As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

Ryuu didn't understand why did his dear wife had been avoiding him for a few days already. It started from the time when he returned after showering due to the scene that got him all dirty with mud.

He still remembered how dumbfounded he was when Yuina suddenly fled. She didn't even give him one last look.

Approximately, it began three days ago.

It was already hard enough for Ryuu to sneak some time to stay with her but, Yuina often ran away, giving excuses she had tasks to do.

He couldn't even hold her soft hands!

Today was the same.

Ryuu had just finished acting for a scene. He got quite some free time before Director Aoyama called him back. The rest of the crew members also were enjoying their lunch.

Ryuu sat alone at one corner of the canopy tent. He gave off an oppressive aura that forbade people from coming closer thus they just left him alone.

"Did that girl Riku really make Yuina work hard?" 

Ryuu grumbled in dissatisfaction. His eyes were stern as they landed on a certain pitiful assistant.

Not far from where Riku sat with food in front of her, she felt chills ghosted down her spine. Turning around, she saw her boss was biting into a chicken with a ferocious look in his eyes.

Riku flinched.

What was wrong?

Did that ancestor wanna complain about something?

Riku quickly averted her eyes from Ryuu. Her brows almost merged together.

"Riku, why? You don't look good," asked Yuina.

She sat next to Riku with her back facing Ryuu. A pair of chopsticks dangled from her right hand as she glanced at the young woman.

They sat together while Akane and Emi joined the prop team. Their table was at the far end of the canopy tent. The two of them were trying to learn more about the complicated yet interesting props that the team had produced. 

Riku scooted closer to Yuina then whispered, "Sister Yuina, why do I feel Brother Ryuu is a bit irritable lately?"

Yuina almost choked yet she still managed to maintain her expression. Guilty conscience struck into her heart, prickling her scalp.

"He's a bit... irritable?" 

"Yes!" Riku shrank her neck, eyes darting to the ceiling of the canopy tent, "He's eating alone at the back. It's like a huge sign of 'Back Off' is hanging over his head. Why ah? When I looked behind, he eyed me like I borrowed his money!"

Yuina instinctively also shrank her neck.

Somehow, she also felt a heated stare almost pierce through her from the back.

"Just ignore him. As long as he doesn't make things difficult for you, you should treat it as nothing."

Riku nodded her head, agreeing with her lady boss. Thus, she threw the confusing matter to the back of her mind and continued enjoying her lunch.

Beside her, Yuina's appetite got dampened as she kept thinking of what she had done.

Well... She didn't actually want to ignore her husband but, the temptation of wanting to hug and kiss him only grew with no sign of stopping. 

He was super cool whenever delivering his role!

Yuina had never thought that she would act like a high school girl who had just fallen in love with a boy.

Ugh...

How embarrassing for a woman who was almost thirty.

But, that was not Yuina's sole reason for creating a distance from Ryuu.

She was still thinking of what Taketa warned her for. 

Taketa's concerns as a fan were justifiable.

The younger woman didn't want the reputation of her beloved idol to be tarnished with new rumors. Moreover, the public had just gotten quiet after the revelation of the film emperor's hidden marriage.

Yesterday, Yuina asked Riku about the matter regarding the assistants that Ryuu always sought for help. 

Was it really true that only Riku was allowed inside Ryuu's private space aside from the time when the other assistants gathered for work?

"Well, it's true that so far Brother Ryuu would only call me if there's anything really personal that he needs. He doesn't let any other female assistants be alone with him unless they are in a group."

No wonder Taketa was wary of Yuina since there were times when Riku disguised some instructions to let Yuina stay alone with Ryuu.

Not only that...

What made Yuina worried was the one who directed suspicions on her.

It was really weird for either Akane or Emi to tell Taketa or anyone else about how Yuina entered the crew. 

Simply put, it wasn't worthy to be mentioned. 

Did anyone had been keeping an eye on her movement without her realizing it?

There was still a possibility of the mastermind behind the hidden marriage exposure was planning something.

Yuina was deeply troubled inside but, she also felt guilty for treating Ryuu that way.

What should she do?

After lunch, Yuina went back to her tent. She wanted to go and get her phone that was left charging. Riku had been notified beforehand. They would meet again at the next filming set.

