Rui Suzuki

Rui Suzuki (鈴木 兒生 Suzuki Rui) is a friend of Shino Shiratsuki from Yokohama who is one of the eighteen representatives from the Kanagawa prefecture for the nationals during her 6th year in elementary school.

Appearance
Rui dresses in the Gothic Lolita style and wears black finger nail polish. She ties her hair on the right side with lots of loops.

Personality
According to Shino Shiratsuki, Rui has always been faint-hearted.

Introduction Arc
Rui first appears playing mahjong with Shino Shiratsuki where she is defeated before the bell rings. When Shino has to move with her uncle, Rui cries at her send off.

Girls of Yumachi Arc
It is revealed that Rui has won a spot in the nationals and Shino Shiratsuki decides to call her. She tells Shino that they saw finish third in the Shimane tournament so all of them decided to participate this year. Rui then tells Shino that she looks forward to the summer and getting to meet her again.

Children's National Tournament Arc
After the opening ceremonies, Rui meets up with Shino Shiratsuki in the halls. She tells Shino that she's in the first group and that she always feels nervous in the beginning. When Shino tells her that she'll be waiting in the second round, Rui thinks to herself that the likelihood of that is just around six percent. Later Rui's match isn't shown but she is defeated by Wakana Yonamine. Afterwards she sits beside Shino and says that she didn't have much expectations but losing is mortifying. While crying she says that she leaves the rest to Shino.

When Rui sees the results of Shino's match against Wakana, she cries and thanks Shino.

2nd Children's National Tournament Arc
Shino decides to stay a couple of day with her friends in Yokohama. Rui, Miyuka, and Sanae are all present to greet her and pick her up. They decide to go to Rui's new place. On the way up she tells them one advantage of living high up is there are no bugs and that she hates them. During a bath, Rui tells Shino that she's lucky to be prefecture rep two years in a row and that it wasn't possible for her this year. She says that she wishes to play against Shino in the nationals and for her to wait for her.

That night she sleeps with Shino in her bed and tells her that she can't relax with other people unless it was family but with Shino it should be okay. She instantly goes to sleep. The next morning she sees Shino reading and asks what it is. She then tells Rui about Lotta Niemann being near her mother the night she disappeared and emailing her teammates to ask about her. She then tells Rui about Kanna's reaction to the story. Rui says that she has made some good friends. A little later, Rui sees Shino off.

Playing Style/Abilities
Not Shown, Wakana Yonamine mentions that Rui was pretty good and this was despite the fact she was hampered by the girls fear tactics.

Etymology

 * The name Rui means "legs radical (no. 10)" (兒) (ru) and "raw" (生) (i).
 * Rui's surname Suzuki means "bell" (鈴) (suzu) and "tree, wood" (木) (ki).