As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

After all the bickering with her mother, Himari was set to return back to the city on Thursday as scheduled. Her train ticket was in the afternoon.

By Tuesday, the sprain of her mother's wrist healed tremendously while on Wednesday morning, she could already run and jump around without further strain on her ankle.

Because of that, Akemi had no qualm to chase her daughter back to the city, much to Himari's disbelief.

"Granny Saichi, I'm going to the market," Himari spoke as she entered the old lady's house, "Do you want me to buy anything for you?"

Because she would be going back tomorrow, Himari wanted to stock up on the items at home. It would save her mother trouble from getting them herself.

Even though, cough, someone would be so glad to help her.

Granny Saichi poked her head out from the kitchen. She appeared in front of Himari with a glass of cold barley tea in her right hand. The old lady was all smiles as she was humming to the old song that was blaring from the radio.

"Ah, go to the tea shop and get me my order. I've told them about it," Granny Saichi sat down on the recliner chair, "Don't forget to get me a box of daifuku 1from the usual place."

"Okay~ Anything else?"

"No, dear. Be careful ah when you're on the bike. Don't be like your mother," Granny Saichi gave a reminder, "If you get saved by another man, that Kazuya lad would cry ah."

"Hehe, okay~"

Himari stepped out of the wooden house. She hopped on her bike and started to leave for the market. Because the time was three o'clock in the evening, the scorching heat of the sun fell on her.

"Summer's approaching, huh?" She murmured quietly.

It would take another month and a half before summer school break was ushered in. Himari could already picture how restless her students would be as the break got nearer later. They won't focus on class like usual.

Fortunately, each of the classes and rooms at the school was installed with an air-conditioning system. The cool air would help to dispel the heat from tormenting them.

"Hehe, a perfect season to go to the beach," Himari sighed dreamily.

Last night, Kazuya made another video call with her. The dumpling Chiharu was all excited as she brought up the topic of summer break.

"Go to the beach together~ Uncle buy Chiharu's cute swimsuit!"

The dumpling kept dancing on Kazuya's bed, much to the man's annoyance. In the end, he restrained the dumpling by making her sit on his lap.

"Well, if it's alright with you, let's go to the beach for a few days?" The man asked her while caressing the dumpling's head, "I mean if you won't go back to your hometown immediately."

"Let's go!"

Himari quickly agreed without thinking much. The dumpling was all happy thus, another happy dance ensued on Kazuya's bed. 

The man rolled his eyes as he could no longer restrain the dumpling from showing how happy she was.

Back to the present. 

Himari went to buy sugar, salt, black pepper, other spices, detergent, toiletries and other things. These should be enough to last for a month at the very least.

Because she came on a bicycle, she asked the shop to send the others back to her home. Since this was where her mother usually came shopping, the staff there already knew the way to her home.

There was no need to buy frozen food such as cut beef and chicken as well as fish. They could easily be procured from the villagers who sold them fresh every morning. The same could be said for eggs and vegetables.

"...?"

Himari stopped in her tracks the moment she walked out of the shop. She was on her way to the tea shop to get Granny Saichi's order when the corner of her eyes caught a figure of someone familiar.

"Mr. Hori!"

Maybe they had walked past one another before but, because they weren't acquainted at that time, neither Himari nor the other party noticed it. 

Now, Himari could easily spot Mr. Hori in the crowd once she saw him.

The middle-aged man was standing in front of a hardware store. He turned his head in her direction the moment he heard her call.

"Himari," The man smiled kindly at her, "Are you out on an errand? How's your mother?"

"Mom's all good now," Himari returned the smile, "Mr. Hori, you've come quite far today. What are you buying?"

Although it was not impossible for Mr. Hori to come to the market in this town, because he originally lived in the next town, Himari couldn't help but wonder if he deliberately came here today.

Under her smiling face, the older man coughed awkwardly.

