As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

All four of them left the restaurant once they finished lunch. Although it was still early, a little over two o'clock, they decided to just go home instead of going anywhere else. 

Chiharu was in need of her afternoon nap while Izumi was tired after playing a basketball game. In fact, the two adults were also tired and sleepy. Kazuya brought Himari home first before the family of three left to their villa. 

"Meow~"

Chobi welcomed his mama's return from wherever she had disappeared to since this morning. The orange feline was sprawled on the strawberry couch, acting as if the couch was rightfully his. He boldly exposed his tummy.

"Why did you behave so well today? I thought you've run away somewhere," Himari raised her brows in amusement as she slumped down on the other pink strawberry couch.

"Meow~"

Chobi lazily flicked his tail. He shut his eyes, signaling that he shouldn't be bothered by anyone or anything.

Except if his mama wanted to serve him some wet food.

Himari ignored her furry son's antics. She opened her sling bag, took out a drawing book before she flipped to where Kazuya had drawn the beautiful and vibrant illustration.

Even until now, Himari was deeply amazed by the man's unexpected art skills. 

Every stroke of the lines was neat. The colors blended well together, they were in harmony with the illustration of the young lady in the white dress.

The young lady was actually her.

Himari felt heat spread from the tips of her ears to her neck as she recalled what the man had told her after they left the restaurant. Kazuya was smirking when the words flowed out of his mouth.

"You could say, that's how I see you right now."

Dazzlingly bright.

Ah!

Himari wanted to curl up in shame. She didn't know how to counterattack when Kazuya suddenly acted cheesy like that. Although Himari couldn't deny that her heart was fluttered due to his words, she still couldn't listen to them without feeling embarrassed. 

Since when did that man upgrade to another level of shamelessness?

Relax, relax.

Himari fanned her face. She shook her head a few times, trying to calm herself down.

Instead of thinking of his corny lines, Himari thought she should focus on these recently discovered art skills of his.

From the way that Kazuya played with the strokes and colors, it was crystal clear that he had many experiences in producing such great drawings.

"Is this merely just his hobby or, if he didn't take over his brother's position, he would chase another dream in the art field?"

Himari murmured faintly as her eyes once again carefully scanned the drawing in her hands. 

Come to think of it, neither he nor she had even touched on the subject.

And...

The call that Kazuya received when they were waiting for Izumi at the gym a few hours earlier was bugging her mind. 

Himari couldn't dismiss how surprised she was when she heard how cold he acted to the caller. Kazuya had always been soft-spoken and gentle although there were times he would be brazen and tease her. 

To hear him speak in such a tone and presumably to his mother, Himari felt uneasy in her heart.

Like her, it seemed like he had something he hid from the world as well. 

Did he bear scars hidden deep inside his heart?

Himari tilted her chin up. She threw her gaze to the bright sky outside the windows.

Countless thoughts started to swirl inside her mind.

She really, really wanted to know more about him.

"Now, I wanna know about his dreams," She mumbled under her breath.

The drawing that was held in her hands was so brilliant in her eyes. Himari was bedazzled by the myriad of warm yet vibrant colors. 

Even though this drawing was done on an impulse, it had become her new treasure.

Without the man knowing about it, Himari carefully cut the page of the drawing book and frame the illustration. The drawing was placed side by side with the white wicker basket that once held fresh and bright yellow daffodils. 

A few hours later, at the villa.

Kazuya sat on a wide recliner chair in the backyard. He cushioned the back of his head with a small pillow. His long legs stretched out on the chair, crossing together.

There was no one with him since Chiharu and Izumi were having their nap while Aunt Mayu was on her day off. 

The man was in silence as Kazuya let his gaze wandered from one cloud to the next. The occasional breeze blew past him, gently ruffling his hair.

The short yet unpleasant conversation he had with his mother echoed in his mind.

Although he didn't want to, Kazuya couldn't shake off the thoughts about his mother away.

"Why did she pay close attention to the siblings?"

His low voice was carried by the wind before the words dispersed into the air.

It was really shocking and unexpected when his mother, out of the blue, called him just to congratulate Izumi for his winning. Even the boy himself was caught off guard by such an event.

As far as Kazuya could remember, neither he nor his brother got to hear their parents praising them for their good achievements in school. 

