As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

After a thirty-minute journey from the train station, the four of them finally arrived at Himari's neighborhood. Kazuya lowered the speed as the roads in the neighborhood were swarmed with people especially children who wore bright-colored clothes. They were eager to celebrate Children's Day today.

"Wow! Koi! There are kois everywhere! Big kois swimming in the sky~"

Chiharu tilted up her little head as she looked outside the windows.

Each yard of the neighborhood had big and colorful carp streamers hung from the poles. As the koi windsocks were blown by the wind, they appeared as if they were swimming in the sky.

Little children were happily playing on the road even though their parents nagged at them to be careful of the coming vehicles.

"Do you have flying kois at home, Chiharu?" Himari asked while looking at the beaming little girl.

"We do! We do! Uncle and Big Brother flew them yesterday!" The little dumpling excitedly told Himari about it.

Yesterday, Uncle Shuichi came to their home with four koi windsocks. Uncle, Uncle Shuichi and Big Brother gathered in the front yard to tie the kois to the pole. Before they came to pick Teacher Kato up, the kois were still flying with the wind.

"Is the event at the canal?" Kazuya asked. He parked the car on the opposite side of the apartment building, "I saw people heading there?"

Although Kazuya didn't come here often, he still had a good grasp of the areas of the neighborhood. The canal that Himari once showed him through a photo before was a good place for such an event.

"Yes. We could just walk there," Himari unlatched the seatbelt, preparing to get out of the car, "We can go there after I put my luggage home."

"Alright."

All four of them including Chobi exited the car. Kazuya brought out the luggage from the trunk. Without saying anything, Izumi helped his uncle to take the duffle bag.

"Izumi, it's heavy," Himari walked to the little boy, "Just watch over Chiharu. Give me the bag."

"It's okay, Teacher," Izumi refused with a shake of his head, "Hehe, I'm strong."

He wittily flexed his skinny right arm while lifting up the duffle bag.

Himari raised her brows and smiled, "Okay~ Please bring it. I'll give you something refreshing later."

"Chiharu wants it too!" The little dumpling's ear quickly picked up the interesting words.

Something refreshing?!

Didn't it mean drinks?

Sweet drinks?

Yay!

Kazuya extended a hand and played with her the little dumpling's buns. He sighed loudly, "Learn to be a bit decent, won't you? Don't embarrass me as if I didn't feed you well at all."

Chiharu squinted her eyes and puffed her cheeks, "Uncle, you didn't give Chiharu hot chocolate last night."

You were wronging me!

Humph!

Kazuya threw her a helpless look. His niece still remembered that.

The four of them walked inside the yard. They ascended the stairs with the luggage in Kazuya's and Izumi's hands.

"Chiharu really couldn't eat sweets now?" Himari looked at the man and the little girl. Chiharu was walking beside her while Chobi followed the dumpling, "It's a pity, ah. I just want to give you the cookies."

Kazuya had told her about cutting off Chiharu's sugar intake but, she did not know to what extent the man would act on it.

"Well, I didn't allow her to have hot chocolate because she has already eaten a cake after lunch," Kazuya answered casually despite being stared at angrily by his niece, "If she ate more yesterday, she won't get any dessert today."

Chiharu wanted to cry Q^Q

What was the meaning of going to a festival if she couldn't eat sweets as much as she wanted?

Chiharu's aggrieved look managed to steal another laughter from Himari and Kazuya.

After putting the luggage in the living room, Himari went to get drinks for the family of three. Kazuya politely refused when she asked if they wanted any sweet drink. He said they could get one at the festival.

In less than fifteen minutes, all four of them walked out of the apartment building again. The roads got more empty as most residents were already at the festival.

As far as Himari remembered, there would be a highlight at two o'clock in the evening. It was already 1:40 PM right now.

With the sun hanging above their heads, the four of them walked in two sets in tandem.

Chiharu walked with Izumi.

Himari walked with Kazuya behind the siblings.

As for Chobi?

The silly orange cat went out to meet Aunt Mio's little white princess. Both of them were snuggling on top of the balcony when the four of them left Himari's apartment earlier.

