Kushida Kikyo

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Kushida Kikyo (櫛田桔梗)
Alias(es)	“Two-Faced Girl”
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Class D, Advanced Nurturing High School
Occupation/Role	Student; Class D operative and social manipulator
First Appearance	First mentioned 13; first depicted 16

Background / History

Kushida maintains an exceptionally friendly, socially adept public image in Class D, cultivating a reputation as a cheerful and considerate classmate. Beneath that persona, she harbors intense resentment and carefully conceals a far more malicious temperament. 16 21

After Karuizawa Kei reports that Kushida goes out at night to relieve stress, Wu Qiao and Kei follow her to a lakeside railing. They witness Kushida kicking the railing and cursing violently, then record the incident. Wu confronts her with the footage and forces her into cooperation; after she is allowed to strike him once, she accepts their deal. Kei retains the recording as leverage. 16 17

A future version of Ayanokoji Kiyoha later begins speaking within Kushida’s mind. The voice tells her that she will supposedly be expelled at the end of her second year because of a future pregnancy, prompting Kushida to reject that projected future and seek distance from Wu Qiao. She initially considers pushing Wu toward Ichinose Honami and even wishes to have him expelled. 30 31 105

Following Kiyoha’s instructions, Kushida gathers campus gossip through Karuizawa Kei and intends to feed Wu information anonymously to keep him occupied. She also pressures Kei to confess her past to Wu, presenting the suggestion as concern for Kei’s safety while using it to redirect Wu’s attention. 32 33

Kushida becomes a useful participant in Class D’s schemes. She helps manufacture public pressure that secures 800,000 private points in compensation from Class A after Wu is injured, identifies a loophole in the midterm score system, and obtains past exam papers from upperclassmen for distribution. 24 27 47 48

During the cruise special exam’s island phase, Kushida remains with the participating students partly because she refuses to let Horikita Suzune become the sole focus of the class. She accompanies Wu while he locates hidden resource points and readily accepts an assignment intended to make the physically compromised Horikita ill. 112

Appearance

Kushida presents herself as a polished, sweet-natured student whose expression and mannerisms are carefully curated to inspire trust. Her public demeanor sharply contrasts with the cold, malicious expressions she shows when her mask slips. 16 21 105

• Usually wears a flawless, welcoming smile. 21 35
• Wears the standard school uniform, including its skirt. 93
• Her eyes lose their warmth when she drops her public persona. 71 105

Personality

Kushida is socially perceptive, persuasive, and highly skilled at presenting exactly the expression others expect to see. She can frame self-serving manipulation as concern, as demonstrated when she convinces Karuizawa that confessing to Wu is necessary for her security. 24 33

Her outward kindness conceals sustained hostility, especially toward Horikita Suzune. Although she agrees to add Horikita as a contact and claims she wants friendship, her favorability remains at zero; she later openly admits that she does not want others to begin revolving around Horikita. 35 112

Kushida’s hostility toward Wu is complicated by dependence, fear, and familiarity. While she resents his control over her secret and wishes for his expulsion, she repeatedly seeks the privacy of his room to drink or vent without maintaining her usual facade. 58 73 93 105

Abilities & Skills

Social Manipulation

Kushida uses an immaculate public persona to gain trust, influence conversations, and shape other students’ actions.

• Can manufacture public opinion and recruit people to pressure a target. 24 27
• Persuades Karuizawa Kei to reveal her past to Wu by exploiting Kei’s fear of abandonment. 33
• Successfully obtains past exam papers from upperclassmen through her social methods. 48 57
• Her public friendliness toward Horikita is a deliberate performance rather than genuine goodwill. 35

Strategic Observation

Kushida notices exploitable details in both people and school rules.

• Identifies that each class’s passing grade is based on half of its average score, offering to help manipulate results. 47
• Follows Wu and Ichinose’s outing to investigate their relationship and gather leverage. 61
• Assists Wu in locating hidden resource points during the island exam. 112

Emotional Concealment

Kushida can rapidly restore her idealized “angelic” demeanor after displaying anger or vulnerability.

• Re-composes herself immediately after accepting Wu’s coercive deal. 17
• Hides intoxication from Ichinose despite struggling to stand. 47
• Uses isolated spaces, alcohol, and nighttime venting to release emotions she suppresses during the day. 58 73 105

Relationships

• Wu Qiao — Initially blackmails Kushida using footage of her nighttime outburst; she becomes his coerced but capable collaborator in several class schemes. Their relationship remains tense, despite growing familiarity and her repeated visits to his room. 16 17 48 93 105
• Karuizawa Kei — Co-witness to Kushida’s exposure and fellow operative under Wu. Kushida later uses Kei as an intelligence source and manipulates her into confessing to Wu. 16 17 32 33
• Horikita Suzune — Maintains a false surface friendship while holding deep hostility toward her; Kushida does not want Horikita to dominate Class D’s attention. 35 60 112
• Ayanokoji Kiyoha (Future) — A disembodied future version of Kiyoha speaks in Kushida’s mind, gives her disturbing future information, and directs her intelligence-gathering efforts. 30 32
• Ichinose Honami — Regards Ichinose as a possible way to divert Wu’s attention, monitors her connection with him, and confronts her in one simulated future. 31 61 71

Notable Quotes

“It'd be better if you got expelled.” 105

“I don't want everyone to have a chance to start revolving around Horikita.” 112

Trivia

• Kushida has a low alcohol tolerance and becomes heavily intoxicated after drinking a full glass of Wu’s homemade fruit wine. 47
• Despite initially vowing never to drink Wu’s alcohol again, she later repeatedly seeks it out as a way to quiet her thoughts and release stress. 47 58 73