*sobs* I'M SO SORRY FOR HOW LONG THESE UPDATES ARE TAKING! I'VE GOT A LOT GOING ON RIGHT NOW BUT I SWEAR I'M STILL TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH MY STORIES JUST BEAR WITH ME!
On a happier note, as of this moment I am officially going to Japan for a few weeks this summer! I've also been offered the opportunity to work for my school's writing center (a professor actually recommended me for the position), which might mean I'll have some editing experience to land an Editor job in the future! And an escape from my current crappy job! All good things… all good things...
Thank you to Stolyint, gossamermouse101, AmbertheCat, Shadowing, Momochan77, omegafan101, and queenglitch for your reviews on my last chapter, even though it was so short. I hope you enjoy this one a little more! There's... not quite KyoJin? But definitely hints to a move away from hatred.
Disclaimer: If I didn't own OHSHC in the last chapter… and I don't own it in this chapter… then WHO'S FLYING THIS PLANE?!
*Chapter 6*
"If everyone could get into your places? We'll be opening soon."
Jin's head perked up at Kyoya's voice and she sighed, rolling her shoulders back. The couch was so comfy… and she was tired…
"Fujioka-san? If you wouldn't mind?"
Fighting back a groan of complaint, she stood and stretched, the sleeves of her kaftan slowly slipping down her arms as she reached for the ceiling. Jin relaxed her posture and fixed the satin on her skin, a frown pulling at her lips. While today's cosplay wasn't exactly the worst it could've been, even with the hint of cultural appropriation, Jin wasn't pleased with how pink her clothes were.
Seriously, the brunette was becoming more than a little tired of Tamaki always shoving her into things that were pink or otherwise labeled as "girly". One of these days she was going to have a talk with the boy about why she didn't want to wear the girl's uniform.
"Lookin' good, Nēchan."
The brunette smiled gently at her little sister, carefully adjusting the heavy jewelry around her neck, "Eh. If you say so, Haru."
Before Haruhi could respond, there was a knock at the front door. Immediately the soft discussions ended between the hosts. The boys fixed their usual welcoming smiles at the door, but Jin and Haruhi exchanged a look out of the corner of their eyes.
Haruhi frowned, I know we've finished setting up, but it's a little early for guests...
Exactly. Most everyone knows our schedule. Who could be here so early?
The doors opened before either one of the girls could ask the question out loud. Much to the host's surprise, the little face of a child poked through the opening. Jin's head tilted to the left, silent as the others around her welcomed the strange... guest. Whoever it was briefly retreated from the door before gathering their courage and walking into the room.
"Is… is this the Host Club?"
Jin faintly heard the twins whispering about the young boy in the room as he approached them. She felt a little bad for him. He looked like an elementary student, based on the uniform, and his cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. She tried to give him an encouraging smile, but the boy wouldn't even look at her.
In fact, he was staring intently at the blond lying in front of the group.
Not one to ignore attention, in any form it presented itself, Tamaki sat up a little on his pillows and beckoned the boy forward. "What's up, kid? You lost? Or did you seek us out for some reason?"
The boy halted, his eyes widening a bit. "You… you're the "king"?"
As one, the rest of the club turned to Tamaki, not quite sure how he would take to being called the 'King'. Or, you know, being called it without the usual mocking undertones.
To no one's surprise, after being granted a moment or two to soak the information in, the blond was consumed in sparkles and gleefully repeating the phrase. Jin raised her eyebrow at her classmate before glancing at the elementary boy. He seemed a little confused as to why Tamaki was prancing about the room. Feeling bad, because he clearly wanted something from them, she slipped away from the others. The kid didn't realize Jin was approaching until she had crouched down in front of him. He took a step back, cheeks flushing darker in surprise.
"Hello, there. Were you looking for something? Or someone?"
The boy took in a breath, eyes darting towards Tamaki for a split second before nodding, drawing himself up to his full height. "I'm an Elementary Fifth year, Class A, Shiro Takaoji!" Shiro spun around, thrusting a finger at the tall blond. "I seek an apprenticeship with the Host Club King!"
A hush fell over the room, Jin's head jerking back a little at the stern, no-argument tone of voice. All the shyness in the kid, Shiro, had vanished.
"What an unusual request! Of course I'll mentor you, young one!" Tamaki gushed, kneeling before the young boy and taking his hands. "You won't regret this! We'll start right-"
"Tomorrow."
*The next morning*
Haruhi squinted out at the horizon, watching as the pink buildings off in the distance grew larger. She grimaced and shut her eyes, protecting her contacts from the wind. Beneath her feet the bicycle jolted over a crack in the sidewalk. Jin's heavy breath pressed against Haruhi's tight grip around her chest as she pedaled faster, trying to make up for the time lost fighting through the downtown crowds.
