A Love Longed for the Tiger Lily (GL) - Chapter 9

At six in the morning, I wake up, wash my face, and get ready for work.

Once I finish getting dressed in my room, I fill a watering can and step out onto the balcony. As always, I greet the beautiful plants out there with a gentle, “Good morning.”

Truthfully, I’d love to have a smoke at this point—but ever since a rescue cat came to live in the house, I’ve quit smoking.

Back when I was in high school, I hated the smell of cigarettes. Now that I’ve finally started to bond with the little one, the last thing I want is to make her dislike me. So I threw away my lighter and everything else.

After finishing my morning greetings to the lovely plants, I head to the kitchen to prepare breakfast and lunch. I carefully pack the homemade side dishes into a simple wooden bento box and wrap it neatly in a floral-patterned cloth. While tasting the miso soup, I hear a door opening in the back of the house.

A girl walks into the living room, her expression neither cheerful nor upset—just unreadable.

“Good morning.”

“…Good morning.”

That brief, almost awkward exchange feels both the same as always, and somehow, completely different. A small warmth stirs in my chest.

It seems like yesterday’s lunch strategy worked.

To be honest, I hadn’t meant to give her any conditions. I was just genuinely worried about Sayo’s health.
High school students are still growing—eating poorly at that age can really damage the body. Even if she hadn’t accepted my little “deal,” I still planned to make her lunch every day.

But when she looked so guilty and reluctant, I thought I’d try offering a condition that might be hard for her—so that she’d feel more balanced.

To my surprise, she agreed to it so easily, and now, a new chapter of our daily life has begun.
The thought alone lifts my spirits.

“What time will you be home today?”

“Around six, I think…”

“I should be able to leave work on time today too. Want to use the hot plate and make some okonomiyaki together?”

“…”

“You don’t want to?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to.”

“Then I’ll be looking forward to tonight. Here—today’s lunch.”

I quietly placed the bento next to her.

“Thank you…”

Her voice was barely audible, and although her brow remained furrowed, she still said thank you.

I wondered what tonight would be like.

With that thought in mind, work flew by in the blink of an eye.

As soon as I finished my tasks, I began preparing to leave.
Even though rushing wouldn’t make the fun disappear or arrive any sooner, I found myself hurrying. I just wanted to catch up to that feeling of excitement.

“Wakana-san, you look unusually cheerful today. Something good happen?”

The voice belonged to a woman with a polished, office-lady look—someone who’d suit the label “classic career woman.” She pushed her hair back as she approached.

“Do I really look that happy?”

“Yeah. You do. Honestly, it’s a relief. You looked so gloomy before—I was seriously worried something awful had happened.”

The woman in front of me sipped her coffee with a relieved expression.

Her name is Takeuchi Koharu.
She’s been my best friend since college. We joined the same company and remain close to this day.

“Now that your ex is out of the picture, you should come out drinking with me.”

“That sounds good. I have a lot to talk about.”

Koharu beamed, saying, “Yay!” with the smile of a delighted child—one that doesn’t quite match her elegant demeanor.

My ex was extremely possessive and even got jealous of Koharu, so we hardly ever hung out. Our only real chance to talk was during lunch breaks at work.

No drinks, no outings.
Love really is blind, I guess.
As long as she was there, I thought it was fine not to have freedom or time for anyone else.

And even after I drifted away from everyone, Koharu stayed by my side. She never gave up on me.

“I’m really grateful to you, Koharu.”

“You’re welcome! So how about one of your days off? Let’s pick a date.”

“Sounds good. Let’s go somewhere tasty.”

“Can’t wait!”

Her girlish excitement made me smile too.
It felt nice—knowing I’d get to spend time with a friend again.

“So, what’s the reason behind all this recent cheerfulness?”

Since Sayo moved in, I’ve had fewer moments where my mind spirals into overthinking.
I do want to tell Koharu about it someday, but right now didn’t feel like the right time.
Besides, more than anything, I just wanted to get home quickly today.

“I’ll tell you once things settle a bit. It’s not anything dramatic, though.”

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

I turned and left the office, waving goodbye.

Later, while happily browsing ingredients at the supermarket, a couple standing in front of me caught my attention. I couldn’t help but overhear their conversation.

“What should we have for dinner tonight?”

“How about stir-fry?”

“Okay! I’ll cook something nice for you, then.”

They both looked so happy.

I used to have times like that too…

I told Koharu I was doing better—but at moments like this, those memories still sneak in.
With those thoughts lingering, I left the supermarket filled with shared memories and headed home.

Sayo said she’d be back around six.
Since it wasn’t quite six yet, I figured I’d probably beat her home.

But when I opened the door to the apartment, the lights inside were already on.
Then the inner door opened, and a beautiful girl walked toward me.

“…Welcome home.”

Sayo said it with a somewhat tense expression, then took the grocery bags from my hands and disappeared inside.

I was stunned and stood frozen at the entrance.

Sure, I did say we could talk about little things.
But that was just me rambling—I didn’t expect her to actually initiate the conversation.

I must have stood there too long, because Sayo came back toward me from inside.

“What are you doing?”

Her face didn’t look confused—more like annoyed.

Not wanting to push my luck and make her mood worse, I finally stepped inside the house.

After changing out of my work clothes into something more comfortable, I took out the large hot plate. The groceries Sayo had carried were already set on the living room table. From the bags, I pulled out the ingredients I needed and began prepping.

