Chapter 3
Summary: Ken has unexpectedly blurted out, within Aya's hearing, that he is not in love with the redhead. Except Ken IS in love with said redhead and now he doesn't know what to do. How can he fix the problem? What will he say to Aya?
Author's note: Yes, I've finally updated! I apologise to all readers, I suddenly got another idea and had to go off to write my other fic 'Bring Me To Life'. But I'm back now, and hope to get this one finished in a reasonable amount of time! I've got the plot semi-sorted out (thank you to everyone for suggestions) and so it's full speed ahead! Hope you will enjoy reading this latest chapter!
Hugs to: Ashen Skies, Wildfire2, Heather, forbidding, Zeto, Sky Rat, Minerva Teller of Tales, nauta iupiter and rei-chan!
And specially to Moonraven, this one is for you! Without your persistence in asking for this fic, I would have given up a long time ago! Hope you are feeling much better soon!
Yep, Aya was definitely ignoring him. Ken sneaked a glance at the hardworking redhead.
After Aya had opened the backdoor for the second time to find Ken lying all over Yohji, Ken had known it was not going to be a good day.
Aya had already set the special delivery out on the bench and merely pointed at it when Ken and Yohji had reappeared in the store. He didn't say anything and Ken didn't know what to say anyway. What do you say to someone after they overhear you telling someone else that you aren't in love with them?
So Ken had gone to do his delivery and wracked his brain for something to say to Aya. It was a fruitless exercise and he returned disheartened to the store. Yuriko had taken one look at his face and dragged him to the kitchen with the excuse of getting drinks for everyone.
Yohji was still entertaining Mayumi and her friends. Koichi was chatting with Omi as the young blonde showed him ikebana techniques. Aya was serving customers and surprisingly not yelling at any of the girls who were standing in the store.
"So Ken-kun, what's wrong with you and your Aya?" Yuriko didn't waste any time as soon as they reached the kitchen.
"Ahh…. Yuri-chan… I'm such an idiot. He's not my Aya anyway." Ken laughed derisively at himself.
"But aren't you in love with him? You told me there was someone special that you were waiting for, and her name was Aya. I assumed it was a girl, but it seems I was mistaken. And I saw the look on your face when you left to make that delivery. Have you had a fight? Tell me all about it and I'll help you fix it!" Yuriko's brow crinkled as she tried to puzzle out the situation.
"Firstly, I should tell you we're not together." Ken decided to tell the truth to the sympathetic girl in front of him. "I've been in love with him for the longest time, but I've never been able to tell him. In fact, I've never told anyone."
"Do you mean you've been in love with him for over a year now?" Yuriko's blue eyes opened wide with astonishment. "But you're such a great guy! And he seems so nice too. Why don't you tell him?"
"I haven't been in love with him for over a year," mumbled Ken.
Yuriko gave him a disbelieving look. "So how long then? And why can't you tell him?"
"I admired him for the longest time… I realised it was love about 5 months, 2 weeks and 4 days ago. But I can't tell him." Ken shook his head. "I'm sure he doesn't feel anything for me."
Yuriko smiled in an assessing manner. "I wouldn't be as sure as you are. When we first arrived at the store, he went off to work on that arrangement, but I noticed he was keeping an eye on you when you weren't looking.
"Probably getting mad 'cause me and Yotan weren't working," Ken said gloomily.
"Kennnnnnnn, you are so pessimistic! I'm telling you, my woman's intuition tells me that he is definitely not indifferent to you."
"Thanks for trying to cheer me up. But I've done something so bad, I don't know how to get out of it."
"What? You haven't killed anyone have you?" Yuriko joked.
Ken gave her a startled glance.
"What?! I was just kidding Ken-kun!!! So tell me your problem. Two minds are better than one at solving a problem." Yuriko poked him in the arm.
"Well… He kinda overheard me saying that I was not in love with him." Ken looked at the tabletop, feeling the wave of sadness hit him again with the voiced words.
"Hmm. That's a difficult one. Can't you just say you were joking?" Yuriko offered the most practical solution she could think of.
"You'd just walk up to the love of your life after that and tell them you were joking?" Ken gave her an incredulous look.
"I can't think of any other way around this one."
"Me either." Ken sighed again.
"Hey I thought you guys were getting drinks!" Yohji opened the door and looked over the top of his sunglasses at them.
"Sorry! Ken and I were too busy chatting!" Yuriko smiled innocently.
"Doesn't look like a happy conversation," Yohji observed.
Ken sighed for the umpteenth time that day. Both of them knew his secret now, there was no point in trying to hide it anymore. "I was just telling Yuriko about the problem with my big mouth."
"Aa. Still trying to work out how to smooth it over with the icicle in there?"
"Yohji knows?" Yuri blinked in surprise.
"Yep. Someone's gotta look out for Kenken else he'll be single for the rest of his life." Yohji smirked at the annoyed look on Ken's face.
"You guys both have to promise me that you won't say anything to Aya!" Ken glanced anxiously at the other two.
"Of course I won't Ken-kun! And I'm going to help you get him! I can give you some different ideas from a woman's perspective."
"Fine fine," grouched Yohji, "But you're going to need my help too. That redhead is some piece of work."
"What do you mean Yohji-san?" asked Yuriko.
"Ee, nothing. We better get these drinks back in there." Yohji made a quick exit with the cans of iced coffee, soft drinks and juice requested by all.
Yuriko turned and patted Ken on the shoulder reassuringly. "It'll all work out. With Yohji-san's and my help, what could go wrong?"
'Yeah what could go wrong?' thought Ken despondently as he trailed Yuriko back to the shop front.
After drinks it was nearly time for lunch so Ken and Yohji went with Yuriko and Koichi to get a table before the others would join them.