The siblings were quiet as they drew closer to the school, Haruhi occasionally stretching herself up to her full height and looking around at the passing scenery. When she was younger she used to sit herself in the basket on the front of Jin's old bike, too focused on the idea of the basket breaking off to really take in the sights.
The day she was tall enough to stand on the pegs on the back wheel was a glorious one.
Too soon for Haruhi's liking they sped through the gates of Ouran Academy. Other students waved as they passed, Jin raising her own hand in greeting while Haruhi readjusted her grip on the two school bags on her arm.
Slowing down to a stop, Jin set her feet down on either side to keep the bike steady as Haruhi hopped off. She raised an eyebrow when she noticed her classmates walking up to the bike rack. Hikaru watched with interest as the elder Fujioka went to lock up the bike while Kaoru greeted the younger.
"Okay, you're clearly curious about something. What's up?"
"Have you ever tried jumping off the bike to dismount?"
"We think it would look cool."
Haruhi shrugged, pulling off her helmet and passing it off to Jin, "I have, but my legs aren't long enough to do it without getting nicked by the back wheel."
"Aww…"
"Can one of us try it then?"
Jin let out a short laugh, still slightly winded from the long journey, "Maybe one day. Oh- thanks." She accepted the school bag being offered to her with a smile. "Or, in sign language-" Jin brought her right hand up to her chin and let it fall again in Haruhi's direction. The smile never faded once, actually spreading onto Haruhi's face as well.
"How is your sign language class going, Nēchan? Are Tamaki-senpai and Kyoya-senpai making it difficult?"
"Actually, not as much as I expected them too. Tamaki might seem air-headed at the club, but in class he's a good student."
"Jin-senpai?" Kaoru interrupted. "What's sign language for bicycle?"
The taller girl thinks for a moment, then made a rotating motion with her hands, like her feet made when she pedaled, "I think… Ah-wait! No… that's ASL… we haven't been taught that word yet, Kaoru. I'll check to see if it's in my textbook, though."
Receiving a disappointed nod in return, Jin lead the 1st-year students indoors. Hikaru broke the silence next, "Well, Milord might be a little less manageable today, Jin-senpai. And he was probably badgering Kyoya-senpai all of last night for sending Shiro home yesterday, so you could have two grouchy classmates for the price of one."
Jin grimaced, but nodded. Tamaki had not been a happy camper at the club yesterday when his mentoring opportunity was postponed. But still… as much as it pained Jin to think it, Kyoya had been smart to hold off on letting Shiro into the club. They simply hadn't been prepared to have the young boy there.
"Well, does anyone know how today's going to go down? Or at least a guess?"
Hikaru shrugged, "Dunno all the details, yet-"
"-but Milord wants the kid to have a strictly observational spot today. No interactions."
"Really?" Jin popped a cherry jolly rancher into her mouth, "I didn't expect that. I figured he was one of those… 'learn on the job' types. But it makes sense. Shiro's just a little kid… it would probably be awkward if he attempted to flirt with high school students."
Haruhi lightly elbowed her sister's side for attention and raised an eyebrow. Do you really think this is going to end well? Bringing a kid into the Host Club?
So long as Tamaki isn't overtly… himself… then this might be okay.
She got a blank stare in return.
Well, less of a disaster at least.
*Time Skip*
Less of a disaster, huh Nēchan? Haruhi raised an eyebrow at the scene, more than a little uncomfortable. She wasn't sure if it was secondhand embarrassment or her own personal morals, but either way Haruhi wasn't pleased.
"That poor kid… why is Tamaki making him stare at them like that?"
Kyoya looked up from his journal to see what Haruhi was talking about. It wasn't hard to deduce what was upsetting the girl. Over at Tamaki's table for the afternoon Shiro's face was only a handful of centimeters away from his "mentor" and the client he was currently attending to.
"Hm… it would appear that this is Tamaki's first lesson for Shiro. He was given a rather long spiel earlier about how a woman's beauty increases the closer you are to them."
"Geez, this isn't going to end well." Jin walked up from behind the two, casually resting an elbow of her sister's shoulder, "If there's one thing I know about elementary school children, it's that they're brutally honest about their own personal thoughts."
Kyoya raises an eyebrow at the girl. "And where have you been? I've heard a few of the guests today wondering why they hadn't seen you walking around the room for the past hour. I don't recall anyone sending you out on an errand?"
Jin gave the boy a rather cold look out of the corner of her eye before responding, "I was in the kitchen."
"And why is that? I certainly hope you haven't been neglecting your duties."
She rolled her eyes, "I didn't have anything else to do, Ohtori-san, that's the point. With Haru serving the tea and cakes until her guests arrive I got bored waiting around for something to do. So I gave myself a chore."
"Which was?"
"Don't get your pants in a twist, I just reorganized your tea and coffee cabinets."
