Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke.

A/N: There are so many minor characters in this story. Gaah… Don't worry. They'll die anyway. Ahaha kidding… or not.

One important thing. Since there are too many Akashi's here (three to be exact) I'll be using their first names when referring to the Akashis and the GoM from now on 'coz it's kinda confusing sometimes when I'm writing.

Chapter 4 Lies

Pale skin. Scrawny frame. Weak presence. For Seijuro, Kuroko Tetsuya's only redeeming feature was his angelic face.

He looked so fragile and small as he lay in the middle of the large bed, his life support already pulled out. As Seijuro watched the teen sleep, he wondered how Tetsuya made his father weak. He had never seen the older Akashi care that much for his mother. What made you so special? He had asked the question so many times.

A malicious smile crept on his face as he thought of ways to break the younger man. He could just put his hand around that slender, slender neck then –snap – break it. Tetsuya will only feel a slight pain before he die. Then, there would not be any fun in that, right? Or, he could make him fall so madly and deeply in love with him. Use him – he was quite sure he would enjoy it. Then, dump him. That wasn't a bad idea. He thought as he rested his chin on his palm.

When Tetsuya first woke up, he could not speak. He was disoriented. At first, Seijuro thought that he might have had amnesia or that his brain had been damaged severely. However, the doctor had assured him that it was normal. He had just woken up after all. Come morning, the first thing the teen asked for was a glass of water. After drinking, he fell asleep again.

The patient stirred in bed, effectively pulling Seijuro out of his musings. Blue eyes darted everywhere before focusing on heterochromatic ones.

"Please don't look at me like that." Tetsuya sat up then rested his back on the headboard.

Seijuro clasped his hand in front of him. "Look at you like what?"

"Like you want to kill me." Tetsuya deadpanned. His voice lacked emotions, but, it sounded soothing.

Seijuro smiled amusedly at how it was said. He wondered briefly if the teen could read what was on his mind. "Why would I want to kill the person who saved me?"

Tetsuya only shrugged his shoulder. "I don't know either."

Seijuro laughed. He stood up from the couch then walked over to the bed and sat on its edge. "You're interesting." He brushed the back of his hand on Tetsuya's cheek lightly, enjoying its softness. The teen just stared at him, no blushing like a teenage girl or giggling like a flirtatious woman. He just stared at Seijuro, like studying his every move.

"Why am I not in a hospital?"

He's sharp, Seijuro thought. Interesting indeed.

"What happened at the site was not an accident." He stood up then walked to the glass sliding door leading to the balcony. He slid it open to let the crisp air of spring in. "It was an assassination attempt. We haven't found the culprit yet. This is just a… precautionary measure."

"I don't think there's a need to protect me. You're their tar –"

"We can't be so sure about that." He turned to look at Tetsuya. The teen's brows were furrowed in contemplation. "You own sixty percent of BlueSky Corporation. Someone who has an interest in your company might want you dead. Someone – " He made his way back to the side of the bed. The sheets rustled as he sat. " – who will benefit when you die."

Tetsuya pursed his lips, fists clutching his blue blanket. His face remained impassive but Seijuro could see his inner turmoil in his eyes. Silence reigned between them as he let the words sink into the teen's mind.

This is it, Seijuro thought as he watched the teen's bothered look. He wanted to a create doubt in Tetsuya's mind; to make him trust nobody but him; to push him to a place where he could rely to no one but Seijuro.

Deciding to break the silence, he held the teen's hand then said, "You know, I was really touched by your bravery. You protected a total stranger. It was selfless."

Tetsuya stared back at Seijuro, processing what the older man had said. "Akashi-san is not a stranger to me. I work as your houseboy." Kuroko pulled his hand. "Oh… I haven't cleaned your unit while I was sleeping. Am I fired?"

Seijuro would have raised his eyebrow if not for his self-control. That should have been the least of Tetsuya's worries, right?

"No. I'm intending to find a new maid though… while you're recovering."

The teen looked relieved. "I thought I'm gonna lose my job."

"That's what I don't understand. Why do you have to work for me when you clearly don't have to?"

"I – " Tetsuya looked away. "I'm sorry Akashi-san but I won't answer that. My reason is personal."

"I understand." He was about to stand up when he felt the younger man's hand clutch his sleeve.

