As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

At five, Kazuya brought Chiharu and Izumi to the nearby park to play at the playground. The heat wasn't as scorching as early afternoon, allowing the children to play under the summer sun.

Whenever Kazuya had free time especially on the weekend, all three of them would go there and spend some time playing. At certain times, it was Aunt Mayu who escorted the siblings to the playground.

Instead of going there by car, Kazuya hopped on a bicycle with Chiharu sitting in a child's seat behind. The pink-colored seat was chosen by the dumpling herself when Kazuya brought her to a bicycle accessory shop last year. 

"Big Brother, follow behind~ Pay attention to safety oh!" Chiharu cheered on her big brother who rode his own bicycle. A white helmet with a pink bunny was secured on her little head.

"Yes, yes," replied Izumi with a grin. He poked fun at his sister, "Stay still ah. You can move as much as you want once we arrive at the playground.."

Izumi was capable to ride on his own when he reached six years old, taught by his father a few months before the incident. 

The Hayashi family leisurely felt the wind brushing past them as they rode inside the bicycle lane, heading to the playground. Chiharu even sang as she enjoyed the ride.

"Uncle, Uncle, could we ride bicycles with Teacher Kato later?"

In between her singing, Chiharu asked a question to Kazuya. Her grape-like eyes were staring at the back of her uncle.

"Of course. But, we have to leave you at home," answered Kazuya with a laugh.

"Ah! Why?" 

Chiharu didn't understand why did Uncle has to leave her behind if Teacher Kato came riding bicycles with them.

More laughter floated to the back. Kazuya's teasingly explained to the dumpling, "Teacher Kato has to ride with me ah. So, there's no place for you to sit with us. Your big brother can't bring you with him. You're too heavy for him to carry along."

"What? No!"

The annoyed dumpling puffed up her chubby cheeks. She looked begrudgingly at her uncle who kept on laughing.

Uncle is so bad ah!

Chiharu is so angry! 

Riding behind them, Izumi helplessly raised the corners of his mouth. He felt both pity and funny for his sister who always got teased by their uncle.

Aiya, grow up quickly ah Chiharu.

If not, you'd only be made fun of.

A few families had occupied the playground. The happy laughter of children occasionally blended in with their parents, turning the park livelier. Kazuya put the bicycle in the designated parking lot for bicycles. Izumi followed suit. They left their helmets there.

"Let's play seesaw, Big Brother," Chiharu tugged at Izumi's T-shirt, one hand was pointing to the vacant seesaw.

"Okay." 

As usual, Izumi just followed what his little sister wanted to do.

Kazuya walked behind the siblings. His eyes were soft as he saw how good their relationship was.

Looking up to the cloudless sky, the face of his beloved was conjured in his mind. The expression on his face turned even softer.

At noon, Himari sent him a few texts alongside a few photos. She was excited as she showed him the photos of Hiraya Falls.

[Himari: The camping trip next week would be so good!]

[Himari: The camp supervisor said there's a fireworks show nearby at that time]

[Himari: We can see it from the hilltop]

Kazuya was easily affected by her excitement. He laughed as he read her texts that brimmed with joy.

[Kazuya: Sounds good to me]

[Kazuya: So, a tryst under fireworks exploding in the sky?]

[Kazuya: MoonBoySmirk.png]

What answered him was the sticker of a pink strawberry sticking out its tongue.

"Uncle! Uncle! Sit with Chiharu!" 

A dumpling's cheerful voice brought Kazuya back from his reminiscing. Blinking his eyes, he looked at the siblings who stood next to the seesaw.

"You want me to ride it with you?" Raising one of his brows, Kazuya asked the dumpling.

"Chiharu can't play alone. Big Brother's heavy," answered her with a pout.

Izumi grinned, "Just hold her, Uncle." 

Thus, Kazuya sat on the seesaw with Chiharu in front of him while Izumi sat on the other side. The dumpling laughed happily as her body went up and down as her uncle and big brother took turns to stand up.

Once Chiharu got bored with the seesaw, she dragged the two men, big and small to other play equipment. The dumpling would obediently wait if the other children had yet to finish playing. When the children got off of the plaything, she would cutely thank them.

Kazuya stifled himself from laughing to see the adorable yet funny scenes.

"Ah, so tired and thirsty oh~" 

Sometime later, a tired dumpling deflated like a balloon on the bench of the park. Chiharu's face flushed red, beads of sweat formed on her tiny forehead.

"So tired already?" Kazuya laughed, teasing the dumpling who sat next to him.

