As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

There were only the two of them inside the long hallways of the hotel as if no one else existed. The silence felt uncomfortable for some reason.

Kazuya let out a low hum, looking uninterested with everything Sayuri had said so far. He nodded his head slightly, "Good for you. Then, I'll head to my room now."

His voice was so distant and the way he cut the conversation off clearly showed her that he didn't want to stay here any longer.

Kazuya turned around to where his room was located. He had been so tired already. He just wanted to have a quick shower then went to sleep. Tomorrow would be another long day for him.

If his lady knew he had stayed up until now, won't she just nag at him? Himari had always been concerned about his health no matter she showed it subtly or not.

Kazuya faintly smiled as the likely possibility crossed his mind. 

Somehow, he anticipated it. It was worth it to hear Himari nagging at him during the next phone call.

Haha, if she knew his thinking right now, her nagging would just intensify.

As Kazuya was immersed in his own thoughts, he didn't see how Sayuri's calm expression cracked the moment his back was shown to her.

Three years ago, she was the one who showed him her back as she walked away from him, unfazed by his begging. She didn't even stop to give him one last look.

Her arrogance told him to not falter under his pleads. He would come to her once he knew he was in the wrong.

Yet, he never did. She only deluded herself by being unwilling to take a step back and go to him.

Now, Kazuya did the same.

Panic struck her mind.

"Kazuya!"

After taking just three steps, Sayuri called for him again.

Kazuya paused yet he didn't turn back to face her.

Sayuri clenched her hands together. Her eyes were hopeful as she continued, her voice was shaky, "...well, since we haven't met for years, can I invite you for dinner together? I think we would have lots of things to catch up with."

Kazuya sighed inwardly.

From the day they broke up three years ago, never did Kazuya expect to come across his previous lover again. Although it wasn't weird to run into her since their roots were in the same city, he didn't even want to think about it.

When he was in dire support from everyone around him, she followed the crowd by turning her back to him.

It was a time he didn't want to remember. 

The pain clawed his heart, digging the talons deep inside until he bled.

Kazuya didn't care about other people's views on him but, it wasn't the same when it involved her.

After all, he really, really loved her yet...

She left.

The moment he pulled himself together from the sorrow of the heartbreaking separation, it was the exact moment he deemed her as a stranger.

"I can't do that," replied Kazuya without looking at Sayuri who kept standing behind him.

Sayuri put on a forced smile. Excuses kept pouring out of her mouth.

"...are you that busy? You can't even have dinner with me? Then, maybe another thing like... Well, we can exchange numbers first. It seems like you have changed yours because I couldn't contact your old number anymore."

The woman's voice ladened with hope and insecurity did nothing to stir waves in his heart, unlike the days when they were together years ago.

Kazuya slowly turned his head, throwing a glance at her over his shoulders. He parted his lips, his voice was still calm and distant as he gave her a shocking answer.

"We have nothing more to do with each other. I can't make my girlfriend upset by having dinner with you."

If the first sentence disappointed Sayuri, Kazuya's second sentence was enough to make the words thundered in her mind.

"...girlfriend?" 

Her face paled in an instant.

Kazuya no longer paid her any attention. He resumed his walk, leaving the ghastly-looking woman behind him until his figure appeared smaller and smaller in the long and spacious hallway.

In the end, he disappeared at one corner of the hallway, leaving no traces of him.

"...no way."

At the same spot, Sayuri remained frozen with her eyes locked on the place where Kazuya vanished. Her eyelashes trembled, so did her lips that were painted with red color. 

Ever since she returned to the country a few weeks ago, Sayuri coerced herself to not be in a rush in seeking Kazuya. She needed proper planning lest she would just incite his anger once more.

She was the one who left three years ago thus, she couldn't just treat it like nothing happened by going to him directly.

Yet, due to this unexpected occurrence of meeting him in another city, all of her plans went down to drain. Her heart burst into joy the moment her eyes caught his figure.

From one look, she knew it was him.

Sayuri thought that he would be as happy as her to meet coincidentally as if Fate led them to.

Even if he was still mad with her, she was certain she could melt his heart again like how she had done years ago.

But...

Sayuri almost staggered. She quickly reached out for the nearby marble pillar, trying to support herself. 

The man's gaze was so indifferent as if they were really strangers to each other.

The moment he rejected her invitation, there were no fluctuations in his eyes. He didn't feel anything when doing so.

And...

"He has a girlfriend?" She breathed out the words in difficulty. 

Sayuri bit her lower lip. She weakly rubbed her forehead. Her face was still pale.

With her eyes looking again at where Kazuya disappeared, her gaze was forlorn.

"...no way."

Sayuri kept standing there, hoping if she waited for another moment longer, he would appear again in front of her and say that he was just making a bad joke as a way to get back to her. 

She didn't mind if he wanted to hurt her for what she had done three years ago but...

He never reappeared. 

Inside a hotel room, Kazuya threw the tie and jacket on the coffee table. He slumped his whole body onto the long couch. His face could no longer conceal the fatigue he had endured today.

More than that, the impact of suddenly meeting the one he used to love before had yet to leave him.

Kazuya let his eyes wandered to the pristine white ceiling above. His gaze was deep, unfathomable.

Did he was surprised to see her?

Yes.

Did he want to see her again?

No.

At this time, his mother's undesirable words rang inside his mind. She was the one who brought up about her before.

"At Milan, I saw her. She said she would come back soon. Have you been in contact with her?"

Kazuya closed his eyes, defeated by his exhaustion. Inevitably, his mind recalled their meeting earlier.

In just a few minutes, he saw that Sayuri was being hopeful when she suggested them meeting again for dinner. He didn't understand her real intention but, there was no reason for him to go that far and clarify it.

Maybe she did it to ease the lingering tension between them, maybe the motive was to keep in touch yet, Kazuya wasn't on the same page as her. He didn't even want to entertain the thought.

From the time she said everything was over between them, she was a stranger to him.

Kazuya was grateful for the good memories they shared together, he could still treat her politely but, if he still met her outside especially just the two of them, he thought it was unfair to his current partner.

As to how Himari was being considerate with him over the matter regarding her previous lover, Kazuya would do the same to her. 

She gave him respect and he would return the same respect to her.

Right now, no other person matter in their relationship. 

"...!"

Realizing something, Kazuya sprang on his heels. He abruptly stood up, his eyes opened wide in a second as if he wasn't the one feeling tired a few minutes ago.

"Ah, I forgot. Time for a shower."

Kazuya fumbled with the buttons of his shirt as he made his way to the ensuite washroom. In a split second, once again, he was reminded of Himari's nagging about going to rest as soon as he returned to the hotel room.

The longer he delayed showering, the later he could rest.

Aye, initially he had an intention to make a video call with Himari tomorrow but, should he just postpone it? He might have dark circles under his eyes by then. 

What if she saw how tired he looked? 

But, it didn't feel bad to hear her nagging at him. 

En, en, let's just make a video call ah. Even if she complained nonstop, he would just smile and calmly accept it. He really wanted to see her face instead of just imagining it.

Haha, Himari would grow more frustrated if he did that.

Thus, with funny thoughts looming inside his mind, Kazuya forgot how unpleasant he felt because of the unexpected meeting with Sayuri before.

Inside the washroom, the showerhead continued pouring down water, falling on the man's figure before splashing to the floor. His inky black tattoo gleamed under the bright lights of the shower room.