Triple Surprise!

Hello! This is originally a one-shot but it's too long! In Calibri font size 12 it added up to 24 pages so I decided to break it up into 4 parts. Read and enjoy! And don't forget to review, I'd appreciate it.

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to it's respective owner. I am just a fan.

Summary: Takao's 18th is coming up… but WHAT! Everyone forgot all about it?! Or so Takao thinks… And what's with Kai? four-shot Tyka

Warnings: Nothing really. You should know that this mens on mens, though.

TyKa is LOVE

Part I

Max stretched his arms high above his head as he walked, stifling a yawn. It was early morning and he was taking the short walk from his father's house to the Kinomiya dojo. He didn't know why he was doing this at this certain time, frankly. Hilary had demanded the day before that they all show up, and he didn't think once to cross her.

He smiled slightly as he came into sight of his friend's residence and found Hilary and Kenny talking in the big gateway.

"Hey guys!" He called, and saw them turn at the sound of his voice.

"Max! You're right on time!" Hilary clapped her hands together and gave a smile that was too cheery for such a time of the day. Kenny, laptop in hand as ever, simply looked tired.

"Ehehe," Max rubbed the back of his head, "I went to bed early last night just so I wouldn't sleep in. So! Are we going in or not!"

The trio marched across the front yard to the house itself. When they stepped onto the ledge they took a detour and entered through the dojo.

"WHATSAAAP HOMIES!"

Hilary shrieked and they just managed to duck in time before the old man smacked them with the kendo stick in his hands. He straightened, looking unabashed.

"Gramps, you really shouldn't do that," said Kenny nervously, "We're really not cut out for this kind of thing."

"Arr, dudes! You must be having a body, grazing the fields so early!"

"Errr," Kenny said uncertainly as Max scratched his head.

"It's just a small meeting to discuss something. Nothing important, really!" Hilary replied, "Where's Takao?"

"T-man be snoring in his room! Want him to crash your party?!" The old man punctuated every word with a swing of his stick, barely missing Kenny's nose in the process.

"Ah, no, no, that's fine!" said Hilary hurriedly, "Let him sleep, we're not in a hurry."

"Alright then, have fun dudes!" cackling madly, he swung his way out of the dojo and into the garden. As Hilary opened her mouth to demand of the other two where Rei and Kai were, the sliding door connecting the house opened and in came the two, both carrying mugs of some hot drink. Rei was chuckling.

"Well, isn't gramps extra enthusiastic today," he said.

"Well, aren't you guys late!" Hilary huffed.

"Oh?" Rei turned his head and looked at the clock hung on the wall to find Kai and himself a total of three minutes late to this mysterious meeting.

"No matter, no matter! Sit down every body!" The girl instructed, though did not say anything when Kai, leaving the huddle of everybody else, leaned against the wall in his famous pose.

"So why are we here, exactly?" Max asked as they made themselves comfortable on the floor. Hilary remained standing, looking like a teacher about to give a lesson to her class of first graders.

"We're holding a secret conference!" she announced, and when Kai raised an eyebrow, she continued with, "About Takao."

"I don't get it," Max said, "Why would we hold a secret conference about Takao? Especially since he could wake up and come around the corner at any second."

Hilary's face screamed disbelief, "Don't worry, he sleeps like a rock. And this shouldn't take too long..." she began pacing about as she started to speak, "We've all known Takao for a long time now. We all know how annoying, lazy, whiny, and stubborn he is. He eats too much. He sleeps too much. He procrastinates too much. He's too hot-headed. He has zero patience, and he's an idiot!" Her hands had started waving about, as though conducting an orchestra, "And let's not mention how unpunctual he is."

Max's eyes had widened, "Whoa," he said.

"Let me finish!" the brunette's pacing had not ceased, "But every person has flaws," he face and voice softened, "And Takao has a lot to compensate for those." Max, Kenny, and Rei eyed her as though she had grown a second head. Kai stared at her suspiciously. She ignored all of them, "I'm saying that he has a big heart. He's loyal, and he's always been there for all of us. He's determined, and would never give up. But most of all, he'd do anything for his friends. So we should repay him on his special day."

As the three seated before her continued to gape dumbly, she rolled her eyed and sighed in exasperation, "Haven't you caught on? Takao's turning 18 a week from now!"

That seemed to pull Rei back into reality, "So—so you're saying we should do something special for his birthday to show him how grateful we are?"

"Well, yes... but first I say..." and here she turned and threw her arms dramatically into the air, "WE TORTURE HIM!"

A stunned silence followed this revelation.

"Come again?" said Max.

"Well, not torture, exactly. But I have a plan, and each and every one of you will follow it flawlessly," she scarily looked straight into each one's eyes, intimidating all but Kai.

"Well, what is it?" asked Kenny.

"Welllll, the goal is to throw him a surprise party," she started, "BUT, you're all going to have to seem like you forgot that his birthday is coming up, and act indifferent if he reminds you. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, we will invite everyone we know and set up the best birthday party he'll ever have!"

