As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

"Hurm~"

Himari looked out of the windows, staring at the scorching giant ball of light. She quietly played with the pen in between her fingers, dazedly thinking back of what had transpired in the past week.

Yuina didn't come to school. She applied for another week of leave which the school generously allowed. The principal thought it was better if the Mathematics teacher took more time to recuperate after her loss.

Today was Wednesday, three days since the last time she saw Yuina.

Himari took the phone that was lying on the desk. She tapped on the green icon, opening her LINE account. 

Yuina's new message was displayed on the screen.

[Yuina: The summer flower field here is great!]

[Yuina: You should ask your boyfriend to bring you here ;)]

[Yuina: SummerFlowerField.jpg]

Vibrant flower petals fluttered, following the direction of the wind blowing. Pink, yellow, lilac, red and white spread out in the photo, as vast as the turquoise blue sky behind the flower field.

Yuina didn't send her a photo of herself yet, Himari could picture she was smiling happily while taking this photo.

Previous Sunday morning, Yuina said she went out somewhere, wanting to meet her husband to talk about their situation. At noon, Yuina returned.

Although her face was blotchy and her eyes were swollen, Yuina appeared better than before. Even without asking, Himari assumed that the talk went well.

"We're going away for a week. I'm going to extend my leave," said Yuina before she left the apartment. Her eyes were full of gratitude, she smiled softly, "Thank you for everything, Himari."

From what Yuina conveyed to her later, the husband and wife wanted to take a short trip away from the city. The film emperor rented a motorhome as they planned to just drive along the road to the countryside.

Since then, Himari started to receive dazzling scenery photos from Yuina.

Some of them of the starry night skies in the countryside, crackling bonfire inside a forest, a clear stream of water flowing in a canal and so many more.

"It's good that she's happy now," murmured Himari with a smile.

So many things had happened. It was fortunate for Yuina because she could spend time healing with her husband by her side.

Soon, night fell.

Tonight, Himari was invited out by Kazuya without the two children. He said they would stay at home while both adults went on a date. 

"Saving electricity is a must."

The man's reason made her laughed.

The two lightbulbs were bribed with good food by their uncle tonight, delivered to their doorstep by Taichi who was willing to babysit the siblings, especially Chiharu.

The couple didn't do anything new.

Kazuya brought her to dine at the restaurant at Kaiyo River Park. They chatted over the meal. The dinner ended with Kazuya giving Himari his share of mango panna cotta.

"This is quite abrupt but, why don't we go to the beach this Saturday?"

When Himari and Kazuya walked hand-in-had in the park after dinner, suddenly the man came up with a question.

Himari raised up her chin, looking at the man beside her. His side profile was illuminated by the tall lamp pole that stood on his side, showing his gentle smile to her.

"Hehe, we've delayed our beach date a few times already. So, this Saturday, it is?" Himari gave him a playful wink.

Kazuya had been wanting to bring her to the beach even before summer arrived. They kept on postponing the plan because of various reasons. 

Seeing that he mentioned it, Kazuya was really serious with his planning.

Well. she had indeed been looking forward to it.

"I heard the weather this weekend would be relatively fine. Let's go to the south of the city. The beach there is quite good."

"Ah, you mean Yuigahama Beach1? The beach there is so white~ I love going there in summers!"

Kazuya pulled Himari in a direction. They stepped on the wooden bridge that hovered above the canal. Orange lights floated on the water surface, sending its glow all over the canal.

The couple stopped in the middle of the bridge. Several other couples were also there with them, immersed in their own pink bubbles.

"At the very least, we should have a beach date alone without the two siblings. If we go to your friend's engagement banquet, we still have to bring Chiharu and Izumi with us."

Himari threw Kazuya a meaningful look, "Ahem, is this your way to discard your niece and nephew from bothering your dating life?"

Kazuya raised up a brow, "So, what do you think?"

"Hahaha~"

Himari burst into laughter. She nudged her forehead against the man's arm while laughing before Kazuya put the same arm across her shoulders. In the end, Himari rested her head on his chest.

