Chapter 4: Shenanigans and a Ball

It was the evening of the ball and we were waiting for the ladies to show up. We were currently positioned on the staircase in the largest ballroom in Ouran. Tamaki-senpai was standing on the platform above us, while the rest of us were situated on the lower level along the staircases to the main ballroom. All of us were in suits of an assortment of colors; mine was a dark green suit jacket, with black slacks and shoes, and a black tie and white button down. I looked straight out as the chandeliers began lighting up one by one, starting at the one closest to the door.

Once everything was lit up we all exclaimed "Welcome~!" just as we rehearsed. I looked at the girls in the ballroom and smiled a tiny smile, they looked so happy to be here and see us. I looked at the others and noticed that Haruhi seemed a bit down.

Tamaki-senpai smiled his charming smile at the guests, "To whoever proves to be the best dancer, they will receive a passionate kiss on the cheek from yours truly. So have fun my little lambs," he gave an over the top pose.

I walked over to Haruhi and draped my arm over her shoulder, "Alright Sunshine, how much do you want to bet that the night will end in shenanigans?" I asked attempting to make her smile.

She looked at me with an amused smile, "I'm not taking that bet. Knowing these guys, the entire night will be a huge shenanigan," she watched as the others were talking off to the side. The twins were making fun of Tamaki-senpai, Hunny-senpai was watching with amusement with Mori-senpai watching over his shoulder, and Kyoya-senpai was trying to persuade Tamaki-senpai out of the emo corner that I swear he carries in his pocket.

"Meh, you find no arguments here," I replied with a shrug. "Let's attempt to keep each other sane through these series of misadventures. Deal?" I asked with a smile, extending my hand.

She grinned back and grasped my hand, "Deal, besides it can't be that bad. Can it?" she tilted her head curiously.

I rose an eyebrow at her, "This is the Host Club we're talking about. More importantly Tamaki-senpai and the two ginger menaces we have to spend eleven hours of the day with. Tell me again how it can't be "that bad"."

She frowned and looked at the other Hosts, "Fair enough," she murmured with a shake of her head.

"Haruhi! Shiloh!" Tamaki-senpai exclaimed while he attempted to tackle hug Haruhi who side-stepped which resulted in him tackling me into the wall for the second time this week.

My expression darkened and my bright blue eye was twitching angrily, "Tamaki," I growled. "What have I said about tackling me into walls or windows," I say through clenched teeth. He immediately jumps off of me and trembles in fear. "The King of the Host Club everyone. Oh, so brave, isn't he," I mocked while gesturing to the shaking Host King.

Hikaru and Kaoru were holding each other up while they laughed their asses off, Kyoya-senpai smirked in amusement, Haruhi and Hunny-senpai were giggling, there was amusement in Mori-senpai's eyes, and Tamaki-senpai whimpered.

"So Haruhi, Shiloh, have you two ever done something like this before?" Kaoru asked curiously with a tilt of his head. Heh, he looks like a puppo when he does that. He's so cute.

Haruhi shook her head, "Normally my dad and I go to the winter festival down the road then we go home. Last year I watched a family Christmas special."

I frowned and looked at the ground, "It doesn't matter. Not anymore," I murmured quietly. Everyone was looking at me with varying expressions of sadness and Kaoru looked guilty. I shook my head, "Come on, we have ladies to entertain," I said the last part with a smile plastered on my face.

Kyoya-senpai seemed to pick up on what I was doing and nodded, "Since this isn't really either of your cups of tea, why don't you get something to eat? We have quite the spread."

Haruhi looked amazed, "Spread? Is there fancy tuna?" she mumbled with a blush dusting across her cheeks and a slight pout.

That did it. Tamaki-senpai freaked out because we did not have any fancy tuna, Kyoya-senpai's pen snapped, the twins were snuggling Haruhi, and Mori-senpai with Hunny-senpai on his shoulders hovered. I shook my head in amusement, "And so the shenanigans begin."

"Kyoya, call the chefs and get fancy tuna here immediately!" Tamaki-senpai exclaimed while Kyoya-senpai pulled out his phone and made a call. The twins were mumbling, "Poor Haruhi," and "You're so cute when you're unassuming," while they nuzzled her head. Hunny-senpai brought Tupperware out of nowhere and handed it to Haruhi.

"I'm out of here," I walked away from the madness and into the main ballroom area. I sighed as I leaned back against one of the pillars with a glass of pineapple punch. I don't know what to do. It just hurts too much. Mum, Dad, I miss you. I hope one of these days I'll make you proud. I'm sorry… I didn't notice the tears starting to fall until someone tapped my shoulder. I quickly wiped them away and plastered on a host smile.

I turned around and saw one of my friends and regulars, Hinata, in a beautiful deep purple dress. "Hello Hinata, how have you been?" I asked with my host smile firmly in place.

She smiled shyly up at me, "I've been well. I started a new hobby!" she was bouncing up and down excitedly.

"Oh? What is it?" I asked with a small smile.

