A/N: Finally, the story is slowing heading towards the big reveal! It won't be long before Kaito finds out, but will he be ready to know? How will he take it? And a even bigger question... who else is going to find out... or already know?

Chapter Fifteen

"You and Aiko are dating?! Since when!"

Len, Ryunnosuke, Katsurou, Hibiki and Shion-senpai sat around a table near the staff door when Hibiki had announced his grand news. Hibiki had said he wanted to tell them all, so they'd met up at Len's work place during his lunch break. While Len and Ryunnosuke had known of Hibiki's feelings, this was surprising news to him. Clearly Shion-senpai was the most shocked about this sudden development. Len glanced at Ryunnosuke who was the only one who didn't look obviously surprised.

"Well," Hibiki began after taking a bit of cake. "I asked Aiko to see a movie on Saturday, and she said she would go. So we went and saw a movie, had dinner and… well, I asked her out. I didn't think she'd say yes to that, but she did. So, we're officially dating." He looked really happy about this, and Len felt a smile on his lips. Hibiki wasn't as stupid as he acted, was in fact rather bright. He was rather sweet, and didn't seem to stop smiling. Since being a part of the group, Len had come to appreciate Hibiki and his happy-go-lucky personality.

"So… you two are a thing," Katsurou asked, still confused. "I always thought Aiko liked Kaito."

"So did I," Hibiki admitted, looking a little sad. "I…"

"Aiko-san said she's moved on," Len said quickly, trying to lighten the mood again. "We talked about some things and it came up. She said Shion-senpai had…"

Shion-senpai nodded. "I turned her down a while back. I don't think of Aiko as anything more than my friend. I personally believe she's liked you for a while now."

"Aiko has a strange way of showing she likes you, then," Katsurou laughed. "She always called you 'Baka-ekey' after all."

"That doesn't mean anything," Shion-senpai countered. "I really believe she's liked Hibiki for a while."

"So do I," Len agreed.

"I have to agree as well," Ryunnosuke nodded. "If she didn't, she would have turned you down, Hibiki."

"Exactly," Len said. "Aiko-san wouldn't do anything to hurt you, because she really does care."

"You think?" Hibiki said, looking a little more pleased.

"For sure!" Len chirped.

"I'm still trying to work out how I didn't know about this?"

"That's because you're stupid."

There was a lengthy pause between the friends. Len stared at Ryunnosuke who just sat there, drinking his tea in his sophisticated manner, trying to get over what he'd just said. Shion-senpai, however, looked flustered and upset over what was just said. "Ryu… how could you?"

"Ah!" Len panicked, turning to Shion-senpai. "I'm sure Ryunnosuke was kidding!"

"No, I wasn't," Ryunnosuke spoke softly. "I was being serious."

"W-Well! I don't think you're stupid, senpai!" Len choked out, feeling his face heat. Hopefully he didn't make things worse.

"Of course you wouldn't," Ryunnosuke sighed, placing his mug on the table. "You'll naturally defend Kaito-san because you like him."

Hibiki and Katsurou suddenly found the wall to be of most interest. Len, on the other hand, felt his face heat more. "R-Ryu… what are you implying?" Len asked carefully, doing his best not to look at Shion-senpai to see his reaction.

"Whatever do you mean?" Ryunnosuke asked innocently.

"Can you be more… specific?"

Ryunnosuke stared at Len blankly. "Well… you're friends right? You naturally protect those you consider your friend."

He stared at Ryunnosuke. No, Ryunnosuke was lying. His eyes were twinkling with mischievous amusement. Len clenched his hands tightly. Depending on his reaction, he could really mess things up. "…Ok…"

"Of course, that's on your behalf," Ryunnosuke continued. "I'm not so sure about Shion though."

"What do you-?" Len began but stopped with a fright as Shion-senpai slammed his hands on the table. Everyone was silent around the table, waiting, and watching for what Shion-senpai was about to do.

