Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Kushida Kikyo (櫛田) |
| Alias(es) | Kikyo; “Little Kikyo” 6 36 |
| Gender | Female |
| Affiliation | Advanced Nurturing High School; Class D, later Class B 6 152 |
| Occupation/Role | Student; Class B social organizer and Sports Festival participant 36 152 |
Background / History
Kushida’s need for universal approval began in childhood, when she became dependent on praise and attention. In middle school, she tried to become friends with everyone and accumulated classmates’ secrets, complaints, and resentment. Overwhelmed, she anonymously posted those secrets online; after being discovered, she retaliated by exposing everyone else’s secrets, causing the class to collapse and its students to stop attending school 12.
She remembered Horikita Suzune from middle school because Horikita consistently ranked at the top academically. Kushida envied the admiration Horikita received without relying on friendships, and this envy developed into hostility 12 105.
At Advanced Nurturing High School, Kushida presents herself as a warm, approachable girl whose stated dream is to befriend everyone. Her initial request to befriend Horikita is actually an attempt to gain access to her and arrange her expulsion 6. Suzuki Tsubame recognizes the deception and agrees to help only so he can monitor and influence her.
Suzuki later forces Kushida into revealing her middle-school history after provoking an isolated emotional breakdown and bluffing that he recorded it. Though she believes he intends to exploit her secret, Suzuki instead declares that he wants to help her become genuinely capable and admired, potentially as a class leader 11 12.
Kushida restores and strengthens her public standing by obtaining reused midterm exam papers from a second-year student and distributing them to Class D. The class passes the exam, ranks first in the grade, and credits her as its savior, giving her the praise and influence she craves 36 37.
Her rivalry with Horikita becomes increasingly entangled with her feelings for Suzuki. After Suzuki chooses Horikita as class leader and openly prioritizes her, Kushida lashes out, unsuccessfully attempts to bargain for his affection, and kisses him in a desperate attempt to separate him from Horikita 101 103 104. Suzuki later admits that he judged her through prejudice, prompting Kushida to shift from direct confrontation to a calculated reconciliation 105 106.
During their visit to a fortune-teller, Kushida seeks advice on changing Suzuki’s heart. She is told that the person she hates most—implicitly Horikita—will someday become her most dependable ally, a prediction that unsettles her 125. By the Sports Festival preparations, her hostility toward Horikita has weakened into rivalry and jealousy; she joins Horikita in reconnaissance and helps submit Class B’s roster 150 151 152.
Appearance
Kushida is presented as an exceptionally attractive student with rose-red eyes and a consistently sweet, approachable smile. Suzuki’s System Scan rates her appearance at 9.6 6 10.
- Rose-red eyes that narrow into slits when she smiles 6.
- Maintains a gentle, polished expression even when concealing anger or suspicion 36 72.
- Her figure is singled out by Horikita as her most visibly outstanding physical trait, embarrassing Kushida during the VIP discussion 88.
Personality
Kushida carefully cultivates an image of kindness, modesty, and universal friendliness. She is highly skilled at matching her tone, expressions, and closeness to what others want from her, using affection and praise to gain trust 6 36 106.
Beneath this persona, she is intensely insecure, competitive, and dependent on validation. Her resentment toward Horikita stems from the belief that Horikita receives recognition effortlessly while Kushida must constantly perform for others’ approval 12 105 151.
Her composure deteriorates when she feels exposed, rejected, or defeated by Horikita. In such moments, she becomes impulsive, angry, and openly vulnerable, particularly regarding Suzuki’s preference for Horikita 102 103 104. Despite this, she is perceptive enough to recognize hidden motives and adjusts her strategy when direct pressure fails 106 150.
Abilities & Skills
Social Manipulation and Emotional Performance
Kushida can quickly build rapport through charm, physical closeness, apparent vulnerability, and carefully controlled friendliness.
- Persuades Suzuki to arrange contact with Horikita while concealing her expulsion plan 6.
- Maintains an “angelic” public image that earns Class D’s gratitude after the midterms 36 37.
- Uses remorse, politeness, and apparent obedience to regain access to Suzuki after their conflict 106.
- Her performance becomes noticeably unstable when she is angry, jealous, or frightened of exposure 11 12 102.
Networking and Information Gathering
Kushida’s strongest acknowledged trait is her social ability. Her numerous connections give her access to people and information across classes and school years.
- Obtains old midterm papers from a second-year student and shares them with her class 36.
- Is publicly identified as the Dragon Group’s VIP during the Beneficiary Exam 88.
- Uses cross-class outings and friendships to maintain a broad network 88.
- Her social influence helps Class D unite around her after the midterms 37.
Academic and Athletic Aptitude
A System Scan lists Kushida with Intelligence 8.9 and Physique 7.5 10.
- Participates in Class B’s Sports Festival planning and reconnaissance 150.
- Selected for Class B’s high-value 1,200-meter relay team alongside Sudo, Horikita, Onodera, Hirata, and Suzuki 152.
- Recognized by Horikita as outstanding primarily in social skill rather than conventional academic or athletic dominance 88.
Relationships
- Suzuki Tsubame — Initially approaches him to use him against Horikita; he exposes her secret and attempts to redirect her toward genuine achievement. Her manipulation develops into jealousy, romantic attachment, and an unresolved effort to regain his favor despite his preference for Horikita 6 11 103 105 127.
- Horikita Suzune — Longstanding rival and the focus of Kushida’s envy. Kushida originally seeks her expulsion, but their conflict gradually shifts toward reluctant cooperation during Sports Festival preparations 6 12 150 152.
- Class D / Class B — Her classmates see her as a kind, dependable “angel,” especially after she provides old exam papers that help the entire class pass 36 37.
- Hirata Yosuke — A classmate who coordinates information during the Beneficiary Exam; Kushida openly reveals her Dragon Group VIP status to him and the group 88.
- Kushida’s older brother — An older sibling with whom she is barely acquainted; she describes him as practically a stranger 126.
- Kushida’s family — She says her household includes six people when her grandparents are counted and describes her parents as ordinary salaried workers, though she avoids discussing them in detail 126.
Notable Quotes
“Actually, my dream is to become friends with everyone at school.” 6
“So... Suzuki, could you not distance yourself from me anymore?” 106
“The person you hate most will instead become your most dependable ally—the one most worthy of your trust.” — The fortune-teller’s prediction to Kushida 125