As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

The cheerful laughter of the children and adults around him did nothing to ease Kazuya's bitterness. He kept looking at a certain pink bunny who was happily enjoying the penguin show without even thinking of how her uncle felt right now.

Kazuya was unpleasantly kept reminding of the scene of Chiharu smooching an unknown boy at the cafe earlier. Just thinking of it made him wanted to rip his hair off in frustration.

This glutton!

She could even kiss a random boy because he gave her a cookie. If someone offered her a table full of a feast, wouldn't she just follow him home?

Raising a daughter, eh no, a niece could be this worrisome!

"Ahahaha~ Mr. Penguin and his family are so cute!"

The pink bunny continued laughing without even paying attention to her uncle who kept her under close watch. Chiharu jumped up and down and patted her belly as she was energized by the penguin show.

"Chiharu, don't jump," Izumi quickly pressed his hands on his little sister's shoulders, trying to calm her. With a serious tone, he added, "You would scare the penguins if you continue jumping like this."

Chiharu blinked innocently at her brother, "But, Big Brother, many of Chiharu's friends are jumping too. Mr. Penguin and his family do not look scared."

The little bunny referred to the other children her age as her friends as she answered her big brother.

Izumi, who was shut down by reality, "..."

He regretfully looked at his surroundings.

Yes. The parents and guardians were having a tough time calming the excited little buns. Almost all of the children stood up from their seats to hop and even dance happily.

"If you jumped and fell down, we would have to go home straight," Izumi swiftly found an excuse. He seriously looked at Chiharu to convey how dire the consequences were, "We can't visit the store to buy your new water bottle. Uncle might also punish you for misbehaving by not giving you sweets for a week. Understand?"

"...!"

Chiharu was horrified!

Uncle was being petty with her! He would really do that!

Oh no!

She immediately stopped jumping around then obediently sat next to her big brother.

Izumi shook his head in helplessness. Then, he sneaked a look at his uncle.

Aiya, their uncle was still thinking of what happened at the cafe.

Izumi vowed to make Chiharu understood that she could not and should not easily kiss a random boy. She had to wait until she was an adult if she wanted to do that. 

And, even if Chiharu had grown up, he had to make sure the boy worthy of his sister!

Brimming with a big brother's desire to protect his little sister, Izumi puffed out his chest.

Unknown to what her brother and uncle were thinking, the little dumpling was still happily entertaining herself with the penguin show.

After the show ended, it was time to go home. But, before that, Kazuya brought the children to the souvenir shop.

"Chiharu, you could only pick one item. If not, Uncle won't buy anything for you."

Kazuya sternly reminded the little pink bunny as he realized her eyes twinkling at the sight of the cute items in the shop.

Chiharu frowned, pouted then with a distressed mind, she pulled her brother to the aisle where the water bottles were placed.

"Humph! Uncle is so stingy!" She complained, her cheeks bulging.

Kazuya sighed. He just accepted his niece's complaints.

LINE~

His ears perked up at the sound of the familiar ringtone. Fishing out the phone, Kazuya's lips curved into a smile.

Himari replied to his texts before.

[Himari: Calm down. What has actually happened?]

[Himari: Did someone propose to your niece?]

[Himari: PinkStrawberryLaughing.png]

Kazuya was ashamed as he read the texts that he sent to her before. He was complaining about what Chiharu had done to an unknown boy.

As Kazuya wanted to type a reply, a thought crossed his mind. He contemplated a little before sent her a message.

[Kazuya: Can I call you?]

Somehow, he wanted to listen to her voice.

Her reply came instantly.

[Himari: Sure]

His eyes flickered in delight.

Kazuya went to the children. Izumi was accompanying Chiharu to pick the souvenir that she wanted. Vibrant-colored water bottles were arranged on the shelves for different animals and shapes.

"Izumi, Chiharu," Kazuya called out to the siblings.

Izumi looked at his uncle while Chiharu, whose eyes were glued on the cute bottles, ignored Kazuya.

Kazuya just let the little bunny be. To Izumi, he said, "I'll wait outside. Take your time. Use my card to pay."

"Okay, Uncle," Izumi agreed.

"Watch over your sister well," Kazuya added a reminder. He did not want the same thing at the cafe to happen again.

Izumi nodded.

After handing his card to Izumi, Kazuya walked out of the store. He stood on the other side of the walkway right under a lamp pole. With his back leaned against the pole, he pressed the Call icon on the numbers listed as 'Himari'.

