Just kind of a thought I had on ouran high, that became this fanfic… It's different than what I normally write, but I quite enjoyed this exercise and kind of like how it turned out. And I am a musician, though I haven't played anything in a while, so I do know that true musicians will put their hearts into a piece, and that the music can reflect more on the one performing than on the actual written work itself. Thanks for reading!
One thing every member of the Ouran High School Host Club agreed on was that no one could play the piano as well as their king. Never missing a note, even the most difficult compositions were skillfully and passionately performed as if Tamaki had practiced them every day of his life. Occasionally if one waited around the music room long enough after club hours had ended, they would hear the beautiful music freely pour out. While the music might have just been simple noise to most, the club members knew it was Tamaki's way of showing the feelings he hid behind his cheery façade.
Kyoya had been the first to notice the change. Being the all-knowing young man he was it came of no surprise that he so easily picked up on the details. He knew more about Tamaki than any of the other hosts. How the seemingly immature teen strived so hard to please the grandmother who would never accept him. How he left France, his mother, and the only life he'd ever known in order to become the Suoh heir. How Tamaki would pour his soul into the music that seemed to flow so easily, and get even the shadow king to show a flicker of emotion. Kyoya certainly more than the customers, not that the swooning girls had yet to hear the host king play his heart out.
As said king's best friend, Kyoya had heard Tamaki play the piano on several occasions. While nothing could compare to the musician's skill, the hosts could not help but wonder at how even the happiest of tunes could sound like the loneliest sound in the world. Not that they would ever stop him from playing, it was, after all, one of the most beautiful sounds in the world to hear. However, there was always something that added a hint of sadness to the magnificent music.
At first, Kyoya believed that Tamaki was simply lonely. It was a logical assumption. Tamaki had no friends in Japan. His grandmother had forbid any contact with his mother, who had appeared to have vanished off the face of the earth. He lived mostly on his own, save for the servants and housekeeper. Other than what was involved in being a host, it was unlikely Tamaki socialized outside of school. However, if that were the case the music should have changed soon after the host club formed. It didn't.
Kyoya's next assumption focused on Tamaki missing his mother. As far as anyone knew, Tamaki's grandmother hated the boy more than anything. No matter what he did, the woman was never pleased. So Kyoya made sure the Host Club was a success, trying everything he could come up with to distract Tamaki from his family problems; and to prove that Tamaki was perfectly capable of not only meeting her expectations, but also running and improving the Suoh company. It was still beneficial to Kyoya, not only would a successful club show his father his business skills and possibly make him the Ohtori heir, but even Kyoya was intent on hearing true happiness when the host king played. While his attempts at making the host club successful worked, Tamaki's music continued to echo a deep sadness that no one could see in the joyous and outgoing young man.
The host club continued on, while the third son continued brainstorming a way to convince the Suoh heir to play a truly lively tune. It wasn't long before a scholarship student, a girl named Haruhi, stumbled upon the club. Once the customers and other host members had left that day, Kyoya lagged behind, wondering why Tamaki had yet to go home. In a practice room he sat at the grand piano. While the slight hint of loneliness was still present, this was the most joyful tune Kyoya had ever heard his friend play. Once Tamaki realized Haruhi was actually a girl, even the other hosts could sense the slightly uplifting mood created by his music.
The host club members quickly grew closer to Haruhi, accepting her as one of their own despite obvious differences. In time, each of them had fallen for her in his own way. But none of them fell in love with their commoner friend as much as Tamaki. Though each boy loved her, the joy that had become prevalent in the music was enough that the host king played was enough to keep them back. As Haruhi's debt began to dwindle down, the sad mood began to return. Each host could sense it, the fear that once she was debt free she would reveal her true gender and leave the club for good. As they stayed behind one evening, Haruhi had to be home early to cook for her father, the hosts heard a strange piece, one none of them had heard before coming from the piano room.
While the melody was familiar, the same joyful song Tamaki had been playing since Haruhi had joined the club, it held the same saddened and haunted mood as the pre-Haruhi compositions. Exchanging glances, they knew what they had to do. It wasn't a selfish plan. After all, the only one who would truly suffer would be Haruhi and the hosts all knew that she was fonder of them than she would ever admit to. Just a little while longer wouldn't do any harm.
Kyoya smiled as the girl scolded the shamelessly smirking twins. The tea cup she'd been holding lay shattered at her feet. Tamaki was the only host to remain confused by the twin's actions, they had never so openly caused Haruhi to damage something, and especially not in front of the now-shocked guests. Quickly calling an end to their time, and shooing the guests away Kyoya glanced down at his little black book. He adjusted his glasses before adding the cost of the tea cup to her debt. Seeing Tamaki wander off to the piano room and hearing the sweet music drift in, Kyoya slyly added in the cost to clean the carpet as well. After all, the longer he kept Haruhi in debt to the club, the longer they would all benefit to hear Tamaki's joyous song.