Once seated at the table, Ken learned how Yuriko had gotten engaged to one of the most eligible men in the country. She had gone to Australia and had opened a motorbike store. She was happy and her business had been successful. She had gone to watch the Australian Moto GP race and had bumped into Koichi. He had been appreciative of finding a native Japanese person to show him around. Only after they had spent a week in each other's company had Koichi revealed his surname and family origin to her. He was in Australia learning about his family's business. They had been inseparable from that moment on.
"So you sold up your business and returned to Japan?" Ken asked Yuriko.
"Yes, I will work in the family business now," smiled Yuriko.
Aya and Omi eventually arrived. Ken took one glance at the sour expression on Aya's face and looked at Omi for explanation.
"Some girls were overzealous about helping me and umm… started a catfight. They broke some pots, but Aya made them pay for them," explained Omi.
"Let's order. We should get back to help Momoe-san out." Aya cut in, effectively stopping Omi's comment.
Lunch passed pleasantly, albeit quickly. Aya escorted their charges back home, making the arrangements for the following day. The others returned to the shop in the afternoon.
After several hours of work, Ken finished his last arrangement and took off his apron. Thank goodness he could take a break for a couple of hours. It had been entirely too nerve-wracking working with a silent Aya. Admittedly Yohji and Omi were there and Aya never spoke much when everyone was around. Still, Ken couldn't help but feel like a naughty child who'd done something wrong and was unsure what was going to happen to him next.
"I'm finishing up now," Ken called as he opened the door to their living area.
"Okay Ken-kun!"
Ken rushed up to his room to grab his soccer gear. Today he was going to the park to coach the neighbourhood kids. This was something that he knew would soothe his frazzled nerves. When he was playing soccer with the kids, it made everything right in the world again. He hoped that today would not be an exception.
When Ken came back down, only Omi was in the store. Ken paused at the counter as he stuffed his water bottles into his duffle bag.
"Where are the others?"
"Aya left to go somewhere, he didn't say," Omi wrinkled his nose cutely, "and the human chimney is out the back."
"Ee… chibi! Human chimney?" Yohji sauntered back into the store.
"I gotta go guys! Ja ne!" Ken put on his sneakers and dashed out the door.
When he returned home, Aya had not returned and Ken had still not thought of a way to talk to Aya. Soccer had taken his mind off the problem for a couple of hours, but back in the shop he was once again faced with the reality of his situation.
He worked hard, trying to keep busy and keep his mind off the problem. But everything seemed to remind him of Aya. Red roses which were so beautiful and sweet smelling yet also dangerous with the thorns. The neat pile of orders for the next day written in Aya's perfect script. Aya's green apron hanging on the wall attracted his attention more than once. That annoying Sakura chick coming in and asking for Aya. Ken sighed and kept working.
The shop had closed, dinner was finished, Omi was doing his homework and Aya still wasn't home. Ken was going out of his mind as the morning's incident replayed itself over and over in this mind.
Yohji found Ken sitting on the couch staring blankly into space.
"Hey Kenken. Watcha watching?" Yohji peered at the television over his sunglasses.
"What?" Ken blinked at Yohji in surprise. "I'm not watching anything."
"I didn't think you were into school romance dramas." Yohij snickered.
"What? Argh!" Ken looked at the screen to find some high school girls spying on some boy classmates.
"You're still dwelling on it, aren't you?" Yohji gave Ken a pensive look.
"Yotan, what do I do now?" Ken turned pleading eyes on the older blonde.
"I don't know."
Ken sat listlessly on the sofa.
"Ok. Let's not sit at home thinking about things we can't change. Get dressed in your fanciest clothes 'cause I'm gonna take you on the town tonight." Yohji stood up and pulled Ken to his feet.
"I don't really feel like it…" protested Ken.
"Dancing and drinking. It'll make you feel better. Or at least, it will stop you thinking." Yohji pulled Ken to the door with him.
"Ok. Thanks Yotan." Ken smiled weakly.
Ken went to his room and stood in front of his open wardrobe. What to wear? He didn't really have any clothes to wear to a club, not to the sort of club that Yohji went to anyway.
A knock of the door shook Ken out of his thoughts and he hurried to open it.
Yohji was holding a pair of pants and a dark grey shirt. "Here try these. I wasn't sure if you had any stuff suitable for 'The Cave'. They have a dress code, you know."
"Thanks Yohji."
"Besides I have a reputation to maintain. And Yohji Kudou is always seen with hot people."
"So, I classify as hot, do I?" laughed Ken. This was a nice gesture on Yohji's part and Ken appreciated the older man's efforts to cheer him up.
"Just get ready and let's go. All those girls out there deprived of their Yohji Kudou…" Yohji's voice trailed off melodramatically.
Ken was still smiling as he pulled on the clothes. Damn, the pants were tight. He should have known that being as they were Yohji's pants. The length was a little long, as Yohji was about 10 centimetres taller than him, but he'd tuck the hems under once he put his boots on. Ken put on the shirt and then looked at himself in the mirror and nearly blushed at the image he saw. He looked… sexy? When did Ken Hidaka look sexy? The pants outlined his muscled thighs and sat low on his hips, flashing a glimpse of his smooth skin and even his belly button when he moved. The shirt which had looked non-descript in Yohji's hands now revealed itself to be as tight as the pants, moulding to his chest and, to his embarrassment, clinging to his nipples.
"Stop looking at yourself and let's go." Ken looked up startled at Yohji who was leaning against the frame of his door. "The door was open. C'mon. You scrub up okay, Kenken."
"Don't you think it's a bit much?" asked Ken as he tried to pull the shirt away from his skin. It just settled back in the same position when he let go of it. "Can I change my shirt? This one is so… clingy."
"No. You look great. Now let's go." Yohji sauntered over and grabbed Ken's arm, preventing him from attempting to look at his back view. He pulled the slightly resisting Ken along with him towards the door.
