The last girl finally exiting with a flowery farewell of longing from the Host King, Haruhi found her eyes seeking the Shadow King standing stiffly near his designated area. His signature black notebook in hand, a newly replaced pen scratching at the pages, she could only imagine what kind of torture he was plotting for the senior boy that had dared approach the girl he liked. Even the girls that had designated him for the day had seemed to sense the hostility, content to quietly bask in his presence, despite his usual Host Club smile and fake, flowery greeting when they had sat around him.
Though, that still left the question…
Approaching him after a moment, Haruhi asked, "Kyoya-senpai, is it possible to watch that video you mentioned earlier?" The curiosity over why someone would want to distribute a choir performance had been eating away at her the entire time she had had to wait. It was easy enough to come up with several ridiculous reasons based solely on what she knew about the privileged, overly indulgent students of Ouran Academy, but she had to see it if it was possible. She had to know.
"Ah, yes." His glasses flashed at the mention of the tape in question, though Kyoya plastered a fake, plastic smile on toward the younger girl. His notebook snapping shut, he made a motion toward where the twins had immediately jumped to fetch the equipment necessary to do so. "I'll ask that you not mention having seen this particular performance to Kagome-chan, of course."
"Are we going to see Me-chan's performance?" Honey asked excitedly. Already seated near the designed area with several large pieces of strawberry cake at the ready, the adorable senior smiled up at the silent boy sitting next to him. "Are you excited, Takashi?"
Mori grunted, his arms crossed.
Pouting a little, Honey said, "But, Takashi, Me-chan was great. I don't understand why she doesn't ever want anyone to see it!" A single look from his cousin was enough to silence him for a moment, as he sliced off a section of cake to shovel into his mouth. "...except maybe her fan club."
"Especially them," Mori replied.
Bickering lightly between themselves over the cables off to the side, Kaoru finally sighed and looked away from Hikaru. "Do you think Kagome-senpai will kill us if she finds out we actually watched it?" he asked. "Again?"
Hikaru shrugged, saying, "I'm surprised she didn't kill Kyoya-senpai for having a copy."
Both of them sharing a look with the statement, they agreed, "Too distracted."
Taking the seat Honey insisted on, Haruhi glanced around when she realized they were missing someone. "Tamaki-senpai?" Looking back toward the opposite end of the room, she was surprised to see the usually exuberant second year prince seated on the windowsill by himself. Odd. This seemed like just the type of thing she expected him to be excited about. "Uh, aren't you going to come watch the video?"
Extremely red around the ears, the Suoh heir laughed nervously, "No need to worry, daughter dear, I can see just fine from here!" Casting a glance out the window, he started quietly counting down on his fingers when the twins announced they had successfully put together the equipment by turning on the rather large television attached.
Appearing on Haruhi's side, Hikaru snickered, "Don't worry about him, Haruhi."
"Yeah," Kaoru draped himself over the back of the couch behind her, "he's just afraid he'll faint again."
"Faint?" Over a choir performance?
"Devils!" Tamaki was across the room in a second, swatting at them as they danced away with taunting remarks in return. "Those fiendish boys in the Choir Club only wanted to corrupt poor, sweet Kagome with that performance, and you are only further tarnishing her virtue by watching it again!"
"Which is why I had all the copies destroyed," Kyoya stated, returning with the tape.
"Except for that one!" Tamaki cried.
"Now, Tamaki," his glasses flashed, "are you saying that I am trying to corrupt Kagome-chan?"
"Uh, uh…. well…" Tamaki sputtered.
Watching his best friend shrink behind the couch near Haruhi, Kyoya only smirked in satisfaction. Then, holding up the tape in front of the television, he hid his glare beneath a smile that did not reach his eyes. "We all remember the rules, yes?" he asked. "Nobody within this room is to ever mention that they saw this particular performance again, especially to Kagome-chan."
A chorus of agreement going up, Haruhi felt her brow crease downward. What in the world were they doing in the Choir Club at this school? "Of course," she said, noticing how Kyoya seemed to focus on her when she did not immediately respond.
"Good."
Almost sitting on the edge of her seat, Haruhi watched as the television flickered once the tape was inserted, before a grand, elaborate stage appeared. Tipping her head slightly, she immediately noticed the band underneath the stage when the first chord of a guitar started playing. The lights dimmed, a single spotlight highlighted the four couples standing center stage beneath a high rise containing the rest of the Choir Club. The long, raven haired girl front and center swayed with the music the moment it started, her shortened ballroom gown flaring around her long legs in what appeared to be some version of the salsa. Her cobalt colored eyes captivating underneath the spotlight, she was the first voice heard, "In black and white, no whisper of color—"
Her male partner stepping forward to join her in the dance, his voice rose to join hers, "—In monochrome, we met each other—"
The other three couples quickly joined with the next line, each following the same movement across the stage. A chorus of voices rose with the beat of a drum, the girls on stage dancing away from their partner to glance back longingly as they sang together, "—Your icy touch, I trust, I feel it's beckoning me—"
The boys joined them just as quickly as they had parted, though it was clear that the main focus was on Kagome front and center as she turned in her partner's arms with the mention of fate. The couple following a different set of steps on stage then the other three present, the choir went almost silent. Kagome's voice towering over them all as she leaned into her partner, "—And it all starts with a monochrome kiss," she turned her face at the last minute before they touched.
