As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

While Himari was being accompanied by her man, Yuina was all alone inside the private ward.

She had just eaten her lunch although she could barely able to touch it. In the end, Yuina apologized to the hospital ground staff who came to get her food tray, saying she really couldn't finish it despite how meticulously the kitchen prepared the food for the patients.

The staff was a middle-aged woman with a stern-looking face but, her kindness softened her features. She simply brushed Yuina's apology off, saying she understood that in her condition, she might not have the appetite to eat as usual.

"Don't force yourself if you can't eat it. But, at least finish the soup. It'd be beneficial for your body. Hehe, did you know? The head chef often brews the soup for hours, saying he wants the patients to get all of its nutrients."

Yuina's eyes teared up by the fleeting moment of kindness.

Under the auntie's persuasion, Yuina slowly drank the herbal soup, finishing it until the last drop. The auntie was all smiles seeing the empty soup bowl.??

"Rest well, child. I'll go out now. See you later."

Then, the auntie gathered the unfinished food and left the room, wishing her a speedy recovery.

Outside the windows, the dark clouds kept pouring down the raindrops, hitting the ground nonstop. Because of the weather, Yuina could barely see anyone in the hospital garden.??

"If not for the rain, I could at least see the patients and their families in the garden," murmured Yuina quietly as an afterthought.

Sitting on the bed with her back leaning against the headboard, Yuina silently listened to the sounds coming from the hallways.

People's footsteps, either in a rush or calm.

Voices talking to their companions, either coming from the patients, hospital staff or the visitors.??

While the outside of her ward was filled with different kinds of sounds, it was a stark contrast to the inside.

As if she was being isolated by the world, she was all alone, without friends or family.

Yuina's mood that was already low turned even gloomier.

"I should already get used to this but..."

A tear dripped from her right eye.

"...why did it become more unbearable this time?"

Yuina's put her shaking palm over her lower abdomen, silently mourning her loss.

Did she lose the child because at first, she wasn't sure of his appearance?

Was she being punished?

But, didn't she has gradually accepted it? She had even been looking forward to the child's arrival to the world.

"He didn't even have the chance to know... about our child."

Biting her lip, Yuina tried hard to suppress the chaotic feelings that were overwhelming her. Her body was hurting yet, the pain inside her heart was more agonizing.

Inside the private ward, she cried alone without anyone with her.

"Why... Just why? Why must I be alone? Where... is he?"

Droplets of tears running down her cheeks, flushing her face red. Yuina tightly gripped the blanket, her whole body was shaking.

"I don't want to be alone... I don't want... Not anymore..."

As if she was struck by an epiphany, during the time her mind was clouded by her heartbreaking pain, a ray of light sneaked out from the tiny gap of the dark clouds.??

Her twisted face when she cried suddenly eased up, yet the look in her eyes was muddled.

In her memory, her beloved face was smiling gently at her.

Whenever he called her, there was tenderness in his voice.

She loved him.

She truly loved him.

When she thought the world turned its back on her, he was there with her.

But, she didn't want to live like this anymore.

No more.

Yuina lowered her face. Her long hair concealed her expression from being seen. The tight grip on the blanket didn't loosen.

Right now, she was torn into making choices; either to hold on or to let go.

A few hours later, miles away from the hospital, a young lady was sleeping deeply on a bed.??

Nestling under a blanket, Himari began to stir from her sleep. She unconsciously squeezed her eyes, relaxed her brows before she slowly lifted up her eyelids. What met her eyesight was the gloomy sky outside the windows.

"...?"

Himari propped herself up, sitting on the bed. She groggily looked around, only to see that the bedroom was empty.??

Yet, even though she was alone, there were traces left behind by a certain someone, showing that she didn't sleep alone.

Himari blinked a few times. Her mind gradually got clearer as the images of what had transpired today played like a film inside her head.

"...I've really told him."

Bringing her legs closed to her, Himari crouched and hid her face behind her knees. Her long hair sprawled behind her back, the end of her dark locks falling on the white bedsheet.??

From the moment she poured out what she was hiding, like the falling rain outside, he had shown her everything but disgust. Since the beginning, he did his best to appease herself instead of throwing questions at her.

