Taiga’s Mood, Ryuuji’s Plan

Spring was in full swing.

Cherry blossom petals danced in the wind, students laughed in the hallways, and Ryuuji Takasu was once again being called “scary” behind his back.

He didn’t care much anymore.

Because now, instead of sitting alone…

He sat behind a tiger who routinely threatened his life with a bokken.

Aisaka Taiga.

His “partner.” His “master.” His… problem.

Yet somehow, he was getting used to her chaos.

A New Mission: Cheer Up the Tiger

It had been two days since the bento disaster.

Taiga hadn’t spoken much since then.

She sat in class like a shadow. Ate lunch in silence.

Even her usual threats were weaker.

Ryuuji hated seeing her like that.

> “I need to fix this.”

But how do you cheer up a human hurricane?

That Evening: The Baking Catastrophe

“Wait—what is that?”

“It’s… cake,” Taiga mumbled.

Ryuuji stared at the lump on the plate. It looked like a shoe covered in glue.

“I thought I’d try baking,” she said.

“You baked this… in a rice cooker!?”

“I don’t have an oven!”

Ryuuji groaned. “You know what? We’re doing this my way.”

They spent the next three hours in Taiga’s kitchen.

Flour flew. Eggs cracked. Taiga spilled vanilla extract into her hair.

At one point, she sneezed into the batter.

But by 9 p.m., they had a proper chocolate sponge cake cooling on the rack.

She looked at it with wonder, then glanced at Ryuuji.

“…Thanks.”

He shrugged, washing the bowls. “Just don’t poison Kitamura with this one.”

Her face flushed. She threw a towel at his head.

Back at School: The Mood Lifts

Taiga was… different the next day.

She didn’t smile, but she didn’t sulk either.

She wasn’t friendly, but she wasn’t biting people’s heads off.

And she even nodded at Minori in the hallway.

Ryuuji blinked. Was that progress?

A Surprise Invitation

Later that day, during lunch, something unexpected happened.

Kitamura approached their table, holding a flyer.

“Hey, Takasu, Aisaka — you two joining a club this year?”

Taiga stared blankly. “No.”

“Maybe the home ec club?” Ryuuji said quickly. “You know, since Taiga’s learning how to cook.”

Taiga kicked him under the table.

Kitamura laughed. “You two are like an old married couple.”

Ryuuji choked on his rice.

Taiga slammed her chopsticks down.

Kitamura didn’t notice. “Anyway, there’s going to be a school-wide volunteer day this weekend. You should come. It’s a chance to meet people… and help out.”

Taiga’s brows furrowed.

Ryuuji replied first. “We’ll think about it.”

That Night: Taiga’s Past

They sat on the veranda outside Taiga’s apartment, eating leftover cake under the stars.

“Are you really going to that event?” she asked.

“Maybe. It sounds fun. What about you?”

“…People don’t like me.”

He turned to her.

She hugged her knees. “They all smile at each other, make noise, play games. But I just… don’t belong.”

“Yeah,” Ryuuji said, looking up at the sky. “Me too.”

She looked at him, surprised.

“I have this face. Everyone thinks I’m a thug. I stopped caring a long time ago.”

Taiga’s lips pressed into a thin line.

“…But you still try.”

He smiled softly. “So should you.”

They sat in silence for a while, the city lights flickering below.

Taiga leaned her head against the wooden pillar.

“…I’ll go.”

“Huh?”

“To that event. I’ll go.”

Ryuuji blinked.

Then smiled.

The Beginning of Change

That weekend, they showed up.

Taiga barely talked.

Ryuuji tried to hold the conversation.

Minori showed up too — laughing, waving, pulling Taiga into group games.

Kitamura gave her a thumbs-up when she served tea to the volunteers.

For the first time, Aisaka Taiga smiled — not at Ryuuji, not at anyone else.

Just… smiled.

To herself.

That Night: One More Step Closer

Back home, Taiga dropped onto the couch.

Ryuuji handed her a cup of cocoa.

She took it with both hands.

“…Today wasn’t bad,” she said softly.

“See?” he replied, leaning back beside her.

“You helped me again.”

He shrugged. “You helped me too.”

“How?”

“…I don’t know. Maybe because I don’t feel alone anymore.”

She looked at him, surprised again.

“…Me neither.”

Their eyes met for a second.

Then they both turned away at the same time.

Ryuuji coughed.

Taiga sipped her cocoa.

Outside, the wind gently moved the curtains.

To Be Continued…

🌸 BONUS CHAPTER: Taiga’s Point of View

I don’t remember when I started liking him.

Maybe it was the way he smiled.

Maybe it was the way he always had that peaceful look, even though the world spun so fast.

Or maybe… it was just him.

Kitamura Yusaku.

He was strange. Too honest. Too good.

He was loud when he laughed, annoying when he spoke, and always had something smart to say during class.

But he was kind.

And I hated that I liked that about him.

---

The Plan

I told Ryuuji to help me confess.

Why him?

Because… he found the letter.

And instead of laughing at me, like everyone else would’ve…

He looked serious.

Like it mattered.

And suddenly I thought,

> Maybe this guy… can help me be the girl Kitamura-kun might like.

I made the bento.

My hands trembled so much, I nearly cut myself twice.

The rice kept sticking. The egg kept breaking. I dropped the soy sauce.

I hated this. I wasn’t good at this.

But still, I made it.

And when morning came…

I packed it carefully.

I even used a stupid pink ribbon.

I was going to give it to him.

---

The Rooftop

I walked over.

I stood in front of him.

And then…

“TAIGA-CHAAAN!”

Minorin.

She grabbed me from behind. Pulled me close. Laughed and smiled and joked.

Like always.

And Kitamura… looked at me.

> “Did you make that yourself, Aisaka?”

My heart stopped.

I froze.

> “N-no… I mean, yes… I…”

The words didn’t come out.

I looked like an idiot.

I couldn’t give it to him.

---

That Night

Ryuuji cooked again. He didn’t say anything.

I just sat there like some lifeless thing.

The bento sat in my bag, untouched. Useless.

I hated myself.

Why couldn’t I speak?

Why was I like this?

I wanted to scream.

But instead… I just sat there quietly, in the kitchen of the boy who always helped me.

---

When He Looked At Me

He said I didn’t mess up.

He said I tried, and that meant something.

I didn’t believe it.

Not at first.

But when he said it…

My heart didn’t feel so heavy.

It was annoying.

I hated how kind he was.

I hated how clean he made everything.

I hated how he made me feel like maybe… I wasn’t a total failure.

But even more than that…

I hated that he saw through me so easily.

That I couldn’t hate him.

Not even a little.

---

End of Bonus Chapter

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