As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

"Waaaaa~ So prettyyyy!"

Chiharu exclaimed out loud once she was carried out of the car. Her two chubby and small hands waved around as she tried catching the falling pink petals of the cherry blossoms. The light blue ribbons with cherry blossom flowers dangled from the twin ponytails of her hair.

"Chiharu! Don't bounce!" Kazuya held the little dumpling tight when she almost fell out of his arms.

"Uncle! Put me down! Chiharu wants to play!" Chiharu shot her uncle a glare.

Kazuya felt both funny and angry. To avoid the little one really fell because of her constant moving, he lowered her to the ground.

Chiharu jumped up and down. Her frilly dress in light blue color twirled as she hopped nonstop. The big ribbon behind her back fluttered, following her movement.

"Don't run around. Wait until I take all of the items. You sure don't want me to accidentally leave any food behind, don't you?"

Kazuya gave a stern warning to Chiharu who was getting ready to lift up her small feet and run. His words made Chiharu froze in horror.

"Don't leave Chiharu's food! Bring all of them! Uncle, you can't leave them!"

The little dumpling's eloquence while protecting her cherished food made Himari laughed. She had just gotten out of the car.

Izumi closed the door behind him. He smiled helplessly at his little sister.

"Is your friend already here?" Kazuya asked after asking Izumi to look after Chiharu.

"My friend has arrived with her boyfriend his nephew. Chiharu and Izumi could play with him. They have found a spot for us," Himari opened the chat between her and Nanako.

Nanako and Ryota arrived ten minutes earlier before them. They easily found a spot nearby the lake even though the park had already been filled with visitors coming for flower-viewing.

Himari led the way with Chobi meowing from the inside of the carrier. Izumi held Chiharu's hand, both of them walked beside the young teacher. Kazuya brought the picnic basket and the drinks while trailing behind the three of them.

Each picnic spot was already occupied with families and friends who came to enjoy the clusters of cherry blossoms fluttering above them. Lovers also filled the spots. All of them wore the same expression on their faces; joyful and lively.

The merriment around the park caught Chiharu's interest as she repeatedly looked around her.

"Uncle, Uncle, Chiharu wants to ride that!" Chiharu looked up at her uncle while waving one hand in a direction.

Kazuya's eyes followed where the little hand was pointing at. He chuckled softly, "Alright. Didn't I already promise you last night? We can ride the boat after this."

"Hehehe~" Chiharu grinned sillily, "All four of us, ride the same boat! Yeah!"

Himari was glad to see the little dumpling looking so happy. It seemed like she had regained her vigor after reconciling with her uncle through the bunny plush toy from yesterday.

"Are they around here?" Kazuya asked once Himari slowed down and looking all around her.

"Yes. She said she... Ah! Here they are!"

Not far from where Himari was looking, a young woman came running toward her.

"Himari! Here! Here!"

Nanako eagerly waved at her once she spotted her friend and her small entourage. Behind Nanako, a much older man and a young boy followed from behind.

"Chiharu, Izumi, this is Teacher's best friend," Himari introduced the children to Nanako, "Her name is Hagihara Nanako. Nanako, this is Hayashi Izumi and Chiharu, they are siblings."

Nanako waved at the two children, "Hey, little kids. Nice to meet you guys."

"Hello, Ms. Hagihara," Izumi was respectful as he bowed at Nanako.

"Hello, Pretty Sister. My name is Chiharu," Chiharu followed her brother's pose and greeted Nanako.

"Aiya! She calls me Pretty Sister! Thank you, cutie~"

Nanako laughed, obviously, she was pleased by Chiharu's cute antics. Then, her eyes drifted to the young man standing beside Himari. Her eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Himari, this is..."

Himari glanced at Kazuya. She smiled, "This is the children's uncle, Hayashi Kazuya. Kazuya, this is Nanako."

"Hello, nice to meet you," Kazuya smiled politely.

"Hehe, thank you for taking care of my friend here~" Nanako pulled Himari and draped a hand over her friend's shoulders.

"Nanako, don't forget about us," A man's voice came from behind them.

Nanako glanced at the man and harrumphed, "Come here, quick! Don't be too slow."

The man and the boy came forward. Nanako introduced them, "This is my boyfriend, Kashino Ryota and the little boy here is his nephew, Kashino Yuuya. Izumi and Chiharu could play together with Yuuya if you guys are bored with us adults."

The children greeted each other.

