Kushida Kikyo

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Kushida Kikyo
Alias(es)	Kushida; Original: 櫛田桔梗
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Class D, Advanced Nurturing High School
Occupation/Role	Student; social connector within Class D
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Kushida meets Long Aotian on the bus to Advanced Nurturing High School after helping an elderly woman to a seat. She introduces herself warmly and confirms that she is also a new student at the school. Long immediately recognizes her public persona as deceptive. 1

During the midterm period, Kushida organizes or promotes a Class D study session and invites Sakura Airi. The session collapses after students decide that acquired exam answers make studying unnecessary. 14 16

After the midterm results, she publicly expresses concern over Sudo’s impending expulsion. Soon afterward, Sakura and Long secretly witness Kushida’s private confrontation with Ayanokoji: when she suspects he has seen her lose control, she threatens to accuse him of assault by forcing his hand against her chest. 19

Long later summons Kushida to a secluded garden and blackmails her with video evidence of her outburst near the school gate. He threatens to release the footage to the school group chat unless she obeys him, then secretly records her furious reaction after leaving. 22

Under this pressure, Kushida agrees to cooperate with Long’s plan against Ayanokoji. In exchange for one million points and further financial support, she retains clothing bearing Ayanokoji’s fingerprints and provides it when required. 26

Kushida subsequently appears as a witness during the proceedings against Ayanokoji, presenting the uniform as evidence and performing the role of a distressed victim. The accusation contributes to Ayanokoji’s expulsion, though the decision is later reversed after the evidence is deemed a misdiagnosis. 30 41

Appearance

Kushida is a blonde student with short golden hair and a carefully cultivated cute, approachable presentation. Her demeanor and expression can shift sharply when she is alone or dealing with someone who knows her private nature. 1 22 26

• Short blonde/golden hair. 1 30
• Frequently wears a bright, “cute” smile in public. 1 14 18
• Has shallow dimples when smiling. 22
• Her public expression disappears in private moments of anger or frustration. 19 22 26

Personality

Kushida is highly sociable and skilled at making friends. She enjoys interpersonal attention and uses her charm, popularity, and connections to gain information, strengthen her social position, and pursue personal objectives. 24

Her friendly image is not presented as wholly sincere. When unobserved or cornered, she vents intense anger and shows a calculating, vindictive side. Long characterizes her as someone who may sacrifice friendships or even betray her class for personal gain. 22 24

Despite her hostility toward Long’s coercion, Kushida is pragmatic. She accepts his offer of points and cooperation because it benefits her social standing and because his recordings leave her with little room to refuse. 26

Abilities & Skills

Social Influence

Kushida maintains extensive connections among Class D students and is adept at appearing considerate, approachable, and trustworthy.

• Recruits Sakura Airi for a study session. 14 16
• Uses her connections to gather points for Horikita’s investigation, though doing so damages her public image. 26
• Is described as having many friends due to her interpersonal ability and enthusiasm for socializing. 28
• Protects Sakura and Wang Meiyu from the escalating Class D dispute by moving them aside. 40

Manipulation and Image Management

Kushida adjusts her behavior to suit her audience and can redirect resentment toward others while retaining a gentle public facade.

• Conceals her anger and quickly restores her standard smile when visitors arrive. 26
• Plays the role of an aggrieved victim while testifying against Ayanokoji. 30
• Frames Horikita’s use of points as a cause of the class’s hardship, intensifying Class D’s anger toward her. 40

Acting

Kushida can convincingly perform emotional vulnerability in public.

• Cries and presents herself as an innocent victim during the hearing against Ayanokoji. 30
• Offers polite apologies and cleans Ayanokoji’s room after Ike and Yamauchi’s gathering, despite her private frustration. 28

Relationships

• Long Aotian — Initially meets him amicably on the school bus. He later blackmails her with recordings of her private outbursts, forcing an uneasy cooperation; she resents him, but also receives point support from him. 1 22 26 31
• Sakura Airi — Befriends Sakura through Class D activities. Sakura later sees Kushida’s hidden nature, while Kushida develops a more amicable relationship with her and protects her during a class dispute. 18 19 39 40
• Ayanokoji Kiyotaka — Their relationship is tense and built on mutual knowledge of her darker side. She threatens him during their private confrontation, then later provides evidence used in the case against him. 9 19 30 41
• Horikita Suzune — Kushida finds Horikita’s actions frustrating and later manipulates Class D’s dissatisfaction with Horikita’s expenditure of points. 9 26 40
• Sudo Ken — Publicly expresses concern when he faces expulsion after failing the midterm. 19
• Wang Meiyu — Has a harmonious relationship with Wang and pulls her away from the hostile class argument. 40
• Karuizawa Kei — Karuizawa asks Kushida for points, giving Kushida an opportunity to direct blame toward Horikita. 40

Story Role / Major Arcs

Introduction and Study Session

Kushida is introduced as a friendly new student, then becomes involved in the Class D study-session plot surrounding the midterm exams. 1 14 16

Exposure of Her Hidden Nature

Long and Sakura secretly witness Kushida’s confrontation with Ayanokoji, revealing the contrast between her public friendliness and her private aggression. 19

Blackmail by Long Aotian

Long uses a recording of Kushida’s outburst to force her into compliance. Her private rage becomes leverage for his later schemes. 22

Cooperation Against Ayanokoji

Kushida accepts Long’s point-funded arrangement, retains the fingerprint-stained uniform, and serves as a key witness in the case that leads to Ayanokoji’s temporary expulsion. 26 30 31 41

Class D Point Conflict

When Class D suffers from depleted points, Kushida exploits Karuizawa’s request for help to inflame resentment against Horikita. She nevertheless removes Sakura and Wang Meiyu from the conflict. 40

Notable Quotes

“I really envy Sakura.” 31

“You bastard!” 26