Ken realising that Yohji wasn't going to let go or let him change, gave up and trailed along meekly behind the blonde. When Yohji made up his mind about something, he really made up his mind about something. And anyway, no one would know him where they were going, so it didn't really matter what he wore.
Yohji drove his Seven and they reached the club in a short amount of time. Yohji had the devil's own luck with a parking space appearing right in front of the club.
"Let's go Kenken!" Yohji jumped out of the car, his voice bright with anticipation.
Ken groaned as people in the queue stared at them. He tried to pretend that he was as cool as Yohji and stepped calmly from the vehicle. He needed some sunglasses like Yohji.
Yohji draped an arm over Ken's shoulders and pushed him towards the club's entrance. "Relax Ken. You look great. We look great." A wolf whistle from someone in the queue emphasised Yohji's point.
Ken nodded. He knew Yohji looked good. Hell, Yohji always looked good. And he had to admit, he looked okay today. He tried not to think about how the clothes might as well be painted on for all the coverage they provided.
Yohji obtained them entrance with the bouncer and they walked in.
The club was loud, the pulsing beat infecting Ken, making him want to join in with it. Yohji walked over to a chained off doorway with yet another bouncer, gaining them access to a seemingly more exclusive part of the club. They walked through the hallway which opened up into a slightly less crowded room with two levels. The atmosphere was similar to the main room, yet different. This place reeked of coolness. The clothes were more fashionable, the people more beautiful.
"Drink first." Yohji pulled Ken with him to the bar. He ordered a few shots of vodka and motioned for Ken to sit on the stool next to him.
"Kampai! Here's to a fun night!" Yohji raised a shot glass and Ken joined him.
"Kampai!" echoed Ken and then gasped as the alcohol burned a path to his stomach.
"How the hell can you drink this stuff?" Ken complained to Yohji.
"It's the best thing to get you relaxed the quickest. One more, then we'll get out on the floor and see what beautiful people we can find."
"People? I thought it was only girls you were interested in?" Even with the alcohol, Ken didn't miss the inference of Yohji's statement.
"Ah. So you've worked it out. It doesn't matter about a person's gender Kenken. It's all about the person themselves." Yohji winked at Ken before downing his second shot.
Ken followed suit. This time the alcohol didn't burn as much and he was beginning to feel a bit warm and relaxed as the alcohol began to take effect.
"Ready to dance?" Ken nodded at Yohji's question and they manoeuvred their way to the dance floor.
The floor was packed with writhing bodies. Ken vaguely noticed that the club had quite an interesting mix of couples. There were guys dancing with girls, girls dancing with girls and he couldn't quite believe his eyes, but there were guys dancing with guys. Well maybe, dancing wasn't quite all that they were doing.
Yohji turned his head to check Ken's progress and smirked as he noticed the direction of Ken's gaze.
"Yep. Anything goes here. So you just gonna stand there or what?"
Ken's head snapped back to Yohji's and he knew his cheeks were slightly flushed. At least he could blame that on the heat and alcohol. Though he was pretty sure that Yohji knew it was from the sight of the two men kissing and grinding against each other in a parody of dancing.
Ken started to move, letting the rhythm and beat of the music take over his body. He vaguely sensed Yohji dancing nearby as he abandoned control and gave himself up to the music.
He was startled when the feeling of an ice-cold bottle was pressed against his neck. He turned around to find a blue-haired girl smiling in front of him.
"Hi… You looked pretty hot out here on the dance floor, so I thought I'd bring you a beer. My name's Aki, what's your's?" Aki extended the beer she was carrying, and Ken could see she was holding another one which was half full.
"Hi. I'm Ken. Thanks for the beer. It's pretty hot out here." Ken accepted the beer with a grateful sigh.
"I haven't seen you around here before. First time?" Aki continued, giving him probably what she considered a seductive smile.
"Aa yeah." Ken drank down the beer thirstily. "Nothing tastes quite like a beer when you're hot," he said as he smiled at Aki.
"Wanna dance some more?" Aki asked as she finished her beer at the same time as Ken.
"Aa… sure." Ken thought 'It's only a dance, so that should be okay'.
They placed their empty bottles on a side ledge and moved back to the centre of the floor.
Ken slipped easily back into dance mode. Aki was a good dancer and he noticed that a few people were watching them. He concentrated on moving his body in time with the beat and was smiling as he gyrated to the beat. Well, he was smiling until he felt Aki plaster herself to his back. Her small hand slid under the front of his shirt and started stroking his abs.
"Nani?!" Ken placed a hand on top of hers to halt her movement.
Aki was not discouraged. She used her other hand to try to slide down the waistband of his pants.
Ken grabbed her other hand and pulled her hands away from him, spinning her to be in front of him.
"What are you doing?" Ken asked annoyed.
"You're hot. I want a piece of you." Aki shrugged as she looked up at him through her eyelashes and licked her lips.
Ken was dumbfounded. Damn, this girl was so straightforward, and she was starting to get slightly scary with the way she was looking at him, like he was a piece of prime meat or something.
"Everyone's noticed you. I wanted to claim you first." Aki continued. She latched onto his arm and began to stroke up and down his shoulder to his elbow and back again.
"I'm sorry, but I'm here with someone." Ken gave her a fake apologetic look.
"Who? I've been watching you for a while now and you haven't been dancing with anyone." Aki looked annoyed now, like a child who was being denied a treat that she wanted.
"Aa… Him!" Ken spotted Yohji's blonde hair and pointed at him in relief.
"You have to be kidding me! I bet you don't even know Yohji Kudou. Everyone always pretends to know him." Aki gave Ken a disbelieving look. "And if you did know him, then why's he dancing with that girl then?" She tightened her grip. The girl that Yohji was dancing with was wrapped around the tall blonde and the space between them was minimal, to say the least.
"We have an open relationship. He can dance with anyone he wants." Ken ad-libbed quickly.
Aki snorted. It was quite an unladylike sound.
