Kushida

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Kushida Kikyo
Alias(es)	Kikyo; “Little Kikyo” 22 37
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Koudo Ikusei High School; initially First Year D Class 7 28
Occupation/Role	Student; class social connector and information source
Status	Active 317
First Appearance	Chapter 7

Background / History

Kushida entered First Year D Class presenting herself as a lonely but friendly new student who wanted to exchange contact information and become friends with everyone. Behind this introduction, she was already watching Horikita Suzune and considering how to remove her from the school. 7

In junior high, Kushida built popularity through “fake smiles and false kindness,” becoming a repository for classmates’ secrets. She came to resent being treated as an emotional dumping ground, but relied on the satisfaction of being trusted. After her classmates isolated her, she exposed their interpersonal resentments and rivalries; the resulting conflict destroyed the class, and every student was suspended and sent home to study. 37

An anonymous post exposing this past circulated shortly after high school began. Kushida privately acknowledged that much of it was true, but publicly performed distress and gratitude as Tenyo Yuyuki, Hirata, and other classmates rallied around her. She followed the incident with a karaoke gathering intended to restore her standing in the class. 14 22

Kushida initially concluded that Horikita had spread the rumors because they attended the same junior high school. She therefore resolved to have Horikita expelled, treating anyone who might know her past as a threat. 17 36 46

After Yuyuki discovered her private outbursts, Kushida began confiding in him about her history, her resentment of Horikita, and the frustrations hidden beneath her public persona. She initially rejected his confession because dating would damage the universal trust she sought, but their relationship later became her primary emotional attachment. 36 37 57

Kushida eventually abandoned her fixation on gaining everyone’s trust and stopped pursuing Horikita’s expulsion. She began assisting Horikita’s efforts to lead the class, while retaining her ability to gather personal information and manage the class’s social atmosphere. 101 130 131

Appearance

Kushida is a striking girl whose approachable presentation is central to her public image. She is described with golden or orange-yellow hair, a radiant smile, and a wine-red school uniform paired with a white pleated skirt. 7 95

• White headband worn in her initial classroom introduction. 7
• Wine-red eyes described during her interactions with Yuyuki. 103
• Maintains an intentionally gentle, “angelic” expression around classmates. 7 14

Personality

Kushida’s public persona is warm, cheerful, attentive, and socially inclusive. She makes classmates feel seen, readily offers praise, and can quickly turn a hostile room into one focused on comforting her. 14 17

Privately, she is intensely competitive, resentful, and capable of violent outbursts. Her need to be “number one” in others’ trust stems less from happiness than from validation; she becomes distressed when she cannot maintain that position. 36 37

She operates on a presumption-of-guilt mindset: if she believes someone knows her past, she treats them as a potential enemy regardless of their actual intentions. This fixation drove her campaign against Horikita and made her willing to sacrifice her relationships and reputation to protect herself. 36 46

Later, Kushida redirects her need for recognition toward Yuyuki. She openly states that praise, usefulness, and being valued by him give her a sense of worth, even when that means being used for his plans. 117 158

Abilities & Skills

Social Manipulation and Image Management

Kushida can cultivate trust with exceptional speed through charm, praise, apparent vulnerability, and careful reading of social expectations.

• Presented herself as a friendless but eager classmate, immediately attracting several girls after her introduction. 7
• Turned the rumor about her junior-high past into a public sympathy campaign through tears, gratitude, and a convincing victim persona. 14
• Used superficial support for Horikita to subtly lower the class’s opinion of her communication skills and leadership. 18
• Maintained broad enough social influence that classmates continued to treat her as a central figure even after becoming wary of her. 123

Limitations

• Maintaining her persona causes severe psychological pressure and leads to private outbursts of anger and self-reproach. 36 51
• Her fear of exposure can override strategic judgment, particularly in matters involving Horikita or her junior-high past. 36 46

Information Gathering

Kushida gains access to personal details by making others feel comfortable confiding in her.

• In junior high, she collected classmates’ secrets and later weaponized their conflicts against one another. 37
• In high school, she provided Yuyuki with information about class chat groups, Matsushita Chiaki’s feelings, and other girls’ discussions. 28
• She knows Hasebe Haruka’s discomfort with attention despite rarely interacting with her publicly, indicating that Hasebe trusts her with private matters. 178
• She has enough insight into the girls’ social circles to recognize romantic tensions and advise Karuizawa on how to approach Yuyuki. 146 317

Physical Conditioning

Kushida possesses notable stamina and physical ability.

• She can spend extended periods striking a punching bag while venting her emotions. 37
• She was considered one of Class C’s stronger female physical performers during the Sports Festival and served as a rider in the cavalry event. 142

Relationships

• Tenyo Yuyuki / Yeyue — Initially the classmate who publicly defended her during the rumor incident. Kushida gradually makes him her confidant, becomes deeply attached to his approval, and later identifies herself as his “cutest” woman. 14 37 101 117
• Horikita Suzune — Former junior-high schoolmate and Kushida’s primary target after Kushida concludes that Horikita exposed her past. Their hostility later gives way to a reluctant working relationship when Kushida agrees to assist Horikita’s class leadership. 36 46 130 131
• Karuizawa Kei — Close friend and fellow member of Yuyuki’s circle. Kushida comforts Karuizawa when her bullying history resurfaces, and the two are described as inseparable best friends. 158 314 317
• Matsushita Chiaki — Initially a source of information about Yuyuki’s popularity, then a romantic rival for his attention. Their conflict creates a prolonged strain between them, though their relationship later begins to ease. 28 199 220 274
• Wang Meiyu — One of the classmates who defended Kushida during the rumor incident. Kushida later apologizes to Wang for leaving her alone during a special exam and treats her to a meal. 14 252
• Ayanokoji Kiyotaka — A classmate Kushida is willing to use in her attempts to approach or undermine Horikita; unlike Yuyuki, she does not entrust him with her past. 46
• Hirata Rui — Helped stabilize the class when Kushida’s past was exposed, publicly affirming that the class knew what kind of person she was. 14

Notable Quotes

“I'm Yeyue's cutest woman, Kushida Kikyo.” 117

“I really want to show myself, be noticed, and be praised.” 158