Just then the young boy they were watching made a rather rude comment about Tamaki's guest (something about looking like a carp) and the sister's lost interest in their own conversation. But as they watched the scene like someone would watch a car wreck, they completely missed how intently Kyoya was staring at Jin.
She had been bored… so she reorganized their cabinets? Willingly? The last time he'd done that on his own it had taken him hours and he never bothered with it again!
Who is this girl?
"Shouldn't someone go after her and make sure she's okay?"
At the question Kyoya blinked himself back into reality, "There's no need, Fujioka-san. She'll be back once Shiro stops hanging around. Besides, it's time for the guests to rotate anyways. Anyone who witnessed the scene is sure to comfort Yamashita-san." As if Kyoya have given them a command, the guests stood up and ran after the crying girl. The music room was quiet for a moment before the next wave of guests arrived.
Upon spotting her own clients, Haruhi went to go to her table when Kyoya stopped her. "Haruhi? Would you mind assisting your sister in replacing the tea sets? Your guests will be entertained without you for a few moments, I'm sure."
Noticing that her guests were, in fact, screaming their lungs out over Hikaru and Kaoru's latest "brotherly-love" act, Haruhi nodded and grabbed a tray from the nearest table.
Jin gently nudged Haruhi's back, "You take the left side of the room. Hopefully we'll get this done fast."
"Hm." Nodding along, the shorter of the two sisters started skirting around the ring of cheering fan girls. Man… I should invest in noise-cancelling headphones. These girls are just way too loud.
"Perverts!"
"Wha- woah!" Haruhi gasped, her heart stopping momentarily in her chest until the teacups stopped rattling on her tray. Letting out a breath she turned to the panting Shiro at her side, "What's the matter, Shiro? Do you… oh, wait, I think I get it. Not used to their sales pitches?"
The boy stared up at her, shaking his head from side to side after a moment of hesitation. Haruhi smiled softly, "Don't worry about it. Most of their acts are all show for the girls, even if it is kinda weird. You'll get used to it after a while. Promise."
Shiro blinks, then raises a finger to point at her face. "Are you gay?"
"…Eh?"
"Okay! It's time for the next part in Shiro's training! Haruhi? Hand the nice boy your tea tray!"
From across the room Jin shakes her head with a smile, carefully placing another used teacup onto her own tray. Tamaki and the twins were frantically trying to steer Shiro's attention away from her little sister. Looks like Haruhi's "He's a boy!" steering committee is still alive and well. Knowing she would no doubt have to diffuse a few fires, Jin left her own tray on the table for a moment and began walking over.
Haruhi managed to shake the twin's hands off her after a few seconds, offering the tray to Shiro with care. "Well, I guess they want you to carry this now. Keep a good grip on it, it's kinda heavy… good! Now follow me to-"
CRASH
The entire room froze at the sound of shattering glass. Jin's mouth falls open in shock. Shiro hadn't even tried to hold the tray! The moment Haruhi's hands left the handles everything was on the floor! Such a mess…
"Haruhi? That's another 1,000 yen to your debt."
"What?"
"Wait a minute, Ohtori-san. That's hardly fair-"
"Geez, what are you all complaining about? We can just wipe it up with this." Shiro casually threw a large yellow fabric onto the tea spill, using his foot to help absorb the liquid without touching the broken glass with his hands.
Kyoya's lower eyelid twitched. "I see that our new, special-order curtains serve more than one purpose…" He glares when he hears a poorly muffled laugh. "What?"
"Karma~" Jin offers a bright smile before it dims, watching as Shiro gives Hunny a rather catty comment about looking like a young boy. "But I have to admit… he's a downright rotten kid."
Kyoya opened his mouth to respond when the sound of shattering glass reached his ear. He spun around, nearly knocked to the side by Jin as she ran towards the scene. It would appear that Shiro, upon being spooked by Mori-senpai, had taken to throwing things at the tall boy out of fear.
Jin managed to push herself into the line of fire, snagging a plate out of the air. "Woah, woah! Hold the phone, buddy!"
"Move over, lady! I can't get a clear shot! What are you doing out here anyway? I thought you worked the kitchen- HEY!"
In the space of five seconds, Jin's face abruptly hardened and she picked Shiro up by the back of his school jacket. With minimum effort, she hung the boy up like a picture frame on the wall and stepped back before he could hit her with his flailing feet. The hosts stare in shock.
"Hey! Let me down, lady! You can't do this to me!"
"Oh, yes I can. Now you can't cause any more trouble."
Tamaki was the first to regain his bearings, nodding slightly in approval before sitting down at a nearby table, "Pipe down, brat. We don't have time to play your childish games. Jin? Tea?"
"Please." Jin sat across from her classmate, calmly stroking Hunny's hair as he crawled into her lap. Clearly, Shiro's earlier comment had gotten to him. She pulled a slice of cake closer for the boy to nibble on.
On the wall Shiro was still frantically squirming around. "Nnngh! I'm being serious about this! Let me down!"