"I don't know about this, guys," said Kenny slowly.

"That would make Takao really sad if he thinks we forgot about his birthday," Max agreed.

"Well, that's the point!" to their surprise, it was Rei who spoke up. His eyes were gleaming, and he shared a smile with Hilary. Max and Kenny, and even Kai, stared at him in wonder. "We make him think that we totally forgot, or we simply don't care. And then boom! That, my friends, is the element of surprise!"

"Isn't this a little bit too cruel..." Kenny still wasn't convinced, but he was unheard by Hilary and Rei, who were already plotting and planning joyfully.

"Aaahh," he said frantically, hugging his laptop to his chest.

"Don't worry, Kenny, maybe they are right," Max told him, though he didn't seem so assured himself.

They all looked up when Kai scoffed, finally about to say something. He glared at them all as they waited in anticipation.

"This is stupid," he said, and stalked out.

Hilary shrugged and turned back to Rei, "He'll come around."

MWMWMWMWM

The summer days went by slowly, the weather hot and stifling. Takao would always examine his friends as they talked about this and that, wondering if they remembered that his birthday was coming up shortly. They never mentioned anything about it under the severe instruction of Hilary. Takao let it go and decided that they would tell him 'Happy Birthday' and give him presents on the designated day.

He had wanted to throw a party to mark his turning into an adult, but later decided against it. He sure didn't feel any different from when he was 15! Being 18, or almost so, was not different... he simply felt like himself. And it really wasn't something he'd want to initiate on his own. Since his friends had no excitement for this event, he didn't see much point to it...

As much as he tried to ignore it, however, he could not deny that his friends were acting weird. Rei and Hilary were extra cheerful these days, going off together at odd times and often putting their heads together to discuss something quietly. He thought of the possibility that they were involved, but it didn't seem like it, and Takao knew that Rei had feelings for Mariah.

Max seemed uncharacteristically fidgety, as though he was always on edge. He would often give Takao long side looks but when Takao returned his gaze in puzzlement the blonde would look away and laugh nervously.

Kenny always appeared to be giving him pitying glances, as though Takao's very presence required sympathy. It irritated Takao, and he tried to talk to the chief about it, but the chief had denied it, his hands flying over his keyboard and not looking at the bluenette.

The worst of all was Kai. He and Takao had gotten somehow closer over the years, and would sometimes sit together in comfortable silence or share a small conversation. But now, the ex-team captain seemed distant and always tense. Takao had caught him conversing with Rei, looking serious, but had been unable to discern what the low words were. He was willing to admit that he was hurt that Kai was talking to Rei and not to him, but he seemed to never find an opportunity to catch Kai. The dual-haired man always disappeared before Takao could get him on his own. Kai had his own place now, and he and Takao used to walk back together whenever Kai occasionally showed up at the dojo. Not now, though.

Takao sighed from where he sat on the front steps of his house. Kenny was seated by him, though he was utilizing Dizzy as usual. Rei and Hilary had declared that they had something to do and disappeared somewhere, and Max had appeared on the verge of telling him something. The blonde had shared a look with their resident genius, clamped his mouth shut, and then hurried off, claiming he had to help his father in the shop. As for Kai—he was nowhere to be seen this bright June day.

So far it wasn't a great week leading up to his eighteenth. Standing up, Takao turned his head and looked down on Kenny.

"Hey chief, I'm going for a walk."

"Okay Takao," the other replied without looking up. Sighing again, the bluenette set off down the path.

His legs carried him almost automatically to the bridge over the river. He walked with his eyes downcast, wondering what to busy himself with in the meantime, when a soft voice said, "Takao."

Looking up, Takao's heart gave a small leap when he saw who was standing on the bridge.

"Hey Kai," he said brightly.

Kai nodded slightly as the other joined him. They stood companionably for a moment, staring into the watery depth of the river below. Takao turned his head and looked at his friend warmly.

"Do you know what's up with Hilary and Rei these days?" he asked by way of conversation, "They're always together! I wonder what's going on."

Kai only lightly shook his head to show that he was listening.

"I mean," Takao continued, "They're always talking quietly and disappearing at the same time. And when they come back, they're together! Isn't that a bit weird, always going off to a corner and discussing god knows what?"

He paused but Kai didn't reply. Takao turned to look at the river again, "But then again, everyone is acting a bit strange. Like Max, I always feel like he has something to tell me but he doesn't! And Kenny's just kind of... I don't know, he gives me weird looks. Kai!"

Kai looked up in surprise at the exclamation. Tyson's eyes were over bright, but they were dry.

"Even you, Kai. You keep going off. Did I do something wrong?"

"I—no..." Kai trailed off.

Takao looked frustrated, "Then why isn't anybody acting like themselves?"

"Takao, " Kai began, and they looked at each other, their eyes locking. The words died on Kai's lips as he stared into the deep pools, then he looked away, to the side, and started walking.

Takao made a surprised sound and called out, "Wait, Kai!" but Kai didn't stop. And even though he fully expected to be followed, Takao didn't move from his spot.

Onto part II!