"Akashi-san, I need to contact Jiro –"

Seijuro raised his eyebrow at the nickname, which the younger man did not miss.

"I mean, the Chairman. He's my employer after all."

Where they that close for Tetsuya to call his father "Jiro" so casually? He felt his blood boil at the thought. It was sickening to think that his father would take a lover so much younger than him.

"Tell me, Tetsuya." His voice was cold. "What exactly is your relationship with my father?"

Nijimura Shuzo's footsteps resonated on the wooden floor. It was really refreshing whenever his employer visited the old Akashi manor in Kyoto. It was where the Akashi clan was first established; where it flourished.

The manor was designed in old Japanese architecture. There was a large koi pond and the backyard was full of Sakura trees. His employer would take a visit every spring to escape the busy life in Tokyo. He slid the Japanese Spring-inspired fusuma* carefully then entered the receiving room. His employer was looking out at the Sakura garden with a solemn expression, a cup of tea set in front of him.

"Chairman," Nijimura bowed as a sign of respect.

"Nijimura," Akashi Nanjiro acknowledged. He motioned for his assistant to sit on the zabuton** in front of him.

Nijimura took the offer graciously. "Chairman, here are the documents for BlueSky's expansion in the Philippines." He placed the brown envelopes on top of the low wooden table. "We have a bit of a problem with the construction of the hotel. Your presence is needed there."

Akashi Nanjiro sighed. "I guess it can't be helped. How about Tetsuya? Do you have news about him?"

"Yes, Chairman. I've received information that Kuroko-kun has woken up last night."

Nanjiro only looked away, gaze fixed on the seemingly endless blanket of pink petals. "Seijuro is turning into a monster. He's set on bringing me down. I have a bad feeling on what he's planning to do to Tetsuya."

"Chairman, what is your plan to get Kuroko-kun back?"

"With our current situation, it is best we leave Tetsuya in Seijuro's care at the moment." Nanjiro smiled calculatingly. "Who knows, Tetsuya might just be the card we need." He took a sip on his cup. "Is there a way for me to talk to Tetsuya before we leave?"

"I will arrange for that, Chairman."

"Book the first flight out of the country tomorrow."

Nijimura excused himself as he went to do his work.

"Employer-employee relationship?" Seijuro laughed mockingly. He tried to calm his raging emotions but it was no use. The conversation had not even lasted 10 minutes but Tetsuya had already managed to infuriate him by lying on his face. He would have acted like it was nothing. But, seeing the teen as the receptive type, there was no use in acting in front of him. "Do you really think I'd believe that?"

"Your father took care of me since I was nine." Tetsuya answered, looking straight at Seijuro. "I work for him as payment for all his help."

"My father is not a generous person. He will not take you in without some kind of benefit."

"It's unfair to judge your own father like that, Akashi-san. He's a very kind – "

"ENOUGH!" Akashi abruptly stood up with his fists balled. His actions startled the patient. "Until you tell me the truth, I will not let you talk to my father."

Without looking back, Akashi Seijuro left Kuroko Tetsuya without looking back.

"Sooo… Aominecchi, how about this vanilla wafer cake?" Kise Ryouta inquired while pointing at a white-frosted cake in the display shelf. They were inside a cozy looking coffee shop after the blond had pulled the ganguro unwillingly.

"I don't really care." Aomine Daiki clasped his hands at the back of his head then yawned. "We shouldn't even be doing this."

"Don't be like that Aominecchi! We should be happy that Kurokocchi's finally awake! You've already read his profile, right? That kid had gone through a lot already! We should do our best to give him love!" The model dramatically exclaimed, catching the attention of the few people in the shop.

"Oh, and who is this Kurokocchi?" a familiar voice butted in. Aomine turned to see his former senior in high school and current member of the board of directors of Akashi Group Imayoshi Shoichi. The COO clicked his tongue, irritated. He never liked his senior, always devious and unpredictable.

"Just a new friend." Kise lied smoothly.

"A new addition to the Generation of Miracles?" Imayoshi feigned shock. "The impenetrable circle of young business prodigies had accepted a new member? I'm sure the press would want to know who this new person is." He smirked.

"He's not really a new member. Just mine and Aominecchi's common frie –"

"Kise," Aomine interrupted. "I'm going ahead to the car. Buy your damn cake so we can leave." With that, Aomine turned his back and went straight to his black Hummer. Not long after, Kise followed with a box of cake.