"Oh, I'm sure you're serious. Serious about making a mess and disrespecting people. You haven't listened to a single one of my lessons and have been rude ever since you arrived. What about that means 'serious' to you?"
"But… but…" Shiro slowed his kicks, head tucking into his chest, "I don't have much time… I gotta learn how to make women happy. Aren't you the expert, King? Can't you teach anyone?"
Hook, line, and sinker.
Jin rolled her eyes as Tamaki fluidly rises from his chair. "Hmph… maybe you are serious. To some extent, at least. But if we're going to properly train you, then we need to find how to best utilize your personal resources."
Haruhi propped her elbow on her own table, flapping her hand to mimic Tamaki blabbing nonsense, much to Jin's amusement.
"Let's see… for you… I'd recommend "Wild-Kid style"! A type of Shota!"
The twins popped out of their seats and immediately began assisting the club president. Jin sat back in her chair, watching the scene over the lip of her teacup. Her eyes narrowed as Tamaki continued to ramble on about the "Wild-Kid style".
Wearing shorts, even in winter.
Isn't that cold?
Scrapes on knees and cheeks to enhance wildness.
At least they're only drawing them on…
"Now run! Run wild! C'mon, full out! Good… now fall! Fall hard!" Those watching the scene winced in sympathy as the poor kid tripped, seemingly over nothing, and hit the tile. Jin physically gasped as Shiro slide across the floor a couple inches before coming to a stop. Damn… he probably has burns now.
A nearby group of girls fumbled in their conversation at the loud noise, looking over at the young boy on the floor. They exchanged glances before one of them shifted closer. "Um… are you alright, little fella? That was some fall."
Tamaki cupped his hands around his mouth. "Your line! Your line, Shiro!"
"I'm… fine…"
Jin bites her lip as Shiro sits up and turns away from the guest. The boy's face was scuffed up and dirty. There were red marks on his skin from sliding across the floor, and if she were sitting closer Jin was sure she'd be able to spot tears of pain growing in his eyes. She stands up, hurrying over to the table next to hers. As Tamaki and the twins offer Shiro either congratulations, Jin leaned down next to Kyoya's seat and whispered, "Kyoya, quick. Do we have a first aid kit around here? Shiro looks-"
"I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU IDIOTS! I wanna learn! But you won't take me seriously!"
Jin straightened up. "Shiro!"
"Hey, Shiro! Wait! There are other types-"
SLAM!
The room went silent, stunned by the sudden noise that still echoed around the walls. The guests relaxed first, casually returning to their own personal conversations. The dull chatter helped to ease the tension in the room, prompting the hosts back into movement.
Tamaki crossed his arms, an affronted expression on his face. "Hmm, guess "wild" wasn't his thing after all. But why did he run out for no reason? Weird kid."
"Are you kidding me?" The blond was abruptly spun around, bringing him face to face with a rather angry brunette. "Your reckless "teaching" got him hurt, Tamaki! What the hell? And you're blaming Shiro for not wanting to hang around?" At her classmate's shocked expression, Jin ran her fingers through her hair, seemingly unable to continue speaking. Tamaki couldn't do much but blink, not sure how to respond to Jin's outburst. He jumped when another voice piped up from behind him.
"I think what Nēchan is trying to say is that Shiro's response was the most normal reaction I've ever seen to your usual "techniques", Tamaki-senpai. Besides, you completely missed the point of Shiro even being here because you let the flattery go to your head."
"Huh?" Tamaki wasn't used to this kind of tag-team against him.
Jin rolled her eyes. "Shiro was really desperate to learn from you, Tamaki. Did you ever stop to wonder if that was for a specific reason?"
The other boys turned to stare at the club president, their eyes suddenly bright with understanding. Tamaki narrowed his eyes, puzzle pieces slowly fitting into place as he turned back to the front doors. He tapped a finger against his chin.
"Hmm…"
*Time Skip*
Ah man… why did we have to do it this way? Haruhi tugged at the fabric around her legs, more than a little uncomfortable. She looked down to check that the skirt was at her knees and a lock of fake hair fell in front of her face. She huffed, hastily tucking the hair back behind her ear. She was not a happy camper! I know it's meant to be a disguise so we can sneak around… but why did they put me in a middle school outfit? I look no less out of place than I would've with my regular uniform!
"C'mon, Haru-chan! This way!" The small blond by her side grabbed Haruhi's sleeve and began pulling her down the hallway. All around them the actual elementary students whispered among themselves, wondering what a middle school student was doing at their school. Haruhi felt her face flush out of embarrassment. Hunny-senpai is a very convincing elementary student, so his disguise makes sense. But why was I forced to come here dressed up even when I can't manage a younger appearance? I stick out like a sore thumb!
