Venture into the Second Music Room

Chapter Three: Lifeless rehearsals

A/N: Hello. back with the third chapter of V2Murm. A big 'Thank you' to my awesome reviewers and readers. Er. I know it's still awfully slow in 'action' for these few chapters. BUT I promise there'll be PLENTY of 'action' coming!

Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

'You know we only started the Host Club last year, right?' Hikaru asked.

'Yeah… and?' Haruhi asked.

'What's our mission again?' Tamaki asked.

'Erm… because we have too much time on our hands, we play hosts to ladies and profit off them?' Haruhi said.

'Exactly,' Tamaki said in a very dramatic way, 'We host our beautiful ladies with the exception of Casanova-kun. Ladies. I stress. And what do ladies do, LADY Haruhi?' leaning towards her.

'Erm…' backing away slightly from Tamaki's overflowing pheromones, 'well, we cook and bake…'

'CAKE! And sweet desserts…. And, and…' Hunny interjected.

'No. They don't, because they're rich enough for personal cooks, keep thinking,' Tamaki said.

'Rich bastards,' muttered Haruhi, 'Erm… then I suppose, from a non-commoner point of view, they do stuff like drawing, dancing…'

'And…?' prompted Tamaki.

'Play the piano or whatever instrument…'

'BINGO!' said the twins.

'What's THAT got to do with Kyouya-senpai's grudge against Tanaka-senpai?'

'Well, you see, as ladies are most fond of music and play instruments, many good players are naturally IN the orchestra or whatever group from the Music Department, in which Akira is head of. WE, at Ouran, take pride in having an elite Music Department and famous coaches and conductors to assist us. Most of them are sons and daughters of famous musicians.

'However, we founded Host Club last year, and…' with a dramatic sigh, 'all the girls came flocking to us! They just couldn't resist our charm, that's for sure. We ARE beautiful…' Tamaki laughed, with rose petals floating behind his body.

Haruhi rolled her eyes, saying, 'moving on.'

'So… naturally, the good female players in the Music Department all ditched rehearsals to come to the Host Club, and the Music Department was a MESS. The Ouran orchestra, choir, quintets… lost in ALL the competitions. And, as vice-president last year, Akira was, needless to say, distraught. And she seem to blame it all on the Host Club.'

Haruhi puzzled, 'Why couldn't we hold club meetings at other times?'

'Because we'll lose profits, that's why.' Kyouya stated simply.

Haruhi sweat-dropped. Evil Shadow King. 'But it still doesn't explain Kyouya-senpai's personal grudge.'

'Oh that's simple. Akira-senpai is Kyouya-senpai's cousin,' the twins said.

'SECOND cousin. My mother's cousin was Akira's father, which makes her my second cousin, so to speak. A rather dreadful and profitless relation if you ask me. Musicians. The Tanaka zaibatsu produces instruments, grand pianos, violins etc., no room for mergers or further integration, unless they conglomerate. AND the head of the Tanaka zaibatsu isn't even Akira's father, but his elder brother. So Akira's father had free reins to explore the depths of music and his own artistic soul, and became one of the biggest violinists in the world, marrying the pianist of the year, hence, Akira was born with such musical talents. Extremely rich and famous, yes, but no use in pursuing Ootori enterprises' future,' Kyouya said.

'So that's why you deliberately went against the Music Department? Because you dislike her family's musical affiliation? That's… stupid,' Haruhi said bluntly.

'HARUHI,' the twins grabbed her, 'how can you tell evil mother he's stupid!?'

'I have no problems with that, Haruhi,' Kyouya said, 'I'm just making a point that though she's remotely related to me. I don't really care what she does, AS LONG AS it doesn't affect mine or the club's profits.'

'You forgot about the huge fight between Kyouya and Akira…' Hunny muttered, fidgeting with his usa-chan.

'OH right!' Tamaki said excitedly, 'Akira came barging into the Third Music Room one day, and shouted at us. Something about how stupid and pointless our club is. And as the Host Club king, it is my duty to protect my club. I had to explain the motives of our Host Club as honorable and gallant. I couldn't let her…'

'I don't want to know what YOU did, senpai,' Haruhi said, clearly irritated.

Tamaki squealed and went over his corner to brood, since 'Daughter yelled at Daddy,' and began crying pools of tears.

'She even personally attacked each one of us with her razor-sharp tongue and it got REALLY bad when it got to Kyou-chan,' Hunny whispered.

