As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

The two adults who have just entered another phase of their relationship slowly left the canalside as the night grew late. With their hands linking together, step by step, they walked back to the apartment building.

The moonlight sprinkled on their shoulders, stretching their shadows on the road illuminated by the street lamp.

Both of them were quiet throughout the short journey. Once they arrived, Kazuya lightly pressed his thumb at the back of Himari's hand. His eyes were soft as he looked at her expression. In the next moment, he laughed.

"Why do you look like that? You look as if I've forced you to accept me," Kazuya deliberately teased her.

Himari was frowning. Her appearance reminded him of when Chiharu was thinking hard of something funny. He resisted the impulse to squeeze her cheeks.

"En, no. I just... It's too sudden, my brain can't really process it," She answered honestly.

Her replies made him laughed harder. The sound of it floated in the air, getting blown by the night wind.

"Alright, to make it easy, let's start with our introductions properly," Kazuya smiled.

"Huh? Introductions?" Himari blinked in confusion.

Kazuya nodded. Under Himari's gaze, he opened his mouth again. A few strings of words flowed out from between his lips.

"Hello, my name is Hayashi Kazuya. I'm 29 years old, would be 30 in November. I'm currently working in my elder brother's company. Due to some circumstances, I have to take care of his company as well as his children. I have an obedient nephew and a troublemaker little niece. How about you?"

A sense of heat dispersed from her neck to her entire face as Himari understood this was Kazuya's way to make it official between them. Her face blushed red but it was concealed by the orange glow coming from the lamp pole nearby.

Her eyes suddenly fell on their hands.

Until now... He still held her hand.

"En, hello, my name is Kato Himari," Himari followed suit, "I'm 26 years old in March. I'm working as an English teacher at a private school. As for family, I only have my mother. She has single-handedly raised me since my childhood."

Kazuya's smile softened to another degree. 

Now, he could openly show her some of the expressions that he did not dare to before.

"So, we're in the period of courting each other, aren't we?" He asked softly, "Or, simply put, we are dating."

"En..." Himari was bashful as she timidly nodded.

Her action made Kazuya bubbled into laughter. 

Yet, his laughter died down as he realized the shyness in her eyes was replaced by something dark and gloomy. There was also fear in them.

It was the same look that he would see on himself sometimes.

Kazuya didn't know what made her look so cautious. He could only point it to what she had said to him when they were at the canalside earlier.

"Himari, take your time to get to know me and see if you could rely on me, want me to take care of you for the rest of your life. If you don't want to ever talk about it, I won't ask you."

Seeing her like this made him wanted to know what exactly she had experienced but, how could he force her to bare her darkest fear out in the open?

"...Okay."

His words managed to pull her out from the dark threads looming from the deepest part of her mind.

Since she had agreed, shouldn't she see how far she could go?

If not, would she be alone for the rest of her life?

"Ah, but... I'm Izumi's teacher," Himari murmured, "I wonder if it is against the school policy if I'm being together with the student's guardian."

The usual taboo was if a teacher developed a romantic relationship with a student. It tended to happen in high schools. 

As far as Himari remembered, there were no clauses indicating that a teacher shouldn't be in a relationship with a student's guardian. If there was, it would be bad once the school found out about it.

"Don't be afraid," Kazuya smiled mildly. He jokingly said, "It's not like I'm someone else's fiance or a married man. The school principal is not a conservative man. As long as our relationship wouldn't hinder you at school, it would be alright. Or, are you someone who would easily think of her boyfriend whenever you're free thus delaying your own work?"

"Who's my boyfriend?" Himari frowned, slightly abashed with his teasing.

"I'm your boyfriend," Kazuya answered with a smirk.

Himari threw a glare at him while Kazuya accepted it with a laugh.

They had only started dating less than one hour yet he could already be this shameless?

To celebrate the occasion, Kazuya took a step forward by sending Himari directly to her door. Usually, he would just see her at the gate downstairs. The two silhouettes occasionally overlapped one another as they walked side by side.

Once they arrived at the door, Himari unlocked the door. Kazuya watched her in silence before words blurted out from his mouth.

"There's something I forgot to say."

Himari turned from the door. She looked at him with curiosity.

"En, I haven't told you about it but, I think you should know actually," Kazuya's smile drooped as he turned serious all of a sudden. He firmly stated, "As for my dating history, there's only one and it ended three years ago."

Himari was stunned.

She wasn't surprised by the fact that Kazuya used to date a girl but, she was shocked to hear that his relationship with his past lover ended three years ago.

It was the same as her and Jun's breakup.

"She's my first love, I couldn't deny it but, please rest assured that I would be loyal to you throughout our relationship. No matter in this period or even after we get married."

Kazuya appeared so firm as he stressed the points. Himari couldn't help but burst into laughter. Her reaction made caught him off guard.

"Why did you laugh?" He asked dazedly.

Himari smiled, her eyes curved and gleamed under the lights, "Hehe, we've just started our dating relationship and you've already talked about marriage."

It was his turn to laugh. Kazuya helplessly shook his head, "I'm serious about it. Even though we've known each other less than a year, I don't think time is an important issue. Well, I just don't want to waste time playing hide-and-seek with you. Since we're both interested in each other, why don't we just try?"

"En, I know," She answered softly.

Just his attitude alone had helped to comfort her.

If possible, she wanted to tell him about it. She couldn't predict how would Kazuya react once he knew but, Himari personally thought this was not something that she should hide from someone who might marry her.

She didn't want to tell her mother and Nanako regarding her deep fears but, she had to overcome them someday.

The night felt so long. Too many unexpected things happened overnight. Just in a span of a few hours, both of them were no longer mere friends. They were courting one another with the intention of marrying.

Kazuya only left after he saw Himari walked inside the apartment. Once the clicking sound of the lock echoed, he took a step back, smiled and walked away from the balcony.

He couldn't deny that this was too sudden. Never did he think he would come clean to her just by listening to her question at the canal but, he didn't regret it.

At his age, Kazuya longed to form a small family of his own but, because Izumi and Chiharu needed his attention, he didn't have time to look for a suitable candidate for courtship. His busy schedule with the company also hindered his way.

His interest in Himari couldn't be pointed out casually. He could only say, he was comfortable with her company. 

Or, rather, the more they spent time together, the more his mind could only think of her. He wasn't repulsed to the familiarities that were brought by her.

Now, he could only hope this choice would bear sweet fruits to both of them in the end.

Inside the apartment.

Himari was in a trance the moment she entered the hallway, walking to the living room. Even until now, she thought she was actually dreaming.

Kazuya didn't actually think her question was uncanny?

He had even said he wanted to pursue her?

Did she really not dreaming?

"Meow, meow~"

From a corner of the kitchen, Chobi came running to his mama's legs. He felt strange when his mama didn't even look at him. Instead, she slumped down on the strawberry couch with her eyes looking weird.

"Meow?"

Chobi jumped on Himari's lap. He rubbed his whiskers against her face, trying to get her attention.

"Meow!"

Chobi was shocked when he was suddenly hugged by his mama. Himari carried him like a baby as she gently stroked the back of his pointy ears.

"Chobi, am I really not dreaming? Just like that, I'm dating someone? I mean, I'm dating Kazuya?"

Even though Chobi didn't understand, he inwardly thought something was wrong with his Mama tonight.

"Meow~" Let me go!

Chobi struggled then jumped out of Himari's arms. He nudged on the empty bowl. 

He had eaten kibbles before but, now, he wanted his wet food!

"Meow, meow~"

Mama! I want food!