As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

The new couple's first dinner date ended well.

Kazuya didn't stay until late. At a quarter to ten o'clock, he already got ready to go home. They held hands for a while as Himari sent him off to the car downstairs. 

Even though there were no more intimate actions between how a couple usually do, both of them were satisfied with this little interaction. It helped them to feel the sense of having someone with them, someone who was more than a friend.

"Thank you for tonight. I enjoy it a lot," Although her cheeks were tinged with pink, Himari still said what she truly felt, "Well, I have to retract my words. Your performance tonight is good. Not barely passable at all."

The orange light of the lamp pole spilled over them, revealing the same emotions on their countenances.

Kazuya laughed easily. Pleasure melted in between his brows so did tenderness. He eyed their hands that were linking together. As if it had become a habit, he pressed his thumb over her palm.

"More would come. I won't disappoint my girlfriend," He winked.

Himari rolled her eyes. His laughter grew louder.

"Go upstairs now," Kazuya urged her while shaking their hands lightly, "I'll watch until you enter your apartment."

"En, en, okay," Himari nodded. She couldn't deny how sweet she felt inside. Her smile softened at the man standing tall opposite her, "Good night. Text me once you get home. Drive carefully."

"Sure," Kazuya gave her one last press over her palm.

Himari let go of his hand slowly. The look in her eyes was gentle. She turned around, waved at him and ran back to the gate.

Kazuya watched her figure slowly getting away from him.

The faint sweet scent of hers gradually leaving him as well, so did the warmth of her hand.

Not long after, the young lady entered her apartment, locked the door and poked her head out of the window. Himari continued waving at him while smiling.

Kazuya grinned at the sight of her looking so adorable.

Before he entered the car, he lifted up a hand and waved at her twice. Even though she couldn't see how soft his eyes were now, Kazuya was contented.

Even without having the intense feeling of love, he had already appreciated her presence just the way she was.

His day today was exhausting but, Kazuya could only feel warmth enveloping his heart before the soft feeling spread within him.

The spring breeze at night was cold but, he didn't feel it.

He also hoped she felt the same.

Another day came and went.

The rain continued again for a few more days. They usually stopped around noon, giving away the view of the clear sky above.

In a blink of an eye, another week arrived.

Now, the examination period started.

Aside from meeting briefly when Kazuya drove her to school with the children because of the rain, they didn't have the opportunity to meet alone like on that night again. Contrary to what Kazuya told Himari, he unexpectedly became busy again.

Himari's mood was quite complicated right now.

What made Himari frustrated wasn't due to Kazuya getting busy but, ever since the day she got a bouquet of red roses from Jun last week, the same kind of bouquet would be sent to her almost every day.

Himari could brush off the first one as nothing but, she was unable to do the same as the matter attracted people's attention as it kept on happening.

"Teacher Kato, didn't you say these roses aren't for you? Why do they get delivered to you again?"

"This man is so romantic ah! And so rich! He could easily splurge like this just to win your heart! You're so lucky ah!"

"Hey, hey, aren't you going to tell us who's this man? Introduce him to us someday, alright?"

Himari just smiled whenever she received the praises and envy words from the other female teachers. Even when they continued pestering her to know who was the sender, she didn't succumb to pressure.

In the end, Himari gave the bouquets to whoever wanted them.

As for her new boyfriend, Himari and Kazuya didn't talk much on the phone either. The time they got their texts replied to by the other party also wasn't as quick as usual.

When it was not raining, Himari didn't wait for Kazuya to give her a lift. She just went to school on foot as usual. In the current examination period, she didn't want to delay getting to school just because she had someone to drive her there.

Because of this matter, the time Himari and Kazuya could see each other got further cut down.

Nanako said it was unfortunate because the two of them had just begun dating but, Himari knew there was little either she or Kazuya could do. Unlike her, Kazuya had more things he had to personally oversee.

While Nanako was worried, Himari's mother who had already known the news gave comforting words to her.