Hikaru leaned in on her left side, having taken up residence there, whispering, "Kagome-senpai practiced that part for weeks with…" and looked pointedly at the other chair where Kyoya was seated. "Started trying to get her homework done before she came to the Host Club."
"Me-chan picked this song herself!" Honey chirped, the cute senior smiling when his voice overpowered Hikaru's.
As the girls on stage pushed away from their partners, the boys stepping back to join the rising voices of the choir behind them, Haruhi snuck a glance at the Shadow King seated nearby with her mouth open at the near kiss. The Ootori boy looked almost completely unaffected by the sight, as he crossed his leg over his knee and settled his clasped hands there. His eyes were molten and sharp, though, and Haruhi found herself wondering just how many times he had possibly watched this before.
How many times he had remembered being that person that almost kissed Kagome.
No wonder the other choir girls had become jealous.
The song reaching a crescendo, Haruhi found herself wondering if maybe the raven haired beauty had picked this song specifically for Kyoya to hear. It certainly seemed to have his attention now, as his eyes followed her across the screen with each sweeping movement of her dress. "I think I've heard this song," she admitted.
"Kagome-senpai said it's from an anime her brother likes," Kaoru said quietly, having settled near Hikaru's feet.
A sniffle drawing her attention, Haruhi tilted her head to look behind her. "Tamaki-senpai, are you crying?"
Turning his head away, Tamaki wiped furiously at his watering eyes. "Such beauty, such grace…" Launching himself onto his stomach across the back of the couch, he shouted, "That voice used to serenade the Host Club every day, and those… those…!"
"Tamaki, please, do be quiet," Kyoya snapped.
Face buried in the decorative pillow separating Haruhi from Honey, Tamaki released a defeated whimper.
The song coming to an end, Kagome sweeping across the screen to join the high rise, the Fujioka girl blinked. "This seems a lot more elaborate than any choir I've ever gone to see," she said. She was starting to understand why it was that Kagome seemed concerned about whatever choreography she needed to learn for the song they were currently rehearsing. "Are they always this… flashy?"
Despite the sound of a violin picking up, a variety of voices soon following from the screen, the other members of the Host Club all stopped to blink curiously at her.
"What?" Haruhi almost regretted asking, knowing immediately that this was going to end in one of those arguments about the differences between the rich and the common folk. "This isn't a choir. I mean, it is, but it's like… like going to a pop star concert. I've never seen a dance number in any choir performance I've gone to see before."
Kyoya only sighed, returning his attention to the television and the girl singing on stage.
"There's always a dance number," the twins replied together, both confused.
"No," Haruhi said firmly. Pointing to the screen where the choir was all situated on the high rise for the number they were currently singing, she continued, "That's a choir."
"That?" Hikaru scowled. "That's just them resting between sets."
Kaoru nodded. "I think Kagome-senpai was changing during this."
Sighing mostly to herself, Haruhi rubbed lightly at the bridge of her nose. It was probably for the best if she just admitted defeat this one time. Stupid rich bastards. "You know what, nevermind." Focusing once more on the television, listening as the song quickly melded into another one entirely halfway through, she made it a point to ignore them as they muttered quietly to each other. "Forget I said anything."
Several girls in flashing outfits joining the stage before the song ended completely, the lights disappeared with the last note. Then, the band striking up a familiar tune, multiple colored spotlights streaked across the screen to finally settle on the center of the stage. The girls present fell into a well rehearsed dance number as a popular J-pop song swept through the choir, and even the students on the high rise began to sway slightly and move their arms in a similar fashion to the girls below.
With a deadpan expression, Haruhi mouthed, 'Pop star concert,' to Mori when he glanced down at her.
The senior only snorted.
"I don't get it, though," the girl commented, continuing to watch the performance. Despite it not being any typical choir concert, it really did not seem that bad so far. "Why is Kagome-senpai embarrassed enough by this that we can't ever talk about it? She was only on stage for that one song so far, and it was really good." Was it because it made her think about almost kissing Kyoya?
Hikaru snickered, "Oh…"
"You'll see," Kaoru smirked alongside him.
The tone of the stage changed in an instant, a single golden spotlight highlighting where Kagome now stood off to one side. Her dress changed into a short black outfit that once more showcased her lengthy legs, she made an impressive figure underneath the heavy lighting. She made a motion with her hand, another spotlight blossoming to life where her stage partner stood with a similar outfit, as she and a number of female voices started the song, "I'm here for you, when you're in need—"
An echo of the choir rippled through a series of different pitches, "—Know you can count on me—" as Kagome danced across the stage toward the male awaiting her, and then away again before she ever met him. "—It's all alright, no need to cry, but when you do, I'm here—" The girl took center stage, dancing alone underneath the spotlight, as her male dance partner mimicked her movement off to the side in a dramatic, longing way displayed by him often reaching for her.
