As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

Morning came as the sun slowly rose up above the horizon. The weather was a bit chilly with the smell of incoming rain lingered in the air. 

In the early summer, the rain was quite unpredictable yet, one could anticipate the plums to ripe well in these days.

Summer was here.

Himari woke up as early as half-past five. After checking on Yuina who was still sleeping dearly, she did her usual morning routine on the weekend.

"En, I've almost run out of fresh ingredients," She murmured as she stood in front of the refrigerator.

Himari opened the windows, letting the morning air freshen her little apartment. She cleaned Chobi's litter box, dumped the remaining water inside his bowl then stocked up the kibbles inside the dispenser. 

Only then did Himari started cleaning the apartment although there was nothing much to be done.

"Meow~"

Chobi rubbed his chin over Himari's calf the moment she was getting ready to go out at a quarter past six.

"Chobi."

Himari bent down, carried the fat cat on one arm while she rubbed under his chin with the other hand. Chobi began to purr in contentment, he licked one of his paws.

"I'm going to the market. Look after Yuina, okay?"

"Meow~"

Himari stroked the back of his pointy ears a few times before she let him go. The orange tabby leaped to the floor, walking to his favorite spot under the windowsill.

With a tote bag on her right shoulder, Himari went out of the apartment. She locked the door then walked downstairs.

"Going to the market, Himari?"

Aunt Mio greeted her as they met at the gate. The middle-aged lady was carrying her white cat. They had just returned from a morning stroll.

"I heard Old Satoru saying he'd give special discounts to the early birds today," Himari pointed a finger to Yuki. The white cat lifted up a paw and played with her finger, mewling cutely, "I need to stock up my fridge."

"Ah, when I walked past his store earlier, there were not many people yet. Off you go now."

"Hehe, see you later~"

Himari didn't dawdle in the morning market. After buying all the necessary items, she immediately went home. Halfway there, Himari made a stop at her favorite breakfast bar and bought two breakfast sets from the auntie.

By the time she returned to the apartment, most of the roads were still deserted. It was a normal occurrence on a weekend morning.

"...?"

Himari stopped on her feet when her eyes caught a figure of a man standing behind a lamp pole. The man was staring at the apartment building, to be precise, to a particular unit. He was wearing a long jacket, a face mask, a pair of sunglasses and a bowler hat.

Yet, seeing such a man that was supposed to raise doubts didn't really frighten Himari.

For some reason, he looked familiar.

Was he...

Himari looked at her left and right, finding nothing suspicious then she cautiously approached the man.

"Mr. Ishizaki?"

The man abruptly looked at her. Under the disguise, Himari was certain he was surprised to see her.

"You... you knew who I am?"

The man stuttered, he held on to his face mask as if he was afraid it would fall down thus revealing his face.

Himari restrained herself from frowning. She answered quietly, "...I've just guessed it and with you standing here early in the morning, you should be grateful that no one reported you to the police."

An awkward silence fell between them once Himari was done talking.

Ryuu lowered his head in ashamed. Both of his shoulders slumped down.

"Well, I know..."

It was undeniable that what Ryuu was doing right now went against what he had always practiced. Whenever he went out, his disguise and temperament were perfect to avoid people noticing who he was but...

At the crack of dawn, Ryuu rushed out of the residential complex with just the thoughts of seeing Yuina from afar. He just grabbed his trench coat, face mask and hat. Before getting off of the car, he wore sunglasses as the finishing touch.

He couldn't sleep last night.

Ryuu stayed up till late, reading all the parenting and motherhood books that Yuina left in the living room. His eyes stung every time he saw the small notes that his wife jotted down next to any particular paragraphs.

Himari glanced at her wristwatch. The time had just shown a quarter past seven o'clock. It was indeed too early.

"Yuina's still sleeping before I went out. Do you want me to convey anything to her?"

To be honest, Himari was vaguely shocked to see the appearance of the film emperor. With him here, she couldn't help but think if whatever that led to Yuina seeking refuge here might have anything to do with this man.

Did they have a fight?

