As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

Kazuya slipped his phone inside the pocket of his pants. He was still smiling as the image of his lady's texts kept dancing in his mind. As always, her replies had been cheeky. They helped to lift up his downturn mood right now.

After bringing Chiharu and Izumi back to their home, Kazuya would leave to meet Himari. Of course, he had to feed the two rascals first before meeting his girlfriend. Both of them should be sleepy after having lunch.

Hurm, if Chiharu knew that he would meet Himari, the dumpling might force him to bring her along.

He should just keep quiet about it. After all, this was not the first time he left them alone at home even without Aunt Mayu with them.

Way before Kazuya started dating Himari, there were some occasions that required him to leave the children at the villa. It was first done when Izumi was old enough to learn his responsibility. 

With the help of the security measures at home as well as the patrol guards in the community they lived in, it had always been peaceful and safe there.

Kazuya patted his back, shaking off any dirt and leaves that got stuck to him. 

The siblings should be finished by now, weren't they?

Before Kazuya walked away from the tree, he saw the approaching shadow of someone. His smile froze the moment his eyes fell on his mother who was now walking in his direction.

When did she appear?

Madam Tokioka cast a look at her youngest son.

Without any difference, this son of hers still showed the same stiff expression in front of her, showing how uncomfortable he was to see her showing up here.

This young man was the same boy who kept trying to gain her affection.

Every time he reached out a hand to her with his eyes carrying hope, she would harshly brush him off.

He didn't stop trying no matter how bitterly cold she treated him.

But, one day, the pleading look of hope in his round eyes was changed into the same expression of hers.

Cold, apathetic, unfeeling.

Madam Tokioka inwardly let out a soft, regretful sigh.

She noticed how Kazuya was clenching his fists hard right now, enough to have his veins bulging on the back of his hands.

Yet, without making small talks to ease the tension around them, Madam Tokioka opened her mouth and started to speak the main reason she came to see her son.

"The other day, didn't you ask me if I want to redeem myself?"

Perplexed, Kazuya was caught off guard the moment his mother's words flouted out in the air. His gaze was blank at the unexpected question.

Madam Tokioka spoke again. She didn't wait for Kazuya to regain his senses.

Her cold and indifferent eyes were clear under the sunlight.

"Your frustration and suspicions are not unfounded. My treatment toward you and your elder brother all these years is enough for you to feel that way. And, I even treated the siblings the same way, before Hiroki fell into a coma."

She understood how terribly scarred her sons were because of her. The same could be said to her estranged husband. Both of them were just parents-in-name for their two sons.

All this while, Madam Tokioka assumed all four of them would just maintain such a distant and unfeeling relationship. Never did she expect there would come a day when she regretted all of her actions more than three decades ago.

Kazuya was quiet as his mind was slowly repeating his mother's words. They were making a mess inside him. He clenched and unclenched his jaw, the whites in his eyes gradually turned redder even without him realizing it.

"You really want to make up for your mistakes to the siblings? By trying to get closer to them now? After years of being cold to them?"

Kazuya asked in a quiet voice. He didn't even bother to include himself in the question.

Madam Tokioka nodded, "I'm their grandmother. It took me so long to fully accept it but, I want to integrate myself into their lives."

Three years ago, the moment she received a call that conveying the gruesome news of her eldest son's accident, a small crack formed in her cold heart.

At first, she denied the unbearable feeling.

In her opinion, there was no way she would feel so much toward a son who was estranged from her.

Even though Madam Tokioka still returned to the country because of the accident, she kept pressing down the new yet unfamiliar feelings that were clawing her heart.

The feelings intensified the first time she saw how lifeless her eldest son appeared as he lied on the hospital bed.

Chiharu's nonstop yet heartwrenching cries, Izumi's forlorn expression at such a young age and Kazuya's devastated and desperate look in his eyes, all of the images created chaos in her mind.

But, she didn't falter.

She was still the same frosty cold woman on the outside, the exact same mask she wore when facing the world.

Until she came across the young lady on a fateful night.

That night, all of the undesirable feelings that she suppressed began to surge up from the deepest part of her heart, leaving her no way out unless she embraced them.

With his gaze on the ground, Kazuya scoffed at such unbelievable excuses. His mocking laughter reverberated in the peaceful yard, carrying his contempt and disbelief.

His mother wanted to act like a normal grandmother to the children?

Wasn't it such a big joke?

The moment Kazuya looked at his mother again, the enmity in his eyes could no longer be concealed.

"I don't know what makes you wanna change but, don't you think it's too late? Why bother? What if you just give the children false hopes? I won't tolerate any garbage from you."

The words were spat out between gritted teeth, sounding so unpleasant on such a bright day.

Madam Tokioka's expression didn't change. She fully understood she couldn't demand respect from this son of hers.

She had never done anything that could gain any from him.

As if both of them were having a peaceful chat instead of one that was brimming with resentment, Madam Tokioka was still calm as she responded to such a harsh tone coming from Kazuya.

"I'll be truthful. I don't know how to really act as a grandmother to them and as a mother to you, but I'm not spouting nonsense right now. Words are cheap. Just see for yourself how I'd change."

Kazuya wanted to vent out more of his vexation but, in the face of his mother's new words filled with a resolution, his anger died down, making him felt so helpless because of his early outburst.

In the end, he could only laugh.

It sounded so bitter.

"Mother."

Kazuya lifted up his chin. His gaze went beyond the shoulders of his mother, his eyes fell on the white cottage building behind her.

A self-ridicule smile hooked up on his lips. He asked quietly, "Do you remember the very first time I came here?"

Finally, Madam Tokioka's expression faltered, showing brief surprise in her eyes. 

It was a really unforeseen question.

The very first time Kazuya came here...

When was it?

Madam Tokioka stared at her son in disbelief. 

Her young looked so hurt, so deeply hurt.

Kazuya swallowed down the inevitable disappointment. He shook his head, another mocking laughter slipped out of his mouth.

"When I was in middle school, I came here in the weekend. It's Mother's Day."

Madam Tokioka was quiet as her son's words that tinged with sorrow drifted into her ears. Although Kazuya's voice was so low, it somehow thundered inside her.

Her heart began to pound furiously as an ominous sense engulfed her.

Kazuya cast a sad smile. He couldn't see how red his eyes currently was.

His appearance right now closely resembled a young boy pleading for endearment from his parents, the ones he looked up to.

"...you told me to not bother you. You didn't even look at the cake I brought for you."

Madam Tokioka's eyes flickered. She racked her brain to recall the exact moment yet, nothing came to her. Horrified, her face turned pale in an instant.

Kazuya closed his eyes. 

It was so obvious that his mother didn't even remember it.

While he...

He still recalled how his heart was aching painfully as he cried behind his elder brother's back on their way back to the city.

Kazuya loosened the grip of his fists. He felt so exhausted all of a sudden.

"Do you think everything would be fine just by changing?"

There were no words Madam Tokioka could use to appease her own son. All of them were useless at this moment, the time when Kazuya openly showed her the extent of his estrangement from her.

All this time, he was only stiff and awkward. He even showed some degree of respect to her but...

Right now, the loath and disappointment were evident by how he appeared.

Kazuya lifted up his eyelids, revealing a pair of red eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"Do whatever you want. If your so-called change hurt the siblings, I won't let you off."

The hostility in his voice couldn't mask his deep sorrow. Kazuya raised up his feet. He strode past his mother, heading to the studio. He didn't even cast one last look at the woman.

Madam Tokioka revealed a bitter smile.

It was hard to take the first step but, she couldn't give in now.

Not anymore.