Yet, Himari felt guilty because Kazuya caught that there was still something that she kept sealed inside her, unknown to everyone.

Even then, as gentle as ever, he didn't force her to open the secret out.

Shaking her head, Himari refused to continue wallowing all by herself. Since a part of her dark past was known to him, there was no turning back.

Either he remained gentle with her or not, only time would tell.

What Himari was afraid of was the possibility of Kazuya evaluating the situation again and in the end, saying that he couldn't accept it.??

"If that happened, I could only..."

Separate from him.

Himari bit her lower lip, trying to shake off her fear.??

"It's alright. Everything's alright... Yes, I'll be fine."

For now, let's just focus on the present.

Himari dragged herself out of the bed. Her body didn't feel as listless as before, it might be because she had made up for her lack of sleep last night.

Before heading inside the adjacent washroom to wash her face, Himari tidied up the bed. She straightened the sheet, plumped up the pillows and folded the blanket back.

Pinkish hue tinged her cheeks as Himari was reminded that both of them slept on the same bed, lying together in this rainy weather.

And, they had their first kiss here.

"...let's just wash my face."

Himari quickly entered the washroom. She washed her face. Standing opposite the mirror, she found that her pale complexion from this morning got better.??

Suddenly, she was reminded of Yuina.

"Have she informed anyone of her staying in the hospital?" Himari murmured under her breath.

Even though she didn't say it out loud in front of Yuina, Himari couldn't resist feeling that the woman was so pitiful.??

How unbearably lonely she was to be hospitalized yet no her loved ones knew about it.

Himari stared at her reflection in the mirror. The water trickled down her face, dripping from her chin then fell on the marble floor.

Knock, knock.

"...Himari?"

Startled, Himari turned around.??

Kazuya was standing at the open door of the washroom, looking at her with faint concern in his eyes.

"Have you just woken up?"

The man entered the washroom. He stared at her dazed look. A soft smile tugged on his lips.

"Yeah, just woken up," Himari answered with a slight nod, "When did you wake up?"

Lifting up both hands, Kazuya opened the cabinet hanging above the mirror. He took out a small white towel, unfolded it then gently pressed the soft fabric on Himari's wet face.

"Long enough for me to finish cooking," Kazuya smiled, he deliberately pressed her nose using the towel, "Aren't you hungry? Let's eat together before I send you back?"

"...okay."

Kazuya laughed pleasantly, his eyes curved, smiling at her.??

Himari just gave him a shy smile.??

Both of them walked out of the bedroom. A delicious-scented food wafted its fragrance in the air the moment Himari walked down the hallway with Kazuya. He led her to the dining table beside the floor-to-ceiling windows.??

"It's already this late?"??

Surprised, Himari gasped right after she looked at the wall clock.

She had just realized that the time was already hitting 4 o'clock in the evening.??

"The rain has just stopped," Kazuya pulled up a chair, pushed Himari to sit down then he rounded the table, having a seat opposite her, "I heard the weather tomorrow would be rainy like today too."

"Oh..." Lowering her eyes to the dish in front of her, Himari said in regret, "Then, we can't have our beach date?"

Kazuya was amused. He didn't expect that she would be thinking of their date after going through the situation earlier.

Yet, he was pleased to see she had recovered.

"I'll make it up for you later."

Reaching out a hand across the dining table, Kazuya pinched her right cheek. Himari threw him a timid glare, earning a laugh from him.

Kazuya just made a few simple dishes; stir-fried chicken with basil leaves, rolled omelet, cucumber salad and miso soup. But, all of this was already hearty to Himari.

"Can we stop at the hospital for a moment?" Holding her phone, Himari asked Kazuya, "I'm worried about Teacher Masuda. She doesn't have anyone with her."

After eating, Himari did the dishes while Kazuya was pushed by her to go out of the kitchen. They didn't stay any longer, getting ready to go home.

Himari texted Yuina, asking if she could visit her again today.??

At first, Yuina refused. After a few persuasions, she welcomed the visit.

"Where's her family?" asked Kazuya with raised brows. Taking the jacket from the couch, he wore it over his collared T-shirt.

Himari pursed her lips, "Her family situation is a bit... complicated."

Kazuya didn't ask more about it. He deeply understood that not every family resembled the happy ones.??

He had experienced it.