"Your car's really big, Aominecchi." He commented as he strapped his seatbelt on then placed the box of cake on his lap carefully. Aomine did not answer. Instead, he started the engine which the blond took as an opportunity to continue. "You know what they say about guys with big cars?"

Aomine's eyebrow twitched. "I don't really care."

Kise paid no heed on his answer. "Guys with big cars have small dick. It's a psychological way of compensating for their small wiener." The marketing head laughed.

"You want me to shove my dick up your ass to test it?" Aomine grumbled through gritted teeth.

"Nuh-uh, I prefer to be on top."

"Heh, you might change your mind once I'm done with you." He retorted. He will never let Kise win this conversation when the blond had just questioned the size of his manhood. "You know what they say, once you go black, you can never go back." He purred the last part with his low, low voice which made Kise shiver.

"Eewe, Aominecchi! You're going to give me nightmares."

Daiki laughed, ending the conversation until they reached Seijuro's villa. It was Murasakibara Atsushi who greeted them when they arrived. When Daiki asked of their boss' whereabouts, the executive assistant just shrugged his shoulders. "He just left abruptly."

"How's Kurokocchi?" Kise inquired.

"He's fine, recovering fast." He answered back with not much interest. "Can I eat the cake now?" he eyed the box in Kise's hands.

"No." Ryouta held the box close to his body. "It's for Kurokocchi."

"He won't be able to finish all of that." Murasakibara reasoned.

"He'll eat this for sure. Vanilla flavored, he likes vanilla!"

"How on earth did you know about that?" Aomine raised his eyebrow.

"Read it on his profile."

"What the heck, Kise? You sound like a stalker."

"W-what?! I'm not a stalker. I just care about Kurokocchi unlike you!"

Their squabble stopped when Sakurai came out from the patient's room and shushed them. "He's sleeping. Please keep your voice down."

"That's a shame." Kise whispered. "I want to give this to Kurokocchi."

"Just give it to me then, Kise-chin." Atsushi suggested as he held the door open for the blond.

"You'll have to ask Kurokocchi if he'll give you a piece." He stopped walking when Tetsuya stirred. He smiled warmly as blue eyes focused on him.

"Kurokocchi! How are you feeling?"

The teen had to blink a few times to shake off the dizziness. It took him awhile to actually focus and recognize the people in front of him - Kise Ryouta and Aomine Daiki. He had seen them on a magazine when it featured young, successful men in the business world.

"Good morning." He greeted groggily as he tried to sit up. Ryouta was quick to put the box he was holding down on the bedside table to help him up.

"That's so cute, Kurokocchi!" he said as he arranged the pillows behind Kuroko before guiding him to lean on them. "But, it's already afternoon so you should say good afternoon."

Kuroko just watched the blond, wondering why he was acting so familiar with him. He was sure he does not have amnesia, so the possibility that he had been formerly acquainted with the famous model was out of the question.

"Please don't refer to me so familiarly, Kise-san." He politely pointed out, "This is the first time we had ever met."

"So straightforward." Kise looked beaten. "How could you forget about me, Kurokocchi! I was the one taking care of your supple lips while you were sleeping! I moisten them with my kiss –"

"Don't go making up stories!" Aomine smacked him on the side of his head. "Of course he doesn't remember you. He was sleeping while you were putting cherry balm on his lips."

"Eh? But he knows my name!"

"You're a friggin' famous model! It's normal for people to know your name!"

The blond was about to retort when Murasakibara covered the blond's face with his large palm. "Kise-chin, can we go celebrate now? I'd like to eat the cake."

It was the start of the bickering among the three men which made Kuroko's head ache. He clutched his forehead to ease the pain. It was too noisy for his liking. He attempted to get out of the bed to escape but failed when a wave of nausea came.

"Diz – zy…" he managed to utter as he started to fall. Instead of landing on the floor, lean arms wrapped around his thin torso.

"Kuroko-kun!" He recognized the voice as nurse Sakurai's. The last thing Kuroko remembered was nurse Sakurai yelling at the three men to get out of the room.

"Is that part of your seduction technique?" Midorima leaned on the counter, a glass of whicky in his hand. His eyes were trained on the Latina singer strutting on the stage, singing an upbeat Latin song which Midorima could not even understand a single word. "Making Kuroko feel like he's your prisoner and snapping at him?"

