tsuji, and Hiyami know why Hatohara left. They probably had to watch her mentally deteriorate after HQ didn't select them for the Away Mission. At this point, they've accepted her decision.
Ninomiya isn't like his squad. He can't accept that Hatohara left of her own free will. He's convinced that she isn't the ringleader despite the lack of evidence to support that theory.
I don't believe that Ninomiya actually considers Hatohara an idiot. If he does, he's even dumber than I thought since, according to the BBF, Hatohara is the most skilled agent in Border. She was obviously a good teacher since Yuzuru is also a great sniper, and Azuma says she trained vigorously to avoid hitting people.
If Hatohara was so incompetent, Ninomiya would never have had her join his squad. The BBF lists 'people with talent' among his likes, so he recognized her skill. Even though she couldn't shoot people, Ninomiya kept her on his squad. She must have been a useful member of the team.
It's not that Ninomiya doesn't think Hatohara is smart enough to plan a trip to the Neighborhood. It's that Ninomiya doesn't want her to be guilty. He's trying to prove that someone coerced her.
Ninomiya has a personal investment in whether or not Hatohara is guilty in a way that no one else does. Some might say he just wants to be A-rank again, and I agree that he's the kind of person to care about the rankings a lot, but I don't think that's the reason he's upset.
Osamu notes that Ninomiya is actually an emotional person, and I agree. I think he feigns being logical and composed, but he's actually an emotional disaster.
During Round Four, Ninomiya stops in the middle of the match and builds five snowmen. Not four, five.
When asked about it, Daisuke said this:
Q: Were the snowmen in chapter 115 made by Ninomiya himself?
A: He made them industriously himself. It was in plain sight of the commentating seats.
It was almost like he was making a statement that he still considers her one of his squad members.
Hatohara's stuff is still in their squad room. I can't think of a good reason to keep it since she has a family. Also, they have four bailout beds, even though only three of their squad members need one.
It's been months since Hatohara left. HQ either would have reconfigured Ninomiya Squad's operating room, so it was the size of a B-rank room, or they would have moved Ninomiya to a different room. Why keep Hatohara's things? Suspicious. It's almost like someone can't let go.
Part Two: The Selection Exam Arc's potential for reveals.
The Away Mission Test's Ninomiya Squad is made up of people with connections (or potential connections) to Hatohara.
Ninomiya was her captain, Azuma was her mentor, and Yuzuru was her student. Chika is Hatohara's character parallel, the student of her sibling disciple, and the sister of one of Hatohara's potential collaborators.
Rin doesn't have an obvious connection to Hatohara, but I found a few links after some research.
First, the most plausible, they're both third years at First Mikado High School. They weren't in the same class, but they might have been friends anyway. Second, Rin is the operator for a squad of snipers. She might have known Hatohara through her squadmates. Finally, Rin is friends with Mako, Azuma squad's operator. Azuma knows Hatohara, so there you go.
Here I made a diagram to summarize everything:
Key:
Dark red circle: Hatohara
Bright red circle: Ninomiya’s Squad 8
White circle: everybody else
Green line: teammates (also siblings but that was an accident)
I doubt this is a coincidence. I think we’re finally about to learn more about Hatohara and her relationships with the people around her. We might also find out how she met Rinji.
I'm excited to examine Squad Eight's relationships with each other.
Yuzuru hates Ninomiya, so I hope we learn more about why that is. They were both close to Hatohara, and I think they know more than they're currently telling. Hatohara may have even told Yuzuru what she was doing the same way Rinji told Osamu.
Chika might also know something because Reiji was her mentor and he knew about Hatohara.
Part Three: This Didn't Fit In with the Other Parts.
In the BBF Black Box Questions, Daisuke answered a question about romantic relationships in Border.
Q. 118: What are romantic relationships like in Border? They’re not banned from dating, are they? (multiple)
A. They are not banned, but it doesn’t feel like there are a lot of couples. There might have been trouble caused by romantic relationships before in the past. It is more secure to find a lover outside of Border perhaps.
Since the bailout function has limited combatant death rates, it isn't actually that risky to date a fellow agent.
I'm not sure this points to Ninomiya and Hatohara. But I do think we're going to get more context to this answer eventually.
In conclusion:
I think the signs are there that Ninomiya loved Hatohara. That or he's a crazy psycho stalker. But we don't know Hatohara well enough to determine whether or not she reciprocated his feelings. All I know is that I could never fall in love with that man.