Ken tried to get out of her grip, but Aki had surprisingly strong fingers. "You don't believe me? Well I'll prove it then!" Ken gave up and walked over with his unwanted baggage to where Yohji was dancing. He hoped Yohji would forgive him for this later.
"Yotan, what are you doing?" Ken demanded in the tones of an aggrieved lover.
"Kenken! Having a good time?" Yohji looked up from the face of his partner. "Found a new friend, huh?"
"Nope, she doesn't believe that I came to the club with you. So dance with me please..." Ken held out a hand to Yohji, trying to convey his message through his eyes whilst trying to look sincere for Aki.
"Yohji, who's this?" Yohji's partner looked more than a little put-out now. "Go away."
Yohji sighed as he disentangled himself from her. Now she looked positively murderous and the recipient of those looks was Ken. He blinked at her, and hurriedly returned his gaze to Yohji.
Yohji took Ken's outstretched hand and bending close to him whispered in Ken's ear, "Ah, Kenken. The trouble you get into by yourself."
Aki and Yohji's former partner now had the same looks on their faces as Yohji pulled Ken back against his front, wrapping his arms around the brunette as he faced the girls.
"Sorry ladies. Kenken's had enough playing by himself tonight and now he's come back to me." Yohji lowered his head to nibble on Ken's neck and after a few seconds the girls departed in fury.
"Thanks man! I owe you one. She just kept trying to touch me and she wouldn't stop. You can drop the act now." Ken sighed in relief as he turned around within Yohji's grip.
"Ah ah ah. We've still got an audience." Yohji smirked down on a flustered Ken.
"Nani?" Yohji caught his head between his hands as Ken started to look around.
"You're gonna blow our act if you continue. Just play along for a little while and then they'll get bored and leave. They're sitting by the bar together, just like old friends. To your right." Yohji started to dance again, forcing Ken to move too.
Ken blushed again. "I'm really sorry Yotan."
"No worries. I shouldn't have let you dance off by yourself like that. I am supposed to be here with you tonight, so don't worry about coming to 'claim' me." Ken groaned as he heard the laughter in Yohji's voice.
Ken focused on dancing, but it was hard with Yohji holding him so close.
"Aa… Yohji. I can't dance with you holding me so close." With Yohji so close, it made Ken realise how much he missed close contact with a partner. Ken resolutely forced his mind off Kase. However he couldn't quite hide the response of his body to Yohji's proximity. Hey, he was a healthy red-blooded teenage male with hormones after all!
"Just a bit longer Kenken." But Yohji didn't release Ken, rather drawing him in even closer.
There was no way that Yohji wasn't going to realise the effect he had on Ken. Ken closed his eyes and waited for the reaction.
A hand reached to tilt Ken's head up. He opened his eyes and looked up at Yohji. When he did, Yohji moved even closer and Ken's eyes opened wide as he was pressed against a matching hardness.
"It's cool Ken. We're cool. You can't help it 'cause I'm hot. And like I said before, you scrub up pretty damn well." Yohji smiled ruefully down at Ken, before moving his body away to a more reasonable distance.
"I could definitely have gone for you, you know Kenken. I think you're completely unaware of your own charm." Yohji continued. "If I didn't know that you were in love with Aya and if I didn't think that the icicle felt something for you, then I might have acted on it."
"Yohji…" breathed Ken. He didn't know what to say.
Yohji smiled. "Well that's in the open now. In our line of work, it helps to have someone who understands what we're going through. These girls I pick up, they can only block the memories for a few hours. But you, you can understand what I feel. I'm almost a bit sad that Aya got to you first." Yohji's expression lightened on his last statement.
"Thanks Yotan. You're my best friend, you know. Well along with Omi." Ken reached out to enfold Yohji in a hug.
Ken felt relieved. He hadn't realised the depth of Yohji's feelings, but in a way he was glad of it. Yohji broke the embrace and ruffled Ken's hair lightly.
"Now let's dance. Show me the moves that are making girls want to tear the clothes off your body." Yohji's laughter floated around Ken as he was prompted into action.
Ken looked up to the ceiling as the sound of cheering caught his attention from the overhanging second level.
A couple of boys were dancing in a risqué manner close the railing and were being egged on by the crowd. Blonde and black hair, dressed in very little clothing, they were certainly eye catching. They paused to kiss and Ken laughed as Yohji wrapped a companionable arm around his shoulders as they stopped dancing. "That turns you on, you dirty old man?"
"Hell yeah. Those guys know exactly what they're doing to the crowd." Yohji unashamedly grinned.
Ken put his fingers to his lips and blew a wolf whistle.
The boys broke apart at that and turned to look down for the source of the noise.
"My god! That guy looks just like Omi!" Ken exclaimed as he saw the face of the blonde. However he couldn't ever imagine Omi wearing clothes like that. Through the glass under the thin metal railing, the Omi look-alike was wearing black hotpants with a silver grey vest. He had black wrist gloves and a dog collar as well.
"Omitchi?" whispered Yohji. He abruptly straightened and began to walk to the stairway joining the levels. Ken realising his intent, hastened after him.
After battling the crowd up the stairs and across the second dance floor, they found the young couple gone.
Overhearing muttering by the crowd, Ken was able to determine that the boys had departed just minutes ago.
"Well that makes an interesting something to tell Omi tomorrow." Ken said as he turned to Yohji.
Yohji had an unreadable expression on his face, but it quickly changed to a smirk as he noticed Ken looking at him. "You bet Kenken. So you wanna dance some more, or you had enough for tonight?"
"I've had enough. Thanks Yohji. You really did make me feel better."
"Anytime."
Yohji was surprisingly silent on the way home, but Ken was too tired to make an issue of it.
~ tbc ~
Sorry there's not much Aya-Ken in this chapter, I needed to work in the Yohji-Omi bit. So what did you think?