Their father was merely indifferent while their mother would just disdain their efforts.

What had actually happened?

Kazuya really didn't dare to accept that this was actually his mother's way to get closer to the siblings. He didn't want to give the children any false hope. 

But...

"Uncle~ Uncle, Uncle~"

His depressing thoughts shattered the moment a soft and milky voice calling for him. Kazuya tilted his head to one side. He laughed softly at the sight of Chiharu grinning at him. 

"Have enough nap?" Kazuya gave the dumpling a head pat, "What about your brother?"

"Big Brother is still sleeping," The dumpling answered, "Chiharu no longer sleepy. Uncle play play with Chiharu, okay? Chiharu missed~ Uncle so much! Chiharu dreamed us together playing on the fluffy white clouds!"

Chiharu kicked off her slippers then started to climb on the recliner chair where her uncle was resting. Her movements appeared clumsy due to her small size.

Kazuya quickly picked her up instead of waiting for her to tumble down. He placed Chiharu on his right side.

"What do you want to play?" Kazuya asked with a raised brow. He suddenly narrowed his eyes when another thing came to his mind. He eyed his niece in suspicion, "Are you sure you want to play instead of having snacks?"

Forgive him for being doubtful of his own niece but, this kind of thing had been repeated hundreds to thousands of times already.

If someone said Chiharu came to him without any thought of food, he would assume that someone was an idiot.

"Snacks, snacks~ Chiharu wanna have snacks~ Uncle, why don't you make strawberry pancakes? They are delicious!"

The dumpling didn't even act shy when she outrightly demanded snacks from her uncle.

Her round tummy had digested all of the food during lunch. She had to stuff her tummy back with new food! Shouldn't let her tummy empty!

Kazuya inwardly rolled his eyes. He blamed his mouth for asking such an obvious question.

"We have no strawberries left but, there should be some blueberries in the fridge."

"Blueberries are good too! As long as they are yummy!"

"Yeah, yeah."

Thus, Kazuya no longer dwelled on the unthinkable about his mother as he brought Chiharu inside the villa. Both of them went straight to the kitchen. 

"Sit properly," Kazuya gave the dumpling a stern warning when he put her on the high stool, "If not, you could only have one small piece of pancake."

"Aaaa~ Uncle so stingy ah," Chiharu was aggrieved. She glared at her unpleasant uncle, "Humph! If Teacher Kato is here, Teacher Kato would give Chiharu many many delicious foods!"

"Heh, in your dreams," Kazuya scoffed.

Wanna covet his girlfriend?

Dream on.

Chiharu cried inside Q^Q

Kazuya gave the dumpling a glass of milk before he started working in the kitchen. While he was whisking the batter inside a large bowl, Chiharu suddenly asked him a surprising question.

"Uncle~ When could Chiharu call Teacher Kato auntie?"

Kazuya almost choked. He abruptly looked up to his niece. His eyes were screaming disbelief.

Chiharu was innocently staring back at her uncle. She took another gulp of her milk, leaving white froth on her upper lip.

"Haaa," Kazuya laughed helplessly. 

Even though the siblings had already known about his new relationship with Himari, this was the first time Chiharu openly asked him such a question. Either she thought of it herself or being directed by her elder brother, Kazuya didn't know.

"Do you want Teacher Kato to be your auntie?"

Kazuya couldn't see how soft the look in his eyes was as he asked the dumpling question.

Chiharu beamed the moment she heard her uncle's words. Her round eyes twinkled in delight, "Of course! Want! Want! Want Teacher Kato as Chiharu's auntie~"

Kazuya burst into laughter. But, before he could say anything, the dumpling continued.

What came next drooped his smile. Kazuya even had an impulse to squeeze this cheeky dumpling's cheeks.

"Hurm, if Teacher Kato becomes Chiharu's auntie, Chiharu can always always be with Teacher Kato! We can sleep and bathe together! Chiharu can lend the toys to Teacher Kato. When Chiharu is hungry, Teacher Kato can make delicious food for Chiharu~ Teacher Kato is not as stingy as Uncle oh~"

Suddenly, Kazuya caught a sense of a crisis.

Why did he feel like his wife was being stolen away from him?