Chapter 10: The Recital (Part 2)

~Nana - 1000 - Ouran Theater~

She got here early to start rehearsing. They were running through in the order that they were meant to be in. They were going to stop around 1700 for everyone to get something to eat and to get dressed. She Didn't like what she had picked out to wear but she couldn't find anything else. She should have gone shopping sooner to find an outfit for tonight.

Her phone chimed. It was a group message from her friends and three of the four were saying they couldn't make it, but didn't say why. She was used to them backing out of things like this last minute. Satsuki said she was still going. She was a great friend. She didn't expect for her family to show up since they hadn't before. She ate the lunch her older half sister had packed for her. It was good and was oddly relaxing. It was still healthy and she was nice enough to pack her a blend of tea. It was good and she couldn't quite place her finger on what kind of tea it was. It was sweet but there was a faint hint of herb. There was an underlying taste of green tea. It was really good with the tea cakes. She smiled. Maybe her sister wasn't a bad person.

When it came time for her to dress, she moved to the dressing room, only to find her dress slashed. There was no way she could wear it and what she was wearing now wasn't suitable. Who would do this? She hadn't done anything to deserve this.

"Nana-chan," a voice called from the opening. She recognized the person as the maid assigned to Kagome. "What happened to your dress?"

"Someone slashed it." She threw the whole thing in the trash.

"It's a good thing I come baring gifts." She held up three garment bags and a case with makeup and hair stuff. "Sit. I'll get you ready then you can change into one of these." She nodded and sat down. The maid took her time making sure everything was perfect and that her hair was done nicely. Her makeup wasn't over done, but still drew attention to her eyes. They were like her mother's eyes, but her hair was dark like her father's. With thirty minutes to curtain time, she slipped on the dress that was handed to her. It was a beautiful. It hugged her perfectly and the length was modest. She pulled on the stockings and the shoes that matched. she gave a brief twirl and smiled. She looked at herself in the mirror and couldn't help but hug the maid.

"This dress is perfect." She snapped a quick picture of it using the mirror.

"Fifteen minutes until curtain," a voice called. She grabbed her flute and double checked the piano's tune. She wasn't the only one using the piano today so she was doing them all a favor.

"I'll be here, protecting these," the maid said. Nana nodded and got ready.

~With Nanao and Naruhiko~

It was thirty minutes until 2000 when the limousine pulled up to the school. He could see three of his four children waiting for them. He slid out and helped his wife out. He looked at his children to see them all dressed nicely.

"Glad to see everything fit perfectly," Kagome said. "We should go get to our seats." She said and turned. He looked to his son, who only shrugged, not sure what this was all about. They just followed her to the theater and she showed the doorman the tickets. They selected seats in the middle and Kagome held the flowers she got for Nana close to herself, secretly feeding her power to keep them looking fresh. Naosuke was next to her and beside his mother. She was next to Naruhiko and Nasaka took the seat on the other side of Kagome.

Soon all the seats were filled. She could see a girl next to Nasaka. She wasn't sure who she was but she held a bouquet of white calla lilies. She turned her attention to the front of the room as the lights dimmed. Everyone got quiet and she looked to the back. The male that had a crush on her sister was recording the recital on a camera in the back. She turned back around as the first notes of a piano played. She smiled at the look of sereneness on her sister's face as she played. She looked in her element and it made her happy to see her like this instead of bitter and angry. When the song ended, she stood, and pushed the bench in before grabbing her flute and facing the audience. She took a calming breath before she started to play the next song. She closed her eyes as the music flowed through her. She kept still as she continued to play. When she was done she left and the next person came forward. She thought she could take a slight break but the maid ushered her to the changing room and shoved another dress in her hands, directing her to change. She changed into the long white dress. It hugged her perfectly and she looked in the mirror and gasped as the maid adjusted her hair slightly and she moved back to the stage where the harp was set up. She took a deep cleansing breath before she strummed across the strings of the harp.

He looked at his daughter and shed a single tear. She looked like an angel standing on the stage in the long white dress. Her fingers caressed the strings and he was enraptured by her. His little girl was talented. When she left again he looked to his eldest. She was smiling. She looked like she was proud of her sister.

Nana sighed as she was pulled back to the dressing room. "Last change, I promise," the maid said, handing her the last dress. She pulled it on and the maid tightened the ribbon on the back before tying it. She slipped on the shoes provided and looked at herself. She looked like the character she played as on her favorite RPG. She watched the maid fix her hair and she smiled. She was glad the maid came through with this, but where did she get the dresses.

"Thank you for this, but where did you get the dresses? I couldn't find anything like this anywhere." She flattened the skirt and smiled.

"Kagome-hime spent every free moment she had over the past two or three weeks designing them. She finished them yesterday." She pushed her towards the stage and straightened out the garment bags and everything she brought with her was placed back where they belonged.

Nana looked down at her ocarina and out at the crowd. It was dark and she could barely make out anyone. She just started to play the ocarina, swaying lightly as she continued. When there was a few seconds left, someone came pout and handed her the violin and took the ocarina. She switched to the violin without missing a beat and it was just as cheerful as she felt. It was a few minutes later and she was done. Everyone came out and the audience applauded. The house lights came on and her eyes found Satsuki. Right next to her was her family. Her eyes widened, but she bowed with the rest of them. They hurried to the back to tidy up and head home or get changed.

