As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

Himari's anxiousness grew to another level the moment she followed Kazuya to enter a private ward.

The ward was slightly different from the one where Teacher Masuda was. It was bigger and filled with complicated-looking machines standing by the hospital bed.

Kazuya gently placed a hand on Himari's waist, leading her to the bed. Himari was quiet as she let her gaze fell on a body lying on the mattress, his entire self was covered, except for one hand that was placed on top of the blanket.

"Himari, this is my elder brother, Hayashi Hiroki."

Kazuya's low voice echoed from the top of her head as he spoke with his head tilted toward her. Himari retracted her eyes from the man on the bed then she looked up at the man standing close beside her.

In the silence, Himari lifted up a hand and placed her palm on Kazuya's hand that was still wrapped around her waist. She gave the man a smile before once again paying attention to his elder brother.

Himari didn't notice that the moment she moved her gaze away from his, Kazuya's eyes softened.

On the bed, the man was breathing feebly with the help of the oxygen machine. His sallow appearance, sunken cheeks and skinny stature were enough to tell Himari that this man was sick, terribly sick. 

Three years.

He had been in this state for three years.

Himari's heart was uncomfortable when she thought of the hope that Kazuya, Izumi and Chiharu held in seeing this man regain his consciousness in the future. 

How many days and nights had passed?

While she was entertaining her thoughts, Kazuya's voice echoed again in the ward.

"Brother, this is my girlfriend, Kato Himari."

Startled, Himari looked up at Kazuya.

Kazuya was smiling, "The doctor advised us to keep talking with him even though he couldn't give any response. You can call him Brother like me."

"Ah... okay."

Himari recalled what she had heard about comatose patients before. 

An individual was unconscious throughout the time he was in a coma1. But, it was also advisable for the loved ones to talk and touch the patient as the brain might still be able to pick up the sounds from them. The familiar voices might help to awaken the unconscious brain thus speeding the recovery.

With her eyes on the man, Himari clasped her hands together and gave a bow to him.

"Hello, Brother Hiroki. I'm Kato Himari. I have the honor of dating your younger brother, Kazuya."

Amused by how she introduced herself, Kazuya covered his mouth, pretending to mask his laughter with a cough.

Himari looked at him through lowered eyelids. Her cheeks pinkened, "Why are you laughing?"

"You're cute," Kazuya squeezed her cheeks.

Himari ignored him. Her action incited laughter from Kazuya.

Both of them sat next to the bed.

Himari just watched Kazuya pulled up the blanket, placed his brother's exposed hand under the fabric then tucked the man in properly. Each of his actions was neither too rushed nor too slow.

"My brother... A few months ago, the doctor told me to prepare for the worst because his organs are slowly failing but, the other day, he said there's a slight improvement due to the new treatment introduced to him."

Slumping down his shoulders, Kazuya rested his arms over his knees, both of his hands were clasping together.

With his gaze lowered to the floor, he spoke in an extremely quiet voice, "I don't know if... he would wake up or not but, I can't stop hoping."

Himari's eyes were prickly. She quietly moved closer to him, placed both hands on his own then gave him a gentle squeeze.

The softness of the palms over his rough hands made Kazuya lifted up his eyes, looking at her. He saw his sullen face was reflected in her eyes.

Parting her lips, Himari spoke in the same quiet tone as him.

"No matter how small or big it is, hope is still hope."

The hope gave him the strength to propel himself forward when everything was murky and full of uncertainties around him.

It was like seeing the light at the end of a dark tunnel, making one didn't give up to continue walking just so to be able to reach the end, basking under the light.

Taking one hand out of her grasp, Kazuya enveloped his large palm around her hands. He nodded, smiling gently, "I won't stop."

Himari returned the smile. Turning her head, she assessed the man lying on the bed.

Although his appearance right now was sickly, Himari could still see the resemblance between his facial features with Kazuya and Izumi.

Himari and Kazuya didn't stay there for too long. The latter had left the villa for a few hours. Although Izumi hadn't called him, saying there was anything urgent but Kazuya had to go back sooner.

The couple was mostly quiet on their way to Himari's apartment yet, unlike how suffocating the silence last night was, today they were enveloped by comfort.

"I'm sorry. I took too much of your time today."

Although the rain had stopped, the roads of the neighborhood were still deserted from people coming and going. Most of the residents here were in the warmth of their own homes, away from the chilly weather.

Once the car pulled up, Himari looked at Kazuya in guilt.

She had called him out suddenly at noon and, only when the sun was setting did they return.

Kazuya chuckled, looking pleased. He turned sideways, raising a hand and did what he had always loved; pinching her cheeks.

Running the tips of his fingers on her skin was something he really loved to do.

"Silly, why do you have to say sorry? It's a perfectly good weekend for me if I could spend my time with my girlfriend."

Himari's downcast look showed how troubled she was. In difficulty, she spoke, "But... After all, today... You heard something unpleasant about me."

No matter how well Kazuya received it, Himari couldn't shake off how antsy she felt inside. Her mind and feelings were in a mess, conflicting with how happy and grateful she was for his acceptance. 

Biting her lower lip, Himari suddenly had the urge to run out of this car as to how she had done last night but, doing that would only complicate matters further.

Kazuya's brows tensed at the sight of Himari looking distressed. It was the same look she had before she disclosed her secret to him.

Just looking at her right now made him wondered how did she be able to force herself to keep such a secret for a long time, a secret that kept eating her inside.

"Don't think that I'd loathe you," He gently spoke, his warm breath fanning over her face, "...I'm actually glad that you trust me enough... for you to open up to me."

If she didn't at least have a certain degree of trust toward him, Kazuya understood she would still keep it with her, unknown to anyone.

Tearing up, Himari sniffled.

"Really... I was afraid that you'd be disgusted with me. But..."

Choking on her sobs, Himari bit her lip hard, trying to contain her tears.

Kazuya frowned, feeling restless.

Moving his thumb away from her cheek to her lower lip, he parted it open from being bitten by her. Through the slight gap, he sealed their lips together, startling her with the sudden action. 

Yet, like before, she didn't push him away.

The inside of the car was filled with the sounds of their breath entangled together.

"Haven't I said it before?" In between the kisses, Kazuya breathed out the words, "I won't touch you... if I hate you. So... What do you think?"

Before Himari could answer, the man gave her another long yet gentle kiss, sucking the air out of her mouth. Panting slightly, her mind was muddled as her face grew hot.

"I love to see your eyes like this, they bewitch me even without you doing anything."

Kazuya tenderly stroked her face after he pulled away from her, staring at her watery eyes. The redness of her cheeks added allure to her face, making him smiled with a glint of mischief. His thumb kept running over her moistened lips.

Himari felt as if this man was wronging her.

Earlier, he acted like a gentleman, asking first if he could kiss her.

But, now, he just did what he wanted.

"...it's good that you're being bewitched by your own girlfriend instead of... another woman."

In the end, she could only throw a glare at him.

Kazuya stifled a chuckle, he found that her weak attempt to retort him as funny.

Unbuckled his seatbelt, he moved closer and brought her into his arms, letting her head rest on his chest. One of his hands moved slowly at the back of her head, caressing her hair.

"I'm not the one who experienced it but, it must have been hard on you to keep it all to yourself. I could only hope that you'd feel safe with me."

As his voice sounded softly from the top of her head, Himari clenched her hands on his shirt sleeves, trying to feel more of his warmth.

A voice echoed in her mind, mirroring her thoughts.

She didn't want this tenderness to be robbed away from her.

Not after she experienced how secured she was with him.

She wanted to sink deeper in this feeling, enjoying his warmth.