A/N: Sorry for the long wait! I've been having some horrendous writer's block for this story. But look, a new chapter and it hasn't been a year! That's progress!

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.

Warnings: shounen-ai, OCxKen, eventual Takeken, NCS in later chapters (but nothing graphic)

Continuing Existence
By CaramelAriana
Chapter 5: Meetings

It was another Thursday night, and this time the group of friends met up at a pizza parlor. Ken was picking at his pizza anxiously. Satomi was supposed to call after school, and his phone had yet to ring. It had been a month since they'd been officially seeing each other, and no one knew outside Satomi's immediate group of friends. He hadn't even told Daisuke yet. He wasn't sure how his best friend would react. Besides, he thought irritably, it wasn't as if Daisuke told him everything these days.

He looked up at a soft kick to his legs. Takeru was sitting directly across from him and was looking at him questioningly. Ken smiled and gently shook his head. He and Takeru had hung out a couple of times and they were beginning to be able to read each other. It was a little uncanny how easily Takeru could tell when something was wrong when Daisuke had never been able too and they'd been friends longer.

Ken tuned back into the conversation. Daisuke was teasing Hikari for her like of some Japanese boy band and Takeru joined in. Ken wasn't up to date with the pop scene, so he didn't really know who they were talking about. He listened anyway and laughed as Hikari grew more frustrated.

His laughter earned a sharp glance. "Don't tell me you're going against me too!" she exclaimed.

Ken put up his hands in protest. "Hey!" he countered. "I don't even know these guys."

Three shocked looks met his statement. "What?"

Daisuke just shook his head.

"How can you not know them?" asked Hikari, aghast. "They're only the most popular band in Japan!"

Takeru just chuckled. "You really got to get out more." The blonde turned to Hikari. "And they're not that popular. They just have a lot of fangirls cuz they're cute. They have no talent."

Hikari crossed her arms. "Name one band that's better than them."

"The Wolves." And that ended that argument.

"Takeru one, Hikari zero," tallied Daisuke. "You can't argue against family."

Ken laughed. "Yamato's band is about the only Japanese band I really know."

Daisuke raised an eyebrow. "Still listening to that classical crap?"

Ken stiffened. "There is nothing wrong with classical music. And that's not what I was talking about. Most of what I hear these days is American."

"I didn't know you were into American music," stated Hikari, surprised.

Ken shrugged. "I'm not really. But my friends all listen to it."

Daisuke frowned. "What friends?"

"Oh, this guy in my class introduced me to his friends. We've been having lunch everyday for about a month. Eric's American, and he's been making us go through his music library." Ken smiled as he thought about the American's antics.

"Is that where you were when I called the other day?" asked Takeru.

"Yeah, it was Keiko's birthday." Ken stopped as he heard his phone ring. The caller ID told him it was the call he was waiting for. He smiled. "Excuse me, guys. I need to take this." He got up as he answered the call and stepped outside.

Takeru watched as Ken spoke on the phone. While he couldn't hear the conversation he could tell by Ken's mannerisms that this was not a normal phone call. He had that smile that used to only be reserved for Daisuke.

"Hey Daisuke?" he asked.

The redhead looked up with a pizza in his mouth. "Huh?"

"Ew, Daisuke that's gross!" complained Hikari.

The two boys ignored her. "Has Ken started seeing someone?"

Daisuke looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Like, does he have a girlfriend?"

Now Daisuke looked shocked. He put down the slice of pizza. "Not that I know of, why? You know someone who likes him?"

Takeru sighed. "It's just the way he's talking on the phone right now. That's all."

Daisuke turned and watched Ken. "What do you mean? I don't see anything different."

Takeru rolled his eyes. "Never mind." As much as Daisuke had changed, he was still clueless sometimes.

"Besides," Daisuke continued. "Ken's never shown any interest in anyone. Plus, he would tell me."

Except for the fact that he had a huge crush on you. But Takeru kept the thought to himself. Daisuke didn't need to know that, and Takeru had never had it confirmed. It could have been a best friend thing. Still, Ken was now blushing and laughing while on the phone. He watched as the other boy hung up and walked back into the restaurant.

"Who was that?" asked Daisuke.

"A friend," said Ken vaguely.

"Which one?"

"You don't know him."

"So?"

Ken sighed. "His name's Satomi. He's the guy in my class I was talking about."

"So you're good friends now?" asked Hikari, watching disgustedly as her boyfriend continued to shovel pizza into his mouth.

Takeru watched a slight blush creep onto Ken's face. "You could say that."

Hikari glanced at Ken and smiled. "That's good. It's always nice to have people to study with."

Daisuke laughed. "Like Ken needs help studying."

Hikari rolled her eyes and sighed. "I didn't say he did. You study together for social reasons."

"Why would you want to do that?"

"We do it all the time!"

"That's not social!"