A few archways behind them, the remaining members of the host club watched as Hunny and Haruhi walked as casually as they could down the hall. They stared in silence until the two rounded a corner, prompting Tamaki, Hikaru, and Kaoru to squeal about how cute Haruhi looked in a skirt and long hair. She even had a pretty bow around her neck!
Kyoya raised an eyebrow at the idiocy of it all before looking behind him. Jin had clearly not been convinced by Tamaki's earlier explanation. Surely, now that his intentions were out in the open…
But Jin wasn't even paying attention. She was standing a few paces away from the rest of the group, crouched down in front of two elementary girls with a big smile on her face. She propped her chin against her fist, seemingly enraptured by the girl's questions about her uniform. Apparently they were fascinated by the fact she was wearing pants instead of a skirt.
...Who even is this girl?
"C'mon, men! Forward!"
At the sound of her classmate, Jin stood up to follow her club, waving at the girls. "I gotta go, but it was lovely talking to you! Bye!"
"Bye, Jin-senpai!"
"Bye-bye!"
Jin let out a little laugh before moving to catch up with the group. To her surprise, Kyoya was staring at her. "What?"
"You-" Kyoya cut himself off, staring down at the girl now tugging at Jin's jacket. It was one of the same girls the brunette had been talking to not a few seconds ago. She looked worried.
"The art teacher is coming! You better hide!"
Kyoya raised an eyebrow. As… sweet as the warning was, it was unlikely that they'd get into trouble simply for being in the elementary school. A number of siblings visited each other on occasion, and certain high schoolers who were contemplating futures in teaching were invited to the elementary school to help out with after-school activities.
Before he could say so, however-
"Scatter!"
Kyoya gasped as a hand grabbed his upper arm and he was forced backwards into a small, dark space. His back collided uncomfortably with what felt like shelves, forcing a grunt of pain out between his lips. As he opened his mouth to call Tamaki an idiot, the breath was knocked out of his lungs as someone either ran or was thrown into his chest.
The door shut, leaving the two in darkness save for the thin strip of light shining by the floor. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, Kyoya tried to push the other person away, only for their back to press against the door. Was the room really that small?
"Ow! Stop that, there's no room!"
At the voice, Kyoya's blood ran cold. He quickly dropped his hands.
"Jin?"
"...Kyoya?"
Immediately the two attempted to shift away, but found that they still couldn't. Kyoya was glad that it was dark. He clears his throat. "Fujioka-san, could we maybe attempt to rotate?"
"What?"
"There are what I assume to be janitorial supplies digging into my lower back in this position."
There's a brief silence before Kyoya feels a pair of hands on his shoulders, steering him to the right. With only a few stepped-on toes and kicked shins, the two managed to spin around enough that their backs were pressed against the cement walls. It still wasn't completely comfortable, but better than the sharp digging from earlier.
That being said… the two were still pressed against each other, chest to chest. Every breath gave the two a whiff of either strawberry shampoo or expensive cologne. Their eyes had finally adjusted to the little light they had, and if the two bothered to look at each other they'd both see rather intense blushes across their cheeks.
Jin briefly flicked her eyes forward and back down, beyond embarrassed to find herself at eye-level with the boy's lips. Has Kyoya always been this tall? God… if Dad saw me right now he'd have a heart attack.
"I'm going to kill Tamaki when he lets us out."
The boy makes a low sound in his chest that Jin can actually feel, oh god. "Nothing's forcing you to stay in here."
"Nothing but the art teacher seeing me stumbling out of a closet with a boy in it."
Kyoya's cheeks burn brighter, but his following comment dies on his tongue at the sound of heavy footsteps from the hallway. The sound grows louder as the teacher approaches their hiding spot. Kyoya feels Jin lean as far back as she can away from him. Trying to mimic the action, Kyoya goes to lean back when his foot slips. Letting out a soft gasp, he manages to catch himself using the wall next to Jin's face. The girl gasped as well, two hands coming up in an attempt to steady her classmate.
Their eyes are wide as they stare at the line of light at the bottom of the door. The footsteps had slowed to a stop right outside, casting two shadows across the closet floor. Jin's hands shook from their spot on Kyoya's waist. Neither of them dared to breathe.
"Good afternoon, Nii-sensei!"
"Oh, good afternoon, Miwa-san. Nomi-san. I don't suppose you girls know why I heard a commotion down here a few moments ago?"
"That? Akinari was running late for his club meeting. He forgot about it until Nomi reminded him!"
"Ah! I thought I heard his voice! That was very kind of you Nomi-san, to help a fellow student. Well, I must be going. Have a lovely day."
"Bye, Nii-sensei!"
"See you tomorrow!"
The two high schoolers didn't breathe again until the footsteps start up again and begin to fade. Jin collapses a little, her head falling back against the wall. Kyoya bows his head, nearly resting it against her shoulder.
"It was wise of you to befriend those two girls."
The hands drop from his waist abruptly. "I'm glad you approve. Now, can you please move your hand?"