Haruhi's eyes widened.

'Not only did she insult his status in his family, his evilness…' Hikaru started.

'She even insulted…' whispered Kaoru.

'Insulted what?' asked Haruhi.

Kaoru whispered something against her ear.

'WHAT? Kyouya-senpai's violin abilities? He can play?'

Kyouya shut his laptop forcefully. 'OBVIOUSLY I can't. That's why she used this against me. "it's the only thing I can't do" she said, "Music dies with me". Well, it is not MY fault I'm not a musical genius. So… with three violin lessons, I can already tell I don't have the potential NOR patience to get far with it, so I've given it up. She mentioned something about "What a coward" I am and such. And THUS, we were NEVER on good terms. She despised my "lack of respect" to music and I didn't appreciate her huge ruckus in front of our guests. That's why we ended up in her wrath. The end.'

Haruhi nodded meekly from Kyouya's fiery speech. It made much more sense now.

'IN the end, we made an agreement with them, saying they'll have sectional rehearsals and when they're free, the girls can join the Host Club. They can HAVE their group back and we won't lose our customers. But as competition season comes by, she gets paranoid again,' Tamaki concluded.

'How did we get the Third Music Room then?' asked Haruhi.

'You forgot who our Tono's father is, Haruhi,' smirked Hikaru.

'Ah… so I guess that makes Akira-senpai even angrier at the us, right?

'CORRECTO!' the twins exclaimed.

Haruhi clapped her hands. The others stared at her.

'Akira-senpai is the most respectable lady in the world. She's not hormonal-driven like the rest of the girls over you all, and had the galls to stand up against Kyouya-senpai. She is officially my idol,' Haruhi stated, while the others sweat-dropped.

2nd music room.

'I'll leave the scolding until AFTER rehearsals,' Akira said, 'Katsue, could you do the tuning?'

Katsuke stood, played an A flat, while the rest of the strings followed, then woodwinds, brass then percussions. 'Tchaikovsky Symphony no. 1.' Katsuke said with his rich bass voice, which got the girls swooning, which was silenced by his glare after a second or so.

They played…

And played…

And played…

They played flawlessly, well they DO have the best teachers that could be employed.

But something's missing. Akira thought. It's not right yet. It's still too lifeless. Mechanical. But she didn't know what was wrong. Every note, every rhythm is perfect, yet far from it at the same time. Why?

And they continued playing and playing.

And finally, after Akira's stern warning for the upcoming rehearsal arrangements, the rehearsal ended. The girls quickly ran from the room.

Akira sighed, and placed her violin back into her case.

'Akira, are you alright?' Katsuke asked, clearly concerned.

'Something's missing, Katsuke, but I don't know what,' she sighed.

'Hmmm… the mood right? Wooden and mechanical.'

Akira rubbed her eyes. 'We've got a bigger problem too, about our duet piece. I couldn't find us a pianist.'

'Well, after you yelled at the last one, and scared her off, and with everyone else so preoccupied with their own competitions, it is highly impossible to find another pianist in such short notice,' Katsuke commented lightly.

'I know! I'm sorry. I know it's totally my fault. I shouldn't have gotten so angry. But you know how the stuff concerning the Host Club, gets to me, EVERYTIME!' At the mere mention of the Host Club, she fired up again, literally.

Katsuke smiled, which is something rare and only reserved it for Akira. Damn. She's so cute when she's riled up.

'Don't worry. I'll find us someone,' Katsuke smiled reassuringly.

Akira looked up at him with awe and thankfulness in her eyes. 'Thanks! Katsuke-kun. I know you're the only one I can count on!'

Katsuke looked into the crystal blue pools of hers, and felt his heart flutter.

'I'll always be there for you, Akira, will you be my girlfriend?' was something he longed to say, but never dared. So he settled with, 'I'm glad,' and flashed her another Akira-reserved smile.

She returned it, and Katsuke's heart melted again. She took her violin case and said her goodbye and ran off to her limousine.

Katsuke gazed upon her retreating back. What a girl. And now he has to find them a pianist. Where could he possibly find one?

A/N: So. I deliberately cut the OCxKyou line. BECAUSE i really can't think of a way to romantically link up the two WITHOUT using old lame plot lines. ;) well. i have something in store for my OCs. and the Host Club members of course! But you'll hv to wait and seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Please rate and review!

MUAHZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

G.