There's a Story Behind Every Smile (Hitachiin Triplets, OHSHC)

Chapter Twenty-Six

She was laying face-up in her bed, staring at the ceiling blankly, and wearing only her underwear, a sports bra, and one of Akira's t-shirts. Her glasses were on the nightstand, and the ceiling was a blurry white. White... white... white. The walls, her skin, that room at the hospital. Black, black, black. Depression, the back and front of their hair, the hole he left. Maroon...maroon...maroon. All gone.

She watched the ceiling blur further high above her, tears and tears and tears continuing down. Slowly, they dried, though, and she lay like stone once again.

She turned away from the door when she heard the front one open again. She waited, assuming it was Takuma coming in and the nurse opening up, or vice versa. She didn't know. She'd only seen the nurse once, and he wasn't particularly excited to be making and leaving food for an anorexic and bulimic girl. However, the voices that called out didn't amuse her in the slightest.

"Teru-san, are you alright? You haven't been at school in two months, and it looks like you've been expelled," Tamaki almost whispered into the air, and the footsteps of him and the others came in. She pushed the button they'd hooked up near her bed in alarm, and a frantic three-tone buzz rang through the house in a second. The nurse cleared his throat. 

"The patient does not need any alarming persons or commodities, so if you would please lea-" The nurse was cut off, and she heard his huff of frustration resound as footsteps echoed in the hall, and she turned again to stone and her fetal position, minus her ceaseless quivering.

She heard the footsteps suddenly stop, and Kyoya spoke up in a stern voice. "Tamaki, we have no right to be here. There is obviously something wrong for him to be on house arrest with a nurse. Besides, there could be something you don't want to see behind that door." The undertone alone spoke volumes, because he was willing to give up what he wanted in order to let her alone. 

"Ky...Kyoya..." she dryly forced out, her voice shaking and almost impossible to hear. "C-Come iiin." She broke into a coughing fit, which left her fighting for breath and wanting a glass of water. Her body was weak, frail, thinner than before the hospital, ironically.

There was a long pause before the door clicked open, and he slipped in before shutting it quickly behind him. He didn't mind her attire, because he was more scared of her body.

"T-Teru. H-How a..." He tried to word a normal greeting, but as their eyes met, he stopped. "Teru, I tried to help you... I tried, but... You didn't let me see..." She saw tears fill his warm grey eyes, and she suddenly realised what she'd been missing.

"Ky...yoya," she cried out like a weak child, her voice cracking in her pain. "I-I'm sorry!" She forced herself up to sit, and stretched her arms out to him. He let out a broken gasp of air as he leaned forward, falling onto the bed and pulling her into his arms. He watched the pain etched into her features for a moment, rubbed his fingers along her shaking body, her spine and ribs, but ended up just hugging her close with their legs tangled together. They stayed that way long after the others left, and eventually inevitable tears fell from her eyes, which she fought to wipe away with bony fists.

She sniffled at the sound of Kyoya's voice humming his concern. She gulped heavily before answering in her slightly-louder voice. "Akira... T-Taku... My boss m-made him leave..." Akira pulled her closer, so his chin was on her head, and her scarred arms between them.

"Teru... Would you tell me why you really came here? Would you tell me who you are?"

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I'm so sorry for not updating on Tuesday! I was busy (playing Mystic Messenger... I have no excuses). Here's a longish chapter just for you guys. Also, there will be plenty of chapters ahead, but this story is coming close to the end, sadly! Chapters might start being longer now.

And it looks like the hosts are finally figuring out who she is! And it seems, the twins might be close too ;)