"Being with someone doesn't mean you two have to be with each other almost every day. Every person has their own space as well as their own responsibilities. This is not like how high school students dating each other, thinking that their time should only rotate their special someone. As long as both of you don't neglect each other, that's already fine."

The pieces of advice from Akemi to her own daughter were exactly as how Himari viewed the situation.

Himari was grateful because her mother didn't question her decision to suddenly date a man whom she had just known for less than three months.

"If both of you are suitable, carry on. If not, just part ways amicably. Mom just hopes even if you two choose to separate, it won't turn like how Jun and you did before."

Akemi showed full trust in Himari's decision.

Her daughter was a grown-up. If Himari wanted to, Akemi would shield her from the nasty things in the world but, she had faith in her daughter's capability of facing every ordeal.

Akemi just needed to give her constant and unwavering support.

"Eh, it is true?"

"Do you think can trust the news? I think it's hard to believe it."

"Yes! We are talking about Film Emperor Ishizaki! He has never been embroiled in scandals before!"

"Tsk, correction. It's not like he hasn't been in any scandals but, those were all false."

"So, do you think it's the same as this one?"

Himari had just returned from the class she invigilated when the exasperating sounds of people discussing over something entered her ears. The film emperor's name piqued her interest.

A group of female teachers gathered at the lounge area. Some of them were holding their own phones while the others had their eyes intently staring at the phone screens. Their discussions were still ongoing.

When Himari looked around the teachers' room, she found that Teacher Masuda was sitting in her seat. The Mathematics teacher appeared like usual but, she could see faint tension lingered in between her brows.

"What are they talking about?" Himari asked Teacher Ayase in a quiet voice once she sat down at her seat.

Teacher Ayase threw a look at the group before she answered in a quiet voice as well, "A news break out, saying the actor is involved with an actress of the same film. There is news of the actress coming out of his hotel room but, the truth is still unknown."

Himari nodded, implying that she understood it.

No wonder the female teachers were seriously discussing the matter.

Film Emperor Ishizaki Ryuu was famous for his clean reputation. Even though sometimes he was immersed in scandals, usually they would turn out nothing in the end. The irresponsible tabloids who created the scandals out of nothing often got scolded by the film emperor's massive fan base.

Himari thought this scandal was just like his previous ones but, what would Teacher Masuda think or feel?

Even though Teacher Masuda trusted her husband very well and the film emperor really didn't wrong her, it would still be unpleasant to hear such news especially when they were away from each other.

While every person, as well as Himari, was engrossed in their own thoughts, Yuina kept everything to herself.

Her eyes fell on the blackened phone screen lying on top of the desk. Like the others, she also had heard the news.

But, instead of reading them on the gossip channels, Yuina got to know about it from her husband himself.

Yes.

The scandal-embroiled Film Emperor Ishizaki Ryuu was the one who reported the gossips to her early in the morning.

"It's not my hotel room but, the paparazzi made it seemed like it's mine. I'm sorry, wife. I've made you uncomfortable. Don't worry! My agency would swiftly deal with it!"

That was what Ryuu told her. 

Instead of feeling sad because of the scandal, Yuina was distressed at the fact Ryuu pushed himself to stay up late into the night just because he wanted to personally tell her about it.

When he called her this morning, it was actually close to three o'clock in the morning at where he was.

Yuina was Yuina.

She would rather worry about her husband's health than thinking about the cheap scandal.

But...

It was still unpleasant to hear the teachers discussed her husband.

Yuina resisted the impulse to sigh deeply. She shook her head, tossed her phone aside and concentrated on her work. 

After school hours today, she planned to go window shopping. Yuina didn't want to buy anything. She just wanted to relax her mind by wandering around in a mall.

As she was thinking, her eyes unconsciously strayed to where Himari was sitting.

Should she invite her as a companion?

All of a sudden, Yuina thought it wasn't bad to have someone to accompany her.