Summary: Ken has unexpectedly blurted out, within Aya's hearing, that he is not in love with the redhead. Except Ken IS in love with said redhead and now he doesn't know what to do. How can he fix the problem? What will he say to Aya?
Author's note: Yes, I've finally updated! I apologise to all readers, I suddenly got another idea and had to go off to write my other fic 'Bring Me To Life'. But I'm back now, and hope to get this one finished in a reasonable amount of time! I've got the plot semi-sorted out (thank you to everyone for suggestions) and so it's full speed ahead! Hope you will enjoy reading this latest chapter!
Hugs to: Ashen Skies, Wildfire2, Heather, forbidding, Zeto, Sky Rat, Minerva Teller of Tales, nauta iupiter and rei-chan!
And specially to Moonraven, this one is for you! Without your persistence in asking for this fic, I would have given up a long time ago! Hope you are feeling much better soon!
Yep, Aya was definitely ignoring him. Ken sneaked a glance at the hardworking redhead.
After Aya had opened the backdoor for the second time to find Ken lying all over Yohji, Ken had known it was not going to be a good day.
Aya had already set the special delivery out on the bench and merely pointed at it when Ken and Yohji had reappeared in the store. He didn't say anything and Ken didn't know what to say anyway. What do you say to someone after they overhear you telling someone else that you aren't in love with them?
So Ken had gone to do his delivery and wracked his brain for something to say to Aya. It was a fruitless exercise and he returned disheartened to the store. Yuriko had taken one look at his face and dragged him to the kitchen with the excuse of getting drinks for everyone.
Yohji was still entertaining Mayumi and her friends. Koichi was chatting with Omi as the young blonde showed him ikebana techniques. Aya was serving customers and surprisingly not yelling at any of the girls who were standing in the store.
"So Ken-kun, what's wrong with you and your Aya?" Yuriko didn't waste any time as soon as they reached the kitchen.
"Ahh…. Yuri-chan… I'm such an idiot. He's not my Aya anyway." Ken laughed derisively at himself.
"But aren't you in love with him? You told me there was someone special that you were waiting for, and her name was Aya. I assumed it was a girl, but it seems I was mistaken. And I saw the look on your face when you left to make that delivery. Have you had a fight? Tell me all about it and I'll help you fix it!" Yuriko's brow crinkled as she tried to puzzle out the situation.
"Firstly, I should tell you we're not together." Ken decided to tell the truth to the sympathetic girl in front of him. "I've been in love with him for the longest time, but I've never been able to tell him. In fact, I've never told anyone."
"Do you mean you've been in love with him for over a year now?" Yuriko's blue eyes opened wide with astonishment. "But you're such a great guy! And he seems so nice too. Why don't you tell him?"
"I haven't been in love with him for over a year," mumbled Ken.
Yuriko gave him a disbelieving look. "So how long then? And why can't you tell him?"
"I admired him for the longest time… I realised it was love about 5 months, 2 weeks and 4 days ago. But I can't tell him." Ken shook his head. "I'm sure he doesn't feel anything for me."
Yuriko smiled in an assessing manner. "I wouldn't be as sure as you are. When we first arrived at the store, he went off to work on that arrangement, but I noticed he was keeping an eye on you when you weren't looking.
"Probably getting mad 'cause me and Yotan weren't working," Ken said gloomily.
"Kennnnnnnn, you are so pessimistic! I'm telling you, my woman's intuition tells me that he is definitely not indifferent to you."
"Thanks for trying to cheer me up. But I've done something so bad, I don't know how to get out of it."
"What? You haven't killed anyone have you?" Yuriko joked.
Ken gave her a startled glance.
"What?! I was just kidding Ken-kun!!! So tell me your problem. Two minds are better than one at solving a problem." Yuriko poked him in the arm.
"Well… He kinda overheard me saying that I was not in love with him." Ken looked at the tabletop, feeling the wave of sadness hit him again with the voiced words.
"Hmm. That's a difficult one. Can't you just say you were joking?" Yuriko offered the most practical solution she could think of.
"You'd just walk up to the love of your life after that and tell them you were joking?" Ken gave her an incredulous look.
"I can't think of any other way around this one."
"Me either." Ken sighed again.
"Hey I thought you guys were getting drinks!" Yohji opened the door and looked over the top of his sunglasses at them.
"Sorry! Ken and I were too busy chatting!" Yuriko smiled innocently.
"Doesn't look like a happy conversation," Yohji observed.
Ken sighed for the umpteenth time that day. Both of them knew his secret now, there was no point in trying to hide it anymore. "I was just telling Yuriko about the problem with my big mouth."
"Aa. Still trying to work out how to smooth it over with the icicle in there?"
"Yohji knows?" Yuri blinked in surprise.
"Yep. Someone's gotta look out for Kenken else he'll be single for the rest of his life." Yohji smirked at the annoyed look on Ken's face.
"You guys both have to promise me that you won't say anything to Aya!" Ken glanced anxiously at the other two.
"Of course I won't Ken-kun! And I'm going to help you get him! I can give you some different ideas from a woman's perspective."
"Fine fine," grouched Yohji, "But you're going to need my help too. That redhead is some piece of work."
"What do you mean Yohji-san?" asked Yuriko.
"Ee, nothing. We better get these drinks back in there." Yohji made a quick exit with the cans of iced coffee, soft drinks and juice requested by all.
Yuriko turned and patted Ken on the shoulder reassuringly. "It'll all work out. With Yohji-san's and my help, what could go wrong?"
'Yeah what could go wrong?' thought Ken despondently as he trailed Yuriko back to the shop front.
After drinks it was nearly time for lunch so Ken and Yohji went with Yuriko and Koichi to get a table before the others would join them.
