Hi everyone! I'm trying to be an extra-good person today! :)
The reason you usually see me uploading new chapters at oddly regular hours of the day (haha) is that I don't have one of those smack-happy new mobile phone/iPod/iPad thingummies you all call electronic devices. All I have is my computer, the series, YouTube, and my totally deprived-of-energy imagination. (and my scientific calculator. but that doesn't really count, does it?)
Miyako: Yeah…*yawns* if I keep up the random scrolling on my iPad, I guess the effects are going to get to me…heh. Don't tell my grandma though.
Me: yeah, well I used to have an iPod, then I lost it… *cries*
Kyouya: I can't say I don't agree. I do regular background checks on our customers…so that can be a lot of time. I'm also interned at the Otori Medical headquarters, so I mainly do some accounting and research work. I usually go to bed at…3 o'clock?
Honey: Well, Takashi and I usually stay at the kendo meetings until ten at night, then we go do our homework…by the time we finish, it's about twelve. *yawns*
Mori: Yeah.
Hikaru: Not to mention us. We're getting offers from American brands like Aeropostale and American Eagle to do all this designing. We're trying, but they think the designs are too "Eastern"…stupid Americans. So we mainly stay up doing some designing for our mother's company.
Kaoru: not to mention other things that the author will reveal in about ten chapters.
Miyako: seriously…why are you guys keeping secrets from me? Shady twins. *sweatdrops* Also, keep in mind that I'm American too, you two.
Me: anyways, to prevent any more relentless attacks on shady children, here's the next chapter.
There was silence on that Tuesday morning, the rain slamming gently against the windows of the car.
She was worried, and looked over at her brother. "Tamaki." He didn't answer.
That's when she realized: he was muttering something under her breath. Leaning over quietly, she opened her ears. "Haruhi…Haruhi…"
Rolling her eyes, she pulled on Tamaki's jacket. "Stop it. She's never going to notice you like that if you keep moping around. You've got to do something, don't just—"
"It doesn't affect just me. It's about you too. You can see it, don't you? They exchange glances. She doesn't notice, but I can see in his heart that he only wants her. It's a matter of jealousy and merit."
Her eyes widened. "K-Kyouya-senpai too…I've hidden it so well, but they just threaten to come out again."
"You have no idea." He managed a broken laugh.
…
"Kyouya-senpai."
He stopped and turned.
"What is it, Miyako?"
He's looking at me like that again. Stupid Kyouya-senpai. How am I supposed to talk to you when you're making me feel like a cliché teenage American girl in newfound love on the inside?
She took a deep breath. "I'm not coming to the host club today."
He fixed his glasses, his eyes boring into hers. Although stoic and solid, she detected a small bit of surprise. Strengthening her resolve, she faced him back.
"Why not?" A smile played on his thin lips. She narrowed her eyes, then strode forward.
"It's the flute solo, remember? Today's the last day." Swooshing by, offering a small but deep scratch to his uniform when she passed, she growled and shot him a look. He turned and watched her walk down.
Don't think you can hide it, Miyako. I know what's going on. He watched her path a few more minutes, then turned and chuckled to himself.
He sighed and looked out the window, drumming his fingers on the windowpane.
I guess it'll be better for me as well if you stop making me uneasy.
…
"Um, Mr. Kagome?" She knocked three times on the door to the orchestral room. "May I come in?"
The middle-aged music teacher turned around and smiled. "Of course. It's open."
She walked inside, admiring the splendor of the decorations. Posted upon the walls were pictures of many world-famous instrumentalists, including the Tokyo Philharmonic, which the teacher seemed to be part of when he was younger.
These damn rich people. Hanging out with modern classical stars.
"So, I take it you are coming to make up your flute solo."
"Oh, um yes. I will be ready in a couple minutes."
"Oh, it's no rush. Please, take your time. I've heard many great things about your musical talent."
These damn rich people. Looks like I won't be able to avoid the gossip if I stay in Japan once I graduate.
She sighed. "Hi, my name is Suou Miyako, and I will be playing the first of Krystof Zgraja's Three Virtuoso Flamenco Studies. Thank you."
He nodded. "You may proceed."
…
The piece was about five minutes, which was more than enough time for the host club to show up. Tamaki mouthed a "hi" from the window, and Kyouya waved.
Her eyebrows went up in surprise, and so did her dynamics. The truly mentally demanding business of having the host club – and someone – standing there, listening to her, demanded exacting musical performance. Her eye twitched and she glared out at them.
They seemed to listen, backing up.
She finished the piece on a flourish. Suddenly hearing applause, the looked up and saw the music conductor clapping, as well as the host club, who seemed to have wormed themselves in.
"Th-thanks." She sweatdropped. Why are they here anyways?! I'll have to beat them up later.
She was finished packing up and was about to leave when the conductor called her and the host club back. "'Scuse me, Miyako, and host club…"
"Yes?"
"I just want you to know that I've picked you as the flute player for the group performance. In addition, your brother Tamaki has been chosen for piano and Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin have been chosen for violin and viola, respectively."
…
Once they were all safely outside the music room, she turned around and high-fived her brother and the twins. "Yes! We did it!"
"You did really well back there," Haruhi said with a smile.
Miyako shook her head. "Nah, I used to be a lot better…stop making me high, you guys." She laughed.
The twins grinned. "When we met you, you were this prickly, proud, pessimistic, ahead-of-her-age kind of person, and now you've really opened up."
She shot them a glance but nodded. "Fair enough."
Hikaru smiled and patted her head. "We still love you, Miko-chan."
"Stop making me feel cliche." She glared at everyone in the circle and burst out laughing. "And stop giving me those looks!"
...
"So the seam should probably be cut here to give her some extra showoff space...then over here, too...here too...hmm..." Hikaru tapped his chin thoughtfully.
