As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

The rain turned lighter by the time they arrived at the school. Many colors and sizes of umbrellas moved under the rain as the parents and the students walked underneath them. Because of the rain, the school opened the gate, allowing the cars to enter the yard instead of just pulling up outside the gate.

Himari and Kazuya didn't talk much inside the car as suddenly, Chiharu grew more animated once she saw Himari. The little dumpling didn't stop praising she was good and pretty, on and on, which baffled Himari greatly while Kazuya laughed out loud.

Unknown to the new couple, the little dumpling was trying to gain more brownie points from Himari under her brother's advice.

"Don't call Teacher Kato as auntie yet. She would be shocked and might not like it. If she didn't like it, Teacher Kato maybe wouldn't want us to be close with her again."

Izumi was too scheming as he directed his little sister on how to act. The siblings finalized what they should do before Himari and Kazuya entered the car earlier.

"Okay, Big Brother!" Chiharu puffed her chest out with determination in her round eyes.

Izumi resisted the impulse to laugh. It was so easy to trick his little sister heh heh~

"Teacher Kato, thank you~ You're so good to Chiharu! Helping Chiharu with the umbrella~"

The little dumpling once again talked prettily after Himari helped her to walk until they reached under the eaves. There was a cute bunny umbrella over the dumpling's head while Himari still covered her with her own umbrella by walking so close with the little one.

Kazuya had to shield Izumi since the latter brought a box of art supplies for today's class. The four of them gathered at the same spot.

To his nephew and niece, especially the little dumpling, Kazuya gave them a stern warning.

"Don't let me catch you playing under the rain. Do you want to catch a cold like last time? En?"

His eyes fell on Chiharu's little face.

"Chiharu is good, ah! Won't be naughty!" The little dumpling complained aggrievedly under such a stare from her uncle.

Uncle still remembered what happened before huhu Q^Q

Himari stifled a laugh. It seemed like something like that had occurred previously.??

Before Himari and Izumi walked inside the teaching building, Kazuya stealthily grabbed one of her wrists, pressed a thumb at the center of her palm and whispered, "Read your message later."

Under her surprised look, he smirked.

Himari was both flustered and blushed. The man gave her a quick wink before he brought Chiharu to the kindergarten section, following the other parents with children of Chiharu's age.

This man...

So sneaky ah!

Izumi stared at his homeroom teacher. He innocently pointed out, "Teacher, your face is red. Do you get sick again?"

As she was baffled by Izumi's words, Himari almost stuttered, "No, no ah! It's kind of hot here... Yes!"

Izumi smiled, "En, I think today's is colder than yesterday. Teacher, I'll see you in class later."

With that, he turned around with both hands holding the box. Unknown to Himari, a smile curved on the little boy's face. He was tempted to hum a song as he recalled the sneaky move did by his uncle to his teacher earlier.

When Izumi thought again of what he heard this morning, it seemed like today was the first day of them dating. Yet, his uncle could already be this blatant?

Izumi couldn't imagine what would happen once his uncle and Teacher Kato openly admitted to their relationship.

Himari, who was still standing at the same spot, covered both cheeks with her hands.

"What has actually happened? Did Izumi..."

In the end, she shook her head. Instead of imagining the embarrassing thoughts, it was better if she hurried to the teachers' office.

"Haa, I was almost drenched!"

"The forecast said the rain might continue until the evening."

"Really? Even though it doesn't look too heavy, if the rain continues, I can't imagine how busy the roads would be."

"I hope it would stop soon. My fiance wants to bring me out tonight."

As the teachers exchanged a conversation or two while waiting for the homeroom session to start, Himari quietly sat at her desk. She opened her phone to find there was a few unread messages from Kazuya.

The time-stamp was a few minutes earlier.

[Kazuya: There would be a surprise for you soon]

[Kazuya: I shouldn't wrong you, we have to commemorate such a day, aren't we?]

[Kazuya: If you're not busy, let's have dinner together tonight]

[Kazuya: I'll pick you up at your apartment at 8]

[Kazuya: Is that okay?]

Despite her initial surprise, joy slowly seeped into her heart, warming her entire body thus dispersing the cold brought by the rain outside.

Himari didn't have to think much. Since Kazuya had fully engrossed in his role as her boyfriend, why should she reject such an attitude?