Ryuu lifted up his face, properly staring at the woman who helped his wife.

"If I'm not mistaken, weren't you the teacher that found us at that time? In the sickbay?"

"Ah, yes."

No wonder she looked kind of familiar, Ryuu thought.

"Well, sorry for troubling you but... could I entrust Yuina to you for a while?" He darted his eyes away, falling to the apartment building. In a voice tinged with regret, he breathed out, "I don't think she wants to see me right now."

"Don't worry. She's safe here if that's what you're worried about, Mr. Ishizaki," answered Himari firmly.

Ryuu could only smile in bitterness. 

Last night, each of Yuina's actions told Ryuu that she was being serious with her choice to leave. Her cries were still cemented deep inside his mind, haunting every step he took in their abode.

How many months, no, years that Yuina took to conceal every one of her grievances?

They kept snowballing inside her, taking over every space that was left in her heart resulting in her being suffocated, unable to put on her mask anymore.

Was the loss of their child be the last straw?

"Then, I supposed..." Ryuu coughed once, rolling his throat in unease, "Were you the one who... accompanied Yuina when she..."

Unable to finish his own sentence, Ryuu trailed off. He clasped his hands into fists, veins bulging on the back of his hands.

The child was supposed to be a dream come true to both of them but, the dream turned into a nightmare and...

His wife had to endure everything without him by her side.

"I didn't do much. Yuina was alone in the hospital," replied Himari without toning down the alienation in her voice.

Although the incident couldn't be foreseen by anyone, it was hard to brush it off as something unexpected. Until this day, Himari could see how lonely Yuina was to fall into such a state with no loved ones to ease her pain.

It was selfish of her to think like this but, Himari couldn't help but be angry.

She also understood it was ironic for her to feel this way considering that she also concealed her miscarriage from her loved ones but...

The light in Himari's eyes became dull. 

Yuina and this man were actually anticipating the presence of the child since forever, unlike her that just went along with fate.

Those words sent a stabbing pain to Ryuu's heart, adding another layer of ache within him.

Ryuu averted his eyes from Himari's sullen gaze. He laughed quietly, ridiculing himself.

"I see... Thank you so much, really."

Ryuu unclasped his hands, feeling how empty and awkward they were. Knowing that he could do nothing at this moment, he gathered his hands together and gave Himari a deep bow, surprising her.

"Then, please, I humbly request for your help. Please look after Yuina. She... she's important to me."

Himari didn't expect that a day like this would come to her.

The renowned film emperor, the one that had a massive fan base inside and outside the country, who stood at the pinnacle of the entertainment world was bowing at her because of his wife.

"...please rest assured. Yuina would be fine."

After that, Himari quickly returned to her apartment. The road had started to be filled by the morning risers. It would be bad if anyone noticed the man in disguise.

Also, there was nothing left to be said to the film emperor. 

There was a line that shouldn't be crossed by an outsider. Any help that one could give should not extend beyond that. 

"...Himari, you went out?"

Yuina's sleepy voice greeted Himari the moment she entered the apartment, startling her. The former was sitting in the living room with Chobi curling up on her lap. The fat cat was obedient as he let Yuina stroked his soft fur.

"Ah, haha, you've woken up? Why don't you sleep any longer?"

Himari pressed down her guilty conscience. She didn't think it was a good idea to mention the appearance of Yuina's husband so early in the morning. It might interrupt the latter's mood.

"I've slept enough. It's comforting here," answered Yuina with a smile.

Her complexion was better than last night, much to Himari's relief.

"I'm glad that you feel so. I bought breakfast for us. Let's eat together?"

"Hehe, okay~"

Yuina carried Chobi in her arms. She followed Himari to the kitchen. 

Unknown to Himari, a sense of unease tinged in Yuina's eyes.

It seemed like Himari won't tell her that Ryuu was downstairs.

What were they talking about?

Yuina lowered her gaze, silently holding back everything that she wanted to ask.

Although she was both surprised and touched to see her husband downstairs, this was not the right time for them to face one another yet.