Before Paul Narita and John Black discovered their familial connection, the two hit it off as buddies. As an avid baseball fan, John was thrilled to meet Paul. He also saw an opportunity to raise money for Salem's little league baseball teams. Paul agreed to help, appearing at a fundraiser and hosting a baseball clinic for the kids. It seemed like John and Paul were on the fast track to becoming friends. However, Paul slept with John's step-grandson Will Horton, which caused huge problems in Will's marriage with Sonny Kiriakis. When he found out about the affair, John was furious, accusing Paul of being a homewrecker.

However, John and Paul made amends when they discovered that John had a long-ago relationship with Paul's mother. Finally, "Days of Our Lives" revealed that Paul was John's biological son, and the two immediately began to bond on a deeper level. A loving relationship blossomed; at one point, Paul even joined John's private investigation business.

Of course, John was very supportive of Paul. After Paul moved to San Francisco, John joined him to celebrate Pride month in the soap opera's spin-off series "Beyond Salem."