As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

It had come to this.

He had never understood why did that woman was so eager to meet the children.

Sure, she was their grandmother but, why must she start showing interest after his brother fell into a coma?

To say that she was aiming for their inheritance, his brother's company was just a small being next to her own legacy.

Kazuya wanted to try thinking of something good but, in the end, his mind conjured the assumption that his birth mother doing this just for her own benefit.

After all, from the time he was born until now, he and his brother depended on one another to live. Their father and mother just provided them with housing and financial assistance.

As for establishing and strengthening familial bonding, there was none.

Poke.

Kazuya blinked as something cold and sweet lingered on his lips. In a closer look, Chiharu's small face turned bigger in front of his eyes as she sat right next to him.

"...Chiharu, what?"

The sweetness spread on his tongue as the cold liquid seeped into his mouth. Feeling that a part of the liquid started to trickle down the corner of his lips, Kazuya quickly licked them and grabbed a tissue to wipe his mouth.

"Strawberry smoothie!" Chiharu brightly showed the tall glass of the smoothie on the table. Her right hand was waving the spoon provided by the cafe, "Sweet food won't make Chiharu sad. Uncle, don't be sad. Chiharu would share this smoothie with Uncle."

The little bunny had forgotten that she initiated a cold war with her uncle. Instead, she offered to share her favorite strawberry smoothie with him.

All of the food had been served while he was busy thinking of that woman.

Kazuya burst into laughter once he understood the little dumpling's intention. He raised a hand and gave her a head pat.

"Uncle is not sad anymore. Come one, let's eat. After this, let's go and see the other animals next."

Kazuya looked at Izumi after patting Chiharu's head. Izumi who appeared a bit worried quickly curved up a faint smile.

Unlike Chiharu, Izumi understood his uncle was just masking his feelings.

Lightly shaking his head, Kazuya smiled as if signifying everything was alright.

"The souvenir shop! Chiharu wants a new water bottle! Koko said, she bought her giraffe water bottle here, Chiharu wants the bunny water bottle."

Chiharu grinned while announcing what she wanted to buy. Her determination to get the bunny water bottle was embedded in her small and round eyes.

Kazuya could see his money flying away from him.

"As long as you behave, I will buy it for you," Kazuya made a compromise. Then, he quickly added, "Only one. You can only buy one thing, understood?"

He let her know that he was being serious by firmly staring at the little dumpling.

Chiharu pursed her lips, squinting at her uncle before she reluctantly nodded.

"Uncle is so stingy, ah. Chiharu just wants to ask Uncle to buy Chiharu the special bunny cookies," The little bunny let out an exasperated sigh like she was having a crisis of her life.

Kazuya felt both funny and distress.

Sometimes, he really wanted to pinch this little dumpling's chubby cheeks to stop her from being so witty.

"Chiharu, start eating. If not, we would be late for the penguin show."

Izumi decided to step in and save his uncle from distress. He gently pushed the bunny-shaped burger in front of his little sister.

While his little sister was bickering with his uncle, Izumi used the time to cut the burger into small bites. His knife skill was pretty good for a third grader.

Chiharu's ears perked up at the mention of the penguin show.

"Hehe, Mr. Penguin and his friends are waiting for Chiharu~ Quick! Eat! Eat! Chiharu wants the first spot!"

Seeing that the little bunny had started eating, both Kazuya and Izumi sighed in relief.

They needed the extra energy to entertain this little dumpling. If they lost their wits, they would quickly be taken over by Chiharu.

Thus, Kazuya and Izumi began to have their lunch. The entire cafe was bustling with jovial children's voices talking to their parents. The small episode at their dining table didn't differ much from the other tables.

LINE~

Kazuya swiftly shifted his eyes from his meal to the phone.

A certain someone's name reappeared on the screen.

Using his left hand, he unlocked the phone then tap on the text that he had just received. The corners of his lips hooked up without him realizing it.

[Himari: Sulking? Either she wants something but you didn't allow it or did you teas her?]

Kazuya's eyes drifted to the little bunny beside him. He laughed faintly.

[Kazuya: I forbade her ordering more sweets. Have to cut down her sugar intake]

[Himari: Haha, no wonder]

Kazuya glanced back at the little dumpling.

Even though he caught the sight of the sauce smearing Chiharu's entire mouth, he didn't wipe the stain away. The frequent action of wiping a child's face while eating might turn them grumpy because he or she would not find it enjoyable. The action would just disrupt their focus from eating.

