As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

The next morning was so bright as if the weather was celebrating the basketball tournament. The game was held at Amamiya School of Early Learning's gym. All of the players from the school as well as the rival players gathered in the gym as early as eight o'clock in the morning.

Himari dragged her sore limbs out of the bed before getting ready to go out. Her entire body still felt uncomfortable after the hike yesterday, especially her thighs. The act of going down and up the stairs further made her winced inwardly.

Kazuya came to pick her up at a quarter to seven. The four of them went to have breakfast at a nearby restaurant. Only Izumi ate lightly because he was too nervous.

"Big Brother, win win ah! Chiharu has a surprise if Big Brother wins!"

The dumpling was giving her elder brother encouragement before Izumi left them to join his teammates. She wore a navy blue jumpsuit paired with a yellow short-sleeved T-shirt. A huge daisy flower was embroidered on the chest. With her long hair tied into twin pigtails, Chiharu was the epitome of cuteness.

"Okay. Don't run around, alright? Stay with Uncle and Teacher Kato," Izumi just gave his naughty sister a reminder before running off to the court. He didn't show any interest in what the dumpling excitedly telling him.

Chiharu puffed up her cheeks. 

Big Brother didn't even ask what would she give him.

He could even nag at her instead???

Big Brother was bad!

She felt like not giving any gift anymore X(

Humph!

"Chiharu, come here," Kazuya beckoned at the angry little squirrel. All three of them got to sit at the front seat of the bleachers.

"En, okay..." The dumpling answered with a dejected face.

Himari held back her laughter. It was funny to see how Chiharu's enthusiasm didn't match her elder brother's frequency. Izumi's reminder made the dumpling deflated like a balloon.

Because it was the weekend, not many spectators were there for the game. Mostly the ones who came here were the family members of the players as well as their friends.

"Both sides, get inside the court," The referee called from the center of the court.

Teacher Goda and the rival's PE teacher gave the members of their respective teams a pep talk before ushered them to the court. Although this was just a game between two schools with no significant title or fame, it was treated seriously by the teachers and the students.

The PE teacher was dumbfounded to see Himari earlier. But, when Teacher Goda looked at Kazuya who he recognized as Izumi's uncle, he winked playfully at Himari and muttered something that sounded like 'one of the school flowers has met her bug'.

Himari could only smile sheepishly at the PE teacher's meaningful smile. He had already connected the dots of her appearance and why she sat close with Kazuya.

Luckily, Teacher Goda was not someone who loved to gossip. If not, when school started again tomorrow on Monday, the news of Himari was dating a student's guardian might spread among the teachers and other school staff.

It was nothing shameful but, Himari wanted to avoid people making her the subject of their latest gossips.

"Prttt!" 

The game began once the whistle blared.

Himari and Kazuya observed the game in silence but, Chiharu acted as the cheerleader for her big brother. The dumpling almost jumped out of her seat as she enthusiastically watched how nimble her brother was in action.

"Big Brother, go go!"

"So cool ah!"

"That's Chiharu's big brother alright!"

"Yayyy!"

Himari and Kazuya helplessly watched the dumpling raised both of her hands when cheering at Izumi. Her twin pigtails bounced every time she moved in high energy. Chiharu's cheers mixed with the others spectators, echoing inside the gym.

"These brats aren't bad," commented Kazuya as he watched the two sides battled on the court.

"They are good," Himari quietly replied to Kazuya, "I don't know much about basketball but I can see they are skilled."

"Of course. They have good skills," Kazuya sounded proud.

A chuckle escaped Himari's lips. She glanced at the man beside her, "You sound as if you're their coach."

Kazuya smiled, "It's good to see the children having fun."

They were all elementary school students but, the skills they possessed were good enough for their age. From the way that both teams displayed their teamwork and utilized the ones with greater grasps of skills, both sides didn't fall far behind one another.

His nephew, Izumi had worked too hard just for this seemingly simple game but, Kazuya appreciated the boy's efforts. He felt all the hours he spent practicing with Izumi at home were paid off. 

