As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

Since Himari knew how well Kazuya would put focus on his job without considering his own health, she really hoped he would listen to her worries. It was already commendable that he was able to stay healthy despite all the busy schedule.

But, another concern sprouted within her as they were talking on the phone earlier.

At the same time, Himari wished Kazuya didn't feel annoyed with her constant reminders.

In the end, Himari shook her head, chasing the worries away from her mind.

"Hurm, it's better if I go to sleep."

Himari switched off the lights in the living room and the kitchen, leaving only the one hanging above the entryway to stay open. She entered the washroom, washed her face then went inside the bedroom.

A certain fat cat was lying in the middle of the bed, treating the bed as his own possession.

Himari looked at Chobi with disdain, "Go away, Chobi. You already have your own bed."

Chobi quietly stared at his mama before he turned over to the other side, showing the view of his butt to Himari. He didn't move from the center of the bed.

Himari rolled her eyes. Ignoring her fat feline son, she sat on the vanity chair and began to do her skincare nighttime routine. 

LINE~

When Himari was gently applying body lotion to her arms, a notification rang from her phone. She rubbed her hands together, waiting for the residual lotion to be absorbed into her skin before she opened the unread new message.

[Kazuya: FlowerBulbsLight.jpg]

[Kazuya: Thought that you'd love to see this]

In the photo that he sent to her, numerous orange lights sparkled on a vast flowerbed. The tiny lights gleamed in the dark, illuminating the flowers bloomed in the night. Looking at them reminded Himari of a sea of stars, only this one was found on the ground.

[Himari: It looks romantic~]

[Himari: En, a handsome gentleman is there taking a photo. What if he met a beautiful stranger while doing so? Sounds like a start of a passionate romance story]

[Himari: PinkStawberryPouting.png]

Himari laughed reading her own replies. Her mind couldn't help but conjure such a scene after seeing the photo.

His replies came shortly.

[Kazuya: Unfortunately, the handsome gentleman already has a girlfriend. He won't be swayed by the stranger]

A burst of giggle escaped Himari's lips. Her eyes sparkled like the lights in the photo, her smile softened like a gentle breeze on a spring night.

[Himari: So cheesy but I like that]

[Himari: PinkStrawberryWinking.png]

[Himari: Off you go now, I'm going to bed]

[Himari: PinkStawberryYawning.png]

When Himari received more replies from him, she swore she could see his face smiling smugly at her.

Although she was annoyed by the image, Himari would just forgive the sneaky man because of his handsome face.

[Kazuya: Sweetened your dreams tonight by dreaming of me]

[Kazuya: MoonBoySmirking.png]

Himari's smile right now was so wide. She chuckled as she was enjoying how corny this man was.

[Himari: Alright. I'll go and splash honey in your dreams tonight ;)]

Once she sent the last text, Himari rose up from the stool. Chobi was still lying in the middle of the bed, earning a frown from her.

"Tsk, he's wrong to think I'd be magnanimous with him," She complained under her breath.

Himari picked Chobi up and placed the fat cat on one side of the bed. Only by doing that she would have enough space to sleep. 

"Meow~"

Chobi struggled in her arms. He looked so dissatisfied having his sleep disturbed.

"Sleep here ah. Your mama wanna lie down to sleep too!" nagged Himari at the orange puddle. She didn't even feel bad doing that to Chobi.

Heh, she wasn't a cat mama that would hesitate to pester her furry son when he was sleeping. He could be sulky with her all he wanted but, she won't coax him.

Looking at the clock, Himari found that it was a quarter past ten, neither too early nor late.

"En, I hope that he would get a decent sleep tonight," She murmured with her eyes darting to the rose crystal lamp next to the bed.

While Himari was gently lured in by her sleepiness, hundred miles away from her, Kazuya was talking with a man that was introduced by his partner. He had just returned from the garden where he made a call to Himari.

