Zenkichi Hitoyoshi's History
Zenkichi first met Medaka when they were both two years old. Left inside the Hakoniwa General Hospital nursery while his mother worked, Zenkichi was struggling with a toy puzzle. Medaka, trying to hide from the hospital staff, introduced herself by taking the toy away from him and easily solving it herself. An impressed Zenkichi asked her to solve the rest of the puzzles in the room, which she accomplished without trouble, much to Zenkichi's delight. Medaka brushed him off, insisting that life has no meaning. When Zenkichi refuted her, she asked him to tell her then for what reason she was born. He then pointed out how happy she had made him, and told her she was obviously born to bring happiness to the people around her. Medaka took these kind words to heart, and the two of them became friends from that point onwards.[4] Medaka was in fact so smitten with Zenkichi for saving her, that she immediately asked him to marry her, though having just met her, Zenkichi refused her just as quickly.[5] Zenkichi does not remember this conversation.[6] After the rejection, Medaka took Zenkichi hostage in the hospital nursery so that she could play with him. Hitomi tried to talk Medaka out of the "hostage" situation, but Medaka held her off with the promise of violence, while Zenkichi looked on in confusion. For half a day, Medaka and Zenkichi played, but Zenkichi soon fell ill to high fever from exhaustion. At his bedside, Medaka tearfully apologized for forcing Zenkichi to go beyond his limits; even though she felt that their friendship was fate, still no one could keep up with her. Zenkichi took her hands and told her to stop crying. With a cheery smile, Zenkichi promised to catch up to Medaka even if they became separated or lost.[7] Zenkichi never knew his father; he was a mediocre man, who fell in love with Hitomi because she was so extraordinary, and left her for the same reason. After meeting Medaka, Zenkichi never held a grudge against his father. However, he resolved that he would never run away from extraordinary people, or his own mediocrity.[8]
Zenkichi confronts Akune (check out the hair).
In primary school, Medaka took the first kiss of all her classmates, but when she and Zenkichi got to elementary school, he had her stop.[9] While at Hakobune Middle School, after Kouki Akune's repeated failed attempts to destroy Medaka, Zenkichi gathered together the other "Anti-Akune" students to make his debut as a big shot. The group ganged up on Akune, but their efforts were cut short by Medaka, who kicked Zenkichi away, and admonished him for trying to bully someone weaker than him, as well as telling him to switch back to his old hair-style.[10] Zenkichi was left in a daze as Akune was converted by Medaka.[11] Later, after Medaka's devastating encounter with Misogi Kumagawa, Zenkichi resolved to protect her so that he would never have to see her cry again.[12] After the situation with Kumagawa was resolved, Zenkichi and Akune became bitter rivals for Medaka's affections.[13] It was also at some point during his middle school years that Zenkichi was told by Maguro Kurokami that he was too weak to remain by Medaka's side.[14] When Medaka applied for Hakoniwa Academy, Zenkichi asked her why she did so. Medaka told him she wanted to learn what one plus one is.[15]
Zenkichi and Shiranui become friends.
Zenkichi first met Hansode Shiranui at Hakoniwa Academy, when she dropped her eraser in front of him.[16] Zenkichi noticed Shiranui after seeing her eat out of a boxed lunch since first period;[17] upon finishing that one, she took out another, and would have another five or six before an onigiri for dessert. Zenkichi was astonished by her gluttony, comparing her to Medaka.[18] Because he was watching her, Shiranui paused in her eating. She then dropped her eraser while having a rice ball.[19] Seeing this as a challenge, he introduced himself as the man who mastered the skill of the silent eraser in middle school, and asked for her name. Shiranui first dropped her rice ball in surprise, then burst out laughing. Telling "Erase Man" he was funny, she introduced herself.