She just stored her instruments away and watched the maid leave with the garment bags and the makeup and hair stuff. She looked at herself in the mirror and headed to the hall to meet up with her family, only to be stopped by a third year girl.

"You really had to go all out," the girl gave a sneer. Her two friends were behind her. "I thought surely you would give up and go home crying after that hideous dress was destroyed."

"That was you!" She looked surprised, especially since she didn't know who this girl was.

~With the Hisagawas~

Kagome left them in the entrance to the theater. She said she wanted to get Nana, and they just nodded. Nasaka sent Naosuke a look and he followed her. They hadn't recognized the host club being there, who happened to follow them discretely.

"Why would you do that? I've done nothing to you." Nana was clearly upset.

"You might not have but I have to mess up your cute face. Maybe then your sister will learn her place." She made to approach the first year girl, her friends trying to tell her this wasn't a good idea but they weren't listening to her. She had a scissor in her hands. She raised them as to attack Nana, but a hand caught her wrist and twisted, causing her to drop the scissors on the floor. She was pulled her back and past her, back towards the girls.

"You really don't know who you are messing with," Kagome said, flowers in her arms. She handed them back and Nana took them. "The biggest mistake you could make is messing with my family." Her face was serious and she could see Naosuke and the host club showing up behind the three girls. "I was nice before. You don't want to see my claws, believe me." She narrowed her eyes on the girl.

"Let's just go, Tsubaki," one of the girl's said, trying to pull her away.

Tsubaki pulled free and gave a loud shriek before diving to attack Kagome. She easily dodged around the sloppy strikes before using the girl's momentum and throwing her to her friends feet. They both grabbed her and pulled her away quickly. They could see the anger on Kagome's face. Kagome crouched down and grabbed the scissors from the floor before standing. "I hope she didn't hurt you, Nana." She looked to her sister.

"She didn't. You got here in time." She clutched the flowers closer to her chest. The sweet smell wafted up to her nose and she looked at the collection of flowers before holding them towards Kagome.

"Those are for you," Kagome said with a smile. "I knew the dresses would suit you."

"Ano, thank you." She was acting shy and looking down at the floor. "Thank you for dinner too. It was good."

Kagome smiled. "It isn't a problem, Nana. I just want to get to know you. I always wanted a sister." She stepped forward and smiled at the shorter girl. "Father and the others are waiting for us. Let's go." She nodded and let her sister lead her away. Kagome's eyes met Naosuke's and they seemed to have a conversation before he nodded and followed after them. The host club let them pass.

"Gome-chan is mad," Honey whispered to Mori, who nodded.

"Kagome-senpai has moves," Kaoru said to Hikaru.

"I know. Would probably be best if we never angered her." The two nodded to each other.

"It is interesting. Kagome might be right in the regard that mean girls won't back down unless you stand up to them. This might merit me looking into Tatsuya-senpai's back ground."

"Kagome will handle it," Mori said.

"Yeah. She'll get upset if we meddle too much," Honey had input.

Kyoya shivered at the thought. There was something about her that said not to cross her, and he didn't want to find out what would happen if he did.

~Back in the Theater Entrance~

The three of them entered to see their parents and Nasaka waiting. When Nasaka laid eyes on them, she visibly relaxed.

"Nana, ane, you were great!" The little girl ran forward and hugged her sister around the waist, her head resting on her chest.

"Yes. You played magnificently," her father said, placing his hand on her head. "I'm glad Kagome surprised us all with this." Nana looked over to her silent half-sibling, that was just standing in the back ground, allowing her to drown in the attention she so craved. "You looked like an angel up there." She blushed.

"Yes. I loved it when you played the violin the most," her mother said, looking like a Greek goddess from mythology.

"I thought you were going to be too busy with work to be here," she said hesitantly, she didn't want them to have to go back to work after this.

"Actually," her father started, "most of my work already seemed to be done and a lot of the meetings from the past two weeks went by quicker than usual." He looked at Kagome but her eyes were closed.

"The collections I had to appraise were done relatively quickly too," her mother said, still not sure how it all got done. She didn't even know where this dress came from. She didn't have anything like it in her closet.

"We should get home," Kagome said. She could see Nasaka falling asleep on her feet. She moved forward and picked the girl up. She rested her head on Kagome's shoulder and smiled.

"Yes, it has been a long day." They turned to leave.

"Nana! I brought you flowers," Satsuki said, coming forward. "Sorry the others didn't show up."

"I should have expected it," she said easily. "Father, can Satsuki spend the night?"

"Alright." She smiled and the two girls kept back and started to talk. Satsuki said she loved the dresses she wore and asked her where she bought them so that she could get them in a different color.

"Kagome made them," she said. "Apparently in her free time the last couple of weeks."

"The stitching on this is good. It won't fall apart so easily." She admired the work and the details.

"I don't think the others are good friends to us," Nana told her. "They always bail on us last minute and we always go to whatever they want us to." Satsuki nodded. "I feel like a fake when I am with them."

"So do I. We should just be honest with ourselves and each other." They smiled at each other and got into the limousine. They would hang out tomorrow and do the things they couldn't do with their other friends.