{46; Mori-Senpai Has an Apprentice Candidate!}
The doors to music room three opened, allowing the bright light and red rose petals escape into the hallway.
"Welcome to the Host Club."
Customers were greeted by the eight members of the club as they entered the room, gladly selecting a host who would be entertaining them.
The music room was decorated to resemble the Ikedaya Inn from the Edo Era. Six out of the eight members were wearing matching samurai garb and forehead protectors, with Tamaki dressed as the leading shinsengumi warrior. Y/n wore a very pale pink kimono that had cherry blossoms printed on it. They all had hair extensions attached to their head to make it seem like they had a ponytail, except for Mori, Honey, and Y/n.
Y/n was sitting on a cushion that was on top of the tatami mat with her guest seated across from her.
"Y/n, you look so beautiful in that kimono!" The girl positioned in front of the wavy haired female complimented. She had long, brown hair and dark grey eyes.
"Aw, thank you." Y/n smiled kindly. "But not as beautiful as you."
The girl's cheeks turned into a light shade of red. "Oh, wow!"
'These pick-up lines are starting to stick to me... I guess it's because I hear it from Tamaki-Senpai every second of the day when he's hosting.' Y/n thought and sweat dropped as the long haired female fanned herself with her hand.
The young lady sitting opposite of Y/n regained composure as she looked down at the tatami mat, a nervous and shy behavior taking over her. "Um, Y/n?"
"Yes?" Y/n gestured her to continue on.
"How...do you get someone to fall in love with you? Or get noticed by someone you really want to be noticed by?"
Y/n hummed and put her index finger on her chin, finding the question rather odd to suddenly ask, but nevertheless, she thought about her answer. "Well, I don't think someone could force another person to fall in love with them. Just start off as friends, I guess--just be yourself around the person so they know that you trust them. But one day the time will come when you get that special someone in your life." She paused and scratched the back of her neck with a sheepish smile. "Sorry if that's not what you wanted to hear. I'm not really good with the topic of 'love'."
"Ah, no it's prefect! Thank you for the advice!" She smiled brightly, her fists clenched in determination.
"Oh, of course. I'm glad that I helped you in some sort of way." Y/n's lips formed into a small, playful smile. "Is there someone you have your eyes on?"
The long haired female blushed, fiddling with her fingers as she looked down. "It's a boy in my class..."
Y/n's eyes softened, opening her mouth to say something but a raven haired male with brownish-grey eyes approached them.
"I'm afraid time is up, mademoiselle." Kyoya informed the dark grey eyed girl politely with a slight bow.
"Oh, okay. Thanks again for the encouraging words, Y/n!" The long haired female smiled gratefully and got up from where she was sitting.
"No problem. Just remember to be yourself." Y/n reminded and waved her hand as the girl left the clubroom.
"She left relatively contended." Kyoya pointed out as he wrote some notes down into his black notebook.
"Yeah- Wait. Are you trying to say that the girls I host don't leave happy?" Y/n narrowed her eyes slightly at the second year, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Not at all." He responded with a faint smirk on his lips as he walked away.
Y/n slowly shook her head as she scoffed, standing up from the cushion she was sitting on, and approached Haruhi, who was observing Tamaki entertain three of his guests.
"Why's he speaking in the Tosa dialect?" Haruhi mumbled.
Y/n shrugged. "He is? I wasn't here long enough to hear him."
"You know I never would've thought that late Edo era cosplay would be this popular." Haruhi commented as she held the fabric of her sleeve.
"I know right." The wavy haired female agreed.
"C'mon you can't be serious." Hikaru chimed in from behind the two sisters, his twin brother standing beside him. "That's like one of the basics."
"There are plenty of girls that find the late Edo era totally fascinating." Kaoru stated further. "Particularly the Shinsengumi."
"And most of the girls who like it are complete maniacs about it!" Honey joined the conversation with a bright smile, standing in front of the Hitachiin twins.
"Are they popular because of the noble nature in which they sacrificed their young lives for their country?"
The twins, Haruhi, Y/n, and Honey glanced over to the side due to hearing the familiar voice and noticed Renge wearing an orange and yellow kimono.
"Or could it be because of their stoic determination? Their choice to live out their lives by the Bushido code? Or could it be..."
Suddenly, Kaoru's eyes widened and he leaned forward as if he were hurt. Before he could reach the floor, Hikaru pulled him up by the arm and held him close to his chest.
"Don't die." Hikaru silently begged.
"I'm done for, brother. Let me go." Kaoru said weakly and closed his amber eyes, making a group of girls squeal in excitement.
"That we're intrigued because the worship of this group of renegade young men is somewhat forbidden." Renge continued and slammed her fist on a table to receive everyone's attention. "The Ikedaya Inn may be well-known but it's only because of Hijikata. Just imagining him after the battle of Tobafushimi; his back to the north, as he sorrowfully wandered the streets of his homeland attending to defend the honor of the Shinsengumi all by himself. Ah, I could eat three giant bowls of rice!"
"That was one hell of a history lesson, Renge." Haruhi mumbled.
"How does she know all this stuff?" Y/n quizzed with her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.
