A/N: I don't own OHSHC. Thanks to all those who review–I especially thank you as this story gets ever longer. That said, I hope you like chapter 36 and that you keep on reading!
New A/N 12.2017: I recently rewrote this story to change an important element in Caine's backstory that I wasn't satisfied with. I hope you all are as content with the change as I am and continue to read and review my story.
Also, I realized as I was switching out the chapters with my rewritten chapters that I accidentally omitted this one. Oops!
Chapter Thirty-Six: Apparently it's a Music Room?
"I'm confused," Caine said. "Is this supposed to be Aladdin or Ali Baba and the Forty-Seven Thieves?"
He had come into Host Club late, having stopped to chat with the teacher about an academic matter of shared interest, and had caught his fellow hosts in various states of Turkish dress. Haruhi, in a cream-colored robe, was picking hesitantly at the coin-like objects dangling from pink drape about her neck: when Caine looked closer he could see they were five yen coins. He briefly paused to think those wouldn't be of much use in Golden Age Arabia before continuing his scan of the room. Hikaru and Kaoru were matching as usual, their previous feud mended so completely it was as if it hadn't even happened. They wore loose camel-colored pants and teal jackets open over what to Caine appeared to be ribbons tied across their chests. While the costumes might have been weather-appropriate to the warm temperatures of the Middle East, the silver-haired boy doubted it was historically accurate. Mori, however, looked natural in the clothes, his darkly tanned skin just the right color to approximate someone of the Near Eastern origin. He was trying to get Honey to sit still, feeding the youthful boy sugared almonds as he swathed a pink scarf around his golden hair.
Tamaki and Kyoya were standing at the far wall, their backs to the rest as they discussed some matter, but they turned when they heard Caine's query. Both were dressed their parts–Tamaki a young Arabic prince in red and pale blue, Kyoya his indispensable vizzier in black and lilac.
"I believe it is intended to be a melange of Byzantine culture," Kyoya replied, smiling.
Tamaki's eyes narrowed as his brain churned through his glasses-clad friend's explanation. Deciding Kyoya must know what he was talking about, he smiled ecstatically and moved on to the more important matters at hand.
"Here's your costume, Caine!" he exclaimed, handing the boy the colorful folds of fabric. Retreating into the dressing room, Caine inspected them as he dressed himself; they had given him a pair of spring green silk harem pants, which, while looking slightly embarrassing, were actually quite comfortable. To cover his chest was a similarly green shirt, sleeves conscientiously extending far enough to cover his tattoos, and a vest of shimmering gold. Around his head he wove another gold cloth, pinning it in place with a green feather-and-false-jewel pin–nothing could create the stereotypically Middle Eastern look better than a turban that looked like it had just come off a genie.
Returning to the main room, he made a mental note to thank Kyoya for once again quite literally covering for him. He was well aware the cultural implications of tattoos in Japan, it wouldn't have done to have his genteel guests see him shirtless. He wasn't eager to show off his scar either: he preferred not to reveal it to those outside his family, wishing to avoid the inevitable torrent of piercing questions. Tugging lightly at one of his sleeves, he shot the dark-haired boy a thankful look and was rewarded with a knowing smile.
"See, I told you green would look good on him," Tamaki was insisting to the twins. Caine's lips quirked upwards; he thought it more likely the twins had been responsible for the color choices. Confirming his hypothesis, the twins started arguing their defense, and it was then that the hallway door opened.
The hosts arranged themselves as rose petals fluttered around the newcomer–they were prepared for the arrival of guests. Instead, the person standing in the doorway was a child, a mere grade schooler.
"Welcome," the hosts chorused as the boy fell backwards onto his butt in shock at their exotic apparel.
"Why, it's a little boy," Tamaki announced (as if they couldn't all see him sitting there) and proceeded, for some incomprehensible reason, to flirt with him. Perhaps, Caine thought, it was simply a reflex of his overly charming character.
The boy approached, introducing himself, then said something that surprised even Caine and Kyoya: "I want to be your apprentice!"
Naturally, Tamaki could little resist such flattery and accepted at once.