Izumi dribbled the ball, passed it to his teammates, evaded the rival team members and even managed to score a three-pointer perfectly. 

"When I was at your home before, I saw you played basketball with Izumi," Himari smiled at the memory. At that time, she was baking cookies with Aunt Mayu and Chiharu in the kitchen, "You're a skilled player. No wonder Izumi learned well from you."

Right after her words fell, Izumi shot the ball and scored the second point for his team.

A loud cheer came from the home team's spectators.

Kazuya was both proud and nostalgic to see his nephew took the lead of his team.

"Izumi is as good as his father when my brother was that age. I learned basketball from him."

Kazuya lowered his voice as a sense of melancholy seeped into his heart. His gaze followed every of Izumi's movements on the court as if he couldn't take his eyes away from the boy.

"My brother used to play for his high school and university teams."

Himari was faintly surprised to hear the unexpected mention of Kazuya's elder brother. Ever since he told her about his brother the other day, never did she take any opportunity to ask again nor did he bring up about his elder brother.

It was a heavy topic to be talked about.

"No wonder he's good," She smiled stiffly with her eyes lowered to the floor, "He might inherit it from your brother."

Himari shifted her eyes to Chiharu who was still bouncing with energy. It seemed like the dumpling didn't hear what his uncle and she were talking about. The little one didn't stop cheering for her big brother.

"Big Brother, left, left!"

"Score it! Score it!"

"Aiya, jump ah!"

Seeing this dumpling always looking so happy prodded Himari's heart. She raised up a hand and gently pat Chiharu's head. The little girl's hair felt so soft under her palm.

"En, Teacher Kato?" The dumpling turned to look at Himari. Her round eyes were blinking cutely, "Something on Chiharu's head?"

"Hehe," Himari chuckled, her eyes gleamed with tenderness. She continued stroking the little girl's head, "Your big brother is so good. He could win, right?"

The dumpling's face beamed, "Yes! Big Brother can win!"

She loudly exclaimed the words as if it was the only possibility. This cute dumpling really had great expectations for her big brother.

Amused by Chiharu's unshakeable belief, Himari burst into soft laughter.

Without her noticing it, the man beside her was quiet as Kazuya silently watched her interacted with Chiharu. 

Chiharu was now clinging on one of Himari's legs while standing. Her eyes were sparkling as she narrated the story of Izumi coolly scoring three-pointer three times in a row when he was practicing at home. Himari heard the story attentively. Her hand was still gently rubbing the dumpling's head. 

Both of them were so comfortable with each other.

If his big brother and sister-in-law could see it, they must be relieved, weren't they? Although both of them couldn't be by their children's side, the siblings were still able to live in comfort and joy.

In the midst of the echoes of cheers and basketball hitting the floor inside the gym, Kazuya was struck by a moment of epiphany.

It would be great if after this game ended, she could come home with him and the children.

Ate with them, played games together, watched the films while huddling together...

Kazuya blinked, he inwardly shook his head. A quiet laugh slipped out his mouth as he covered the lower part of his face. He let his eyes fell to the ongoing game even though his mind was still distracted. 

All the scenes that he imagined just now, appeared as if she was already his wife.

Someone that he could bring home all the time.

"Yayyy!"

Chiharu's loud voice pulled Kazuya back from his thoughts. He coughed awkwardly then looked at the scoreboard.

The home team scored another point, leaving the rival team behind by one point. After the break period, they would start again.

"Uncle, Uncle, did you see? Did you see it? Big Brother shot again! Big Brother is awesome!"

Chiharu pounced on Kazuya's legs, her little face flushed in neverending excitement.

"Yes, yes, your big brother is awesome," Kazuya smiled in guilt as he didn't watch the scene of Izumi scoring the new point. He glanced at Himari who was looking at the court in interest before his eyes fell back on Chiharu, "Sit properly. You might fall."

"Hehehe, okay~"

The dumpling was in a happy mood. She didn't even complain when her uncle urged her to sit on the bleachers again.

Big Brother, come on! Win!

While the three of them were sitting at the same spot, a pair of eyes were watching them, hidden from the crowd. Light contentment gleamed in those eyes.