As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

"...ah!"

Panting heavily, all Himari saw was a white ceiling.聽

This was a hospital room. She was lying on a patient's bed with no one in sight.

Her face grimaced when a fresh bout of pain spread from her lower abdomen to her entire body. Himari stiffened the moment the horrifying memories of being kidnapped rushed up into her mind.

"...what happened?"

Himari coughed a few times, feeling her throat parched.

Although she didn't want to, Himari forced herself to think back on what had happened to her.

Three men kidnapped her under Mrs. Fujihara's order. The woman was so vicious. When the men wanted to lay their hands on her, a loud sound banged from the door before people in black rushed inside.

Then...

Her baby!

Wide-eyed in alarm, Himari's hands tremblingly touched her lower abdomen.

She only felt pain there, signifying the loss of a small life inside her.

"...no.... how could..."

Tears burst out of Himari's eyes. The warm liquid ran down nonstop from her eyes, her sobs were muffled by the tight pursed of her lips.

Himari remembered that she felt pain down there even before the men began toying with her. But... why did it happen?

Creak.

The sound of the door opening caught Himari's attention. She weakly turned her head on the pillow, finding a woman dressed in full black standing there.

"...!"

The elegant middle-aged lady closed the door then walked to the bed. Each of her steps was graceful, the heels clicking on the floor.

Himari eyed her in a silent surprise.

She had met this woman once!

"...you are..."

Himari coughed again. The ache of her body intensified with every cough forced out of her mouth.聽

"Drink slowly."

The woman pressed on a remote controller. The upper half of the bed elevated, helping Himari to sit up without moving by herself.

A glass of warm water was handed to her by the woman.

"Thank you..."

Himari suppressed the pain all over her body. She took a few sips before chugging down the entire glass. Her parched throat and dry lips got moistened by the water.

The woman pulled up a chair, sitting next to the bed. Her indifferent eyes stared at Himari. Then, she placed something on the bed.

"I believe this is yours."

Himari looked down at the bed, eyes stung with more tears.

It was the ultrasound photo that she lost!

This middle-aged lady might pick it up after they bumped at the restaurant earlier.

Himari quickly took the photo. Her gaze was full of sorrow and longing at the sight of the black-and-white photo. Her hands shook.

"Thank... thank you... I really... thank you..."

Himari cried again. She brought the photo close to her heart, lamenting the loss that she had just gone through.

Everything happened in a blink of an eye.

She really didn't expect that she would lose her child right after she strengthened her resolve to raise it.

"I guess the photo is now a precious memento to you," said the woman in a quiet voice.

Himari sniffled. She nodded her head, hands still clenching on the photo.

Through her blurry gaze, Himari looked at the woman.

A question crossed her mind, being verbally pointed out at the woman in black.

"Madam... you should have a child of your own, en?"

The woman's face remained impassive, yet Himari noticed the slightest hint of shock in her eyes.

"...even though I no longer has anything with the child's father, I still treasure my child but... why did Fate be so cruel to me? I cherish... my child, the child that I only carried for a few weeks. If you lose your child... would you also cry like me?"

Himari didn't know why did she spew such thoughts to the woman she had just met. In her view, if this lady had a child, he or she should have grown up.

What a blessing it was to witness the growth of her child, unlike her who got the blessing stripped off of her.聽

"I shall call the doctor for you," said the woman without answering Himari's question, "Lay down again."

The woman pushed on a button, allowing Himari to lie on her back properly. She left the ward without looking back ever again.

Soon, a doctor and two nurses came. They did a check-up on Himari and as well as asking questions from her. She answered them as best as she could.

Apparently, the bleeding might start to occur when Himari was handled roughly during the kidnapping. Since she was still in her early stage of pregnancy, the continuous mistreatments caused the miscarriage.

The doctor advised her to continue resting before the woman in black reappeared. She gave a small black box to Himari.

Himari bowed down her head and slowly opened the lid of the box. A small USB-OTG driver was placed inside, appearing so delicate in its form resembling a key.