[Himari: Okay~]

[Himari: I'll dress up really pretty for tonight]

[Himari: Have to show my new boyfriend the scale of my beauty]

[Himari: PinkStrawberrySnickered.png]

If Himari could see her face right now, all she could see were her eyes twinkling brightly as her smile only softened at every turn of time. Her cheeks became rosier as her whole body was giddy with excitement.

LINE~

His replies came.

[Kazuya: My girlfriend is already pretty]

[Kazuya: MoonBoySmirked.png]

Himari didn't reply to the texts. She could feel her heart pounded loudly unlike usual.

"Oh, Himari, you're silly... It's not like this is your first time dating someone," She murmured under her breath.

If she told her mother that she was dating a man who she had just known for less than three months, Himari was sure her mother would be so surprised.

As long as her mother didn't think that she rented a boyfriend like how her mother had suggested before, everything was fine.

Let's see how this new relationship worked out.

Throughout the day, Himari and the other teachers were busy with their own tasks. Because the rain hadn't stopped, the classes that planned to have lessons in the garden had to be canceled. Only the PE class continued in the gym.

Himari had just returned from a class when she was surprised by loud voices coming from the teachers' room. It seemed like the female teachers were energetically discussing something. What made Himari confused, the moment she stepped inside, all of the voices stopped.

What was wrong?

While Himari was blanked in confusion, countless questions erupted in the room.

"Teacher Kato! Is someone wooing you? Look at these flowers!"

"The bouquet is so huge! And the red roses are so fresh!"

"Aw~ The entire room smells so good~"

"It's 99 roses ah!"

"Teacher Kato, quick! Tell us, who's that man!"

One by one, the female teachers were praising something about flowers. While they were at it, the person concerned was still baffled by the sudden questions.

"...Ha?"

That was the only thing that came out of Himari's mouth.

Teacher Ayase burst into laugher. She stepped forward, dragged Himari to the table and presented something to her.

"We are so shocked when a flower delivery guy came to deliver this bouquet. Because you're still at class, I accepted it on your behalf."

Teacher Ayase's words fell into deaf ears as Himari was intently looking at the huge bouquet with fiery red roses.??

Even though the sudden presence of these roses stunned her, Himari quickly remembered one of Kazuya's messages from earlier.

Was this the surprise that he told her?

In the eyes of the other teachers, she suppressed her grin.

"There's a card! Read it! I wonder what the sender has written," One of the female teachers said in urgency.

Himari's eyes fell on the white card that was stuck inside the bouquet. She quietly took it, opened the small card and read its content.

A frown marred her forehead once she read the card.

[We have been together once. Even after our separation, we would be together for eternity - Jun]

It was not Kazuya who sent it.

It was Jun.

"Ah, it's not for me..." Himari closed the card. She looked at the expectant people around her and smiled awkwardly, "It seems like the sender has sent it to the wrong person. Since we couldn't do anything, you guys could take them."

Teacher Ayase was dazed, "Really? But..."??

Himari cut Teacher Ayase off before she could finish her words, "Really. I don't know this guy. If you guys don't want it, I'd just sell the roses to someone else. At least, I could get money out of it."

"No!"

"I want it!"

"Give me some!"

Thus, Himari handed the heavy bouquet to one of the female teachers. All of them clamored to get a few stalks of the roses.

Teacher Ayase silently stared at Himari. She opened her mouth and said in a quiet voice, "Are you sure about that?"

Himari just smiled, "It's something of my past. It's not worthy of me anymore."

Teacher Ayase nodded, "You are right."

Although Himari didn't say it straightforwardly, her years of experience until now made Teacher Ayase caught the underlying meaning of the young teacher's?? words.

The two teachers busied away with their works while the others who got the bouquet began to divide the stalks. The scent of the fresh roses floated in the air, uplifting the mood of everyone.

Knock! Knock!

"Hello, I'm looking for Ms. Kato Himari. The guard told me she's supposed to be here."

The appearance of a young man attracted the attention of the people in the room. Himari slowly rose to her feet and walked to the man.

"I'm Kato Himari. May I help you?"

The man smiled. He brought out something from a box-like bag on his back.

Once again, Himari was stunned.

"A customer asked us to deliver this to you. Please sign it over here."

The man quickly left once he finished his job, leaving Himari standing still with a small basket of daffodils in her hands. The yellow petals were vividly blooming in the white wicker basket, resembling the sun of a bright spring sky.

Daffodils.

New beginnings.