At what price,love?

Chapter 3

At What Price, Love, Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this one up. It's kind of a long chapter, so hopefully you will find it worth the wait. This chapter (and to some degree the whole story arc) is inspired by the flirtatious drawings of Haruhi and Kyoya in the back of volume 3 and especially volume 16. Which means the last section of this chapter is somewhat descriptive. Not explicit, but if you don't like reading that stuff, just mentally substitute in "and they kissed a lot" then go on to the next chapter.

~oOo~

"OK, that was weird," Haruhi said.

"What?" Kyoya said.

"I stopped by the market to pick up some coffee on my way to school and this guy walked up and said I was the 1000th person through the door, handed me a bunch of balloons and a gift certificate for a weekend at a spa resort."

"Balloons?" he asked, noting the lack of the same in her hands.

"I gave them to a couple of my regulars on the way in." She flipped the gift certificate from front to back a couple of times. "I'm not even sure if it's real."

"Did they ask you to go to a timeshare presentation?"

"No."

"Hmm." Kyoya considered. "Well, there's an easy way to find out." He took the paper out of her hands and pulled out his cell phone. "Yes, I would like to confirm a reservation for next weekend, under the name of Haruhi Fujioka, although it could be under 'contest winner' I suppose... yes... two rooms for two nights with a fine dining and spa package, paid in advance. Thank you." He ended the call and handed back the gift certificate. "The package is real, anyway."

"It's also a set up. One: they don't reserve two rooms for a romantic getaway package and two: they don't give those packages to 17 year old girls," she pointed out suspiciously.

Kyoya looked at her sideways. "One: if I wanted to take you to a resort, I would have simply asked you; and two: I would have chosen resort owned by the Ootori Group. That one is owned by Easton Hotels."

"Oh. So this whole absurd set up is probably Tamaki."

"I'm sure he had help, but yes."

"Which I guess makes this an apology of sorts. I guess I should go thank him. It's a shame my dad won't let me go."

"Why not? We've taken you on trips before."

"In groups. Alone with one guy is a different story."

Kyoya adjusted his glasses in disbelief. "Haruhi, in the two years since you've joined the Host Club, have you gone on a single date where at least half the club wasn't spying on you?"

"Wait ... you guys have been stalking me?" She added in a mumbled aside "That's really creepy."

"In fairness, it wasn't so much you. We were watching to see how badly Tamaki, Hikaru or Kaoru were going to screw up their dates with you and I have to say, they seldom disappointed. Still, if you think it would be too problematic, you could ask your father to go with you instead. A spa weekend would be a rare treat for him.... Of course, that will be seen as declining Tamaki's apology, but by now you're immune to his sitting in a corner, pouting and turning your homework into hamster bedding."

"Why my homework?" she said.

"Well I'm certainly not going to let him do it to mine," Kyoya replied.

Thus, come Friday, Haruhi found herself standing next to Kyoya checking into the hotel. As the clerk handed them their room keys, Kyoya casually asked "Can you tell me if Tamaki Suoh or the Hitachiins have arrived yet?"