Len had expected him to get angry, instead he turned away and mumbled "I need the toilet" then disappeared out the room.

"Did you need to upset him?" Len turned back to Ryunnosuke who looked rather surprised at the outcome.

"I honestly was just pulling his leg," Ryunnosuke replied. "I didn't mean any offense."

"Wait a minute!" Katsurou said, scratching his cheek. "Are you implying something we don't know?"

"I think he was," Hibiki replied. "Is Kaito gay?"

Len felt dumbstruck at Hibiki's question. Was Shion- "Yes, Kaito is homosexual," Ryunnosuke replied calmly. "It hasn't occurred to you that he is?"

"Well…" Katsurou began. "He does have a habit of flirting with guys. But he flirts with girls too… plus flirting with people doesn't decided ones sexual preferences… right?"

"No," Hibiki nodded. "I flirt with Kaito all the time, but I don't like him that way."

"Wait… you flirt with him?" Katsurou asked. "Since when?"

"How do you think we became friends?" Hibiki looked at him with a confused look. "He tired picking me up, literally picking me up. He lifted me off the ground because I was standing in the way. The next thing he said was 'get out of the way fool, you're holding people up because there's some good looking idiot in the road.' He was grinning madly when he said it too."

"I don't know if that counts as flirting," Len replied weakly. "I just think he was being cheeky."

"You think?"

Katsurou planted his face in his hands with a sigh. "There's a reason why you get called baka-ekey, Hibiki. You're not very bright."

"Hey!"

"Can we get back on topic," Katsurou ignored Hibiki's protesting. "Is Kaito honest-to-heart gay, or are we just assuming he is?"

"Would that change your opinion of him?"

"Why would it," Katsurou replied to Ryunnosuke's question. "I'm bisexual, why would it worry me?"

"…Katsurou… you're bi?" Len asked.

"Yep, I had a boyfriend in middle school. He was fantastic, but we went our own ways. I also had a girlfriend last year, but we broke up due tomutual differences, or at least that's what she claimed."

Len felt he'd learnt something new about Katsurou. Something he didn't expect. "Wow," Hibiki said. "I'm straight as an arrow, thank you very much. Not that I have anything against gay people or the likes. I mean, good on them for going for what they want, as long as it doesn't involve me."

"Yet you flirt with Kaito," Katsurou pointed out. "Doesn't that involve you?"

"I don't hate Kaito for it," Hibiki replied. "I know he's kidding. He doesn't like me that way. Though I believe he likes Len, but that's just a theory."

"Wait… what?" Len asked, feeling as if he'd been struck. "Shion-senpai… likes me?"

"Theory!" Hibiki exclaimed. "Just a theory!"

"I think Len likes Kaito," Katsurou added. "I mean, come on, you're so formal with him, but not with the rest of us. It kinda stands out as something."

"Len is being respectful to his senpai," Ryunnosuke pointed out. "He is formal with Kamui-senpai too, does that mean he likes him?"

"Alright," Katsurou shrugged. "Then, if Len doesn't, that means I have a chance."

"WAIT! WHAT!" Len shouted, then felt silly. "What do you mean, Katsurou!"

Katsurou gave him a small smile and replied "It means I have a chance, right? After all, if you don't like anyone, which means you're free, and that means I have a shot of winning your heart."

"I-I do like someone!" Len said quickly but regretted the moment it came out. There was surprise on everyone's face, but it was the voice that followed that really, really made Len regret it.

"HOW COULD YOU LEN! I WAS SUPPOSE TO BE YOUR WIFE!"

He was pulled into a tight hug as Miku appeared out of nowhere, sobbing. "M-Miku-san! Y-You're choking me!"

"I WAS MEANT TO BE THE ONLY ONE!"

"Shut it," Ryunnosuke said angrily. "You're disturbing the customers."

"Shut up, Baka-Ryu!" Miku snapped back. "Your face is disturbing the customers."