She sat properly at the table like a well-behaved cat waiting to be fed. The sight was so endearing, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Why are you smiling?”

Her expression was just like the one she wore at the front door earlier—clearly irritated.
If I kept her waiting any longer, she might start metaphorically (or literally) digging in her claws, so I hurried with the preparations. Once the hot plate had heated enough, I spread out the batter I’d made.

“How was school today?”

“Normal.”

“You said you’re not good with women—so do you usually spend time with the boys at school?”

It was something I really wanted to ask.

My mother had told me about her own experiences at school, though I never knew how much of it was true. But this—Sayo—was living with me now. It was important to understand her.

“My best friend is the only one I’m okay with.”

“I see…”

I was glad she answered honestly.
But at the same time, knowing there was someone she could be close with—someone unaffected by her condition—brought up complicated feelings.

From Sayo’s point of view, I was just one of many women she couldn’t stand.
But her best friend was the exception—the one person she let in.

I’d thought that making her lunch had helped us grow closer.
But now, I realized I hadn’t moved an inch toward her. If anything, the distance between us felt wider than ever.

Regretting how cold the mood had become—my fault—I tried to brighten the air with a change of topic.

“Looks like it’s ready to flip. Want to try turning the okonomiyaki over?”

“If I do it, it might stop being food altogether, so I’ll pass.”

“Heh, what’s that supposed to mean? Don’t worry. It’s all about experience.”

Smiling, I handed her the spatula.

She looked genuinely troubled, but eventually she took the spatula, steeled herself, and flipped the sizzling pancake.

It split cleanly in two. One half landed outside the hot plate, the other barely stayed on it.

Her face went pale.

I quickly scooped the fallen half back onto the plate, thinking she didn’t need to look that horrified.

“…I’m sorry.”

“We’re sharing it anyway. Just means we both get half. The table’s clean, so don’t worry.”

I tried to ease her worry with gentle words.
Turns out Sayo is more clumsy than I thought. Actually, I’d sensed that from the start, but she’s apparently the kind of clumsy who can’t even flip a pancake.
It’s kind of… cute, really.

When we plated the cooked okonomiyaki, she seemed annoyed again.

“I’ll eat the one that fell.”

“It’s fine. This half’s smaller anyway—just right for my stomach.”

I’d chosen this meal hoping we could enjoy cooking together and eat something warm and fun.
That’s why… I didn’t want her looking like that.
I wanted her to enjoy it. To smile.

As I reached for my plate, my hand brushed against hers.
I instinctively braced for her to recoil or swat me away, but she didn’t. Her hand stayed, and her face looked more surprised than disgusted.

I hid my own surprise and acted normal.

Then, using sauce, I drew a little cat on the okonomiyaki she made and handed it to her.

“You think I’m a child, don’t you?”

The surprised Sayo from moments ago was gone. In her place was the usual moody Sayo.

I’d hoped it would make her smile. But clearly, I misread the moment.

She’s a third-year high schooler—not a kid. I guess I thought she might be happy with something playful like that.

Since reuniting with her, I hadn’t seen her smile once.
She’s so beautiful—if she smiled, I’m sure it would be breathtaking.

I guess… I just really wanted to see it.

“How can I make you smile—?”

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

“That makes no sense.”

My awkward question was brushed off.
Her mood wasn’t great, but she did start eating. At least the okonomiyaki wasn’t going to waste—that was something.

Maybe it’s time I start trying to understand why she became this way in the first place.

“Why don’t you like women? Did something happen? Is it something you can’t tell me?”

The moment I said it, her face paled even more. I realized then—I’d touched on something I shouldn’t have.

I swallowed my curiosity and stepped back.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up something unpleasant. Just forget it.”

Regret washed over me. You can’t unsay things.
I quietly focused on eating, then started clearing the table.
Cleanup was Sayo’s job, but there was a lot today, so I helped.

I kept an eye on her expression, making sure to keep a distance that wouldn’t make her uncomfortable as I cleaned.

I was still searching for a better topic when Sayo suddenly spoke.

“Taniguchi-san, why are you so nice to someone like me? Is it because you think of me like a little sister?”

She spoke while staring at the sponge in her hand, not looking at me once.

Honestly, when I first took her in, I had thought of her like a younger cousin I used to be close with.
But after living together… I realized I’d been wrong.

Time is a strange thing.
Just a few years apart can turn someone into a complete stranger.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing.
People change—and they do it faster than we expect.

I know I wasn’t the same person in high school as I was in elementary school. I was practically a different person entirely.

The girl in front of me now is Igarashi Sayo.
She’s not the same Sayo I once knew. She’s someone new, someone separate.
Not family. Not the same little cousin from back then. Just… a person.

And if I’m going to live with someone—even temporarily—I want to understand them for who they are.

“I used to think of you like a little sister. But not anymore. Now, I just want to know who you are, Sayo.
That’s why I can be kind to you. And I’ll keep trying to understand you, no matter what.”

I said it all in one breath.
When I looked at her again, her eyes—just a little, barely noticeable—seemed softer than before.

I still don’t understand Sayo.
All I’ve learned today is that she’s terrible at flipping pancakes, and that she absolutely doesn’t want to talk about her past.

But even that… feels like progress.

We only have about two weeks left living together.
And yet, I find myself wanting to know her more.