As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

At a quarter past nine, the dark gray car slowly pulled up in front of the familiar apartment building. Even after a few minutes, there was no movement coming from Himari. She sat still on the car seat, her eyes were dull as if she didn't realize where she was.

Kazuya was also relatively quiet as he glanced at her. He silently took in her entire expression.

Ever since he arrived at the hospital, he could only see her face turning pale. Himari was fretting because of her colleague's condition but, he didn't understand why did it affect her so greatly.

Was she just simply shocked over the incident?

Kazuya only chanced to be there because when he had just driven away from the school, he saw a car rushing out from the school ground, trying to overtake him before the car drove past his car.

He didn't think much at first but, Kazuya was horrified because he taught his eyes were playing tricks with him.

He saw Himari driving the car!

Was that really her?

"Teacher Kato? Why does she drive like that?"

Izumi's remarks pulled Kazuya from his shock. He also saw what his uncle had seen.

The driver was indeed Himari!

Thus, Kazuya followed the car from behind. He tried calling her but all of his calls didn't go through. He was startled to find that Himari's destination was the city hospital.

After that, Kazuya quickly parked the car, asked the siblings to wait for him then he rushed inside the hospital.

When he finally met her, she was already crouching weakly in front of a room of the emergency department.

"My colleague... she miscarried."

That was what Himari told him when he asked. She was perplexed to see him but, her focus was more on the woman losing her child.

"Himari."

In the silence of the car, Kazuya gently called out to her.

He saw her eyelashes fluttered before her dull gaze became clearer. She blinked a few times as if she wanted to regain her senses.

When Himari slowly tilted up her head to look at him, Kazuya noticed that her expression worsened.

Even though the interior of the car was only dimly lit by the orange street lights outside, the sorrow imbued in her eyes was apparent to him. 

The look in her eyes was so hollow like she had seen the end of her world.

Kazuya was both speechless and hurt to see her current state.

Why?

Did she become like this because of what happened to her colleague?

Why did she was affected terribly as if she was the one who experienced the pain?

Kazuya reached out his hand then enveloped her small hands in his.

"...can you be by yourself tonight?"

The initial question was swallowed back as Kazuya changed it.

He actually wanted to ask if she would like to have dinner in her apartment with him like before. She hadn't eaten anything since this afternoon. 

"What do you... Ah, it's fine. It's okay."

Muddle-headed, Himari didn't understand why did he ask her that until a realization dawned onto her.

He was concerned about her.

This man was worried to see her current state thus he didn't want her to be alone as usual in her little apartment.

Kazuya pursed his lips, "Are you sure?"

Himari lowered her head, averting her eyes from continually being looked at by him. The uncomfortable feeling that he might be able to pry into her flooded into her heart. Her gaze settled on their intertwined hands. 

"You should go home. Chiharu and Izumi would worry if you don't return soon and... sorry. Because of me, we couldn't go and meet your friends."

Himari smiled with bitterness lingered unpleasantly inside her mouth.

While waiting for Teacher Masuda to come out of the treatment room, Himari urged Kazuya to go back home. He didn't need to be there as well as the matter didn't concern him.

Moreover, the two children were still waiting for him at the car park. They must be exhausted from playing games today. 

Kazuya only left after her countless persuasions but, an hour and a half later, he returned.

He came back with food that she was unable to touch, telling her that he wanted to accompany her. He also retrieved her belongings at school, thanks to Teacher Ayase's help.

Although she kept insisting that she was fine to stay alone at the hospital, the man was also being persistent. Himari could do nothing to chase him away.

"They aren't important. We can reschedule the dinner," answered Kazuya stiffly.

He didn't like what he was feeling right now, helpless and weak.

He also didn't like how distant Himari sounded when she was talking to him.

It gave him a feeling that she was enduring something heavy, something dark all alone by herself but...

Kazuya inwardly laughing at himself.

He couldn't force her to tell him if she didn't want to. 

"En, then, let's reschedule it," replied Himari quietly.

A heavy silence ensued. The atmosphere was so unlike how they were used to whenever they were together. 

Both of them didn't remember when did the last time they felt so awkward sitting together inside an enclosed space like this was. As if they were back in the early days they got acquainted. 

"How about I order some food for you? You can eat it after bathing."

Kazuya broke the silence, still thinking of her well-being.

"I'll just make some noodles," rejected Himari. She smiled faintly at him, "But, thanks for the offer."

"Himari..."

"I'm tired," She cut her off. Under the dim lights, her smile was heartbreaking as her voice carried a hint of exasperation, "You should be tired too. Drive safely. Thank you for today."

"...you too."

Himari gave him one last smile before she hurried out of the car, running inside the apartment courtyard. Through the car window, he saw her entered her apartment without even looking back at him. 

She didn't give him her joyful smile nor she waved her hand at him.

So unlike before.

Kazuya clenched his hands on the steering wheel. His gaze lingered on her apartment unit. It was now lit up from the inside, showing that Himari was really there.

What was wrong?

Why did she suddenly become like that?

From the way she reacted, it was hard to believe that she was just merely affected by what happened to her colleague.

It was like...

There was something more personal to it. 

Kazuya let out a heavy, breathless sigh. As he confirmed that she was indeed safe inside her apartment, he slowly drove the car away from the neighborhood. Before that, he didn't forget to send her a message.

[Kazuya: Have a good rest]

[Kazuya: I'm here whenever you need me to be]

There were no replies coming from her.

In the face of an unknown cause, Kazuya wasn't sure how should he draw her away from whatever bothering her mind. The feeling was akin to being fearful of any misstep when one was walking on the shaky ground. 

The only thing he could do for her was just giving her time. 

If she said she wanted to be alone, he would let her be.

But, if it was for too long, he couldn't allow it. He didn't want the loneliness to consume her heart.

That night, neither of them could sleep well. Not Himari, nor Kazuya.

And, certainly, not Yuina.

The nurses were so kind to her as they attended to her needs. After Yuina was given her dinner, one of the nurses came to accompany her seeing that she was alone without anyone accompanying her.

She was so pathetic, Yuina secretly mocked herself.

Because of her miscarriage, she had to stay in the hospital but, there was no family with her.

The ward felt especially cold and lonely to her.

The two of them talked for a bit, just enough to lighten the mood. As the nurse was called for her duty, she wished Yuina to have a good night's sleep even though both of them knew it was hard to do so.

Now, the clock was showing half-past eleven yet, Yuina was still wide awake. The lights inside her ward had been switched off, only allowing the moonlight and the lights of the corridor to slip in through the tiny gap of the door and windows. 

Earlier, Ryuu sent a message, asking her to do a video call but, Yuina refused. She said she was so tired after the exhausting two days of the sports festival.

Ryuu bought her excuse. He even told her to rest properly. He would be away for a schedule later, citing it was an important job.

Yuina forced herself to not cry.

Her heart was throbbing with pain but, the only way for her to vent was only by crying. She couldn't even tell anyone what was hurting her inside.

As if she had just woken up from a dream turned into a nightmare, both her heart and mind were exhausted.

"Just yesterday... I was so happy thinking of our child."

Reaching out for her phone, Yuina's hands trembled before she pressed on Ryuu's number. No matter how much she didn't want to tell him about their loss, she still wanted to hear his voice to reassure herself.

But...

Even after ten times, the calls remained unanswered.

He was busy.

The phone was thrown to the bedside table.

Yuina closed her eyes, shutting her eyelids tightly to prevent any tears from leaking yet, she failed.

She was all alone now.

Lying weakly on the bed, alone.

Sick...

She was so sick of it.