"So hungry too," answered Chiharu while patting her stomach. Her short legs dangled from the bench.

"Wait for your big brother. He's getting drinks for us."

Kazuya gave Izumi some money, asking him to get drinks at the nearby vending machine. He forgot to bring a water bottle from home before heading to the park.

But, from the look of it, that boy would take more time.

From where they sat, Kazuya saw Izumi talking to a group of neighborhood children around his age. They must be his friends or acquaintances. They chatted next to the vending machine.

"Uncle, Uncle."

Chiharu started playing with the hem of Kazuya's T-shirt. Three black buttons were sewn there as decorations.

"Yes?"

Kazuya just let the dumpling fiddled with the buttons. It looked like she had something to ask him.

His guess came true.

"Can't Teacher Kato live with us?"

Taken aback, Kazuya asked, "You want her to live with us?"

He sincerely didn't expect that. 

Chiharu nodded, her eyes were hopeful. She said earnestly, "Uncle is like papa, Teacher Kato is like mama. Chiharu likes Teacher Kato so, so much!"

Kazuya didn't know how should he feel listening to the little girl's words. He felt both happy and sad inside. 

Because of what happened to his elder brother and his sister-in-law, the closest thing of a father figure to the siblings was himself.

To have Chiharu asking that, it wasn't weird to say that she had gotten closer and closer to Himari, enough for the little girl to view Himari as a mother figure.

"You can ask her if you want to," Kazuya lifted the dumpling up and placed her on his lap. One of his hands tenderly stroked her head, "Let's wait until we meet her again, okay?"

"Hehe, okay~"

Chiharu broke into a grin. Her face brightened like a little sun. 

Kazuya smiled faintly. He made a mental note to remember giving Himari a heads up about what Chiharu had asked. If not, his lady would be shocked silly. 

Living together, huh? 

The idea was so tempting to him.

Time meant nothing to both of them.

In just a few months, they dated and fell in love yet he felt comfortable with her as if they had been together for years. At the same time, he still wanted to treat her with respect.

The idea of proposing to Himari had even been carved inside Kazuya's mind, just waiting for him to execute it.

Hurm, should he first bring up about living together to her?

It's up to her either she wanted to agree or not. He understood that not all couples were comfortable to live together before getting married. 

"Uncle, Chiharu, sorry, I'm late."

Izumi ran to them with three bottles of drinks in his arms. He grinned, looking a little guilty.

Kazuya didn't mind him. He took two bottles, uncapped one before giving it to Chiharu. The dumpling drank the strawberry milk, eagerly quenching her thirst. 

"Are they your friends?"

Izumi nodded, "We've played soccer and basketball together before. They asked me if I'd like to join them go fishing this summer break."

Although they lived in the middle of the city, there were plenty of natural attractions around them that were preserved by the city council. The fishing activity that Izumi mentioned should be about the river that was fifteen minutes away from this neighborhood. 

"You can go there if you want," Kazuya thought it was good if Izumi found reliable friends with who he could go for adventures, "Tell me the time and date first. I just hope it's not within the time we're going to the island."

"Okay, Uncle."

The siblings had been informed of going to the island this coming summer break. Kazuya had to find some time to go and search for suitable outfits for them. They were needed for the engagement banquet. 

When the shadows began to stretch long on the ground, Kazuya brought the siblings home. While Chiharu and Izumi took their baths, he would use the time to prepare dinner for them.

"Ah, who's that?"

Chiharu poked out her head from Kazuya's back once her eyes caught an unfamiliar figure standing outside the gate of the villa. Izumi also did the same. The siblings couldn't see how their uncle's face froze at the sight of that someone.

Why did she come here?

Kazuya slowed down the bike. His eyes were stern, "What are you doing?"

"Kazuya, you're finally back."

Sayuri smiled even though the man's face only showed discontent. Her eyes wandered to Chiharu and Izumi.

"Hello, there~"

Waving her right hand, Sayuri greeted the siblings with a soft smile.

Kazuya suppressed a heavy sigh. He looked at Izumi, "Bring your sister inside first."

Izumi didn't ask anything. He watched silently as his uncle unstrapped Chiharu from the child's seat and placed her to the ground. He hopped down from the bicycle and walked with Chiharu inside the villa. His bicycle was parked in the yard. 

Once the children disappeared from his sight, Kazuya turned his attention to the woman standing not far from him.

"Tell me, what do you think you're doing by coming here?"

His tone and expression were icy-cold.