Takeru tuned out their argument and studied Ken. Something was up, Takeru was sure of it. If Satomi was just a friend, Takeru wasn't a natural blonde.

Takeru walked along the street letting his shopping bag swing to and fro with a feeling of accomplishment. His brother's birthday was coming up and it he had finally found a good gift. While he knew his brother would like anything Takeru gave him, he hated the idea of one of Yamato's fangirls giving the older boy a better gift.

He stopped as he spotted Ken with another guy. They were coming out of a movie theatre and it looked like Ken was trying to move the other guy's arm off his shoulders. The other guy laughed and whispered something. Ken blushed stopped fighting. He continued watching the interaction. To anyone else, it might seem like two best friends hanging out. But Takeru knew better. He would place bets that this was Satomi.

Ken suddenly looked in his direction and Takeru quickly turned his head. He thanked his luck that he'd chosen to wear a hat today. His blonde hair was usually a dead give away. He continued walking nonchalantly until he reached a place where he could spy on the two without being seen. He watched as the other guy, who he was sure now was Satomi, looked around. After seeing that no one was paying he gave Ken a quick kiss. Ken blushed and hit Satomi on the shoulder. Satomi said something and Ken shook his head with a smile.

Takeru's stomach dropped. So Ken was seeing someone. And he hadn't told any of them. Takeru got an uneasy feeling. Why wouldn't Ken say something? Sure he might not tell Daisuke out of spite. He knew their friendship was on rocky ground, though Daisuke failed to see it. But why hadn't he told Takeru? The blonde thought they were becoming good friends. Apparently not as good as he thought. He turned around and continued walking. His feeling of accomplishment from earlier was now gone.

Ken laughed as Satomi placed a naval hat on his head and began speaking stilted in English in a British accent. Eric just shook his head and wrinkled his nose. "Your English is not good enough for that," he complained.

Satomi stuck out his tongue. "Neither is your Japanese!" he fired back.

"Yeah, but I don't try to speak in other accents either."

"You know for someone who's British that wouldn't be an accent at all," Ken informed the American.

"Yeah, well I'm Californian and we don't have accents. Therefore that's the English you should learn first."

Ken rolled his eyes. Eric could say some pretty stupid things sometimes.

"That's stupid," said Satomi, placing the hat back on the shelf. "No one thinks they have an accent and everyone else does."

Eric shrugged. "Not my problem."

Ken and Satomi shared a look.

"Hey!" protested Eric. "No lovers' looks while other people are around."

They stared at Eric. "Lovers' looks?" asked Ken. Not that long ago the comment might have left him flustered. But he had now gotten used to his new friends' often crude behavior.

"Never mind," said Satomi. "He's just being Eric."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

Ken ignored him as he spotted blonde hair. "Takeru?" he called.

The boy turned. "Ken?" he asked, surprised. "Where have you been?"

A feeling of guilt settled in. He hadn't seen the blonde in two weeks, having had plans with Satomi both Thursdays. "Sorry, I've been busy. How are you?"

Takeru shrugged. "Can't complain. Although if you leave me alone with the love birds for one more week, I may have to come after you."

Ken chuckled. He heard a cough behind him. "Oh," he said turning. "This is Tashima Satomi and Eric Johnson. Guys, this is Takaishi Takeru."

"Hi," said Satomi simply.

Eric performed an elaborate bow. "It's nice to meet you."

Ken rolled his eyes. "Don't mind him, he's American."

Takeru laughed. "That's all right. Nice to meet you."

Just then Keiko arrived with Rinoka. "Takaishi?" asked Keiko. Takeru nodded. "Aren't you Ishida-san's brother?"

Ken watched a barely noticeable flinch before Takeru smiled. "Yeah, that's me."

"Wow! I'm a huge fan of your brother's music!"

"Thanks," said Takeru uneasily.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Eric. "Your brother's famous?"

Takeru scratched his head. "I guess you could say that."

"Cool!"

"Come on guys," said Satomi sharply. "We have to get going or we'll miss the movie."

Keiko rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Well, it was nice to meet you Takaishi. I'm Mizumi. Tell your brother I wish him luck on the upcoming tour."

Takeru nodded. "Will do."

"Nice meeting you!" yelled Eric as Satomi dragged him out the store. Keiko and Rinoka followed.

"Sorry about that," said Ken.

Takeru laughed. "Don't worry about it. It happens sometimes."

"Ken!" called Satomi, sticking his head back into the store. "Come on."

"I'll see you later," said Ken, heading toward the door.

"You coming on Thursday?"

Ken turned and smiled. "Well I better if I don't want you hunting me down!" They both laughed as Satomi pulled Ken out the door.

So...kind of a slow chapter. But things will heat up in the next. Promise. There's actually only a couple more chapters left. Huzzah! Well, I hope people are still reading this. If you are, let me know. Which means review. I like reviews. If no one's reading, I have no reason to update. Hint, hint. Nudge, nudge. Okay, I'm done.