As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

Kazuya was the only one who couldn't properly enjoy his lunch as Chiharu and Madam Tokioka finished their meals one by one. Even until now, he found it hard to swallow his food whenever he had to dine with his mother.

While Kazuya was mostly silent, Chiharu was bubbling in happiness as she kept on sharing stories with her grandmother.

"Koko said, we can draw dragons but Chiharu not like it..."

"Chiharu got mad mad! How could Seiichi said he didn't..."

"Bunnies are cute! But but, kitties and doggies are cute too~ Chiharu has a kitty friend named Chobi. He..."

Every time the dumpling was indulged in her own storytelling, she only received curt and short replies from Madam Tokioka but, her grandmother's behavior didn't put her off. It was as if Chiharu accepted that this was her grandmother's nature.

"...picked many strawberries with Teacher Kato! Teacher Kato made cookies for Chiharu! And and bunny pancakes too!"

Somehow, Himari's name got dragged into the dumpling's conversation with her grandmother. Chiharu kept on talking about whatever she had done together with Himari as well as the first day she followed Chobi home until she grew attached to the young teacher.

Madam Tokioka lifted up her eyelids from vaguely staring into her teacup. She asked the cheery little dumpling, "Do you like this Teacher Kato? You often mentioned about her."

Kazuya frowned in an instant.

This was the first time his mother asked a question back to Chiharu throughout the time the little girl talked to her.

Did she just treat the question as a simple one or...

Was there any underlying meaning in it?

"Like! Ah, no! Chiharu love love Teacher Kato!" The dumpling cutely connected her two index fingers and thumbs, showing a heart gesture. Her face was beaming in joy, "Teacher Kato always gives Chiharu cookies and cakes! Teacher Kato no let Uncle make fun of Chiharu too!"

The corners of Madam Tokioka's eyes curved slightly, together with her lips, "Then, she's a really good person."

"Hehehe~ Very good ah!" The dumpling laughed.

Kazuya watched his mother with incredulity was evident on his face.

If his eyes didn't play tricks on him, Kazuya was sure he caught a really faint smile from his mother's face when she was talking about Himari.

Kazuya swallowed down his curiosity.

He understood that his mother was perfectly capable to know about him and the two siblings just by investigating a little from the people of their surroundings. That was how she got to know about the bullying incident that fell on Izumi before.

Since this was the case, the meaning of Himari's existence to the three of them might have already been known to his mother. She also should have been familiar with the current nature of his relationship with Himari.

Kazuya was deeply worried inside.

She won't do anything to Himari, right? He didn't want the same thing to happen to his lady as to how she experienced opposition from that man's parents.

Kazuya inwardly shaking his head, laughing mockingly at himself.

His mother was already disinterested enough regarding his life. What made him think that she would pay attention to such a matter? 

The suffocating meal ended after two hours, the same time Izumi texted Kazuya, saying he was ready to go home now. After paying for the bill, Kazuya held Chiharu's hand then they walked out of the family restaurant with his mother in tow.

"Grandma, you going home already?"

The dumpling pouted as she thought it would be a long and long time before she could meet her grandmother again.

Her friends had always told stories about their grandparents. Chiharu knew she had two grandpas and two grandmas but, as far as she could remember, her grandma from Daddy's side was the one who always came to meet her.

Madam Tokioka looked down at Chiharu who was holding her youngest son's hand.

From the moment she saw the place where Kazuya and Chiharu sat in the gymnasium, she focused on their interactions as much as she watched Izumi playing in the court.

Her youngest son cared for this niece of his dearly.

Parting his lips, Madam Tokioka asked a question, "Do you like shiny things like diamonds and gold?"

"Like the ones on the princess' crown?" Chiharu asked back. Her chubby face brightened, "Like them! So shiny and brilliant ah!"

The scenes of the princesses wearing dazzling crowns in animated films flashed in the little one's mind. Chiharu loved the scene because the princesses would also wear beautiful gowns before dancing with the handsome princes.

She herself had a beautiful crown like that, the one Uncle gave to her during her previous birthday.

"If you'd like," Madam Tokioka showed the little dumpling a faint smile, "You can come to my studio and see the shiny stones."

"What? Really? Chiharu can..."

"Won't it disturb you, Mother?" Kazuya cut the dumpling off. His entire face was frowning as he couldn't conceal how complicated he felt right now.