A few days later, the host club was bustling with news of the new apprentice. Tamaki was in his finest form, showing off for young Shiro (for that was the grade school child's name). Shiro, however, disapproved of his style of complimenting, preferring instead a more blunt approach. He criticized the twins' twincest act and even managed to antagonize Mori by complaining about what he perceived to be the mismatch between Honey's size and boy lolita style and high school uniform he wore. He mostly stayed away from the intimidating air of intelligence produced by Caine and Kyoya, but spared a few words for the American-born boy, calling his naturally silver hair fake.
When they imprisoned him in a cage in the middle of the floor (Caine hadn't known Music Room 3 had one of those), however, he burst into tears, crying he didn't have enough time and that Tamaki would have to be quick in teaching him how to woo. And after Renge (arriving by giant motorized platform–Caine hadn't known Music Room 3 had one of those either) labelled him the naughty boy type and proceeded with lessons on how to act the part, he ran away, tossing back at them accusations of their failure, saying those tactics would ultimately fail to impress "her".
Which was how they found themselves "sneaking" into Ouran's grade school section. Honey was disguised as a grade schooler: Shiro had been right when he accused Honey of looking like he was the same age, after all. Tamaki had taken advantage of the situation to trick Haruhi into dressing up as a middle schooler; notably, a female one. The short brown miniskirt had him and the twins almost swooning, and Kyoya and Caine rolling their eyes in unison.
The mission wasn't a complete failure, however, as they discovered Shiro had become an apprentice host not to woo girls generally but one girl in particular: his classical music club classmate Kamishiro Hina. It seemed she was moving away the following week and Shiro wasn't confident enough in his piano skills to play a final recital with her. Tamaki's chivalrous nature went into full effect as he gave a stirring speech about becoming a man as the way to win a girl's heart.
"He does realize Shiro's eleven, right?" Caine whisper-asked Kyoya.
The dark-haired boy raised an elegant black eyebrow at him, replying, "I doubt it. He doesn't really process age differences–you saw how he flirted with that girl back at the grade school. To him, everyone is someone he could be making happy."
The silver-haired boy smiled at the remark, but their conversation was cut short by Tamaki's next words.
"That song Hina-chan was playing–it was a Mozart duet, wasn't it?" he asked, proceeding to the yellow curtain covering one corner of the room. Caine had seen it hanging there each day in Host Club and had always wondered what was behind it. After the cage and the motorized platform, he imagined anything could be beyond it. What more strange additions could a Music Room really have?
When Tamaki pulled back the curtain with a flourish, he was surprised to see a grand piano waiting in the wings. Out of all of the things that could have hidden in that sheltered alcove, he had least expected the ordinary. Kyoya must have seen the look on his face, because he smiled slyly, saying, "Didn't guess we had a piano was lurking back there?"
"Apparently it's actually a music room," he remarked, returning his boyfriend's amused look. "I had almost forgotten."
"It doesn't get used often," the glasses-clad boy explained. Standing in front of them, Haruhi was having a similar revelation about the sudden piano reveal (though it seemed she hadn't noticed the curtained-off area), and when the other hosts started confirming the instrument had always been there, Caine smirked and played along, acting as if he, too, had known from the beginning, although he was actually in the same boat as the crossdressing host. As he heard the words escape the silver-haired boy's lips, Kyoya held back a laugh at the innocent deception.
With a surprising lack of his usual overly-dramatic air, Tamaki sat down at the piano and began to play. As his fingers danced across the delicate ivory keys Caine suppressed a gasp–he was a phenomenally talented player. It wasn't something he had expected from the lively blonde host; he knew learning to play the piano took immeasurable patience, and quite frankly that wasn't something he associated with Tamaki. The piano couldn't be flattered into giving up the secret to musically beautiful playing, yet here, it seemed, it had been.
"How lovely," Caine commented, listening attentively. Kyoya, watching the happy smile drifting onto his boyfriend's lips, felt a sudden unanticipated stab of jealousy. If only he had that talent–but he reminded himself the boy seemed contented with him the way he was.
With Tamaki's piano mastery and dutiful tutelage Shiro was able to win Hina's heart and began to exchange emails with her after she departed for Germany. Soon, he became more of a curse than a blessing for his teacher, wooing Tamaki's guests away from the princely host with his mischievous behavior. But the hosts didn't mind. Bringing happiness to those who needed it was what being a host was all about, after all.