As The Wind Blows Your Scent To Me

Kazuya quietly entered the ward. He let the caretaker go and rest while he was here.

"Because of the new treatment that's introduced to Mr. Hayashi Hiroki, there are positive changes so far. The doctor said it might not be long before your brother regain his consciousness, sir."

The caretaker's report helped to ease Kazuya's heart.

When he was abroad, he received a call from Dr. Yoshimura, his brother's doctor. The doctor mentioned that he was able to get help from a renowned neurologist. The neurologist, Dr. Fukumoto returned to the country after decades of working abroad.

Kazuya was extremely grateful if the appearance of the neurologist would speed up the recovery process of his brother. 

His brother had to come home; to the siblings and to him.

Kazuya lowered his upper abdomen, hands reaching out to start massaging his brother's skinny right arm. He didn't know if he was seeing it wrong or not but, it seemed as if his elder brother's complexion was better.

"Brother, I want to share some good news with you," smiling softly, Kazuya began speaking. 

If he could see his own face right now, he would be surprised to see how tender he looked.

Like the gently flowing stream in spring.

Hiroki's chest rose up weakly, the vapor of his quiet breath blurred the respiratory mask.

Even though his elder brother couldn't give any response, Kazuya was still happy to share the news with him.

"I will get married tomorrow, to the one I love."

Kazuya moved his hands to his brother's left arm, feeling the flaccid flesh of his skin.

His brother's sturdy muscle deteriorated because of his current condition. The constant daily massage could only do so much.

"I know it's quite abrupt but, I can't wait to tie the knot with her. If you could respond to me, I bet you'd say I'm being reckless, aren't you?"

His elder brother Hiroki had always been a responsible and thoughtful person unlike him. 

Kazuya grew rebellious once he hit his teens.

Fighting, playing truant and smoking was his nature since middle school. The outlaw in him phased out just a few months before he graduated from high school.

His brother would most likely disagree with his decision to marry his girlfriend that he had only been together for a few months. Kazuya can already imagine what Brother Hiroki would nag at him.

"Marriage is a lifelong commitment! Are you certain to get married to someone you've just met? Are you insane?"

Yes, Kazuya had to admit that he might be insane.

He was so madly in love with her.

Creak...

Kazuya's smile stiffened the moment he heard the sound of high heels clicking on the floor, following the sound of the door being opened. All thoughts shattered into dust.

She had arrived.

Kazuya rigidly let go of his brother's arm before he slowly turned around to see the owner of the high heels.

The woman in the black suit appeared as elegant as always.

"...Mother, you're here," greeted Kazuya in a dumb voice.

Madam Tokioka gave her second son a light nod while walking through the door. The lack of expression on her face added more anxiousness to Kazuya.

Even though he was usually capable to mask his feelings in front of his mother once he reached adulthood, Kazuya found it hard to do so at this time.

All because of the secret that Himari opened up to him.

And...

Kazuya still remembered how they parted in a bad term at the studio a few months ago.

Madam Tokioka didn't point out the awkward expression on her son's face. She calmly walked to the hospital bed, eyes falling on the motionless Hiroki.

"Your brother appears better," commented Madam Tokioka in her usual indifferent voice.

Kazuya swallowed the lump in his throat. He hummed faintly, eyes looking back at his brother.

For some reason, he felt as if his tall body turned smaller beside his mother's figure.

"You went to the villa the other day."

With both hands clenched into fists, Kazuya coerced himself to open his mouth.

He made a remark instead of disguising it as a question.

Madam Tokioka swept a gaze at her second son's tensed expression.

When he was barely reaching her waist, he was a naughty boy who always smiled foolishly at her despite the constant cold shoulders.

Yet, as he grew up, the silly smile was replaced by a sullen gaze directed at her.

Madam Tokioka's mind wandered to the day she stepped foot inside the villa, to the crying Himari who begged her to not separate her from Kazuya.

"Your girlfriend, Himari, is a sweet young lady. You're so fortunate to have her with you."

Kazuya froze at the mention of Himari. 

As if his ears were playing tricks with him, Kazuya thought that he heard his mother's voice that usually was frosty cold became softer.

"Himari has told me everything, about the scumbags who... almost violated her and how you helped her three years ago."

Until now, Kazuya thought it was unbelievable but, he also knew that his lady won't ever lie about something gruesome to him.

How unbearable would it be to Himari if there was no one, if his mother didn't appear to pull her out of the misery?

Matters would turn to worse.

Himari might be left to die by those wild men after they ravaged her. 

Or... she might really kill herself after those humiliations.

Thinking about it angered Kazuya again. 

The ward turned extremely quiet saved for the beeping of the machines attached to Hiroki. Madam Tokioka didn't immediately answer Kazuya as she was lost in her thoughts.

After a long stretch of silence, words finally flowed out of her mouth.

"Do you really love the young lady?"

Stunned, Kazuya quickly answered, "I do! No matter... no matter what is her past."

Why did his mother ask him that instead of confirming his previous sentence?

Then, under Kazuya's surprised gaze, he saw the usual icy cold expression on his mother's face melt.

"Cherish her well. I believe that you would be able to create a warm and happy home with her, unlike how your father and I did."

His mother's smile wasn't as warm as the sun but, Kazuya was strangely comforted to see it despite their weak familial bond.

Madam Tokioka blinked once, a thin layer of tears began brimming around her eyes.

"I admit that I'm a terrible mother to you but, I sincerely wish you'd be happy after the torment I've put on you and your brother. You don't have to forgive me. I'm not worthy of that but, I hope you'd be happy,"

Madam Tokioka knew that she sounded awkward at this moment yet, those were all she could think of saying to her youngest son.

The regret and realization had come too late.

"Kazuya, don't ever be like me and your father."

Kazuya never expected to see such an impassioned look on his mother's face yet, here she was barely holding herself back from crying.

If before, he would just sneer and mock her but, right now, the feeling that he only felt during his childhood began to stir up again within him.

Maybe, just maybe...

He could see his mother looking at him with eyes full of warmth.

Kazuya cleared his throat, eyes darting away from Madam Tokioka. He kept clasping the sides of his long pants, battling the urge to reach out and embrace his mother.

He still couldn't do that, yet.

With his head lowered, Kazuya spoke.

"...I have proposed to Himari. We'd register our marriage tomorrow. It's too sudden so... there won't be a grand celebration but, if you'd like, you can join us for dinner."

After taking countless steps back from his mother because of the constant disappointment, the faint hope in his heart prompted him to move forward to her, bit by bit.

"The siblings, Shuichi, Taichi and Aunt Mayu would be there... Himari's mother would also come. It would be nice if you can officially meet her mother even though... it's supposed to be done before we get married."

Kazuya never imagined him taking an initiative when it came to his mother. He tried his best to not sound too awkward.

Unknown to him who was staring at the floor, Madam Tokioka's eyes sparkled with more unshed tears.

"...I'd love to."

Kazuya stiffly raised his head the moment he heard the slightly hoarsened voice.

His mother's eyes were now reddened yet, she was still smiling faintly.

"Good. Then, I'll tell you the time and place later... Mother."

The last word came out stiffly from his mouth but it only softened his mother's smile.

This was the day he finally saw a smile bloom on his mother's face albeit faintly yet, Kazuya had a hunch that this won't be the last.

In a split second, the image of Himari smiling tenderly at him was conjured in his mind.

His lady was really his lucky star.

He got to experience a love so warm and gentle.

His brother's condition might turn for the better.

And, his mother also had begun to change although she was decades late.