As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

That night, after having dinner with Chiharu and Izumi, Kazuya headed to the study room. The materials regarding the business trip were piling up on the desk, waiting for him to go through it one more time. 

Although Chiharu wanted to pester her uncle tonight, Izumi dragged her to the lounge to watch a film together. The boy understood that their uncle would be busy tonight considering he would be going away next Monday.

"The tiara looks like Chiharu's~" The dumpling pointed her chubby finger toward the screen of TV. A princess was wearing a ball gown with a tiara on her head, walking down the grand stairs, "Big Brother, can Chiharu wear a dress like that?"

"Of course," answered Izumi without looking at his sister.

Who could stop her if she really wanted that?

Chiharu grinned. Her little mind was reminded of the tiara that was given by her grandmother.

The tiara perfectly fitted her small head. Pink and red stones were inlaid on the tiara, resembling the ones she had always seen in princess films. 

She should find time to show it to Teacher Kato!

Izumi glanced at his sister who focused back on the film.

Ever since they returned from their grandmother's studio, her mood elevated to the next level. Chiharu had even napped with the tiara this afternoon. It was placed on a throw pillow, lying next to hers.

Grandmother was mostly quiet when she was putting the sparkly stones for Chiharu's tiara but, every time his little sister asked questions, Grandmother didn't brush those off. She answered them one by one, showing no hint of impatience.

But...

Izumi darted his eyes to the ceiling as if his gaze could penetrate the hard surface, directly looking at their uncle who was busy in the study room.

Uncle left the workshop halfway when Grandmother was showing them how to decorate the tiara. Izumi didn't know where did he go but, when Uncle returned later, he seemed to be in a bad mood.

After Grandmother finished adorning the tiara with the stones, she put it on the table, telling both of them to not touch it yet. Afterward, Grandmother went out of the workshop.

Did Grandmother go to find Uncle? 

Did Uncle and Grandmother have a fight?

Uncle's bad mood might happen because of Grandmother, right?

While Chiharu was enjoying the film, Izumi was in a complicated mood.

To be honest, he disliked his paternal grandmother. Izumi used to think that Grandmother didn't like them so, he kept a distance from her. 

But, after having her congratulated him over his winnings for the basketball matches as well as seeing she didn't act cold with Chiharu, Izumi could no longer say his dislike was as much as before.

The little things that Grandmother did to them began to pop into his mind.

Having meals together, giving them gifts, spending time with them...

Grandmother still appeared cold on the outside. She also didn't coddle them with affectionate words like how most grandmothers doting on their grandchildren did but, there was something different about her.

His sense as a child was telling him that Grandmother now was not the same as the one before. Although he was still so young a few years ago, Izumi still remembered how Grandmother acted toward him and Chiharu.

She outrightly ignored them, unlike right now.

Izumi scratched his little head. 

Did Uncle feel that Grandmother has changed too?

Yet, no matter how obvious Uncle wasn't close with Grandmother, he had never badmouthed her in front of them. Uncle still reminded them to respect both Grandmother and Grandfather, even though they rarely met them. 

Grandfather...

While he was thinking, the faint image of his paternal grandfather flashed across his eyes.

A pair of sharp eyebrows, indifferent eyes, then...

Grandfather inherited his looks to Uncle and Father but, why did he feel it was hard to materialize his face in his mind? Was it because he didn't appear in front of them for a long time?

As far as he knew, Grandfather worked and lived abroad. He rarely returned to the country, even on the New Year.

The last time Izumi saw him was...

If he recalled correctly, it happened the first few months after their father got hospitalized. Grandfather came to the hospital once.

They met because Uncle brought him and Chiharu to visit Father, although his little sister couldn't stop wailing after seeing his weak state. 

Izumi remembered that Uncle and Grandfather had a talk. 

Right... Uncle was in a bad mood too after Grandfather left.

Izumi swallowed back the heavy sigh from coming out of his mouth.

Although he was small, he still understood that his family wasn't like the ones outside.

If not for Uncle's persistency to take good care of him and his little sister, Izumi doubted both of them could still be well-fed and had a good shelter over their heads after their mother passed away and their father was in a coma. 

Instead of just throwing money on them and asked strangers to take care of them, Uncle still kept them close and let them felt the warmth of a family. 

Uncle was really good at them. He worked hard to ensure they didn't feel neglected.