Madam Tokioka threw her son a look, "I'm inviting my granddaughter to visit the place where I work. Why must it disturb me?"

"But..."

"Chiharu, my chauffeur would come to pick you up," Madam Tokioka ignored Kazuya's protest. She looked back at the little girl, "It's best if you can come next week. I'll tell your uncle the time later."

"Okay~ Thank you, Grandma!"

The dumpling rushed to her grandmother, leaving her uncle behind. She wrapped her chubby hands around her grandmother's legs and rubbed her face on her skirt.

"Hehe, Grandma's so nice~ Thank you oh!"

Madam Tokioka moved her hand slightly, wanting to pat the little one's head before she clenched her hand into a fist, retracting her intention.

"It's nothing," replied Madam Tokioka curtly.

Seeing how happy Chiharu was right now, Kazuya didn't have the heart to stop her from going to her grandmother's studio. His mother had also put an end to the decision by telling Chiharu she could go there next week.

Forget it... 

Just let's see what would happen next.

While they were standing on the roadside, Madam Tokioka's chauffer pulled up the car in front of them. The man came out of the driver's seat, rounded the car to go to the trunk then brought out two exquisite-looking paper bags.

Kazuya took the paper bags from the man. He held them in one hand.

"Congratulate your brother for me," Madam Tokioka calmly said to Chiharu, "We'll meet next week."

The dumpling's eyes twinkled brightly at the sight of the paper bags. She knew they must be her gifts as well as for her big brother too!

"Okay! Thank you, Grandma~"

Madam Tokioka nodded. She turned on her heels, getting ready to get inside the car. After taking a few steps, she glanced over her shoulders, staring at her son.

Kazuya was stiff as he looked back at his mother.

"The young lady, Teacher Kato, do you cherish her well?"

Taken aback, Kazuya answered vaguely, "...I do."

Madam Tokioka turned her head back to the car. Without looking directly at her son, she left behind a few words, "You should. She's a good girl."

Even after the car left, Kazuya was still baffled by his mother's cryptic words.

Would his mother meddle in his personal affairs?

She won't, right?

Even when he was together with his ex-girlfriend before, his mother didn't show any interest in it aside from greeting the other party coolly. The mention of meeting his ex-girlfriend abroad was just done in passing.

Wait... Didn't his mother say she would return soon?

Kazuya frowned.

She could return to the country as she wanted. This was her birthplace after all.

But, if they ever came across each other in the future, he would only treat her as a stranger.

There was no need for him to maintain a close relationship with someone who was in his past. It would be unfair to Himari if he did that.

"Uncle, go pick Big Brother ah! Big Brother's waiting!"

"Okay, okay. Let's go now."

Kazuya threw the unimportant matter to the back of his mind. He carried Chiharu in one hand while the other was holding the gift bags. Both of them went in the direction where Kazuya parked the car.

"Uncle, Uncle."

The dumpling once again called her uncle.

When Kazuya looked at her, the dumpling was pouting.

"Why are you being sulky again? Are you still hungry?" He asked teasingly.

Chiharu tilted her head, "Chiharu is missing Teacher Kato ah~ Can Uncle call Teacher Kato? Chiharu wanna see Teacher Kato."

The dumpling deflated like a balloon when she heard her favorite aunt-to-be couldn't come with them to watch the basketball match today. Uncle said Teacher Kato's Mommy got sick so she had to return to her home.

When would Teacher Kato be back?

She had lots and lots and lots of things to share with her ^w^

She could even talk bad about her uncle with Teacher Kato.

Uncle won't know about it ah~

Kazuya burst into laughter. His slightly gloomy mood from earlier dispersed as how the breeze carried away any unpleasant smell.

"Let's do a video call with her later, okay?" Kazuya smiled. His eyes softened as he quietly added, "I miss her too."

What was she doing right now? 

He suddenly wanted to learn more about her life in her village.

What did she love to do during her spare time?

Did she always go swimming at the stream that she had mentioned before?

Was her favorite thing to do in spring going for a picnic?

Did she ever go bug-catching when summer arrived?

Had she ever happily stepping on fallen maple leaves in autumn?

How about winter? Would she always cuddle inside a thick blanket and enjoyed a hot cup of tea while looking out the windows, staring at the falling snow?

There were still so many things he wanted to know about her.