As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

Inside the lively petting zoo, a small pink bunny was pouting as she directed her accusing gaze to the man crouching beside her.

Kazuya felt a headache coming under the judging stare, "What? Didn't you want to pet the guinea pigs?"

His eyes fell on the guinea pig that was abandoned by the pink bunny.

Chiharu grumbled, "Uncle, Chiharu still wants to talk to Teacher Kato."

But Uncle didn't allow her that. Humph!

Today, Chiharu was dressed in a pink bunny onesie. Two long ears dangled from the hoodie while a white ball of fluffiness poked out at the bum. With narrowed eyes staring sharply at her uncle with her chubby cheeks bulging, she looked like a little hamster with a bunny outer shell.

Kazuya lifted up a hand and poked his niece's chubby cheeks, "Teacher Kato is going to get inside the train. I'll call her again once she arrives at her home, okay?"

Chiharu rolled her eyes, "Okay, okay."

Obviously, she wasn't satisfied but she could only make do with it.

Then, the little bunny turned around, showing her round tail to her uncle before she ran to where her big brother was sitting.

Izumi was silently petting the guinea pigs not far from them. Two more guinea pigs rubbed against his legs, making the quiet boy smiled.

Then, the little bunny hopped to him, scaring the guinea pigs away. Chiharu's face was horrified as the small rodents ran away from her.

"No~ Mr. Guinea Pigs, don't run from Chiharu..."

Kazuya laughed funnily as he witnessed the entire scene.

As he was reminded of his words when talking to Himari earlier, he opened the gallery app on his phone, selected a few photos and sent them to her.

They were all the photos taken at the zoo.

Kazuya's eyes were soft as his gaze fell on the photos.

In one photo, Chiharu was excitedly waving at the giraffe with Izumi had to hold her down.

Next, Chiharu almost cried as she was frightened by the tigers. In the end, she hid behind Izumi.

Then, Izumi patted Chiharu's head when the little dumpling was disappointed seeing the koalas kept by the zoo were sleeping on the tree.

All of the photos showed that they were having a good time here, like what Kazuya had wished for.

"Chiharu, Izumi! It's time to eat," Kazuya slowly got up, straightening his long legs and walked toward the siblings.

"It's almost twelve," Izumi agreed. He was quite famished already.

"Uncle! Uncle! Let's eat at the bunny cafe! Chiharu saw one earlier!" Chiharu hopped to her uncle, grabbed one of his legs and stared at him with cute and blinking eyes.

"Oho? You've already set your target?" Kazuya shot his glutton niece a meaningful smile.

"Hehehe~ The cafe matchy-matchy with Chiharu! Let's go!"

In the end, Kazuya could say no.

One adult and two children walked to the bunny cafe. Because the zoo was packed with visitors, Kazuya didn't dare to let Chiharu walk by herself. He carried the pink bunny and let her go 'Oh~' and 'Ah~' every time she saw something that grabbed her interest.

At the cafe, they managed to find an empty table. Kazuya handed the menu to the children, letting them chose their food first.

"I just want the omurice and chicken karaage, uncle," Izumi decided in less than five minutes, "And, a glass of apple juice."

Kazuya repeated the order to the waiter who was standing next to their table. The young-looking teenager wore a set of bunny ears on his head.

"Give me a plate of tuna miso pasta and a cup of hot coffee," Kazuya made an order for himself. Then, he looked at Chiharu, "Chiharu, what do you want to eat?"

The little dumpling's eyes were full of twinkles as she narrated, "Chiharu wants this bunny-shaped burger, sweet potato fries, egg pudding, strawberry smoothie..."

Kazuya inwardly facepalmed himself. To the waiter, he ordered, "Just take the bunny-shaped burger and strawberry smoothie. And add a bowl of fresh-cut fruits. That's all."

"Noted, dear customer. Your order would be served shortly."

Once the waiter left, Chiharu once again directed her sharp gaze to her uncle.

"Uncle! Chiharu still wants more!" She declared.

How could her uncle just order one dish and one drink for her?

Kazuya firmly shook his head, "Do you think I, your uncle, do not know that you have successfully persuaded Uncle Shuichi to give you two slices of cake last night before bed?"

Shuichi stayed with the children until Kazuya returned from meeting Himari. That useless friend of his confessed that he had succumbed due to Chiharu's cute and pitiful look when the little dumpling asked for more cakes.