Instead of answering, Seijuro drank his whisky straight. He motioned for the bartender to give him another shot. Midorima turned just as the bartender was serving another shot to Seijuro. "That kid must be something." Midorima mumbled, the alcohol slowly taking effect. "There are only two people who infuriated you that easily – him… and your father."

"You want to be the third one, Shintarou?" Akashi leered.

Midorima shook his head. "I'm just stating the fact that you're losing your cool around that kid. How will you convince him to give you the voting trust*** of his shares in BlueSky when you had already mistreated him?"

Akashi chuckled. "I have my ways. I have an irresistible charm after all. No matter what I have done or what I do, Kuroko Tetsuya will fall for me." He gulped the last of his whisky then made his way to the Latina singer. He will need an outlet for his anger tonight.

Sakurai Ryou clutched the phone tightly in his hand as he silently entered his patient's room. He was sweating despite the cold night air.

"I really shouldn't have accepted this job." His voice quivered as he made his way to the bed. His patient looked paler from the dim light of the lampshade. He breathed in and out deeply to calm himself before lightly tapping his patient's shoulder.

"Kuroko-san," he whispered. "Please wake up."

He sighed in relief when the teen opened his eyes, thankful that it was easy to wake his patient up.

"Sakurai-san?"

Sakurai helped Tetsuya up. "There's someone who wants to talk with you." He held the phone in front of the patient. The teen seemed to hesitate as he gazed at the phone then at Sakurai. "Don't worry, no one will know." He assured. "Aomine-san and Kise-san already left while Murasakibara-san is asleep." He left out the part that he had given the executive assistant a dose of sleeping pills.

Kuroko reluctantly took the phone. "Hello." He greeted monotonously.

"Tetsuya." A very familiar voice greeted from the other line. Tetsuya's eyes widened slightly.

"Jiro-Ojiisan."

"Tetsuya, how are you?"

"I'm okay, Jiro-ojiisan."

"Listen to me, Tetsuya. I need you to stay with Seijuro for a while."

Tetsuya's hold of the phone tightened. "Ojii-san…" he muttered. Just like all the other instances, the older man was able to pick up the hint of worry on his voice.

"Tetsuya, this is what's best for now. I need to take care of something so I have to leave you for a while."

Tetsuya did not answer. He knew that the conversation will be ending soon. And, that was what he was afraid of. The only familiarity in his life will be leaving him.

"Tetsuya." His Nanjiro-ojiisan's voice was low and calming. "I'll come back as soon as I can. So, please stay with Seijuro for a while."

"I understand, Ojii-san."

"Take care, my Tetsuya."

Shops were already closed and streets were empty, save for a few cars passing by. A man clad in black coat trudged through empty alleys, avoiding the main street. He knew the place like the back of his hand so he could easily lose whoever was pursuing him. That's what he thought.

Upon rounding up a corner, a familiar man leaning on a black sedan greeted him. "Haizaki-kun~" The man smiled devilishly, making Haizaki Shougo step back. "You seem to be in a hurry. Why don't we have a little chat?"

"Imayoshi, I have no more business with you!" He growled as he slowly slid his hand to his back to reach for his gun.

Imayoshi chuckled. "You know, we wouldn't have any problem if you had succeeded in killing your target." He snapped his fingers and two men came out from the dark corners of the alley.

Before Haizaki could even pull his gun, another man appeared from behind and effectively disarmed him. His hands were pulled to his back, preventing him from struggling. "Give me another chance. I swear I'll kill him this time!"

"You know I don't believe in second chances." Imayoshi turned to one of his men. "Take care of him."

With that, Imayoshi turned his back from Haizaki, deaf from the other man's pleas.

-end of chapter 4-

*Fusuma - in traditional Japanese architecture, it is a sliding door with rectangular wooden frame with thick stylish Japanese paper glued on the frame. (Source: .jp)

**zabuton – sitting cushion. (Source: Wikipedia)

***Voting Trust Agreement – is a contract between shareholders where the trustor acquires the voting rights of a shareholder. This is used by shareholders to attain control over a company.

I didn't think that I'd get so much support for this story so thank you very much for the reviews, favorites and follows. Please tell me what you think of this chapter.