"This is..."

"They are videos from my bodyguards' bodycam," replied the woman, "I saw you got thrown inside a van so I have my bodyguards followed you. Unfortunately, we arrived a bit late. The men got detained by the police already but under different charges. They have countless criminal records already. What would you do?"

Himari didn't answer the woman immediately. She couldn't think properly when her mind was still in a chaotic state.

"You should rest and think after that," said the woman more, "I shall leave now. There are nurses outside. Press the button if you need them."

The woman turned around, wanting to leave.

"Madam."

Her steps halted.

"Thank you for saving me."

Himari was deeply grateful for the woman's benevolence.聽

This madam could just treat as if nothing happened when she witnessed the kidnapping or, she could just simply report it to the police yet, she took the actions herself; of going with her bodyguards to save her.

Her, who didn't have anything to do with this madam.

"Rest."

The woman left after saying the words. Himari's eyes locked on her back until the door was closed.

It was only eleven o'clock in the evening when the madam left. Himari couldn't sleep even if she wanted to. She was still adjusting to the fact that she had just lost her child.

Her belongings were placed on the couch next to the wall. They were retrieved by the madam's bodyguards who found her bag inside the van.

Himari plugged the USB driver into her phone.

Inside the sole folder of the driver, Himari found not only videos capturing her being pushed inside the van, but there were also audio files of the bald man's conversation with Mrs. Fujihara. A few files of money transactions that occurred between them were also put inside.

"...you're so vile."

Himari carefully uploaded all of the files into her cloud storage. She even made several copies and stored them in her e-mails. After doing that, she lay on the bed, exhausted.

"Mommy is sorry... for not being able to protect you..."

The words carried her sorrow and regret. Himari threw her gaze out of the windows, staring at the dark night sky.

The moon was so bright tonight.

Himari forced herself to sleep.

Her body felt so much pain, making it hard for her to do so. Even when she did, the gruesome memories that happened a few hours ago sprung in her mind, startling her awake again and again.

"...haa... haa..."

She didn't know what great sin she had committed for her to suffer in this way.

Just why?

She would never have the answer.

Even until now.

The sound of fire crackling echoed in the background, alongside the rustling of leaves and howling of the wind. Himari was quiet as she finished everything she wanted to say to him, to her precious someone.

"...why do you cry?"

Himari let out a chuckle. She raised both hands and cupped the man's face gently. The warmth of his tears seeped into her skin.

"...I cry for you," answered Kazuya dumbly.

Himari chuckled again. Her own tears streamed down her face.

The heaviness of her heart dissipated little by little as she kept opening up her hidden past to Kazuya. In between her story, this silly man began to tear up until he really cried albeit silently.

His eyes were so red.

"You know... I didn't have any energy to deal with that woman so, I just warned her after sending the evidence to her. She remained quiet until... until he returned."

Himari was filled with rage but, she really didn't want to trouble herself with Mrs. Fujihara anymore.聽

"When I thought it might be better if... if I just..."

Himari sniffled, she choked on her sob. Kazuya quickly grasped her wrists that remained on his face, offering comfort to her.

"I really thought to... end my life at some point but... your mother's words help me to move forward."

During the last time Madam Tokioka met Himari at the hospital three years ago, she kept telling the grieving young lady to exact her revenge by living happily and unbothered.聽

Madam Tokioka's words and voice were always so cold but, to Himari, they were actually brimming with warmth and consideration.

"So, Kazuya..." Himari smiled tearfully, "After all this... are you disgusted by me? Even though those men couldn't do anything to me, but..."

Himari's words were cut short the moment her body was enveloped in a tight hug.

"...don't say that, please. Please, sweetheart, you're precious to me..."

Voice hoarsened with tears, Kazuya's body shivered terribly.

Never did he expect his lady had to go through such a really traumatic event before they met.

Just why couldn't he meet her again earlier?

If they did, she didn't have to suffer alone all this time.