"Higher than the roof-tops are the koinobori~"1

"The large carp is the father~"

"The smaller carp are the children~"

"They seem to be having fun swimming~"

Chiharu urged her big brother to sing along with her as they walked. Every time she sang, her eyes would wander from one koi streamer to the other.

Izumi was affected by his little sister's jovial mood. 

The siblings held hands and sang together.

"Are you really okay, not resting at all?" Kazuya glanced at the lady beside him.

Even though she didn't do much aside from sitting inside the train, it was still a long journey. She also had to wake up early in order to catch up with the early train schedule.

"It's okay. I'm hungry now. Let's see what kind of food they would sell there," Himari replied while patting her stomach.

Kazuya curled up his lips. He just nodded quietly.

"Wow~ Wow!"

Chiharu was like a gaping koi as she looked around her with great enthusiasm. Her round eyes animatedly staring at everything she found interesting.

"Uncle! So many kois flying up there!" Chiharu tugged at Kazuya with one hand while the other pointing at the colorful koi streamers tied to several different wires.

"Teacher Kato, won't the kois feel tired? They have to keep on swimming!" Chiharu focused on Himari as she hugged the teacher's leg.

"Big Brother, buy Chiharu that! That cute koi!" Chiharu pointed at a stall selling koi plush toys.

They had just arrived here but, the three of them could only helplessly look at the dumpling jumping around them.

In the end, Kazuya restrained Chiharu by carrying her in his arms. If he didn't do it, the dumpling might run around without caring about everything.

The canalside was packed with people, either from the same neighborhood or the visitors from outside of it. Different colors of koi streamer were tied to black wires high above in the sky. The windy breeze sent the colorful streamers billowing alongside each other.

The four of them bought some food before they found an empty place near the bank. A small ship was rowing on the water with kois tied at the top of the pillars. On the hull, different sizes of kois were carved intricately on the wooden surface.

"My neighbor said this ship was made by a group of youth with the help of a master artisan. The outcome is so good," Himari explained while staring at the ship.

Aunt Mio sent her a digital flyer this morning after Himari asked for it. She wanted to know if there were any interesting games for the children.

Besides the usual games and activities held here, the parade of the ship was the highlight of the festival.

A group of teenagers was dancing on the ship, each with traditional costumes. Loud and cheerful music followed each of their movements as the crowd watching them waved at the group excitedly.

The ones who were the happiest were the children.

"You're awesome ah!"

"Captain! Sail quickly! Follow the wind!"

"Daddy, Daddy, can we ride the ship?"

Different kinds of exclamations came from the children. Chiharu and Izumi joined the fun, especially the little dumpling.

"Uncle! Let's go ride a ship! Let's go! Let's go!" Her eyes were beaming with expectation threw at Kazuya.

Kazuya carelessly shook his head, "Do you think it's like riding a boat? Next time, okay? That ship is special only to the dancing boys."

Chiharu deflated her lips. 

Huhu, she got rejected by Uncle again Q^Q

They continued watching the dance. The youths were even more energetic as the music turned louder. More people clapped at them, they were clearly enjoying the celebration.

But, in the merriment of the crowd, something unforeseen happened. 

"AH! HELP!"

SPLASH!

A boy had fallen into the canal!

Gasps sounded from everyone at the sight of the boy gotten drifted away by the water. Chaos ensued in the midst of the celebration. People shouted, turning the attention from the dance to the boy.

Panicked spread to every person witnessing the scene.

"MY SON! Help!"

A woman yelled, rushing to the canal before people held her back. She kept on struggling but it was useless.

"It's dangerous!"

"Over here!"

"Call the emergency! Quick!"

"Hurry! He's getting farther!"

While people were both calling for help or being shocked by the incident, a figure swiftly dashed to the canal and jumped into the water.

SPLASH!

"A PERSON JUMPED!" Someone roared.

The ears deafening yell did nothing to bring Kazuya out of his shock. He couldn't believe his eyes.

A few seconds earlier, he was busy calming the frightened Chiharu and Izumi. The moment he looked at where Himari was supposed to stand, she was already running toward the canal. Her white dress and long black hair billowed in the wind before she vanished.

She jumped into the water without hesitation.

"Hi... Himari!"

His roar was drowned by the disorder around him.