That was one of the pieces of advice that Kazuya got from Aunt Mayu during the earlier times he started taking care of the children.

As Chiharu continued to grow up, she didn't eat as messily as during her time as a toddler. Even now, only a little amount of sauce smeared her mouth.

Kazuya texted Himari another reply.

[Kazuya: Have you arrived home?]

[Himari: Just arrived but...]

[Himari: I didn't expect to face a problem as soon as I come home]

En?

His brows moved up as Kazuya was puzzled by the meaning of her messages.

[Kazuya: Do you encounter something?]

Her reply came a bit later than before.

[Himari: Rather of something, it's someone]

[Himari: Talk to you later. Mom's calling]

Thus, there were no new messages came from her.

Kazuya read the texts again, wondering what did Himari mean by someone who appeared as a problem.

He hoped it was nothing too bad.

"Uncle, Uncle, why won't you finish the pasta?"

Chiharu's voice disrupted Kazuya's thought.

He lowered his eyes, looking at the little bunny whose eyes were twinkling as she stared at the chicken bites in his pasta. Her plate of the burger had been wiped clean by her.

Kazuya was amused.

"You have finished your meal and now, you want to covet my lunch?"

"Hehehe~" Chiharu laughed then opened her mouth wide, "Just a bite, Uncle. Aaaa~"

She had been eyeing her uncle's lunch. There were lots and lots of chicken bites in the pasta. Shouldn't Uncle share some with her?

Kazuya rolled his eyes. Knowing that this little dumpling wouldn't stop unless she got what she desired, he forked a chicken bite and delivered it to her mouth.

Chomp!

"En! Yummy!"

When Chiharu wanted to sneak another bite, Kazuya stopped her.

He firmly said, "Look at you now. Your tummy is as round as a ball. Stop eating or you would vomit later."

If she continued until she overeating, she would be the one in pain.

Kazuya could feel his patience had been breaking new limits every time he had to deal with his cheeky niece.

"Ohhhhh, okay ah," Chiharu pouted as she surrendered.

If she continued pestering her uncle, Uncle might not buy her the bunny water bottle, so sad Q^Q

Then, she went on to finish her strawberry smoothie. After she was done, Izumi helped to wipe her face with a wet wipe.

Chiharu's whole face exuded satisfaction as she patted the bulging tummy that was hidden by the loose onesie. She rested her whole body against the couch then slumped down as if she was a pink blob.

"Ah~ So yummy~ Chiharu is so full~"

The little one kept smacking her lips, showing how delighted she was.

Kazuya laughed in helplessness.

"I'll go and pay. Wait at the entrance," He reminded Izumi as he stood up from the seat.

"Okay, Uncle," Izumi nodded.

While their uncle was queueing at the counter, Izumi gently grabbed Chiharu's right hand and led her to the entrance.

Near the entrance, it was the play area for children, guarded with a fence and latched gate. Chiharu unblinkingly watched the children playing happily while their parents were eating.

So happy, oh. She wanted to play like this too.

Then, her eyes caught a little boy staring at her.

Chiharu's eyes twinkled. The boy wore a tiger onesie!

Seeing that she kept looking back at him, the little tiger walked closer to Chiharu.

Both of them face one another, a bunny and a tiger while being separated by the fence.

"Hello, Mr. Tiger!" Chiharu waved her free hand at the tiger boy.

The little tiger blushed. He surreptitiously looked at the much older boy next to the little bunny.

Izumi pretended that he didn't saw the boy's look. He kept his eyes at his uncle who had done paying. He was walking their way.

The little tiger looked again at the soft little bunny.

Without saying anything, he lifted up one hand and showed something to the little bunny.

Chiharu was confused before she beamed once she saw it was a tiger cookie wrapped in a cute plastic bag.

"For me?"

The little tiger let out a soft "En."

"Thank you, Mr. Tiger!"

Chiharu took the cookie, moved forward and did something that not only surprised the little tiger but also shocked her big brother and uncle.

"Mua~ Thank you!"

A kiss landed on the little tiger's right cheek.

"....! Bye-bye!"

Thus, the blushing little tiger ran with his tail drooping.

Izumi and Kazuya, "..."

Chiharu turned around, looked at both her big brother and her uncle.

"That Mr. Tiger is so kind. He gave a tiger cookie for Chiharu."

While the little bunny was happy as she received an unexpected gift, the big brother and the uncle suddenly felt a sense of crisis.