We continued talking until one of the customers asked me to dance, after a while of dancing with a lot of girls I sighed and sat down.

"Oh no you don't!" I sighed as I was captured by the twins. Kaoru was on my left while Hikaru was on my right, both of their arms linked with mine.

"What do you two want?" I asked in a deadpan voice. They didn't even bother answering me, those jerks. They just sped off in an unknown direction with me in between them. Well, this is fan-fucking-tastic.

Everyone but Tamaki-senpai were in the room that the little devils dragged me to. I looked over at Haruhi who looked a little ruffled, "You too, huh?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yup," she jabbed her thumb in Mori-senpai's direction. I nodded and jabbed my thumb at the twins who were currently whispering to each other.

Haruhi was given a bag and a shoe box and was promptly shoved into the curtained off section by the twins, "Change into this!" they said in unison then continued chanting "Change. Change. Change."

"You really don't have to be so forceful!" Haruhi complained from beyond the curtain as we hear the rustling of fabric.

Kyoya-senpai smirked, "Now, remember Haruhi, the climax of the night is in about a half hour. You need to finish your mission before then."

Hunny-senpai was smiling, "You need to find out Suzu-chan's feelings for Kana-chan!"

I was standing off to the side, tapping my foot to a random song playing in my head, "Not that I don't want to be here or anything but I really don't want to be here. There's no reason for it."

That brought everyone's attention to me, "Shiloh, we need you to practice this piece." Kyoya-senpai stated simply while he handed me a folder with sheet music in it.

I looked it over and raised an eyebrow, "Which instrument?"

Kyoya-senpai smirked as he pushed up his glasses, "You'll be playing the guitar. Have fun," he waved as he left the room. The others looked at me and smiled before they left. I sighed and looked in the corner where the guitar was. It was a sleek black guitar with a dark blue strap with stars on it.

I moved over to it and picked it up slowly, I have to be happy, for just a bit longer. I took a deep breath and plastered a smile on my face. I started to play the love song that Kyoya-senpai gave me. Honestly, I couldn't muster up enough happiness so even though the song was supposed to be happy, it came out with a sad undertone. I shook my head as I began again, this time with more cheer. As much as I could muster anyway.

I sighed after the fourth try, I just couldn't do it. My heart wasn't in it, I was too depressed to muster up the proper cheer to play this simple song. I shook my head and continued trying, I pushed aside my emotions and play it properly but without much passion. It was like learning a piece for the sake of learning a new technique instead of you feeling the music and wanting to play it.

Kaoru came in, "We're almost ready, come on," he said with a smile. I nodded and grabbed the guitar.

"Any idea how we're going to get Teacup and Kettle together?" I asked curiously with a tilt of my head.

He looked to be considering something, "Didn't Kyoya-senpai tell you? Also what do you mean by Teacup and Kettle?"

I frowned and shook my head while fiddling with the guitar strap. "He never seems to want to tell anyone much of anything. Unless it suits him. And those are the nicknames I gave Kanako and Suzushima," I muttered with a grimace.

Kaoru looked at me with widened eyes full of surprise, "Hey now, why are you bitter? It can't be because Kyoya-senpai and Tamaki-senpai asked you to play a song. What is it, Shi?" He started poking my cheek which quickly became annoying, enough to the point that I actually bit him.

He yelped and pulled his finger away and wiped it on his brown and light brown checkered vest. I sighed and looked down at the ground guiltily, "I'm sorry, it's just…I would rather be home right now. There's no point to me being here. All I do is bring everyone's mood down." I murmured quietly and fiddled with my guitar.

We continued on our way until we reached a balcony where the other hosts were. I looked down into the courtyard to see Teacup running away from Kettle. The doors opened and all of the girls came out into the courtyard. I situated my guitar and looked over to Kyoya-senpai who was supposed to give me a signal. He gestured subtly to the spotlight, I nodded and got my guitar ready.

I looked into the courtyard to see Kettle grab Teacup's hand. What did those idiots do this time? Also, maybe I should consider learning people's names… I can't always give them nicknames. Suddenly a spotlight shone above the troubled couple and Kyoya-senpai gave me a nod.

Tamaki-senpai gestured grandly to Teacup and Kettle and exclaimed, "Now for the last dance of the evening which will go to this lovely, awkward couple here." I smiled a bit as I saw Kettle ask for Teacup's hand and a dance. I started playing my guitar with some of the love that I saw coming from the two. I started singing "I Wouldn't Mind" by He is We into the small mic that Kyoya-senpai set me up with.

I noticed the girls staring at the couple with smiles and the hosts smiling at them as I sang to them. After I finished singing I saw Tamaki-senpai step forward again, the twins eating bananas, and Kyoya-senpai with a sly smirk on his face.

"What's going on?" I whispered to Kyoya-senpai with a raised eyebrow. He gave me this almost innocent look that would have fooled me if I hadn't already seen his smirk. "I smell 'shenanigans'. I don't trust it," I stated with a slight glare at him, daring him to challenge me.