The people inside the banquet hall slowly left, leaving only a few businessmen behind. Kazuya didn't waste this opportunity to continue networking with them. Some of them were upstarts like him, thus making it easy for them to understand each other's vision.

"Do you..."

"...looking for a chance for us to work together."

"...see you later, Mr. Hayashi."

"Whenever you come to my city, you're welcomed to contact me. There's a lot for you to see."

"Haha! I'd surely do that!"

Kazuya and his assistant, Iwata only returned to their hotel at eleven. The hotel was just ten minutes away from where the banquet was held. By the time they arrived, they could still see patrons coming and going inside the spacious lobby.

"We'll go down for breakfast at seven," Kazuya told Iwata as they headed to the elevator, "You can go first if you wanted. We can just meet in the restaurant."

"Alright, boss," answered Iwata with a grin, "I heard this hotel serve various options for breakfast. It's a waste if we didn't try them all."

Kazuya stifled a laugh. He just nodded to what the young man said.

Not long after, they reached the 25th floor, the floor where their rooms were booked.

Kazuya walked out of the elevator, followed by Iwata. Their rooms were just side by side. 

As they were walking down the hallway, heading to their rooms, a figure in a yellow dress ran on high-heels toward them.

"Kazuya!"

Kazuya halted his steps. His brows furrowed, thinking that he had heard it wrong before he slowly turned his head, looking at his back.

A familiar face and a familiar smile were staring at him.

Kazuya froze.

"...Sayuri?"

A young woman was smiling at her, looking so happy to have him recognized her.

Kazuya frowned at this unexpected meeting.

The face that appeared in his line of sight right now had once colored his life before the vibrant colors faded into oblivion, leaving him in the darkness. The pain that followed the dark was enough to make him felt as if he was living aimlessly without a soul.

Yet, he managed to break away from the shackles of the heartwrenching pain. 

Three years had passed.

The very last time they saw each other, both of them left in frustration yet...

Kazuya swallowed his initial shock. He quietly assessed the young lady standing in front of him. She kept on smiling gently at him, waiting for his reaction.

It was really her.

His eyes were calm as he opened his mouth, "I didn't expect to see you here."

The young lady dressed in yellow curled up her ruby red lips, her long eyelashes fluttered as she swept her bang aside, revealing her beautiful face. The lights of the chandelier above them shone on her necklace, sending sparkles in its wake.

"I just came out of the other elevator when I saw you. Yes, I didn't expect to see you here too, Kazuya."

Her voice was soft and gentle, resembling the calm flow of a stream.

It was a stark contrast to how infuriated she sounded the last time they saw each other three years ago, on the day they broke up.

Kazuya just smiled.

If anyone seeing it on a closer look, it was the kind of smile that was directed to a stranger instead of someone that he knew.

Dry and faint.

Iwata found that there was a strange atmosphere between his boss and the woman. He tacitly left them alone, giving Kazuya privacy. The faint sound of his footsteps sank as he stepped on the carpeted floor.

"Well, what are you doing here?" Sayuri spoke again as she saw that Kazuya didn't make any attempt to converse with her, "Do you have a job in this city? Would you stay here longer?"

This was not where his elder brother's company was based at. From what she gathered from her friends, Kazuya was still working for his brother's company in their city. He still hadn't changed what he started after his elder brother fell into a coma.

"It's good to see that you're healthy," Kazuya shrugged nonchalantly. He left her questions unanswered, "I heard that you've been abroad for long, Sayuri."

Sayuri's smile stiffened.

No matter how much she tried to ignore it, from the start, aside from the brief surprise seeing her, this man's expression was faintly cold as if she was merely a stranger.

It was not unexpected but...

Sayuri quickly recomposed herself, pushing down her regret from being manifested in her eyes. She answered in the same gentle tone, "My work over there has been completed. I've just returned to the country. I plan to relocate my job here."

Meaning, she would only be here from now. 

She won't leave again.

Not how she did three years ago.