Once seated at the table, Ken learned how Yuriko had gotten engaged to one of the most eligible men in the country. She had gone to Australia and had opened a motorbike store. She was happy and her business had been successful. She had gone to watch the Australian Moto GP race and had bumped into Koichi. He had been appreciative of finding a native Japanese person to show him around. Only after they had spent a week in each other's company had Koichi revealed his surname and family origin to her. He was in Australia learning about his family's business. They had been inseparable from that moment on.
"So you sold up your business and returned to Japan?" Ken asked Yuriko.
"Yes, I will work in the family business now," smiled Yuriko.
Aya and Omi eventually arrived. Ken took one glance at the sour expression on Aya's face and looked at Omi for explanation.
"Some girls were overzealous about helping me and umm… started a catfight. They broke some pots, but Aya made them pay for them," explained Omi.
"Let's order. We should get back to help Momoe-san out." Aya cut in, effectively stopping Omi's comment.
Lunch passed pleasantly, albeit quickly. Aya escorted their charges back home, making the arrangements for the following day. The others returned to the shop in the afternoon.
After several hours of work, Ken finished his last arrangement and took off his apron. Thank goodness he could take a break for a couple of hours. It had been entirely too nerve-wracking working with a silent Aya. Admittedly Yohji and Omi were there and Aya never spoke much when everyone was around. Still, Ken couldn't help but feel like a naughty child who'd done something wrong and was unsure what was going to happen to him next.
"I'm finishing up now," Ken called as he opened the door to their living area.
"Okay Ken-kun!"
Ken rushed up to his room to grab his soccer gear. Today he was going to the park to coach the neighbourhood kids. This was something that he knew would soothe his frazzled nerves. When he was playing soccer with the kids, it made everything right in the world again. He hoped that today would not be an exception.
When Ken came back down, only Omi was in the store. Ken paused at the counter as he stuffed his water bottles into his duffle bag.
"Where are the others?"
"Aya left to go somewhere, he didn't say," Omi wrinkled his nose cutely, "and the human chimney is out the back."
"Ee… chibi! Human chimney?" Yohji sauntered back into the store.
"I gotta go guys! Ja ne!" Ken put on his sneakers and dashed out the door.
When he returned home, Aya had not returned and Ken had still not thought of a way to talk to Aya. Soccer had taken his mind off the problem for a couple of hours, but back in the shop he was once again faced with the reality of his situation.
He worked hard, trying to keep busy and keep his mind off the problem. But everything seemed to remind him of Aya. Red roses which were so beautiful and sweet smelling yet also dangerous with the thorns. The neat pile of orders for the next day written in Aya's perfect script. Aya's green apron hanging on the wall attracted his attention more than once. That annoying Sakura chick coming in and asking for Aya. Ken sighed and kept working.
The shop had closed, dinner was finished, Omi was doing his homework and Aya still wasn't home. Ken was going out of his mind as the morning's incident replayed itself over and over in this mind.
Yohji found Ken sitting on the couch staring blankly into space.
"Hey Kenken. Watcha watching?" Yohji peered at the television over his sunglasses.
"What?" Ken blinked at Yohji in surprise. "I'm not watching anything."
"I didn't think you were into school romance dramas." Yohij snickered.
"What? Argh!" Ken looked at the screen to find some high school girls spying on some boy classmates.
"You're still dwelling on it, aren't you?" Yohji gave Ken a pensive look.
"Yotan, what do I do now?" Ken turned pleading eyes on the older blonde.
"I don't know."
Ken sat listlessly on the sofa.
"Ok. Let's not sit at home thinking about things we can't change. Get dressed in your fanciest clothes 'cause I'm gonna take you on the town tonight." Yohji stood up and pulled Ken to his feet.
"I don't really feel like it…" protested Ken.
"Dancing and drinking. It'll make you feel better. Or at least, it will stop you thinking." Yohji pulled Ken to the door with him.
"Ok. Thanks Yotan." Ken smiled weakly.
Ken went to his room and stood in front of his open wardrobe. What to wear? He didn't really have any clothes to wear to a club, not to the sort of club that Yohji went to anyway.
A knock of the door shook Ken out of his thoughts and he hurried to open it.
Yohji was holding a pair of pants and a dark grey shirt. "Here try these. I wasn't sure if you had any stuff suitable for 'The Cave'. They have a dress code, you know."
"Thanks Yohji."
"Besides I have a reputation to maintain. And Yohji Kudou is always seen with hot people."
"So, I classify as hot, do I?" laughed Ken. This was a nice gesture on Yohji's part and Ken appreciated the older man's efforts to cheer him up.
"Just get ready and let's go. All those girls out there deprived of their Yohji Kudou…" Yohji's voice trailed off melodramatically.
Ken was still smiling as he pulled on the clothes. Damn, the pants were tight. He should have known that being as they were Yohji's pants. The length was a little long, as Yohji was about 10 centimetres taller than him, but he'd tuck the hems under once he put his boots on. Ken put on the shirt and then looked at himself in the mirror and nearly blushed at the image he saw. He looked… sexy? When did Ken Hidaka look sexy? The pants outlined his muscled thighs and sat low on his hips, flashing a glimpse of his smooth skin and even his belly button when he moved. The shirt which had looked non-descript in Yohji's hands now revealed itself to be as tight as the pants, moulding to his chest and, to his embarrassment, clinging to his nipples.
"Stop looking at yourself and let's go." Ken looked up startled at Yohji who was leaning against the frame of his door. "The door was open. C'mon. You scrub up okay, Kenken."
"Don't you think it's a bit much?" asked Ken as he tried to pull the shirt away from his skin. It just settled back in the same position when he let go of it. "Can I change my shirt? This one is so… clingy."
"No. You look great. Now let's go." Yohji sauntered over and grabbed Ken's arm, preventing him from attempting to look at his back view. He pulled the slightly resisting Ken along with him towards the door.