He does, pretending like he wasn't blushing yet again. "You weren't complaining about it until just now."
In the faint light of the closet, Kyoya watches as Jin pushes herself back up to her full height, only a few centimeters below his own. He barely managed to move his head back before his lips brushed at her forehead. As she moved she muttered under her breath, "One universe, nine planets, seven seas, seven continents, eight hundred nine islands, two hundred four countries, and I had the unfortunate luck of meeting you."
Well… he hadn't expected that.
"... As impressive as that was, there are only eight planets."
Her head jerked up, "Viva la Pluto!"
More than a little thrown off guard by the abrupt volume change, Kyoya's heart nearly stopped dead in his chest as the closet door opened. Upon spotting Mori-senpai at the opening he held a hand to his chest, willing the organ to resume beating.
Jin smiled and offered a hand to the taller boy, silently asking for assistance. Mori raised his eyebrows at the small space the two 2nd-years were crammed into before carefully helping Jin out, the brunette trying not to step on Kyoya's feet. He was quick to follow, hoping to put as much space between himself and the closet as possible. It didn't help that Hikaru and Kaoru were snickering as they watched Jin and Kyoya fix their rumpled uniforms.
Before he could say anything, Tamaki was running down the hallway. "Come on, everyone! We have to find Haruhi!"
"And Hunny-kun," Jin offered softly before turning to Miwa and Nomi with another bright smile. "Thank you so much for helping us!"
The girls giggled and waved as the girl and her friends hurried down the hallway.
It wasn't hard finding class 5-A. Mostly because Mori, Kyoya, and the twins had all had the classroom when they were fifth-year elementary students, but partially due to Hunny-senpai playing a recorder that had been left lying around.
"Are you out of your mind?!"
Pweeet~
Haruhi yanked the instrument out of the boy's mouth just as Kaoru let out a low whistle of his own. "Wow, talk about nostalgia! Wonder if my desk doodles are still here…"
"They won't. The school replaces the desks every year."
Haruhi shook her hands in the group's direction, begging them to shut up, but they didn't seem to notice or care. She spun around, quietly asking Jin for help. Only…
She tilted her head, Hey, you okay?
Jin jolted, her cheeks flushing, Yeah.
What happened?
Jin's eyes darted to the side, abruptly cutting off the conversation by glaring heatedly at the boy's direction. Ah. Haruhi was ready to ask which boy it had been this time when a particular sound stopped her in her tracks.
Shoes on tile.
Jin darted to the door while Haruhi spun around. "Guys, quiet down! Someone's coming!" She stomped her foot for attention before drawing her thumb and forefinger across her mouth. "Hey! Zip it, idiots!"
Thank goodness, that seemed to do the trick. The seven watched with bated breath and more than a few red faces as Jin peeked around the doorframe and down the hall. They couldn't see her expression, but almost immediately her shoulders relaxed and she straightened her back.
To the club's surprise, when Jin turned back to them there was a warm smile on her face. Pressing a finger to her lips to indicate quiet, she used her other hand to gesture for them to duck down behind the desks. Confused, but not willing to argue, they crouched down, watching the brunette through the legs of the desks. Once they were hidden from the view of the doorway, Jin, like a lunatic, spun on her heel and walked out of the room. Haruhi's mouth dropped open, just barely managing to refrain from calling out after her sister. And a good thing too.
"Excuse me? Who are you? Why are you here?"
"Should we go after her?" Tamaki's eyes were wide, his pupils small as he looked around at the others. Perhaps if they went out there to help Jin explain the situation...
Haruhi nibbled at her bottom lip, "No… Nēchan wanted us to hide. Let's wait."
The seven watched the doorway, going silent once again as Jin and the teacher approached the door, their conversation filtering into the room.
"I'm sorry for my sudden manner, but I'm looking for an elementary student who came to visit my club this afternoon. His name is Shiro Takaoji… is the name familiar to you?"
The pair had now moved past the door, not close enough for the hidden hosts to hear the teacher's response. They couldn't help but feel a little worried. Had Jin allowed herself to be caught in order to find Shiro after his classroom turned up empty? Was she in trouble? It was hard to decipher the man's tone of voice. Tamaki mentally found himself regretting coming here.
Haruhi was the first to move as the sounds of her sister and the teacher faded even further. Poking her head out the door, she watched in concern as the pair turned a corner, "They're gone. C'mon! We can't lose them!"
Always keeping a full hallway in between the two groups, the hosts managed to keep themselves hidden as the teacher lead Jin further into the school. After going up a staircase and down another short hallway, they watched as Jin was ushered into a room with glass windows lining the wall between it and the hallway.
As soon as the door was shut the seven slipped over and peeked inside. It was a music room, one very unlike their own with multiple pianos and various instruments piled around. There were roughly two dozen children roaming around, pouring over workbooks or sheet music or practicing new notes on their instrument of choice.
