The Truth Behind The Lies - Tachizaki

• Chapter 1 •

Michizō Tachihara walks into the main room, Ookura Teruko on his shoulders, happily smiling. Once they're inside the room, Tachihara walks over to one of the couches and Teruko jumps off his shoulders and sits on the couch, while Tachihara walks over to a cabinet and grabs some files.

"Are you still working? Do you ever take a break?" Teruko asks, as she looks over at Tachihara, "The only time I've seen Tachihara take a break, was when sleeping." Jouno Saigiku says, while Suehiro Tecchou sighs, "You should take more breaks, Tachihara. It's not good to overwork yourself." Suehiro comments, after sighing.

"I'll be fine." Tachihara replies, not looking up from the files in his hands. "Why don't you take breaks anyway?" Teruko asks, her head resting on her hand, while her arm is on the arm of the couch. "I've never been to fond of breaks." Tachihara replies to Teruko, still not looking up and keeping his full attention on the files in his hands.

Suehiro gets up, putting his book down and closing it. He walks over to Tachihara and grabs the files from his hands, Tachihara looks up at Suehiro. "Hey!" He says, Suehiro looks down at Tachihara, closing the files and putting them on the desk. "Your taking a break." Suehiro says.

"Why? I don't want to take a break?" Tachihara says, in a, somewhat, sassy tone. "Because, you constantly overwork yourself and it's not healthy. So, your taking a break." He says, looking at Tachihara with a stare that's saying, 'I'll force you if I have to'.

"Hmph." Tachihara mumbles, turning his head away. "Fine. I'll take a break, only 'cause your forcing me to." Tachihara says, walking over to the couch and sitting down, beside Teruko. Teruko takes her head off of her hand, her arm off the arm of the couch and moves closer to Tachihara. "There has to be a real reason you don't like breaks?" Teruko asks, Tachihara doesn't look at her.

"It's nothing.." He says, while Teruko notices the change of tone, Teruko notices it's more sad, than it was before. Jouno notices the change of air and looks over at Tachihara, "You okay?" Jouno asks, as Suehiro sits back down. "I'm fine." Tachihara replies, not looking at anyone.

Tachihara stands up, he turns to Suehiro, "Am I aloud to leave?" Tachihara asks, Suehiro looks up at Tachihara and nods, Tachihara starts walking to the door, when Jouno grabs his shoulder. Tachihara turns his head and looks behind him, seeing Jouno was the one who grabbed him. Jouno gets a little closer, "You can always talk to me, okay?" Jouno says, quietly, Tachihara nods and Jouno let's go of his shoulder.

Tachihara walks out of the room and heads to his, right after Jouno let's go of his shoulder. *And I mean that..* Jouno thinks, as Tachihara leaves the room, Jouno walks over to the couch and sits down, Suehiro hearing what Jouno said, smiles slightly, he looks up at Jouno and Jouno looks back at him, Suehiro looks at Jouno for a few seconds, then turns his attention back to his book.

Tachihara walks to his room, his head hung low, *I hate this.. What am I supposed to do with myself if I'm not working?..* Tachihara thinks to himself, as he steps into his room and closes the door behind him. Tachihara stands against his door, as tears start to cloud his vision, Tachihara slowly slides/falls down his door. He's on the floor, as he puts his head in his knees, more tears clouding his vision.

"Damn it..." Tachihara says out loud, as he hears Teruko on the other side of the door. "Hey. You seemed off and I was wondering if anything was wrong?" She calls out, "Shit.. N-Nothing's wrong! I'm fine!" Tachihara replies back, whispering the first part.

"Are you sure?" Teruko asks, "Y-Yeah! I'm sure!" He says again, he hears Teruko sigh, "Alright. I'll leave you be." She says and Tachihara hears her walk away. *Damn it.. Why are you so useless?..* Tachihara thinks, as he starts to cry, he pulls his legs closer to him, his head immediately going in his knees.

<> Back In The Main Room ——> <>

Teruko walk's back into the room, as Jouno starts to hear crying, "Teruko, where did you go?" Jouno asks, "I went to make sure wimpy Tachihara was okay. He seemed off, I can't have been the only one to notice it." Teruko says, crossing her arms. "I noticed it as well. The second I took away the files he was holding." Suehiro says.

"Yeah.. I noticed as well.." Jouno says, his attitude changing. Suehiro looks up at Jouno, "You definitely did notice." Suehiro comments, as he notices Jouno is paying attention to something else, "Hey, what are you hearing?" Suehiro asks Jouno. Teruko looks at Jouno, as Suehiro says.

"Tachihara's rooms over that way, right?" Jouno asks, looking to the right. "Yeah, it is. Why? Are you hearing something?" Teruko asks, Jouno doesn't respond, he just walks towards the door. "I'll be right back." He says, leaving the room and heading towards Tachihara's.

Jouno walks to Tachihara's room and knocks on his door, "Hey.." Jouno says, in a calm and soothing voice. "Are you okay?.. I heard crying.." Jouno asks, he hears Tachihara gasp, and whisper. "I-I'm fine! N-No need to worry!" Tachihara replies.

"Can I come in?.." He asks Tachihara, Jouno starts to hear even more crying, gasping, and he hears moving and shuffling. "Tachihara? You okay?" Jouno calls out, "Y-Yeah! I-I'm okay, just o-one second!" Tachihara calls out again, as Jouno hears more shuffling.

Tachihara wipes his eyes and opens the door, "Hey. What's up?" Tachihara asks, in a kinda worried tone, but still has a hint of calmness in it. "I was just wondering if you were okay, I heard crying." Jouno says, "Oh, well, I'm fine!" He says, with a, kinda obvious, forced smile.

"Alright.. I'll leave you be then.." Jouno says, obviously knowing Tachihara was lying. "Alright, cya." Tachihara replies, as Jouno walks away. Tachihara closes his door, *Damn it...* He thinks and walks over to a cabinet in his room, he grabs some files and sits down, starting to work once again.

A/N: Of course, starting with some angst. I want to make this story long, but still get to the point. I really like Tachihara angst and I have seen NONE, so I thought I'd make some of my own.

<> Word Count - 1093 <>