Tamaki-senpai smiled at all of the guests, "Now for the winner of the best dancer of the evening, who will receive a passionate kiss on the cheek from the King of the Host Club. The winner is Kanako Sugazaki."

The twins butted in, "Who will receive a kiss on the cheek from our own rookie, Haruhi Fujioka." I looked over at Kyoya-senpai with a smirk. So that was why he was smirking. It still doesn't explain the bananas or where they came from but whatever.

Haruhi was grumbling angrily, "I won't do it. Nope," she crossed her arms and pouted.

Kyoya-senpai smirked, "I'll reduce your debt by a third," he bargained.

She seemed to brighten a little at the prospect of decreasing her debt by so much, "It's only a kiss on the cheek, right? Let's just get this over with and done. I want to go home," Haruhi squared her shoulders and started making her way over to Kanako.

We were all watching this interesting new development unfold until Hunny-senpai said something that seemed to stop things for Tamaki-senpai. "What if this is Haru-chan's first kiss?" he asked innocently.

Tamaki-senpai seemed to flip his shit when he heard, he ran after Haruhi exclaiming, "HOLD THAT KISS!" as he suddenly slipped on a banana peel and started sliding toward Haruhi.

"This isn't going to end well. Hopefully he doesn't-" right then he pushed on Haruhi's back and pushed her to kiss Kanako on the lips. "-do that." I sighed and rubbed my eyes tiredly. The twins and Kyoya-senpai were smirking, Hunny-senpai was watching everything innocently, Mori-senpai was indifferent to everything, Tamaki-senpai was traumatized because Haruhi was giving him a death glare, and Haruhi was pissed.

Haruhi looked back at Kanako who was blushing and gave a small smile. Maybe she won't completely murder my meat shield. As long as I'm after Tamaki-senpai I will live to see tomorrow.

I gave a slight smile to the other hosts before I headed back inside and to the room where I got the guitar. I looked out the window and gave a sad smile. "Dad, Mum, I'm still playing music. It was always something that you loved." I felt two traitorous tears roll down my cheeks, "I'm sorry I was sick. If I weren't you would still be here." I looked down at the guitar in my hands and slowly put it back on its rack.

I was startled out of my thoughts by the door opening. I quickly wiped my tears away and forced a smile on my face. I turned to see who was coming in and saw Kyoya-senpai. I sighed and looked out the window again, "It's a still night. I think it'll start snowing soon."

Kyoya-senpai stopped next to me and looked out at the night sky, "I think you might be right." He looked down at me but I refused to meet his eyes. I don't need pity.

Kyoya-senpai sighed as he slowly tilted my head so I was forced to meet his gaze. My mismatched blue eyes met his steel gray eyes that had a slight purple hidden around the pupil. I never really noticed it before. "What's wrong? You've been quieter today than you usually are," he asked concernedly, with a frown.

I sighed and gave a sad smile, "Nothing gets by you, does it?" he continued staring at me so I continued, "Alright, it's been a rough week. Okay? Nothing more to it than that," I looked at my shoes and rubbed my neck nervously.

He seemed to be considering something, "Come on," he started tugging me out the door by my hand.

My eyes were wide with surprise, "What're you doing? I'm capable of walking myself, you know?" I exclaimed indignantly with a pout on my lips.

I sighed as I realized I wouldn't win this battle of wills. I let him lead me to wherever he was kidnapping me to, which ended up being the parking garage. I looked up at him confused which he noticed since he finally looked down at me.

"I've got a surprise for you. Get in," Kyoya-senpai ordered with a smirk as he opened the door to a very expensive looking black Ferrari.

I looked at him warily and got in his car, "I didn't know you could drive," I commented casually as he was getting in the driver's seat.

"We all know how to. Typically, our drivers end their day a few hours after dinner and seeing as it's already past midnight we all had to drive ourselves. We're not totally dependent on our servants, you know," Kyoya-senpai stated matter-of-factually with a smirk and a sly look in my direction.

I was genuinely surprised by his statement, "Fair enough, I misjudged you all. I'm sorry," I said with a blush dusting across my cheeks. "So…where are we going? We passed my house." Why do I smell shenanigans again?

Kyoya-senpai gave me a half smirk/half smile, "We're almost there." After a few more minutes of talking, we pulled up to a gate. After a brief conversation with the man on the screen, we were allowed entry. I noticed a few other cars in front of the mansion. "Here we are."

After he stopped the car he got out and walked around the other side to get my door for me, like a true gentleman. I stepped out and grabbed his hand out of uncertainty and slight fear at where we were.

He looked down at me and gave my hand a slight squeeze, "It's okay," he said comfortingly. He led me to the door and knocked.

A/N: Thank you all for reading this and being patient with me. I have already started on the next chapter and let me tell you we are in for more shenanigans. You all are awesome and I will try my hardest to not take so long on updating. See you all next time and thank you for the reviews.