"Hey, I see Shiro!"
"And there's Nēchan!"
The others followed Haruhi's pointed finger to the far left of the classroom. She's… smiling. And so is the teacher who lead her through the school. They watched in awe as the older man clapped a hand on her shoulder before turning to the young students in front of him. He must be the music teacher at Ouran elementary.
Kaoru leaned against the wall, his chin resting on his fist. "How is it that Jin-senpai just magically makes everyone like her? Or, well…" He cast a glance over his shoulder, where Kyoya was watching the scene with a blank face. "Almost everyone."
His brother casually bumped their knees. "I dunno, Kaoru. Kyoya-senpai looked awful comfortable being that closet with her. Jin-senpai might just be working her charm a little too well."
"Shut up! Shiro-chan's talking to someone!"
Sure enough, on the other side of the room Shiro was perched on the window seat, chatting calmly with a little girl holding up sheet music. From the looks of it… given how she offered the sheet music to him, she wanted them to play the piece together. Tamaki frowned slightly at the back of the group, his eyebrows gravitating towards each other as Shiro waved her off towards he piano.
The girl gives Shiro a smile before setting her things at the grand piano. Her feet swing a little above the floor as she begins to play, her smile disappearing as she focuses on the music in front of her.
She sounded very talented… and Shiro looked positively entranced.
"Excuse me, Miss…"
"Oh!"
The others spun around at the new voice, watching as Tamaki whipped a pretty white rose out of nowhere and offer it to a young girl who had been walking down the hallway.
"Do you happen to know the girl playing the piano?"
The little girl blushed as she took the flower, cautiously sniffing it while glancing through the windows. "Um… yeah. That's Hina Kamishiro. She's really nice… but her family's moving next week to Germany, because of her father's job. We're throwing a 'Going-away' party for her next Friday…" She ducked her head, looking embarrassed for some reason. "Thank you for the flower, but I'm late for math club."
The host club watched as the little girl hurried away, still clutching the rose to her chest. Tamaki crossed his arms, eyes far away as he hummed to himself.
"Do you think that's why-"
"What's going on out here?! What're you guys doing here?"
Haruhi jumped, almost falling down on her butt at Shiro's loud, angry voice. The boy's entire face was beet red, hands clenched into fists at his side. Tamaki hummed at the back of his throat and took a step towards the young boy.
But Jin got there first.
With minimum effort, the brunette appeared in the doorway and scooped the kid up and under her arm. Shiro let out a shrill sound of indignation, flailing rather wildly as she began carrying him down the hallway with a blank face. Through the window the teacher she had been talking to for the past ten minutes was watching sadly, but made no move to assist his student.
Shiro attempted to kick the girl's leg. "Stop it! What're you- Put me down!"
"Oh, I will, but you're gonna hear us out, first."
"Put me down, I said! Now!"
"Zip it, you!" Tamaki was now walking beside Jin, his hands in his pockets as he stared straight forward. "Listen to me, you little moron! You said you wanted to learn how to make women happy? Don't make me laugh! You were never interested in that!"
"Hey!"
Jin stopped in the middle of an empty hallway. "You only ever cared about making one girl happy. Kamishiro-san."
Shiro stopped. He stared at the ground for a moment before glancing up at the girl carrying him. Her voice had been soft and gentle when she said the girl's name. Not accusing. Almost sad.
Tamaki sighed, rubbed at his forehead as he went to stand in front of the two. "I'm afraid there's no blanket method for something like that, buddy. You gotta figure it out for yourself."
Shiro stared up at the blond before going limp, letting his arms and legs dangle without purpose. "So what? Time's run out… I just wanted to watch her play before she moves."
Tamaki stared down at the young boy for a few more seconds before making his way down the hall, back they way they came earlier. "C'mon, everyone. Back to the music room. Jin, bring Shiro with. We've got some work to do before Friday afternoon."
Jin casually readjusted her grip on the boy before following after her classmate. Shiro certainly didn't seem to mind. Jin was glad Haruhi was hanging out at the back of the group. The last thing they needed was a big-mouthed kid spotting her in a uniform for females.
"Fujioka-san?"
She stiffened, glancing at the boy now on her left. "Yeah?"
"I am curious, why did you allow yourself to be caught by the music teacher? How did you know you would not get into trouble?"
"Oh, that? I know him. That was Kagome-sensei, and he was my piano teacher for years. I was introduced to him because I used to take piano lessons when I was younger until… I stopped. Didn't have a great teacher. But Kagome-sensei is a fantastic teacher. I'd almost call him a friend… Anyways, I haven't had the chance to catch up with him since I got back from America, so it was a happy accident that he happened to be walking by the classroom we were in! When I told him I was looking for Shiro, he was happy to lead me to the classical music club."
