As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

A pair of swollen eyes were looking into the mug that was held in her hands. As if she could really see it, the panic-stricken face of her husband was reflected on the glossy surface of the hot chocolate.

"Yuina, the bed has been prepared. You should go and rest now."

The voice pulled her out of her thoughts. Yuina averted her gaze from the mug, staring into the direction of the voice.

"Thanks... and, sorry Himari, it seems like I've disturbed your date night with your boyfriend."

Yuina smiled in guilt. She randomly picked a strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear.

Himari shrugged, her eyes were smiling, "There's nothing much. We're just having dinner with his friends."

It was undeniable to say that Himari was so shocked to see Yuina was really waiting for her outside of the apartment building. The latter sat quietly inside her car, spacing out with her face blotchy, which might be due to her crying.

Himari quickly invited Yuina inside her little apartment after telling Kazuya he should go home now. Her man nodded in understanding, letting her coax Yuina.

Right now, Yuina was sitting on the strawberry couch with a mug in her hands. She had yet to change out of her clothes although Himari could see that Yuina was still wearing loungewear under her long cardigan.

It was evident that she was in a rush to go out of her own place with just a small duffel bag in her hands.

"It's already late. Even though tomorrow's Saturday, I don't think you're fit to stay up all night watching films."

Himari sat crossed-legs on the floor, tilting up her head to stare at Yuina. She reached out both hands and lifted Chobi from under the low table.

The fat cat of hers had been sprawling on the same spot, unmoving from the moment she went out with Kazuya earlier.

Yuina lowered her head, pursing her lips in a hushed shame. Her grip on the mug tightened.

"I left my home and... found that I didn't know where should I head to so that's why... I thought of you."

Ryuu was actually adamant about not letting her go out in the middle of the night, citing that if she didn't want to see him for a time, he would go. Yuina could just stay in the safety of their home.

But, his stance wavered after Yuina refuted him.

"If I stay here while you go outside, won't it just repeat what has been happening all this while? I'm still alone here."

Yuina just shoved a few items inside a bag. Her mind was in a mess since she didn't expect that this kind of day would really come. 

Ryuu stood behind her, helplessly watching her walking out of the duplex without having second thoughts.

"...when would you return?"

He sounded so defeated, so vulnerable. It took Yuina a hard time to swallow the uneasiness before she answered.

"After I could think things through. Ryuu, take care."

Then, she left without looking back even once. Yuina hardened her heart to not do so because she was afraid if her resolve would all break down the moment she looked into his mournful eyes.

The city was big but, she didn't know where should she bring her exhausted body and mind.

Yuina drove aimlessly, thinking whether she should stay in a hotel for a couple of days before deciding everything but, the feeling of being alone in an unfamiliar surrounding overwhelmed her.

At that time, Yuina just felt that she wanted to be with someone that she was comfortable with.

Hiro was out of the question. Kanna wasn't in the city.

In the end, she thought of Himari.

Himari was quiet as she let Yuina was immersed in her own thoughts. The latter's situation implied that something major had happened at home. 

"Sleep is the best answer when you're tired," Rising up to her feet with Chobi sleeping in her arms, Himari smiled softly at Yuina, "It might help to clear up your mind."

Yuina dazedly staring at Himari. She nodded lightly.

"...yes, I think I should go to sleep now."

Yuina finished the hot chocolate. After washing the mug, she followed Himari to the room at the end of the short hallway.

"It's quite small but the bed is comfortable. There's a spare toothbrush and a towel if you wanna use them. Feel free to tell me if you need anything else."

"Thank you, really."

Himari just smiled. She bid good night to Yuina before disappeared inside her own bedroom. Yuina remained standing outside the guest room, her heart swelled with gratitude.

Entering the room, Yuina carefully looked around her.

The room was indeed small yet the few pieces of furniture inside were neatly arranged. A single-size mattress without a bedframe was shoved to a corner of the room. A small white bedside table stood next to the bed with a clock on its surface.

There was a metal railing hung to one side of the wall, suitable to hang any clothes there. A low cabinet for storing more items was placed under the railing. Two small pots of plastic flowers adorned the empty surface.

Yuina put down the duffel bag beside the table. She plopped on the mattress, looking so listless.

Her heart was torn painfully as she recalled how miserable Ryuu looked when she insisted on having some time apart from time.

All in all, both of them had their own share of faults that led to this breakdown.

"Let's just hope this time, I could clear my mind. After all..."

Her voice trailed off, her eyes turned dull.

She still had to have a talk with Ryuu no matter what. If not, she was just running away from their problem.

Yuina got up from the mattress. She took out clean loungewear from the bag to get ready to sleep. Her head was dizzy since before. If she didn't rest now, tomorrow would be torture to her.

The apartment was quiet and dark as Himari had fallen asleep. 

Lying in the unfamiliar place sometime later, Yuina slid her eyes open, staring out the windows through the tiny gap between the curtains.

The moon was hiding behind the clouds, emitting a gloomy vibe to the surroundings.

Could he sleep well tonight?

Yuina closed her eyes, not wanting to think about Ryuu anymore.

Her sleep came easily, unlike how she had anticipated.

While Yuina was sleeping peacefully inside the unfamiliar room, Ryuu couldn't even close his eyes no matter how much he wanted to. He was sitting on the bed, facing the floor-to-ceiling windows. 

The moonlight was lackluster tonight.

The inside of the bedroom was only illuminated by the faint lights of the residential complex that were hanging outside. Ryuu didn't even bother to switch on the bedroom lights.

For the first time ever, he was alone in this spacious duplex.

There was no sight of his lovable wife everywhere.

"Haaa..."

Ryuu restlessly rubbed his face, his heavy breath fanned against his coarse palms. 

Yuina's words kept ringing next to his ears, stabbing into his gut with every word that was enunciated.

"I'm not happy."

"All the luxury you gave me is meaningless."

"I don't want to live like this anymore."

Since when did she begin to have such thoughts?

All this while, he only saw her being happy in front of him. Even when he got an unexpected job that required him to be away longer, she understandingly smiled at him, wishing him all the best.

Ryuu still vaguely guessed that Yuina was lonely but, he was too foolish to assume he could compensate her by gifting her various kinds of luxurious gifts.

He indeed turned a blind eye, only looking at her smile at face value without trying to explore the depths of her heart, peeking into what she was hiding.

"...at least, she's safe now."

Unknown to his wife, Ryuu followed her car from behind, maintaining an appropriate distance to avoid being spotted by Yuina.

He had almost lost her a few times before he swiftly tailed her again. He was surprised to see she pulled up the car in front of a single apartment building.

Not long after, Yuina got out of the car, meeting a woman who had just arrived with a dark gray car. The woman brought her upstairs. They entered a unit of the apartment.

Ryuu stayed long enough there, only looking at the door, faintly wishing Yuina would come out and return home but...

It was just a hopeless wish.

He only returned to the vacant duplex after seeing the lights inside the apartment got switched off.

"I didn't even know who's the friend that helps her tonight. She also said... she miscarried."

Did he get too immersed in his career until there was so much that he didn't know currently happening to his wife?

Ryuu had forgotten when was the last time he felt so defeated like how he felt right now. What happened tonight gave him the feeling of having something precious slipping out from his hands no matter how hard he held on to it.

Knowing too well that it would just be a sleepless night for him, Ryuu walked out of the bedroom, wandering aimlessly downstairs.

When he walked past the couch, his eyes accidentally fell on a stack of magazines that were piling up on the coffee table.

Ryuu froze.

From the cover of the topmost one, it seemed like it was a magazine that was related to motherhood.