"...!"

Yuina abruptly covered her mouth, afraid of letting out a shout. Eyes widened, she stared incredulously at the intruder of her tent.

Ryuu was sitting on her bed with an obviously dissatisfied look on his face. 

"You... what are you doing here?" whispered Yuina. She was caught in bewilderment.

Didn't he go to meet Director Aoyama? That was what Riku told her before Yuina left the canopy. She even saw for herself that Ryuu was heading to the director's main tent. 

Yuina looked out of her tent and found that there was no one nearby. She quickly zipped up the tent, not allowing anyone to see the inside.

"My wife, you're the one who forced me to do this," grumbled Ryuu.

Yuina shut her mouth. Guilt flashed past in her eyes.

Ryuu let out a sigh. 

Standing up from the bed, his long legs strode to where his wife remained rooted on the ground. He reached out one hand and brought Yuina into his arms.

"...Ryuu! You can't do this! What if people see us?"

Yuina pushed on Ryuu's chest but he didn't budge. The man tightened his hold, afraid of having his wife slipping away from him.

"Give me a few minutes. I miss hugging my wife," answered Ryuu, still in a complaining tone, "Riku is guarding outside. Don't worry."

Yuina refrained from sighing.

She had to admit that she was behaving foolishly.

"...sorry."

Her voice was muffled. Yuina nuzzled her face on her husband's chest, both arms snaked around his body.

"Geez, I know that we have to be careful but, I didn't expect that it'd be this hard to hold my wife."

Ryuu kept complaining like a child, inciting laughter from Yuina.

She was indeed stupid, Yuina silently lamented her silly thinking.

When Ryuu was away for weeks and months in the past, her desire to be with him was strong. Yet, when she was given the opportunity to follow him, she took it for granted.

Although Yuina's guess might come true, she would just be burdening her mind with countless what-ifs. 

Let her just savor this moment.

Tens to a hundred miles away from the forest, at the Hayashi villa.

It was a peaceful day like any other summer day. 

The siblings had just finished lunch. They had a really hearty lunch, enough to make them have seconds.

Izumi washed the plates and cutleries while Chiharu wiped the table. 

These were what Kazuya had taught them before; doing chores that were suitable for their body and age. 

Aunt Mayu was still on a break.

"Big Brother, Chiharu has wiped the table. So squeaky clean!"

The dumpling walked to her big brother and showed the towel in her little hands. 

"Good job, Chiharu. You did well," Izumi wasn't stingy with his praises although Chiharu had always done the same thing, "Should we go and watch the dragon film together? Last night, you asked me to watch it with you."

"Okay~ Go and ask Aunt too!"

After both siblings were done with their tasks, Izumi went to the backyard. Himari was sitting under the tree where the tent was built, staring into a daze while fingers fiddled together.

Izumi hesitated, "Aunt doesn't look good. Let's not disturb her."

Chiharu blinked, "Why? Does Aunt get sick?"

Izumi shrugged, "Maybe... we should tell Uncle?"

Izumi noticed that his aunt-to-be seemed to be distracted by something. He realized the change after he got back from fishing two days ago.

Even while having lunch earlier, Aunt was unable to finish her food. 

Although Aunt still treated them well, there were times when she would be lost in her own thoughts. Her smile also wasn't as lively as usual.

What happened?

Chiharu did say that Aunt seemed to quarrel with a man two days ago. That man suddenly came and yanked Aunt's arm.

His little sister couldn't hear what they were arguing about but, Aunt's mood changed after that.

What did that man do?

Izumi weighed down the options in his mind; either to wait for Uncle to come home or just ask Aunt what was the thing that troubled her. 

"Uncle would return in another two days," Izumi sighed, "Should we tell Uncle straightaway?"

Chiharu's little brows furrowed, "Chiharu doesn't want Aunt to be sad. Big Brother, let's pick flowers and give them to Aunt?"

"A nice idea."

Unknown to Himari, the two siblings began to pick some of the summer flowers that bloomed around the villa. 

She was devastatingly quiet as the same ugly words thundered in her mind nonstop.

"...did my mother really... send people to... to.... violate you?"