Kyoya raised an eyebrow as she explained, giving the limp boy under her arm a glance when she finished. "And what if Shiro had spotted you in the room?"
"What if he spotted you? Oh, wait… he did."
The ravenet didn't bother to respond.
This girl is infuriating. Who the hell is she?
*That Friday*
Hina looked up and down the hallway she was standing in before back down at the pretty invitation in her hands. Yes… she had the time and place right… but it was still nerve-wracking to be in the high school all the same. She'd never been before. Everything just looked so… big.
Willing up her courage, she reached forward and knocked. It wasn't a very loud knock, but the following sound of the door bolt sliding out definitely was. The white wood moved inward to reveal a rather glamorous scene.
Hina's cheeks flushed as she was welcomed inside by a bunch of high schoolers. They offered her kind smiles. Called her a princess! There was the pretty brunette girl she had seen in the music room last Monday, too! She gave Hina an especially bright grin.
The tall blond boy stepped forward, gently steering Hina further into the music room. "Thank you for joining us, Princess. Today's main event… is a piano recital by Shiro Takaoji… and you, Princess."
Hina heard the gasp escape her mouth before the joy overtook her. Smiling so wide her cheeks were already starting to hurt, she practically ran for the empty chair. The piano was gorgeous, and the sheet music for the latest song she had been learning was already on the stand! And the best part? Shiro gave her a big smile before they started playing!
Nearby, the eight high school students smiled at the scene.
It had certainly been a hectic week getting Shiro ready for this recital. The boy had been so wrapped up in his emotions and denial of said emotions that he hadn't practiced playing for weeks! Thankfully, the boy regained his skill quickly, and the song sounded even more beautiful when accompanied by two friends playing from the heart.
Tamaki casually reached over and gave his female classmate a one-armed side hug, silently thanking her once again for helping him with giving Shiro a crash-course on the duet. Jin smiled, giving Tamaki's arm a brief squeeze of her own before letting him release her. It was a good day. Good deeds, good times… She glanced at the blond out of the corner of her eye, And… good friends.
The elementary students were grinning to themselves as they continued, both boy and girl losing themselves to the music they were creating. Jin shut her eyes, wrapping her arms around Haruhi's shoulders as she sank into the pretty sounds.
Kyoya had a hard time looking away from the back of Jin's head. Occasionally he'd watch the recital, but his attention never lasted for long.
How did she win over Tamaki's gentle, genuine friendship so quickly? His overzealous friendliness is one thing, but actual friendship?
Who the hell is this girl?
*\/*
"So you and that girl in Germany write to each other every day?"
"Sure do… but you know, I think she's kinda the jealous type. So let's keep the time I'm spending with you beautiful onēchans a secret, okay?"
As one, all the girls sitting around Shiro burst into squeals. The elementary boy sat further back in his seat, the vision of pure confidence and relaxation. And who could blame him? He hadn't even been in the music room for five minutes and he was surrounded by high school girls gushing about how cute he was and the novelty of him calling them 'older sisters'.
"Just like with Haruhi and Jin-senpai!"
"Oh! I get why Jin gets so happy when Haruhi calls her that now!"
The girls were blissfully unaware of the club's President practically seething nearby, eyes dancing with the flames of rage, "How dare he! Those are my guests! He's not even a real host!"
"Heh, I guess all your training really paid off, King." Shiro shoots a positively evil look at the blond over his shoulder, "I don't know what your deal is. Entertaining women is easy!"
The twins just barely managed to dive forward in time to hold Tamaki back.
"Please calm down, Milord!"
"No! This isn't how it should go!"
"Woah there!"
"Call my lawyers!"
Haruhi leaned against her older sister, an odd mixture of amused and apathetic about the scene in front of her, "This place just gets weirder and weirder. So, is this going to become a regular thing?"
"No." Jin threaded her fingers through Haruhi's hair, placing her chin on top of them, "I went back to chat with Kagome-sensei during free period today and he said he's going to give Shiro more pieces at the classical music club. Shiro won't have much free time to wander into our neck of the woods. But even then, Tamaki will have another one of these mood shifts sooner or later."
"True..." Haruhi shook Jin's hands off her head in order to smile up at her. "Besides...at least one good thing came out of all this nonsense!"
"Oh?"
"Yeah. Kyoya-senpai rarely takes his eyes off you, now."
"...The twins told you we got thrown into the closet together, didn't they?"
"Maybe."
Jin scowled, pushing Haruhi enough to make her stumble. "Little jerks… All of you."
Haruhi laughs, wrapping her older sister into a hug that Jin returned regardless.
Well, I hope you like this chapter! Sorry it took so long… I'm having a stressful semester. I have at least 3 papers due every week, and that's not including the extra readings, homework assignments, exams, and I'm just dying in general.
...It's casual.
Anyway! Please favorite and/or follow this story for more and if you wouldn't mind leaving a little review I would be very happy!
See you next chapter!