Ken realising that Yohji wasn't going to let go or let him change, gave up and trailed along meekly behind the blonde. When Yohji made up his mind about something, he really made up his mind about something. And anyway, no one would know him where they were going, so it didn't really matter what he wore.
Yohji drove his Seven and they reached the club in a short amount of time. Yohji had the devil's own luck with a parking space appearing right in front of the club.
"Let's go Kenken!" Yohji jumped out of the car, his voice bright with anticipation.
Ken groaned as people in the queue stared at them. He tried to pretend that he was as cool as Yohji and stepped calmly from the vehicle. He needed some sunglasses like Yohji.
Yohji draped an arm over Ken's shoulders and pushed him towards the club's entrance. "Relax Ken. You look great. We look great." A wolf whistle from someone in the queue emphasised Yohji's point.
Ken nodded. He knew Yohji looked good. Hell, Yohji always looked good. And he had to admit, he looked okay today. He tried not to think about how the clothes might as well be painted on for all the coverage they provided.
Yohji obtained them entrance with the bouncer and they walked in.
The club was loud, the pulsing beat infecting Ken, making him want to join in with it. Yohji walked over to a chained off doorway with yet another bouncer, gaining them access to a seemingly more exclusive part of the club. They walked through the hallway which opened up into a slightly less crowded room with two levels. The atmosphere was similar to the main room, yet different. This place reeked of coolness. The clothes were more fashionable, the people more beautiful.
"Drink first." Yohji pulled Ken with him to the bar. He ordered a few shots of vodka and motioned for Ken to sit on the stool next to him.
"Kampai! Here's to a fun night!" Yohji raised a shot glass and Ken joined him.
"Kampai!" echoed Ken and then gasped as the alcohol burned a path to his stomach.
"How the hell can you drink this stuff?" Ken complained to Yohji.
"It's the best thing to get you relaxed the quickest. One more, then we'll get out on the floor and see what beautiful people we can find."
"People? I thought it was only girls you were interested in?" Even with the alcohol, Ken didn't miss the inference of Yohji's statement.
"Ah. So you've worked it out. It doesn't matter about a person's gender Kenken. It's all about the person themselves." Yohji winked at Ken before downing his second shot.
Ken followed suit. This time the alcohol didn't burn as much and he was beginning to feel a bit warm and relaxed as the alcohol began to take effect.
"Ready to dance?" Ken nodded at Yohji's question and they manoeuvred their way to the dance floor.
The floor was packed with writhing bodies. Ken vaguely noticed that the club had quite an interesting mix of couples. There were guys dancing with girls, girls dancing with girls and he couldn't quite believe his eyes, but there were guys dancing with guys. Well maybe, dancing wasn't quite all that they were doing.
Yohji turned his head to check Ken's progress and smirked as he noticed the direction of Ken's gaze.
"Yep. Anything goes here. So you just gonna stand there or what?"
Ken's head snapped back to Yohji's and he knew his cheeks were slightly flushed. At least he could blame that on the heat and alcohol. Though he was pretty sure that Yohji knew it was from the sight of the two men kissing and grinding against each other in a parody of dancing.
Ken started to move, letting the rhythm and beat of the music take over his body. He vaguely sensed Yohji dancing nearby as he abandoned control and gave himself up to the music.
He was startled when the feeling of an ice-cold bottle was pressed against his neck. He turned around to find a blue-haired girl smiling in front of him.
"Hi… You looked pretty hot out here on the dance floor, so I thought I'd bring you a beer. My name's Aki, what's your's?" Aki extended the beer she was carrying, and Ken could see she was holding another one which was half full.
"Hi. I'm Ken. Thanks for the beer. It's pretty hot out here." Ken accepted the beer with a grateful sigh.
"I haven't seen you around here before. First time?" Aki continued, giving him probably what she considered a seductive smile.
"Aa yeah." Ken drank down the beer thirstily. "Nothing tastes quite like a beer when you're hot," he said as he smiled at Aki.
"Wanna dance some more?" Aki asked as she finished her beer at the same time as Ken.
"Aa… sure." Ken thought 'It's only a dance, so that should be okay'.
They placed their empty bottles on a side ledge and moved back to the centre of the floor.
Ken slipped easily back into dance mode. Aki was a good dancer and he noticed that a few people were watching them. He concentrated on moving his body in time with the beat and was smiling as he gyrated to the beat. Well, he was smiling until he felt Aki plaster herself to his back. Her small hand slid under the front of his shirt and started stroking his abs.
"Nani?!" Ken placed a hand on top of hers to halt her movement.
Aki was not discouraged. She used her other hand to try to slide down the waistband of his pants.
Ken grabbed her other hand and pulled her hands away from him, spinning her to be in front of him.
"What are you doing?" Ken asked annoyed.
"You're hot. I want a piece of you." Aki shrugged as she looked up at him through her eyelashes and licked her lips.
Ken was dumbfounded. Damn, this girl was so straightforward, and she was starting to get slightly scary with the way she was looking at him, like he was a piece of prime meat or something.
"Everyone's noticed you. I wanted to claim you first." Aki continued. She latched onto his arm and began to stroke up and down his shoulder to his elbow and back again.
"I'm sorry, but I'm here with someone." Ken gave her a fake apologetic look.
"Who? I've been watching you for a while now and you haven't been dancing with anyone." Aki looked annoyed now, like a child who was being denied a treat that she wanted.
"Aa… Him!" Ken spotted Yohji's blonde hair and pointed at him in relief.
"You have to be kidding me! I bet you don't even know Yohji Kudou. Everyone always pretends to know him." Aki gave Ken a disbelieving look. "And if you did know him, then why's he dancing with that girl then?" She tightened her grip. The girl that Yohji was dancing with was wrapped around the tall blonde and the space between them was minimal, to say the least.
"We have an open relationship. He can dance with anyone he wants." Ken ad-libbed quickly.
Aki snorted. It was quite an unladylike sound.
