Family

Reveal

"I apologize for calling you in such short notice," Akashi said as Mayuzumi led Tenma to the lounge where he and the others waited for him.

"It's alright, I wasn't really that busy," Tenma said with a smile, "And when you said it had something to do with Tetsuya, I couldn't say no,"

But he frowned as he looked around and spotted no cyan-haired child. "Where is he, anyway?"

"Daiki took him out on a stroll so we can talk," Akashi said.

Tenma looked confused. "But... I thought Tetsuya asked me to come here?"

"I lied," Akashi said then urged at the empty chair. "Please have a seat,"

"What is this all about?" Tenma asked, taking a seat.

Akashi glanced at Mayuzumi before he took out a case and handed Tenma some papers. "Read it," he said.

Confused, Tenma obliged and read the paper and froze as he saw a picture of a woman with dirty blonde hair and black eyes.

"That's Akano Kuroko," Akashi said, "Four years ago... she died from drug overuse after giving her only son away to be adopted by the son of the man she loved. But... I knew her differently and I'm sure you do as well..."

Tenma didn't take his eyes off of Akano's picture as he listened to Akashi talk.

"She was once a theater actress, not very famous as Kise's mother, but... people knew her name," Mayuzumi continued. "One day... she met a tourist-- he was on a business trip when he visited the province. Eventually, they fell in love... or so she thought. He left her for another girl and destroyed her life... and the child she bears that she claimed was his,"

"You know Akano Kuroko," Akashi said.

Tenma nodded.

"You knew her story,"

Tenma nodded.

"You knew Tetsuya," Akashi said, "You knew he was Akano's son..."

Tenma finally looked up to see Akashi's mismatched eyes. "No," he whispered. "I didn't know he was Akano's son until you told me what his last name was,"

"You knew Akano... and you found Tetsuya," Akashi said, "You were the reason she was destroyed... the reason why Tetsuya suffered abuse up to the age of four before being chucked at my doorsteps... the reason why Tetsuya is incomplete-- no mother, no father... you were the man Akano loved... Tetsuya's father,"

Tenma looked down. "Yes," he answered. "I was the one who destroyed Akano... and... maybe the same reason why a child as kind and as delicate as Tetsuya is broken, but... I wasn't the man Akano loved, nor am I that child's father,"

The others exchanged confused glances.

"What do you mean?" Kise asked.

Tenma pursed his lips then brought his wallet out where a picture of a family of four smiled at the other men-- an elderly couple stood proudly in formal attire, two younger men stood on each side of the elder couple, both sporting blue hair and eyes and shared identical features.

"Twins," Midorima said.

"This is my brother, Tetsuo," Tenma said, pointing at the man that stood next to his father. "He was Akano's lover... the man she met that one fateful night,"

Akashi slammed his hand on the desk, making Kise jump in surprise. "Don't mess with us! What kind of twisted story is that?!" he yelled, but Mayuzumi held him back.

"Please explain," Mayuzumi said.

Tenma sighed as he looked at their family picture. "Tetsuo and I grew up in a wealthy family because of our business. He was older than me by minutes and that was enough for my parents to have him shoulder the burden of bringing them the next heir to our business," he said then looked at Akashi, "I'm sure you understand the feeling,"