Kyoya stood next to Renge as he proceeded to write things down in his black notebook. "Not having us cast ourselves in specific roles was good advice. Allowing the guests to just be free to fantasize on their own was truly a brilliant idea, Renge. I'm very impressed."
"I told you it would work. But you know," Renge began as she stared over at Haruhi, "I think dressing Haruhi as Okita Soji was perfect."
"He's wonderful as the handsome, evanescent young swordsman!" A girl fawned.
"Haruhi! Please don't die! I couldn't handle it!"
'What the hell is going on in those girls' minds?!' Y/n thought as her eyebrow twitched. She directed her attention to her sister, who seemed to be deep in her own thoughts.
Y/n moved herself to stand in front of a shoji door, her back facing the prop. She stayed situated there for a couple of seconds until she was abruptly tugged away from where she was standing and pulled into someone's chest.
Her brown eyes widened once she realized that it was Mori who pulled her into him. He was clutching onto a spear with one hand while he used his other to hold Y/n against him, and pierced the sharp end of the object into the shoji door.
There was a mixture of cries and squeals coming from the customers as the rest of the hosts were in complete and utter shock, slightly startled by the tall, dark haired males actions.
"Mori-Senpai!" Haruhi called out, moderately frightened by the knowledge that her sister was standing near the prop a minute ago before her upperclassman impaled it.
"Why the sudden lunge?!" Kaoru questioned loudly with his hands compressing his cheeks.
"You're not getting enough attention?!" Hikaru expected in alarm.
"Please calm down, Mori-Senpai!" Tamaki implored, extending his hand out. "I know you're upset that you only have one line a chapter. We're three-fourths through the fanfiction and you haven't had your own chapter, is that it?! I'm sorry! Please let Y/n go!" He cried with panic laced in his voice.
"Mori-Senpai..." The wavy haired female gazed up at him.
Mori released Y/n from his grasp and removed the spear from the prop. "No." He slid the shoji door to the side, revealing a male student who was knocked over on the floor on his rear end. "We have a trespasser."
The exposed young man had above the shoulder, crimson colored hair and brown eyes, his intimidating face was accompanied with a scowl as he suddenly launched himself at Mori. "Takashi Morinozuka!"
"A surprise attack?!" The Host Club exclaimed, excluding Kyoya and Mori.
Instead of the red haired individual attacking the tall, silent male, he bowed down on his hands and knees, the top of his forehead connecting with his hands that were on top of the tatami mat.
"Senpai! Please take me on as your apprentice!"
The twins, Tamaki, Haruhi, and Y/n sweat dropped as silence stocked up the room.
"Huh?" They let out, distinctly bewildered.
- - - -
The Host Club was closed for the remainder of the day and the hosts were changed back into their school uniform. The twins, Kyoya, Tamaki, Y/n, and Haruhi sat on a red couch across from where the unknown male student was sitting. Mori and Honey were sitting at a table as the golden-blond haired boy ate a piece of cake.
"Ritsu Kasanoda, first year, Class D. Heir to the third generation head of the Kasanoda Syndicate, the most powerful gang in the Kanto area. He was admitted this year into Ouran Academy's high school. He has long red hair, a mean-looking appearance, is reserved, and has few friends. It is said, if your eyes meet his you'll have bad dreams for three months. If you bump into him you'll end up in the hospital. And talking back to him sends you to an early grave." Kyoya described from his notebook as the red haired male had a scowl on his face. "He is so feared by his classmates that they call him 'the walking blizzard'."
"Seriously?" Tamaki began, staring at Kasanoda. "But why would a human weapon like yourself wanna be Mori-Senpai's apprentice?
"Well, because--look, I may be tough but I'm not a 'human weapon'. I was just born with a face that makes me look mean all the time." Kasanoda disclosed and Tamaki nodded at every word he spoke.
"Well at least you're aware of it, Casanova." The twins remarked.
"It's Kasanoda." The red haired male corrected firmly.
"Bossa Nova?"
Kasanoda's eyes sharpened and practically glowed red. "I said it was Kasanoda! Do you wanna die?!"
The twins and Tamaki quickly disappeared behind the couch, their heads being the only thing that was viewable. "Man, he really is mean-looking." They muttered.
Kasanoda's expression simmered down a bit. "Sorry 'bout that." He placed a hand on his forehead. "This always happens 'cause of the way I look. I've always had this mean look, ever since I was born. Even when I was just a tyke my dad would say-- 'just you wait, my son's gonna be the greatest gangster of all time.' And so, ever since I was a kid, I've been taught how to be the godfather of a gang. My pops was a good teacher and he made me a true gangster. That's great and all but everyone's afraid to come near me. Even my fellas are scared of me. So I'm all alone. It's like they forget I'm young, and sometimes I just wanna play. I wanna get out with my fellas n' play a game of kick the can."
"A good game of kankeri is awesome." Tamaki noted with a relaxed smile, leaning his arms on the top of the couch.
"But I've been livin' the life of a gangster and I don't know how to interact with regular people." Kasanoda articulated.
"Aw, that poor guy." Honey mumbled in sympathy.