Ken tried to get out of her grip, but Aki had surprisingly strong fingers. "You don't believe me? Well I'll prove it then!" Ken gave up and walked over with his unwanted baggage to where Yohji was dancing. He hoped Yohji would forgive him for this later.
"Yotan, what are you doing?" Ken demanded in the tones of an aggrieved lover.
"Kenken! Having a good time?" Yohji looked up from the face of his partner. "Found a new friend, huh?"
"Nope, she doesn't believe that I came to the club with you. So dance with me please..." Ken held out a hand to Yohji, trying to convey his message through his eyes whilst trying to look sincere for Aki.
"Yohji, who's this?" Yohji's partner looked more than a little put-out now. "Go away."
Yohji sighed as he disentangled himself from her. Now she looked positively murderous and the recipient of those looks was Ken. He blinked at her, and hurriedly returned his gaze to Yohji.
Yohji took Ken's outstretched hand and bending close to him whispered in Ken's ear, "Ah, Kenken. The trouble you get into by yourself."
Aki and Yohji's former partner now had the same looks on their faces as Yohji pulled Ken back against his front, wrapping his arms around the brunette as he faced the girls.
"Sorry ladies. Kenken's had enough playing by himself tonight and now he's come back to me." Yohji lowered his head to nibble on Ken's neck and after a few seconds the girls departed in fury.
"Thanks man! I owe you one. She just kept trying to touch me and she wouldn't stop. You can drop the act now." Ken sighed in relief as he turned around within Yohji's grip.
"Ah ah ah. We've still got an audience." Yohji smirked down on a flustered Ken.
"Nani?" Yohji caught his head between his hands as Ken started to look around.
"You're gonna blow our act if you continue. Just play along for a little while and then they'll get bored and leave. They're sitting by the bar together, just like old friends. To your right." Yohji started to dance again, forcing Ken to move too.
Ken blushed again. "I'm really sorry Yotan."
"No worries. I shouldn't have let you dance off by yourself like that. I am supposed to be here with you tonight, so don't worry about coming to 'claim' me." Ken groaned as he heard the laughter in Yohji's voice.
Ken focused on dancing, but it was hard with Yohji holding him so close.
"Aa… Yohji. I can't dance with you holding me so close." With Yohji so close, it made Ken realise how much he missed close contact with a partner. Ken resolutely forced his mind off Kase. However he couldn't quite hide the response of his body to Yohji's proximity. Hey, he was a healthy red-blooded teenage male with hormones after all!
"Just a bit longer Kenken." But Yohji didn't release Ken, rather drawing him in even closer.
There was no way that Yohji wasn't going to realise the effect he had on Ken. Ken closed his eyes and waited for the reaction.
A hand reached to tilt Ken's head up. He opened his eyes and looked up at Yohji. When he did, Yohji moved even closer and Ken's eyes opened wide as he was pressed against a matching hardness.
"It's cool Ken. We're cool. You can't help it 'cause I'm hot. And like I said before, you scrub up pretty damn well." Yohji smiled ruefully down at Ken, before moving his body away to a more reasonable distance.
"I could definitely have gone for you, you know Kenken. I think you're completely unaware of your own charm." Yohji continued. "If I didn't know that you were in love with Aya and if I didn't think that the icicle felt something for you, then I might have acted on it."
"Yohji…" breathed Ken. He didn't know what to say.
Yohji smiled. "Well that's in the open now. In our line of work, it helps to have someone who understands what we're going through. These girls I pick up, they can only block the memories for a few hours. But you, you can understand what I feel. I'm almost a bit sad that Aya got to you first." Yohji's expression lightened on his last statement.
"Thanks Yotan. You're my best friend, you know. Well along with Omi." Ken reached out to enfold Yohji in a hug.
Ken felt relieved. He hadn't realised the depth of Yohji's feelings, but in a way he was glad of it. Yohji broke the embrace and ruffled Ken's hair lightly.
"Now let's dance. Show me the moves that are making girls want to tear the clothes off your body." Yohji's laughter floated around Ken as he was prompted into action.
Ken looked up to the ceiling as the sound of cheering caught his attention from the overhanging second level.
A couple of boys were dancing in a risqué manner close the railing and were being egged on by the crowd. Blonde and black hair, dressed in very little clothing, they were certainly eye catching. They paused to kiss and Ken laughed as Yohji wrapped a companionable arm around his shoulders as they stopped dancing. "That turns you on, you dirty old man?"
"Hell yeah. Those guys know exactly what they're doing to the crowd." Yohji unashamedly grinned.
Ken put his fingers to his lips and blew a wolf whistle.
The boys broke apart at that and turned to look down for the source of the noise.
"My god! That guy looks just like Omi!" Ken exclaimed as he saw the face of the blonde. However he couldn't ever imagine Omi wearing clothes like that. Through the glass under the thin metal railing, the Omi look-alike was wearing black hotpants with a silver grey vest. He had black wrist gloves and a dog collar as well.
"Omitchi?" whispered Yohji. He abruptly straightened and began to walk to the stairway joining the levels. Ken realising his intent, hastened after him.
After battling the crowd up the stairs and across the second dance floor, they found the young couple gone.
Overhearing muttering by the crowd, Ken was able to determine that the boys had departed just minutes ago.
"Well that makes an interesting something to tell Omi tomorrow." Ken said as he turned to Yohji.
Yohji had an unreadable expression on his face, but it quickly changed to a smirk as he noticed Ken looking at him. "You bet Kenken. So you wanna dance some more, or you had enough for tonight?"
"I've had enough. Thanks Yohji. You really did make me feel better."
"Anytime."
Yohji was surprisingly silent on the way home, but Ken was too tired to make an issue of it.
~ tbc ~
Sorry there's not much Aya-Ken in this chapter, I needed to work in the Yohji-Omi bit. So what did you think?