Karuizawa Kei

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Karuizawa Kei (轻井泽惠)
Alias(es)	“Gyaru queen bee”; Tatsuya Sakuya’s employer
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Class 1-D, Advanced Nurturing University
Occupation/Role	Student; hires Tatsuya Sakuya as her pretend “rental boyfriend”
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Background / History

Karuizawa entered Class 1-D already focused on maintaining a fashionable social image. While her circle planned to spend its initial point allowance on cosmetics, she joined in the broader culture of carefree spending. 3

She had previously been bullied and views weakness as dangerous. To avoid reliving that experience, she adopted a gyaru persona and became a leader among several girls in Class 1-D. 14 28

Her spending on clothes, cosmetics, and outings helped sustain her “gyaru queen bee” image, but left her nearly penniless when Class 1-D’s monthly Private Points fell to zero. 33

Appearance

Karuizawa is a petite, well-proportioned girl known for an elaborate gyaru style and polished presentation. Her appearance is a major part of the social image she works to preserve. 14 33

• Brown-gold or golden hair, typically worn in a high ponytail. 14 28
• Often wears Class 1-D’s uniform with a burgundy blazer, light-blue shirt, bow, white pleated skirt, and light-blue knee socks. 28
• Her casual gyaru outfits include fashionable cardigans, pleated skirts, cosmetics, and carefully styled hair. 15 33

Personality

Karuizawa projects confidence, pride, and the assertiveness expected of a gyaru clique leader. She is highly conscious of appearances, social attention, and the protection that a strong public image can provide. 14 33

Behind that facade, she is anxious about bullying, financial insecurity, and academic failure. She becomes visibly embarrassed when Tatsuya gives her affectionate attention, yet increasingly trusts him with her vulnerabilities. 28 29 30

She is also adaptable. Although initially reluctant to participate in Tatsuya’s schemes, she accepts a role in his negotiation plan and confidently argues that acting like a spoiled gyaru is simply acting like herself. 34

Skills & Competencies

Social Image Management

Karuizawa rapidly established herself among the girls of Class 1-D through her gyaru presentation and social activity. 14 28

• Maintains a glamorous image through fashion, cosmetics, and outings. 33
• Understands the protective value of being seen as socially powerful. 14 28
• Is sensitive to rumors and classmates seeing her with Tatsuya. 30 33

Role-Playing and Negotiation

Karuizawa can use her gyaru persona deliberately when working with Tatsuya.

• Agrees to play the “bad cop” in Tatsuya’s plan to purchase old midterm papers from desperate upperclassmen. 34
• Is instructed to act willful, impatient, and unwilling to spend points in order to pressure the sellers into lowering their price. 34
• Accepts the assignment as payment in kind for renewing her rental-boyfriend arrangement. 33

Academic Persistence

Mathematics is a major weakness for Karuizawa, especially indefinite integrals, but she continues attending tutoring sessions and begins to feel that the material is entering her head. 28 33

• Requires extensive help from Tatsuya to work through math problems. 28 30
• Worries that poor mathematics performance could lead to expulsion. 30
• Makes gradual progress when given structured tutoring and encouragement. 30 33

Relationships

• Tatsuya Sakuya — Her pretend “rental boyfriend.” Kei initially pays him 10,000 points per month for protection and appearances; their arrangement develops through dates, tutoring, mutual care, and her agreement to work under his instructions when she cannot pay the renewal fee. 14 15 28 33 34
• Maya Sato — A member of Kei’s gyaru clique who catches Tatsuya escorting Kei to her dorm room and teasingly assumes they are dating. 30
• Kamuro Masumi — Kei becomes jealous after seeing Kamuro leave Tatsuya’s dorm with him, asserting that he should respect her position as his employer. 23
• Class 1-D girls — Kei occupies a leadership position among the class’s gyaru clique and spends heavily to maintain that status. 3 28 33

Story Role / Major Arcs

Rental Boyfriend Contract

After Tatsuya becomes the school’s top swimming performer, Kei approaches him privately at a Keyaki Mall café. Citing her need for protection and the benefit of being seen with him, she offers 10,000 points per month for him to pretend to be her boyfriend; he accepts after she transfers the first payment through Line. 14

First Date and Growing Familiarity

Tatsuya arranges a date at Keyaki Mall, albeit arriving half an hour late. He pays for Kei’s chosen cardigan and pleated skirt, secretly buys her a heart-shaped hair accessory, and receives a jokingly low score for his performance. 15

Tutoring and Dependence

Kei turns to Tatsuya for help with mathematics. Their café sessions lead to an awkward head-pat incident, a supermarket trip, and Tatsuya cooking omurice for her while continuing to tutor her. 28 29 30

Zero-Point Crisis

When Class 1-D loses all of its Class Points, Kei is unable to renew the rental-boyfriend contract because she has spent nearly all of her savings maintaining her image. She agrees to work according to Tatsuya’s instructions in exchange for continued protection, provided he keeps his promise not to let her be expelled. 33

Midterm Resource Plan

Tatsuya recruits Kei for a good-cop/bad-cop negotiation aimed at buying old midterm papers from a Class 2-D couple. She accepts the role of the demanding girlfriend, using her gyaru persona as part of the pressure tactic. 34

Notable Quotes

“Then can you be my boyfriend? Oh, no, that's not right. I want you to pretend to be my boyfriend and protect me.” 14

“As long as you keep your promise, I agree.” 33

“Playing a gyaru like that would practically be me being myself, okay?” 34