"Morinozuka-Senpai, that's why I need you to show me. How do you manage to have so many friends?" Kasanoda searched and Mori turned his head to look at him. "When you're just as mean-looking as me?"
It was like lightning clashed on Mori--his dark grey eyes widening in revelation.
"You're expressionless, distant, and you hardly ever talk." Kasanoda deduced as Mori still had his eyes wide and his mouth slightly ajar, expressing his display of stupefaction--which rarely happens along with any other emotion. "Plus you've got a mug that looks like a watchdog from hell. So how come you've got so many friends? What're you doin' that I'm not? Please, teach me your secrets! I'm begging you!" He bowed down on his hands and knees from behind Mori's chair.
Y/n didn't realize that her mouth was agape until she began to speak. "Holy... What the hell did I just sit through?" She uttered under her breath.
Mori was still in shock, making him place his elbow down on the table and settle his fingers on the temples of his forehead.
"Hey Takashi, are you okay?" Honey whispered in vague concern.
"I'm just a little lightheaded." He replied in his monotone voice.
"What now, boss?" Hikaru asked, glancing at the blond haired male from the corner of his eye.
"Don't you think we should do something about this?" Kaoru questioned.
"Just leave him alone, don't get involved. Like he said, he wants to be Mori-Senpai's apprentice." Tamaki instructed calmly and stood up from the floor with one of his hands in his pockets. "So that means, Mori-Senpai decides what to do. This isn't something that any of us should be interfering with."
"Tamaki..." Mori said and slowly turned his head to look at the blond haired second year. His grey eyes exhibited desperation, wordlessly entreating the president of the Host Club to help him out of this situation.
Tamaki's violet eyes widened for a moment before they came to a close, running his hand through his blond hair. "Well, in that case, since you insist Mori-Senpai, I, Tamaki Suoh, promise you, I will do whatever I can to assist you."
"Yeah, right." Haruhi deadpanned. "He wanted to get involved so badly he couldn't bear it."
Tamaki approached Kasanoda and kneeled down in front of him, tilting the red haired males head up. "Now lift your head, Bossa Nova."
"Listen, it's Kasanoda."
The violet eyed young man ignored Kasanoda's correction. "From now on you may address me as king, okay, Bossa Nova?"
"That's not my name-"
"Are you listening to me, Bossa Nova?" Tamaki raised his voice slightly, making Kasanoda quickly sit up straight.
"Yeah."
"There are many differences between you and our beloved Mori-Senpai, but there is also one very definitive thing that you are lacking and that is a lovely item." The president of the Host Club pointed a knowing finger upwards.
Kasanoda gasped with a look of wariness that was somewhat exaggerated. "A lovely item?"
A spotlight was shined down on Tamaki as he explained. "Bossa Nova, I would like to introduce you to a lovely item named Mitsukuni. Sure, Mori-Senpai may be kind of mean-looking and he may seem distant when you first meet him but what if we put Mitsukuni on his shoulders? Suddenly it's like he's a forest teddy-bear that all the animals adore. In addition, this lovely item also plays up Mori-Senpai's strong and silent character. Even without saying anything, just by placing Honey-Senpai next to him people begin to have a new found admiration for Mori-Senpai. Suddenly he's seen in a positive light as a nice, quiet, young gentleman. That's the plan." The spotlight vanished as he positioned himself in front of Kasanoda once more. "I'm not exaggerating when I say most of Mori-Senpai's charm is directly related to his friend Honey-Senpai."
"Yeah, you're right." Haruhi, Y/n, and the twins say in recognition as they put their fists on their palms.
"Now that you mention it, Mori-Senpai-" Haruhi and Y/n began.
"-doesn't really do anything." Hikaru added as the said upperclassman turned his head to stare at them bit by bit, his facial features holding an expression of mortification.
"Yeah, his position's totally a bust." Kaoru admitted.
"Takashi."
Mori directed his attention to his cousin that was seated across from him, who had tears cascading down his face.
"Have you really been using me this entire time?" Honey whimpered.
Mori got up from his chair, slamming his hands down on the table as he did, and shook his head hastily.
"I'm sorry, but Honey-Senpai is on a long-term lease to Mori-Senpai right now so I can't let you borrow him." Tamaki told Kasanoda with crossed arms.
"Is Tama-Chan telling the truth? Are you renting me?!" Honey exclaimed, his tears building up in his eyes as they streamed down his cheeks.
Mori's jaw dropped but quickly closed as he frantically shook his head in denial.
"Don't worry, I'll come up with something to take his place." Tamaki sighed. "So, the next thing we need to discuss is your disturbing 'Yankee' fashion sense." He snapped his fingers. "Now Hitachiin Brothers."
The twins saluted. "Sir!"
"It's your job to make this man more fashionable." Tamaki mandated with his arms crossed over his chest, standing in front of the red haired male, who stood a sufficient distance away from him.
The twins launched up from the surface and jumped towards Kasanoda. "Roger!"
Y/n observed as the twins pulled Kasanoda away. "I don't think we should trust them in finding a style for him..."
Haruhi nodded in agreement. "Yeah, me neither..."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Posted on: March 9th, 2021.
Edited on: September 20th, 2021.