"I could wear the summer dress that you gifted to me before," said Himari in between her giggles, "Haven't I promised to wear it during our summer date?"

"You really should," Kazuya scoffed. Then, he bent down slightly and looked at his lady's side profile, "It's just, I actually wanna plan to stay at the beach for one night."

Flustered, Himari stopped laughing. Turning around, she met the man's eyes.

"En, we stay there overnight?" She asked quietly. A hint of anxiousness suddenly tinged her voice.

Kazuya smirked, "So, what do you think?"

Himari bit her lower lip as she thought that this would be the first time they had an overnight trip. It was plausible for her to be nervous.

This time, it was Kazuya's turn to laugh.

With one hand pinching her right cheek, he poked fun at her.

"Haha, what are you thinking? About the accommodation? Well, we can book separate rooms if that's what you're worried about."

Himari's face flushed red.

It was exactly what she was thinking about!

"Who's worried about that?" Himari retorted. She was unwilling to admit defeat in front of the man's teasing smile, "Cough, we don't have to waste money by booking two rooms. You can just book one."

"Really?" Kazuya's smirk deepened.

"Really," answered Himari resolutely. She held her gaze steady onto the man's sneaky smiling face.

"Are you really, really okay with that? I won't book any extra room then," The man kept teasing her, "As you've said, I do agree on saving money."

Himari rolled her eyes.

This sneaky man ah.

One of her hands grabbed Kazuya's lapel, tugging at it. The man was coerced to follow the movement as he lowered his head. In the next second, a soft kiss fell on his lips.

"You really can't shut up, don't you?"

Himari glared at him with her lips forming a pout. Her hand was still holding to the lapel of the jacket.

A hint of mischief glinted in Kazuya's eyes. He grasped her hand on the lapel, bring it up to his lips then one by one, a kiss fell on each of her knuckles.

Kazuya laughed as he felt his lady got flustered again.

At times, she was bold. In another, she was shy.

If Himari asked them to use separate rooms, he won't object to it. Some boundaries shouldn't be crossed yet, not until she was ready. He didn't want to enforce things that might push her away from him.

"Himari."

In the serenity of the night, his voice was as gentle as ever as the man calling out to his beloved's name.

The lady that was shielded from the wind by his arms looked at him, eyes brimming with faint questions.

The man smiled.

"Let's make it a memorable beach date, en?"

His words invoked a smile from her.

"Hehe, okay~"

Himari retracted her eyes from Kazuya's smiling face, looking up to the night sky. 

It was hard to see a beautiful starry sky here, in the middle of the city. Sometimes, she missed the twinkling night skies at her hometown where the gray skyscrapers weren't there to disrupt the sceneries.

If Himari remembered correctly, Yuigahama Beach had a magnificent night view.

She couldn't wait to see it with him by her side.

While Himari was comfortably nestling in Kazuya's embrace, tens of miles away from the city, Yuina too was cuddling with her dear Ryuu.

Ryuu pulled the motorhome at a riverside.

The location that he chose was far from the closest neighborhood to the area. To be on the safe side, he had been doing so from the start; only stopping at the places that gave them covers.

At the riverside, Ryuu built up a campfire. After having a simple dinner, they cuddled up in front of the glowing amber, sitting on a mat.

"Have you ever thought of leaving this place?"

Ryuu stopped humming a melody when Yuina murmured the words, the same words he asked her a few days ago.

"My love?"

Yuina tilted up her head, moving away from Ryuu's shoulders. She brushed the stray strand of her hair bun to the back of her head, her eyes were reflecting the crackling campfire.

"Ryuu, when you asked me that, you didn't explain to me your meaning."

The man beside her flinched.

Yuina smiled helplessly.

Her husband could become the best actor but, in front of her, there were times he could'nt control his expression.

"When you asked me that..." Yuina's voice lowered as she spoke, "What exactly do you mean?"