As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

Unlike the usual calm and cheery atmosphere that used to surround them even when they were alone together, it couldn't be said the same for tonight.??

Himari seems a bit off right now, that was what Kazuya silently thought as he drove the car down the main road.

From the moment they got inside the car until they entered the expressway, Kazuya found that the smiles she showed him seemed a bit forced. Her eyes didn't shine bright as always, like the sun in the spring sky as to how he used to see.

Did something happen?

Kazuya stretched out a hand, opened the dashboard and picked something from the inside of a box. He offered his palm wide with a few something on it, startling Himari.

"...Candies?" She asked softly.

Kazuya raised the corners of his lips, "I'd give it to Chiharu just one per day. For you, you can take more than one. En, haven't you heard? Sweets make our life sweeter?"

Himari was baffled. She blinked a few times with her eyes still staring at the glossy wrapped candies on Kazuya's palm. As the car passed the lamp poles that illuminate the night road, from time to time, the wrappers gleamed under the light.

"...Thank you."

Himari reached out a hand, picked the candies by enclosing her fist over his palm and gathered them inside her hand. She was almost flustered when their skins brushed together even for a moment.

It was warm.

Himari quickly retracted her hand and quietly sat in her seat. She was silently berating herself for acting in such a way. Kazuya might have found something wasn't right with her thus, he said such words to her.

Yes...

What was she thinking about?

She was just troubling her inner self by thinking such things.

But...

"Is something bothering you, Himari?"

Himari abruptly lifted up her eyes once the question came out from the man's mouth. As usual, his voice was filled with care, making her heart both flustered and fluttered at the same time.

Seeing that she just stared at him blankly as if she didn't hear him, Kazuya asked again. He softened his voice, "Is your work too much nowadays? Or, did that man disturb you again?"

From the impression he got from her, Himari was generally quiet yet she tended to be bubbly with the people she was closed to.

Now, it seemed like she had reverted to the time they met when he invited her for a meal with Chiharu after giving her the crystal lamp.

Polite and a bit distant. Nothing like how she sounded when they exchanged texts yesterday.

She won't be like this unless something had been troubling her, wasn't it?

But, it was only his assumptions. Only she knew what made her like this.

Himari opened her mouth yet no sound came out of it. She closed it, opened it again before in the end, she let out a helpless laugh.

"Nothing ah. I'm a bit tired because the exam period would come next week," She smiled at him.

It was not entirely false. Since the school geared up for the examination period, the stress that came along with the important time gradually caught up with her.

As for the real truth, she couldn't afford to say it.

Kazuya smiled back at her before he turned to focus on his driving.??

He won't force her if she didn't want to say it.

He could only hope it was really due to the examination period instead of something more worrisome.

Soon, the car left the expressway, entering the familiar road heading to the neighborhood. The time was already closed to a quarter past ten.

At this time, most children were already urged to go to bed by their parents while some adults had just returned from socializing after work hours. The buses and cabs were still dropping off the passengers.

"We're here," Kazuya announced once he pulled up in front of the gate of the apartment. With one hand holding to the steering wheel, he let his gaze fell on Himari's face, "Have a good rest. Tomorrow might be busy for you."

It was the first time he spoke again after the brief conversation they had earlier.

Himari was glad their surroundings were a bit dim. If not, he might notice how her face had suddenly flushed red.

As she saw that he was like usual, a sense of guilt crept into her heart.

Somehow, she had a feeling that Kazuya had actually seen through her half-truths.

"Kazuya."

In the enclosed space of the car, her voice echoed softly, carrying a hint of caution.

Kazuya calmly smiled, "En?"

"En, I want to ask but... I don't know either I should or not," Himari lowered her head, taking back her eyes from his face. She stared at her hands that were holding the candies in her palms, "I just don't want to make it sound so weird..."

Instead of brooding by herself, she should take a step forward and try to test the waters, shouldn't she???

For how long should she be afraid of the shadows of her past?

If not, Himari didn't know how could she face Kazuya when the continuous what-ifs continued to echoed chaotically in her mind.

Kazuya silently stared at her timid appearance. Something scratched into his heart, making him felt uneasy to see her like this.

With a gaze thrown outside of the car, he opened his lips, "I think a stroll at the canal sounds good on a full moon night like this."

Himari's ears perked up. She raised up her chin and looked dazedly at the man beside her.

With the orange lights coming from the lamp poles outside the car, his face was partly illuminated by the luster. She could see how tender his smile was at her.

"...A stroll?"

Kazuya nodded, "We couldn't walk much during the Children's Day. Even though it's at night, I think the view should still be beautiful, isn't it? Or, do you want to go home now? Have a rest?"

A part of his heart hoped she would agree but, if she decided to call it a night, there was nothing he could do.??

In the end, he was so relieved when Himari lightly nodded her head.

"Okay."

Kazuya left the car at the same spot. Both of them walked down the road that led to the canal. He let her walked on the inside lane of the road, away from the vehicles that would occasionally drive past them.??

The sounds of their footsteps faintly broke the quiet air around them. From time to time, the breeze blew, gently brushing past their cheeks, leaving coolness behind.

"I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable, asking you to take a walk with me."

Kazuya's voice pulled Himari out of her messy mind. She raised up her eyes and stared at the man who walked beside her.

He was already looking at her with the same gentle smile on his face.

"No, it's nothing... The night view at the canal is pretty even though it still couldn't be compared to Kaiyo River Park."

A voice was whispering in her mind, telling her that this man might have actually read her like a book even though Himari wasn't sure to what extent Kazuya's thoughts were.

Both of them walked down the staircase near the canal.??

As to how Himari had mentioned, the canal appeared so peaceful as if this place was detached from the hustle and bustle of the city.

The full moon hung above the sky, sprinkling its light on the clear water surface. From time to time, as the breeze drifted over the canal, soft ripples formed on the surface, gleaming under the lights.

"Kazuya."

The young lady's voice sounded so cautious. It was something that he rarely heard from her.

Kazuya silently looked at her, waiting for Himari to continue speaking.

Even though he was smiling as always, Himari felt an unspeakable pressure trying to hold her down.

Himari pursed her lips, thinking about how should she worded what she wanted to ask him before something snapped within.

Let's just take a gamble.

Yes.

Himari opened her mouth again. This time, she didn't want to think of the consequences that might come after she opened her heart out.

With her eyes staring unblinking at him, she asked,?? "Kazuya, I'm sorry if I sounded too full of myself but, I still have to ask. All this while, the things that you have done to me, did they have any meaning?"

"Pardon?" Surprised, Kazuya asked back.

Himari smiled faintly, "I know we met again because of Chiharu and Izumi and, we have just known each other for a few short months. But, do you have any other thoughts regarding our current friendship?"

It was a bit embarrassing to ask this kind of question to a man but, Himari couldn't feign ignorance any longer.

Every time she thought of the length that Kazuya had gone for her, even though they appeared unimportant to other people, Himari didn't get the same feeling.

Instead of having herself be carried away, she wanted to end it if it was not as how she had thought.??

But, she was the surprised one the next moment Kazuya answered her.

"What if I say I have the intention to pursue you?"

His dark eyes gleamed under the dim lights, carrying his determination in them as he firmly stared at the dazed her.

....What?