Kikyo

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Kikyo Kushida (桔梗)
Alias(es)	“Little Angel”; “Little Devil” 5 7
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Class C; Student Council President 38 42
Occupation/Role	Student; prominent class organizer and spokesperson
First Appearance	Chapter 2: You Better Be Here to Make Friends! 2

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Martial-arts novice	7	Begins sparring and Tai Chi instruction with Ju Ji; after roughly two hours, develops a decent stance and starts learning force-neutralization techniques. 7
Rapid sparring development	15	Evening training becomes routine. Her improvement forces Ju Ji to use roughly half his strength merely to restrain her. 15
Surpasses Ju Ji in Tai Chi	21	Her Tai Chi ability overtakes Ju Ji’s within days, prompting him to acquire Tai Chi (Grandmaster). 21

Background

A month before the events of Chapter 2, Kikyo is automatically targeted by Shinomiya Ju Fan’s Friend System and successfully hypnotized into regarding him as an unwavering best friend. The effect does not erase her personality or agency: she retains jealousy, anger, personal desires, and the ability to resist requests in her own manner. However, she cannot betray Ju Ji or truly refuse requests for which he has strong intent. 2 27

At Tokyo Advanced Nurturing High School, Kikyo presents herself as an approachable, gentle student eager to learn everyone’s names and become friends. She helps Kokoro Inogashira complete her nervous self-introduction and attempts to ease the tension caused by Horikita Suzune’s blunt introduction. 5

Privately, she reveals a far harsher personality to Ju Ji, treating his dormitory as a place where she can vent without maintaining her public mask. Their initially system-created friendship becomes more genuine as Ju Ji acknowledges that he has neglected her and accepts her unfiltered emotions. 7 9 27

Appearance

Kikyo is a cute, brown-haired girl whose outwardly sweet expression contrasts sharply with her intimidating private demeanor. Ju Ji particularly notes her long eyelashes, expressive eyes, and wine-red pupils. 2 7 43

• Short brown hair and a cute face. 2
• Long eyelashes and large, expressive eyes. 7
• Wine-red pupils. 43
• Commonly wears a deep-red jacket outside her dormitory. 7

Personality

Kikyo maintains an exceptionally polished public image. In front of classmates, she is gentle, supportive, and socially perceptive; she knows how to phrase encouragement in a way that calms people rather than merely pressures them. Her ability to address and influence a crowd is described as an inborn talent. 5 38

When alone with Ju Ji, she drops the “angel” persona and becomes blunt, aggressive, teasing, and sometimes openly cruel. She vents by insulting Horikita, striking Ju Ji during sparring, and using provocative remarks to unsettle him. 7 15 27

Despite this cruelty, Kikyo is protective of people she accepts. She helps Sakura Airi return to her room, serves as Sakura’s emotional support during her recovery, and immediately supports Ju Ji’s proposal to improve Class C’s academic performance. 11 31 32

She is notably jealous of Horikita’s growing closeness with Ju Ji. Rather than simply withdrawing, she frequently provokes Horikita while also maneuvering situations so that Horikita and Ju Ji acknowledge their friendship. 20 27

Abilities & Skills

Social Influence and Leadership

Kikyo has exceptional interpersonal awareness and can make classmates feel heard, reassured, and motivated.

• Comforted Inogashira during her self-introduction, enabling her to speak without panicking. 5
• Helped Hirata rally the class behind Ju Ji’s study plan. 11
• Calmed Class C during Sudo’s disciplinary crisis and redirected them toward gathering stronger evidence. 38
• Holds the position of Student Council President while serving as one of Class C’s most trusted figures. 42

Tai Chi and Close-Quarters Combat

Kikyo learns martial arts at an abnormal pace after Ju Ji begins teaching her Tai Chi.

• Progresses from an amateur to using basic force-neutralization methods during her first extended lesson. 7
• Makes regular sparring and stress relief training part of her routine with Ju Ji. 15
• Eventually surpasses Ju Ji’s original Tai Chi ability. 21
• Her training grants her enough physical strength to carry Sakura back to her room. 31
• Her stated reason for wanting to become stronger remains secret. 15

Swimming

Kikyo is an experienced swimmer and offers to help Ju Ji overcome his fear of water.

• Completes the fifty-meter race in approximately thirty seconds. 19
• Joins Ju Ji’s remedial swimming lessons despite not needing them herself. 20
• Assists Horikita in teaching Ju Ji how to swim, though her teasing briefly causes him to sink when she removes his kickboard. 20

Relationships

• Shinomiya Ju Fan / Ju Ji — Initially made her “best friend” through the Friend System’s hypnosis; their bond grows into a genuine, romantic relationship that they try to keep secret. 2 27 44
• Horikita Suzune — A rival for Ju Ji’s attention. Kikyo provokes her but also helps push Horikita into openly calling Ju Ji a friend; their relationship gradually becomes less hostile. 20 45
• Sakura Airi — Treats Sakura protectively and acts as her counselor while Sakura builds confidence and overcomes her fearfulness. 31 32
• Yosuke Hirata — Cooperates with him in class matters, including helping classmates and organizing support for Ju Ji’s proposals. 5 11 24
• Ichinose Honami — Participates in the verbal alliance between Class C and Class B, and admires Ichinose’s charisma. 42
• Kakeru Ryuuen — Meets him alongside Ju Ji when he declares that Ju Ji will be his opponent. 42

Story Role / Major Arcs

Establishing Her Dual Persona

Kikyo’s introduction establishes the contrast between her admired public image and her hostile private behavior. Ju Ji is one of the few people allowed to see her without the mask, due to the Friend System’s hypnosis. 2 5 7

Martial-Arts Training with Ju Ji

She begins visiting Ju Ji for sparring and Tai Chi instruction, using training as an outlet for stress. Her talent develops so quickly that she soon exceeds Ju Ji’s original ability. 7 15 21

Swimming Remedial Lessons

Kikyo volunteers to teach Ju Ji swimming, placing her in direct rivalry with Horikita. Although she repeatedly teases both of them, her involvement contributes to Ju Ji overcoming his fear of water. 19 20

Reconciliation with Ju Ji

After Ju Ji neglects her while focusing on Horikita and other class matters, Kikyo vents her resentment at the riverside. Ju Ji apologizes and accepts her real personality, strengthening their relationship beyond the system’s original condition. 27

Supporting Sakura Airi

Kikyo becomes the “good cop” and emotional support in Ju Ji’s efforts to push Sakura beyond her timidity. She later protects Sakura after finding her in Ju Ji’s dormitory and brings her safely back to her own room. 31 32

Sudo Incident and Class Leadership

During the investigation into Sudo’s alleged assault, Kikyo uses Sakura’s photographs to support his defense and prevents Class C from jumping to conclusions. Her ability to command the classroom helps turn the incident into a collective effort to find evidence. 38

Class B Alliance and Student Council Role

As Class C’s Student Council President, Kikyo attends the meeting that formalizes Class C’s verbal alliance with Ichinose’s Class B. Afterward, she resolves to continue improving rather than stopping at the class’s current success. 42

Relationship with Ju Ji

Kikyo’s feelings for Ju Ji develop beyond friendship, and the two begin dating. Ayanokoji discovers their relationship, but agrees to help keep it from spreading through the class. 43 44

Notable Quotes

“I must work hard, too. I can't just stop here.” 42