Under her uncle's pointed gaze, Chiharu shrank her neck. Her bunny ears fell in front of her, obscuring her petite face.

"That... that was last night!" The little dumpling tried to defend her wrongdoing, "Chiharu wants dessert for today!"

"No can do, my little gluttonous princess," Once again Kazuya shook his head. Before Chiharu could wail, he added, "Didn't we have agreed to lower your sugar intake right now? It's your fault for breaking your promise."

Chiharu bit her lips hard, stared angrily at her uncle then squatted away from him. In the end, she chose to sit closer to her big brother. With her back turned to face Kazuya, she resembled an angry little bunny.

Chiharu is so angry!

No want be friends with Uncle anymore!

Humph!

Kazuya shook his head in helplessness, so did Izumi who had just quietly watched his little sister bickered with their uncle because of desserts.

"Eat too much sugar would rot your teeth, Chiharu," Izumi patiently patted his aggrieved-looking little sister, "Didn't you say you don't want your teeth to become black like the witch granny in the movie?"

Chiharu's entire body froze.

"No! Chiharu's teeth would be white! No black!" She profusely declared.

Izumi smiled faintly.

The other day, Izumi accompanied Chiharu to watch a new children's movie about a witch who lured the children with delicious sweets.

Izumi said her teeth were like that because she always ate desserts.

Chiharu wasn't afraid of the supposed bewitched sweets, instead, she vowed to not have her teeth turned black like the witch's pointy teeth.

Kazuya could only laugh looking at the two siblings. Seeing that Izumi brought out his phone to show something interesting to Chiharu, he just let them be.

He also opened his phone, scrolling into his LINE account.

Himari had replied to his texts.

[Himari: SO CUTE!]

[Himari: PinkStrawberryMelted.jpg]

[Himari: How could Chiharu look so soft and cute like that?]

[Himari: The guinea pigs are cute and fluffy too. Much better than my stupid cat *shaking my head*]

Laughter escaped Kazuya's lips once he read her emphasis of cuteness.

[Kazuya: Unfortunately, that soft and cute pink bunny has just sulked with me]

There was no reply coming from Himari. She must be busy focusing on getting her way home.

While waiting for the food, Kazuya absentmindedly played with his phone. It was hard for him to not recall his meeting with Himari last night.

It was actually not decided on an impulse.

Ever since he heard Himari talking to her friend about the reunion dinner at the hotel, the very same hotel where their strange encounter happened three years ago, Kazuya had been thinking of coming clean with her or not.

The possibility of Himari remembered that the man was him was low but, Kazuya felt awful if one day, she could link him with that man as one person.

Since Fate had brought them to meet again, Kazuya didn't want to feel like he had deceived her.

But, he was amused because Himari was quick to accept his explanation. She was even worried about what happened to him afterward.

Indeed, she was an interesting girl in his eyes.

Ring! Ring!

Kazuya's thoughts shattered by the sudden phone ring. He quickly looked at the screen with anticipation that a certain young lady called him back but, once he saw the Caller ID, chill frosted his gaze.

With much difficulty, he answered the phone.

"Hello."

"Kazuya, where do you bring the children to? There's no one at home," A woman's voice sounded.

Kazuya suppressed a sigh from coming out of his mouth. He answered coolly, "It's a holiday so I'm taking them out."

"Kazuya, I have been lenient with you as of late. Bring the children to see me. Do you want me to make a fuss at the company?"

His face twisted in an instant.

"Mother, it's up to them whether they want to see you or not. I won't decide for them."

"Bring them to me," The woman said in a threatening voice, "Or, do you want me to expose the fact that their father might not wake up again?"

"...!"

"I know everything. The doctor suggested you taking off the life support but you do not agree, until now. So, listen to me and bring them to see me. I expect to see them tomorrow night for dinner."

"...Okay," Kazuya gritted his teeth. Faint fury blazed in his eyes.

Tut.

The call was hung up from the other end.

Kazuya didn't realize that his infuriated expression was witnessed by the two children.

Chiharu and Izumi looked at one another. Izumi made a gesture for Chiharu to be quiet instead of asking their uncle about it.

Chiharu obediently nodded.

Izumi looked again at his uncle.

There was only one person who could make his laidback and cheerful uncle like that.

It was his and Chiharu's estranged grandmother from their father's side.