Ring, ring...

"Hello, are you the zookeeper?"

Laughter burst out of Kazuya's mouth. He didn't expect to be greeted like that by her as soon as the call was connected.

"Yes, Mr. Zookeeper calls to ask about your journey home. Is everything alright?"

Kazuya was curious about the problem that Himari mentioned before. He wondered if she would tell him about it or not.

"Everything is fine. I've finished two bowls of rice just now. Are you and the children still at the zoo?"

She answered without even mentioning the problem that she encountered. Kazuya was a bit disappointed but he didn't show it.

Either Himari wasn't ready to share it with him or everything was indeed alright.

"I'm waiting to see my money flying away. We stop at the souvenir shop because a certain bunny wants to buy a new water bottle."

His eyes went to look at the entrance of the souvenir shop. There were still no signs of Izumi and Chiharu walking out of it.

"Hehe~ Hey, what's with your early texts? Did Chiharu really kiss a boy?"

As she asked, Himari couldn't stop herself from laughing. It was clear that she tried to imagine the scene then got carried away.

The ripples in her soft laughter got transferred through the line, gently drifting into his ears then dispelling the bitterness that he felt when he recalled that scene.

"Huh, she really knows to make me worried about her."

Then, Kazuya proceeded to tell Himari about what had exactly happened. As the outcome, her laughter only grew louder making him wanted to laugh as well.

Both of them talked more until finally the children came out of the souvenir shop.

The little bunny Chiharu was beaming with happiness as both of her hands hugged the newly bought water bottle close to her chest. Izumi quickly followed once his sister ran to their uncle.

"Uncle! Uncle! Look! Chiharu's bunny water bottle!"

Ignoring the fact that her uncle was talking on the phone, Chiharu excitedly showed the pink and white bottle to Kazuya.

Kazuya talked to Himari, "She has just returned. Do you want to talk to her?"

While Chiharu was confusedly staring at Kazuya, he bent down and showed the phone to her, "Do you want to talk to Teacher Kato?"

"...! Want!"

Chiharu quickly took the phone and pressed it against her ear.

"Teacher Kato! It's Chiharu again!"

Izumi quietly looked at both his sister and uncle from time to time. Chiharu was busy telling of what she experienced here to Teacher Kato.

Izumi couldn't help but wonder how did his uncle suddenly become so close to his homeroom teacher.

Even before that, Uncle had spoken on the phone with Teacher Kato a few times already.

This was the first time he saw his uncle being like this with a young woman.

Ah, no. There was one time when he acted like this but, it happened a long time ago.

Did Uncle...

"Strawberries? Wanna go! Wanna go!"

The sudden exclamation surprised both Kazuya and Izumi. Their attention fell on the little bunny.

"Chiharu wants to follow? Can I? Can I?" Chiharu asked in an excited tone.

Kazuya was confused, frowned then he pat on the little bunny's head.

"What are you talking about?"

Chiharu looked up to her uncle. She still kept the phone close to her ear.

"Uncle, Teacher Kato would go to pick strawberries. Chiharu wants to follow. Let's go?"

Another headache came to Kazuya.

"Give me the phone."

Instead of having Chiharu disturbing the young teacher's plan, he might as well stop it.

"Himari, did you tell this dumpling about your plan with your mother?" As he asked, Kazuya trained his eyes on the expectant Chiharu.

"Ah, sorry. I didn't expect Chiharu would say that," Himari felt both guilty and funny by how Chiharu reacted.

"It's okay. Don't pay her much attention. She's just being willful."

Kazuya didn't want Himari to feel obligated to fulfill Chiharu's wish. The picnic the other day was enough to show that Chiharu was hoping for them to always do activities together again.

It gave her a sense of having a complete family.

"Hehe, it's okay ah but..."

"En?"

Kazuya waited as Himari suddenly trailed her words off. In a few seconds, she resumed her words.

"Well, my neighbourhood would organize a koi-flying event for Children's Day. If you would like, how about bringing the children there?"

As she spoke, Himari didn't realize that her voice sounded a bit cautious as if she was being careful suggesting the plan.

Kazuya's lips bent into a beautiful arc. His eyes went up to the sky, gazing at the clear and vast blue sky.

"It sounds good."

At this moment, suddenly he hoped the week-long holiday would end very soon.