"En, my mother asked me to deliver something to your mother. I made a stop here first," Mr. Hori answered with a sheepish smile, "Well, to buy some gifts before going to your house."

Himari was laughing inside even though there were no fluctuations in her smile. 

Why did she suddenly think Mr. Hori was a novice when falling in love? Was this the reason why he hadn't married even though he was already close to his 50s?

Yesterday, Granny Saichi gossiped with her, sharing stories on how Himari's mother got closer to Mr. Hori. They talked while enjoying cut apples when Himari came to the former's house.

Although both Akemi and Mr. Hori didn't publicly mention them getting to know each other more, how could they escape Granny Saichi's eyes? The old lady was quick to discern the sprouting buds of their relationship.

"Your mom said, they met again the time she went out to buy things at the market. It's true that Hori lad helped your mom because she had so many things with her but, the real cause was, he saved your mom when a group of teenagers scolded her back for interfering with their matter."

"Ha? What did you say, Granny?" Himari asked back as her brain couldn't fully comprehend what the old lady said.

Granny Saichi threw her a glare yet she still repeated her words. 

Basically, when Himari's mother was out shopping more than two months ago, she met a group of delinquents trying to bully a schoolboy.

Her mother had always been a righteous person. She couldn't ignore what she had seen thus, the next course of action ensued.

When Akemi scolded them, the bullies warned her to not involve herself unless she wanted to be dealt with by them. 

Before things escalated, Mr. Hori appeared with his two friends. The delinquents ran away before the local police managed to catch them. 

Granny Saichi said that Mr. Hori visited his friend's shop there before he caught the sight of Himari's mother facing the delinquents.

From the moment on, Himari's mother got even closer to Mr. Hori.

Aye, this was a case of saving a damsel in distress ah.

Himari just kept her thoughts in her mind. She carefully assessed the middle-aged man standing in front of him.

Mr. Hori was a tall and lanky man. Because he often worked in the field, his skin was tanned with rough patches on his hands.

Nevertheless, he appeared kind and neat, so pleasing to the eyes.

"Mom loves pink peonies and a jar of good cookies," Himari gestured to a florist nearby, "Coincidentally, we're standing near her favorite florist. She often buys herself a bouquet of pink peonies together with the cookies sold by the owner."

"Ah, good that... she likes that," Mr. Hori scratched the back of his neck. Then, he asked in a cautious tone, "Then, should I... buy those for your mother?"

"Of course! Mom would be glad to receive them!" Himari excitedly pushed the man to listen to her suggestions. 

Thus, an awkward-looking middle-aged man entered the florist while Himari was waving goodbye at him.

"I'll go home first, Mr. Hori. See you later."

"Ah, okay... Be careful on your way back."

"Okay~"

Himari finished her errands before she hopped back on her bike. She wanted to go home as soon as possible before Mr. Hori arrived.

Should she inform her mother that he was coming?

But, her mother might already know ah.

Himari started pedaling the bike, the breeze gently passing her by, tousling the ends of her long hair and the hem of her skirt.

"Hurm, I really should think about getting a stepfather oh."

If Mr. Hori was good to her mother, Himari would just accept it. Even though her mother was in her late 40s, she was still a beauty. Her mother also had other good qualities - a gentle temperament, firm when she needed to be, a good cook and else.

Mr. Hori won't miss anything by marrying her mother.

Well, even though beauty had nothing to do with a successful relationship but, as a daughter, Himari only saw good things in her mother.

As for her real father...

Even from before, Himari's yearning to know who was her real father faded over time. That man who was unknown to her was just responsible for donating his seeds. Other than that, it was all on her mother's shoulders.

If one day, he suddenly appeared and demanded a daughter's respect from her, Himari won't succumb to the pressure.

Unless he was a good man.

If he might be one, Himari won't be too repulsive to get to know him.

Ah, just ignored him. He wasn't significant anyway.

The most important thing was that her mother was happy.