Haruhi's eyes widening, she glanced around before she asked, "Did Kagome-senpai pick this song, too?"
Honey nodded, smiling a bit too much to be coincidence.
"—I'll be with you, I'll be with you, my love—"
Flickering her attention to Kyoya, she felt that same resolve from earlier that day bubble up inside at the way his eyes had softened around the corner. He was trying to hide it, that much was obvious, but surely he knew. He had to know, right? It was blatantly staring him in the face, and there was simply no way the intelligent Ootori boy had not figured out that Kagome had picked this song for him.
That he was always on her mind.
Despite several more male backup dancers joining the stage, each of them creating a semicircle around the raven haired girl, it became apparent that Kagome's movements were now pointedly directed toward the audience. "—I knew it then, when we first met—" She reached for the crowd, her eyes seeming to search for something hidden by the spotlight, and the entire choir behind her followed the motion. "—That you could be the one," she held the note, reaching further, even as the rest of the voices continued with the song.
Listening to the song pick up, Haruhi glanced down when she realized that Tamaki had taken her hand sometime during the performance. Having squeezed into the tiny space between her and Honey somehow, he was watching the screen and holding her hand rather tightly as his lip trembled.
"Sweet, radiant dove…" he whispered.
Leaning into him, she said softly, "Do you think he knows?"
The Host King glanced briefly toward his best friend seated nearby, sighing, "I like to think so."
As the song started to come to an end, however, the twins turned identical smirks in their direction. "Get ready, Tamaki-tono," they snickered. "It's about to start."
"Ack!"
Noticing the way he turned completely red in the face, Haruhi blinked when he was suddenly gone. Looking around for him a moment, she found herself refocusing on the television when the oddest sound came from the band accompanying the choir. The lights having gone out once more, she barely noticed the smoke rolling in across the stage, before a blacklight centered itself on the glowing, phosphorescent girl and her male backup dancers surrounding her. "...what's happening?" she asked.
The choir on the high rise started singing before Kagome this time, chanting for a moment in English, as the beauty decked out in glow in the dark paint made a motion for her male entourage to come closer. "Come here right now, here right now—" her voice picking up, she threw one arm up in the air and glanced around at the boys surrounding her. The provocative lyrics echoing through a melody of voices, she created a stunning, seductive silhouette that definitely did not seem appropriate for a high school choir concert. "—Paint my body, boy, I'll be your canvas—" Making a motion toward the paint showcasing her figure only added to the effect, before she dropped nearly to her knees with a long, drawn out, "oh."
"Is… is that allowed?" Haruhi sputtered. Surely not, yet… Her large eyes seeking the rest of the Host Club, she found her gaze drifting when she realized that Hikaru and Kaoru were both staring intently at the chair across from them. Watching them quickly look away when Kyoya's sharp, molten gaze snapped toward them, she felt her mouth fall open slightly at the sight of his face. "S-senpai…?"
Clearly ignoring the faint coloration across his nose, Kyoya only looked away. "Saito-sensei refused to remove the song from the line up with so many of the choir boys advocating for it." His voice steady, it was hard to pick up on the underlying threat within his tone. "Naturally, you can understand why Kagome-chan was embarrassed once they decided on the choreography."
"They did cut some of the lyrics, though," Hikaru snickered.
"Only the boys part," Kaoru added.
Plastering that deadly, pleasant looking smile on his face, Kyoya asked, "Surely you all did not expect for everyone to sit idly by while Kagome-chan's virtue was on the line, did you?"
"W-what were the original lyrics?" Haruhi almost felt stupid for asking when Kyoya's glasses flashed in her direction. Unfamiliar with the song, however, and almost as embarrassed as Kagome must have felt just by watching her flaunt her way across the stage and singing about 'being all over her skin,' she felt like she had to know. "Well, actually, uh, nevermind…" maybe she already knew, she realized, as her own face reddened before any of them had the chance to explain.
No wonder Tamaki had fled when he did.
The raven haired beauty dipping herself back into a pretty little arch suddenly toward the end of the song, Haruhi also realized why exactly the older girl had a fan club. She could only imagine the amount of nosebleeds that the Ouran Academy boys must have had as they demanded for copies of the tape themselves before Kyoya had put a stop to it.
Her mouth still open, she blinked for several long minutes.
A finger poked her in the cheek, as Hikaru snickered, "You have that same look on your face Kagome-senpai did when she played the practice soundtrack for the first time."
"And Tamaki-tono!" Kaoru laughed.
Oh god, she could only imagine.
Note: Songs included are: Monokuro no Kiss from Kuroshitsuji, Come My Way from Inuyasha and Beast by Mia Martina ft. Waka Flocka
Please review, I'm getting a kick out of this.