"Stop it!" Len shouted. "You're both are being so immature!" Len wiggled out of Miku's hold. "Miku, why are you here?"

"I came to see you," Miku sulked. "I missed you."

"Miku-san…"

"Is… it ok if I sit with you… even for a little while?"

"Pull up a chair," Len replied softly, watching Miku light up again. She grabbed the nearest chair and sat next to Len and where Shion-senpai was meant to be. He hadn't come back yet.

"Y-You're Hatsune Miku!" Hibiki choked. "The Hatsune Miku!"

Miku smiled delicately at him. "Yes, I am. The one and only Hatsune Miku."

"W-Whoa! That's amazing!"

"Not really," Miku joked. "Megpoid is far superior to me."

"N-No way!" Hibiki blurted out, shaking his head. "I adore your work!"

Len watched their exchange, feeling a little sad that Miku was denying how wonderful she was. Even if she felt she wasn't a great idol, she was a sweet, gentle person who'd been there for him when no one else was. Without her and Ryunnosuke… he doubt he would have been here, surrounded by people and making friends. They'd given him the confidence he'd never had before. For that he was grateful. "Anyways," Miku interrupted his train of thought. "What were we talking about as I came in?"

"We're trying to work out if our friend is gay or not," Katsurou explained, shrugging a little. "And whether Len was as well."

Miku snorted out a laugh. "Well, I don't know about your friend, but if Len was gay, then he'd be ten times more fabulous!" She joked, poking at him. "I kid, Len. If Len was gay, I'm sure he would tell his friends. After all, the people around him need to know things like that; no matter how hard it is to talk about them."

Something flickered in her eyes, and she'd glanced briefly at Ryunnosuke as if something was passed between them. Something they knew, but Len didn't. He felt dumbfounded for a moment, and completely missed what Hibiki said.

"Not really," Miku replied to whatever Hibiki had asked. "Things like sexuality is hard to talk about. What if you've got friends who washomophobic; you wouldn't go around telling them if you're homosexual. It's like being in the idol industry, we're not allowed to date who we want without permission of the boss. Hell, if we come out as homosexual, we'll be kicked from the industry. Then again, the idol industry is just full of homophobic people anyways," Miku finished with a shrug.

"Hatsune-san, are you-"

"It's Miku. Len's friends are my friends," she cut off Katsurou. "Hatsune-san is way to formal."

"Miku-san… are you suggesting that you're… homosexual?"

Miku grinned brightly. "Well, calling me a lesbian would be offensive since I like guys as well. However," she looked at Ryunnosuke and Len with a small smile, "I actually really like my senpai at my school. Whether it's love or not, I can't help but admire her. Gumi-chan introduced her to me, and she's amazing. She's not famous, but her mother's a doctor. She's so elegant, dresses like a lady. She's never rude, doesn't back chat. She's just… amazing."

"You admire her?"

"For sure!" Miku admitted brightly. "She's everything I want to be. So lady-like."

"What's her name?" Len asked, interested in knowing.

"Her name is Sakine Meiko!"

"…Meiko…san…?"

Len hadn't expected to hear that voice and found himself and the rest of the group turn around to see Shion-senpai who'd returned from the bathroom. He looked… Len bit his lip. Something felt wrong. "You know Meiko-senpai!" Miku squeaked, smiling at Shion-senpai. "She's amazing, beautiful and-"

"Two-faced."

Miku looked at Shion-senpai who looked back with a dark look. "Pardon?"

"She's a two-faced lair," Shion-senpai repeated. "There's nothing admirable about her."

"I knew you'd say that."

Shion-senpai's face pale as he turned to face someone who'd stepped up to the table.

A/N: WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?! What is going on?! I'm not sure is "Sakine" is supposed to be Meiko's name; I can't seem to find any information anywhere about it :/ If any of you know what her surname is meant to be, that would be greatly appreciated if you could let me know =D