Izumi threw away all those complicated thoughts. His little brain couldn't continue thinking of such a heavy matter.

Looking at his little sister, Izumi gave Chiharu a head pat.

"Big Brother?"

Chiharu was confused when her big brother suddenly rubbed her head.

Izumi's eyes were stern, "Don't make trouble for Uncle anymore, okay?"

Aye, if Uncle didn't really be fond of them, he won't ever attend to Chiharu's fussiness. 

His little sister could act freely with their uncle because she felt safe with him. She knew that their uncle won't ever push them away.

But, his little sister should also tone down her mischievous antics.

"Really, don't make trouble for Uncle anymore," Izumi repeated.

Chiharu was more confused.

Why did Big Brother nag at her?

She was watching TV obediently ah!

She even finished the broccoli during dinner!

She didn't do anything naughty right now!

Big Brother was wronging her oh Q^Q

While Izumi was disciplining Chiharu downstairs, Kazuya was still busy with his job. He sat quietly inside the study. Occasionally he would make a call to Shuichi and Iwata, his assistant to discuss the new key points of the project.

Kazuya only stopped his work when the clock showed to ten. The rest could be continued tomorrow.

"You only know to work ah."

While Kazuya was tidying the messy work desk, a familiar voice echoed inside his mind. His hands paused from collecting the files together.

Once again, the voice resembling the soft wind of spring breezed into his ears.

"Get some rest too or do you wanna turn older so soon?"

His lips raised up, his eyes bent, smiling softly.

Kazuya laughed at himself. He was amused because, at certain times, his mind would inadvertently echo her voice, especially of her nagging at him.

As Kazuya walked past the hallway to check on the siblings, what happened before he went home was conjured into his mind. He lifted up a hand, his fingertips touched where the soft feeling of her lips landed for a short moment.

It was undeniable that Kazuya was so shocked when Himari suddenly kissed the corner of his lips. He never thought she would take such an initiative when her temperament was generally soft, giving off a naive feeling.

Well, it was surprising but, Kazuya couldn't say that he disliked it.

Hurm, what should he get for her later?

As he had promised, Kazuya wanted to gift her something memorable, something that reminded him of her at the first glance.

Haha, he had really turned corny ah.

Sunday was a busy day at the Hayashi villa.

Kazuya packed his suitcase, went grocery shopping for the siblings' needs and made sure the room that Aunt Mayu would use to stay overnight was clean. 

When he sent a selfie of him working hard cleaning the room to Himari, she replied him with a smirking sticker. 

Well, usually Aunt Mayu would use a small room in the kitchen whenever she wanted to take a break. The housekeeper objected when Kazuya suggested her using any of the vacant guest rooms.

But, it would be uncomfortable for Aunt Mayu to sleep there during the time he was away. Kazuya located her in the guest room next to Chiharu's.

"Don't make things hard on Aunt Mayu. You two should listen to her well, okay? And, do the same to Uncle Shuichi too." 

For the nth time, Kazuya gave reminders to the two siblings. They were having dinner together. Tomorrow, he would depart to City R. 

Shuichi would drive the siblings to school as well as pick them up. That friend of his lived nearby thus, Shuichi didn't need to make a detour just to come to this villa.

"Okay, Uncle~ Chiharu will be a good girl so bring back delicious sweets, okay?"

The dumpling gave her uncle a cute smile, trying to lure her uncle into giving in to her request.

Squinting his eyes, Kazuya replied, "I'll make your big brother reports to me first."

Chiharu deflated like a balloon.

She didn't expect Uncle couldn't believe her oh!

"Humph! It's better if Chiharu stays with Teacher Kato when Uncle is away!" Aggrieved, Chiharu puffed her cheeks up, resembling a frustrated squirrel, "We can do so many things together!"

"You brat," Kazuya widened his eyes, he laughed angrily, "I won't let you covet my girlfriend when I'm not here. Dream on."

"Humph! No talk to Uncle ah."

Chiharu turned her face away from her annoying uncle. She lowered her face and continued to finish her dinner.

Izumi was helpless to see the childish bickering of the two of them. 

En, what if Chiharu really went to find Teacher Kato tomorrow and made such a request?

He had to make sure his little sister didn't act wildly in the three days their uncle wasn't at home.

This had to be done to avoid disasters!