Kaoru gestured with his finger. "Don't forget here, Hikaru...Aha! Miko-chan! Come over here and look!"
She lifted her head off the table wearily. "Whhhhhhaaaaaatttt," she breathed out, dragging herself over to the twins.
They grinned identical Cheshire Cat smiles. "We're doneeee!" they sang.
"Mff...I didn't get enough sleep last night, stop doing the GAH WHAT IS THIS"
For a small while there was silence.
Then,
"I'm not perverted but I think you guys did a pretty good job. But the idea of me wearing this is really stupid and I'm not going to look at this anymore."
The twins let go of their suppressed breath. "Too bad!" They laughed and squished her cheek. "You're wearing this to our party!"
"Hey, nee-chan, are you ok-GAH WHAT" Tamaki had just walked over to see what was going on.
"Well," Kyouya spoke suddenly, walking over to see what the fuss was, "there must be something going on if both of you are wearing identical embarrassed faces. Hikaru, let's see what you-"
He stopped, brain losing its train of thought.
Suddenly, a thousand mentally graphic images rushed through his head, the vast majority of which he wanted to push back or place in the Trash Bin forever and ever. Quickly trying to fix his composure, he fixed his glasses and looked over at Tamaki, the latter of which smiled back.
"Aw, Kyouya, you look so cute with a blush on your face!"
At that very moment, Miyako whipped her head back to look at Kyouya. Her eyes lit up in delight as she let out a gigantic squeal.
"Kyou-chan, you're so cute!" Rushing over, she clapped both hands on the sides of his face and nudged his cheeks.
"Omigod! You actually have really, really squishy cheeks!" She giggled, the kind of giggle young girls let out when they see something too cute.
The surrounding host club had identical expressions on their faces, a mixture of embarrassment and shock.
Tamaki reached out a hand to try and quell the fangirl urge in his sister. "Uh-uhm...nee-chan..."
She turned around. "Tamaki!" She started squishing his cheeks too.
While she went around squishing everyone's cheeks, Kyouya took off his glasses gingerly and gently stroked over his cheeks, feeling the warm areas where her hands had touched him.
Well, that was unexpected. She apparently likes very cute things...
Then, keeping a smaller, more private thought inside, he smiled to himself.
...
"Hmph!" Miyako sat down heavily in a chair.
"What's up?" Hikaru and Kaoru asked.
"I was going around squishing everyone's cheeks, and Mori-senpai's cheeks aren't fluffy!" She huffed then sent him a glare. The said host immediately put up his hands defensively.
"I think that fact goes with his figure," Tamaki reasoned. "Mori-senpai seems to be the tall and lanky but muscular guy that sits in the back window seat of your typical World Studies classroom."
A lightbulb went off in Honey's head. "Like Benny Cumberbatch!"
Miyako let out a strained chuckle. "Benny Cumberbatch?"
"Now that you mention it, it's kind of true," Kaoru admitted. "It's in the cheekbones."
"True," Hikaru said, then laughing out loud. Mori's face seemed to turn a bit pink, and Haruhi smiled at this.
...
"Alright, Miko-chan," the twins stated, shooting her a playful grin, "try it on."
"Wh-what?!" She tried to fight them off, but they threw her the outfit and pushed her into the dressing room.
"Tell us how it goes!" They grinned and laughed mischieviously.
"Ugh!" She spat in disgust as she locked the door behind her.
A few moments of silence passed, and Kaoru frowned.
"Hikaru?"
"Yeah?" Hikaru quickly became serious, seeing his twin's worried expression.
"Give me the original design drawing with the measurements."
"Sure," Hikaru answered slowly, a questioning tone creeping into his voice. They laid the plan out, the other hosts peering curiously over their shoulders.
"Alright, look here. Hikaru," Kaoru glared meaningfully at his twin. He then pointed to the bust indicator. "I hope you meant 72 cm." He glared reproachfully, looking for any signs of guilt.
But there were none. "Yeah, Kaoru. It's 72 cm."
Wow. That is rather...impressive. He mentally hit himself as he realized what he just thought.
"I was examining the outfit a little while earlier, and I realized the area around the bust"-Kaoru seemed to act more anxious around this part-"was a little...small. It's because this 7 looks like a 2, which is why I asked. That's also why the manufacturer also emailed us asking if we had the right measurements."
The younger twin waited for a response, watching as the truth dawned on his brother.
As if on cue, they heard a yell from the dressing room. "You two shady twins! Get over here!" They looked at each other and gulped, slowly making their way over.
Kaoru pressed his ear against the door. "What is it?"
"Are you guys trying to kill me?!" she yelled from inside.
Hikaru tried to calm her down. "Uh-uhm...we just had a manufacturing error...we'll get it fixed soon..."
She sighed. "Well, it does look nice. You just have to fix the bust. Thanks a lot, dudes." The twins sweatdropped, then let out yells as she punched the door.
"Hika-chan, Kao-chan, how'd it go?" Honey asked as they walked back.
"N-n-not...g-g-good..."
AGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG WHY I SAY TO MYSELF WHY
Miyako: You know, I waited a thousand years for me and that dress to come up.
Tamaki: Author, you're not doing a good job.
Kyouya: *throws rotten tomato*
Author: *SCREAMS*
Really though, I'm not staying on schedule, am I? *looks around to see if anyone got the joke, then dwindles back into the small emo-corner*
I really will try to update regularly, but my parents and I got into a bit of a scuffle over my grades (I got all A's, excluding one 89.4-type B, and I go to a magnet school).
*cries* at this rate I'll never be able to make my parents happy...*cries*
But I have anime, and fanfiction, and also (kind of hate to admit it) K-pop boys. :)
See you in the next chapter!
Cheers,
GodSlayer'sGrace