Kikyō Kushida is a student renowned for her approachable nature and relentless efforts to cultivate friendships across her class and school, masking a cunning intellect beneath her outwardly bubbly persona. Her striking appearance—short beige hair, gradient crimson eyes that shift in hue, and a curvaceous figure—enhances her popularity. She strategically deploys her femininity and charm to manipulate peers, such as coaxing upperclassmen into sharing exam materials, all while maintaining an image of selfless generosity. Beneath this veneer simmers a toxic blend of narcissism and vindictiveness. Driven by an insatiable craving for admiration, her true self emerged in middle school after she anonymously leaked classmates’ secrets online to sabotage their trust, retaliating against their shifting attention. This act cemented her pattern of destroying relationships to reclaim the addictive thrill of being indispensable. Her interactions are meticulously orchestrated, with rehearsed dialogues and curated topics to avoid exposing weaknesses. This extends to her fixation on Suzune Horikita, whose effortless allure and apparent flawlessness provoke both envy and paranoia. Despite Suzune’s aloofness, Kushida obsessively pursues her friendship, terrified her past misdeeds might resurface. A turning point arrives when Kiyotaka Ayanokōji witnesses her attacking Suzune in a rare unguarded moment. Cornered, Kushida fabricates evidence to accuse him of assault, weaponizing societal biases to silence him. This ruthlessness underscores her pragmatism; she later weaponizes classmates’ secrets to destabilize the group once her duality is exposed. After her exposure, she briefly retreats, shattered by the implosion of her crafted identity. Though Suzune negotiates her avoidance of expulsion, Kushida’s subsequent apologies ring hollow, her cooperation fueled by survival instincts, not remorse. Over time, her hostility toward Kiyotaka wavers, morphing into an incongruous romantic fixation marked by flustered reactions and internal tension. Academically middling, her brilliance instead shines in social strategy, dissecting human behavior to sustain her façade. Observers like Ichika Amasawa detect her enigmatic edges, sensing layers beyond her performative charm. Kushida’s arc hinges on a pathological dread of anonymity. Her actions oscillate between vulnerability—like admitting loneliness when ostracized—and vindictive schemes to eliminate rivals. This paradox defines her: a master manipulator clinging to control yet perpetually teetering on collapse, unable to reconcile her fractured selves.