Miki Kawai shares a classroom with Shōya Ishida, holding the role of class representative throughout elementary, middle, and high school. Outwardly courteous and dutiful, she champions harmony and order among peers, yet beneath this facade lies a calculated focus on preserving her reputation. Her reluctance to confront Shōko Nishimiya’s bullying in elementary school—choosing silence over intervention—exposes her prioritization of social approval above moral accountability. During a critical class meeting addressing Shōko’s torment, Miki deflects accusations of spreading rumors, shifting blame onto Shōya with tearful appeals that paint him as the sole aggressor. This act cements his isolation while allowing her to cling to a self-crafted identity as an uninvolved observer. Years later, she reenters Shōya’s life, aiding his reconnection with former classmates Miyoko Sahara and Naoka Ueno. Her actions, however, intertwine with her infatuation for Satoshi Mashiba, whose perspectives she adopts to align with his interests. When organizing a class effort to fold 1,000 paper cranes for Shōya during his coma, Miki’s confidence in her social influence wavers as peers respond halfheartedly, sparking fleeting self-reflection. Yet she resists fully acknowledging her past complicity, framing herself as a bystander victimized by circumstances. Confronted on a bridge about her role in Shōko’s suffering, she denies direct cruelty, though subtle manipulations—like coaxing Shōko into singing prematurely during a choir rehearsal to evoke pity—reveal her capacity for indirect harm. Tensions with Shōko persist. After Shōko’s suicide attempt, Miki slaps her in agitated frustration before delivering a speech on life’s value—a moment that unwittingly shifts focus to her own emotional struggles. Her dynamic with Satoshi further underscores her craving for validation; though she pursues him ardently, his occasional critiques of her hypocrisy provoke defensive deflections, particularly when he recounts childhood experiences with bullying. By the story’s end, Miki adopts a superficially warmer demeanor, reconciling with Shōya and accepting his thanks for the cranes. She enrolls in Satoshi’s university and flashes a ring at their coming-of-age ceremony, hinting at an undefined closeness. Yet her growth remains incomplete. She rationalizes past decisions, clinging to a curated image of maturity while evading deeper accountability, her compassion still entwined with self-interest.