"Ryota, this is Izumi, Chiharu and their uncle, Mr. Hayashi Kazuya," Nanako pointed at the three of them, "The children are students of Himari's school."

"Ah! I remember seeing you before," Ryota grinned as his eyes fixated on Kazuya, "Aren't you the brother of Mr. Hayashi Hiroki of EastDex? We met before during a convention a few months ago."

"Mr. Kashino, it's good to see you here," Kazuya remained to be polite to the man older a few years from him, "Yes. I remember that you joined the convention on behalf of President Kashino."

"It's great that you guys know each other! Alright! Come and sit now. We should eat before we play!" Nanako clapped her hands, eagerly urging them to go to the picnic spot.

"Eat! Eat!"

Chiharu ran freely, following Nanako. Her entire face was beaming at the mention of eating.

Four adults, three children and a cat sat on the mat brought by Nanako. Scrumptious picnic food made by Himari and Nanako was quickly devoured by the children, especially Chiharu who helped herself to three fruit sandwiches. Chobi was served with a bowl of his favorite wet food beside Chiharu.

The adults shared a talk before Ryota dragged Kazuya to talk about their work, much to Nanako's annoyance.

"Humph! Ignore them! Let's just talk by ourselves," Nanako scoffed as she pulled Himari to sit closer to her.

Yuuya was intently listening to Izumi who was a year older than him. Izumi was talking about his participation in an upcoming basketball game. As a boy who enjoyed fitness after getting healthier, Yuuya was interested in sports.

Chiharu obediently sat beside her brother with a plate of chicken kaarage on her lap. Kazuya tied a large cloth around her neck to avoid the little dumpling spilling food on her dress. Chobi lazily curled up into a bundle of an orange puddle next to Chiharu.

Nanako and Himari scooped some pasta and sat on the left side of the mat. Not far from them, sat Kazuya and Ryota who were immersed in their talk.

The two best friends shared what was happening around them. Nanako was especially stressed as she was appointed as the new assistant for the head designer of their department which meant her work doubled than usual. Fortunately, her pay got raised as well.

Then, they talked about the incoming Golden Week holiday.

"I'm going home on the first day of the holiday," Himari told Nanako of her plans, "My mother and I plan to go strawberry picking. There's a newly built resort within a strawberry farm. It'd be fun!"

"The first day of the holiday... Do you mean the next day after the reunion?"

Himari froze for a second. She smiled stiffly.

Yes. She had to go to the reunion before going home.

Himari's silence made Nanako uneasy all of a sudden.

"Himari?" Nanako lowered her head and carefully looked at her friend.

Himari shifted her eyes from the pasta to her friend. Seeing Nanako looking so cautious, she stifled a laugh.

"What's with you? Worry about the class reunion?"

Her guess was spot on as Nanako appeared guilty.

"I don't want to mention it, but, I'm just worried about you," Nanako pouted.

It was rare for them to meet nowadays so she could only ask her friend about it now.

Himari smiled lightly. She coiled the pasta around the fork and took a bite. Her cheeks bulged as she ate. Despite that, her eyes didn't contain the enjoyment from earlier.

"I'll just go. I couldn't possibly be absent because I don't want to meet him," Himari let out a sigh, "No matter if I go or not, people would still talk."

Running away wouldn't be the best choice. She had to face it head-on instead of giving the opportunity for problems to arrive.

Nanako told her the other day about a few of their classmates who were eager to watch Himari's appearance on the day of the reunion dinner. They wanted to see how low she would feel when she witnessed the return of her promising ex-boyfriend.

Their behavior made Nanako furious but there was nothing she could do about it.

It was impossible to shut people's mouths, especially the uncouth ones who had rotten hearts.

"Ah, don't fret about them. I'll be there for you! I'd scold them if they dare to say something bad in front of you!"

Nanako declared firmly while patting her chest a few times. Himari was amused by her action, she laughed happily as her mood brightened because of her friend.

"Hehe~ Of course, you're my number one defender, am I right? You have to do your job right oh!"

While the two best friends shared laughter, they didn't notice bits of their conversation drifted to the other side, entering the men's ears.

Kazuya silently glanced at Himari whose face was obscured half due to her position. Next to him, Ryota didn't mind much as he had known the deep relationship between the two friends.

What else did she experience?

He couldn't help but have such a thought. Without understanding why his curiosity was aroused, Kazuya quietly peered at the young lady who sat not far from him.

The distance between them was not large, but, there was an invisible wall that separating them.