Michiru Horikawa

Michiru is sociable, practical and willing to confront a friend when necessary. She understands Chihaya's devotion to karuta but does not automatically accept that devotion as justification for ignoring other people.

Her directness is especially valuable because Chihaya can become so absorbed in competition that she fails to recognize how her behavior affects classmates who do not share the same priorities.

Michiru is not established as a competitive karuta player. Her responsibilities instead lie within ordinary school life, including her work on the class field-trip committee.

She is socially perceptive enough to recognize when Chihaya is physically present but mentally preoccupied, and she is comfortable addressing the problem directly rather than allowing resentment to build.

Michiru appears as part of Chihaya's life outside the Mizusawa Karuta Club. Her presence helps establish that Chihaya has classmates, school obligations and friendships that do not revolve around the Hyakunin Isshu.

Her most significant appearance comes during the Kyoto class trip. Chihaya has chosen to attend the trip instead of following the Queen and Meijin qualifiers but remains distracted by thoughts of the matches taking place elsewhere.

Michiru calls her out for failing to engage with the classmates who are actually there with her. The criticism reaches Chihaya, who apologizes and begins participating properly in the trip.

Chihaya Ayase is Michiru's classmate and friend. Michiru respects Chihaya Ayase's devotion to karuta but challenges her when that obsession causes her to neglect the people sharing other parts of her life.