Voila, Chapter Three is here!

Wow, I have to thank you guys. I've already gotten 16 reviews, and 450+ hits! In two days! That makes a girl happy for her first fanfic. It also fuels me with the vigor to write more and more! xP

Okay, here are my thanks:

I want to thank all of you who have enjoyed my story so far… I had originally started out as making this a comic kind of sketch, but I'm glad beckoned me to publish it. And now I know why – because you, my dear fans (xP), make me so excited to write!

Right now, I'd like to personally thank all of you who have given me reviews and favorited/put on alert my story/me. Every few chapters, I'll give shout-outs to you all. But that kind of takes a while, and I don't want to use just my time writing that – I want to write Invaluable Love! I'm sure you can agree.

I tell you that it makes me so happy when you review, and I admit to saving all of the emails that I get from about this story! ' So, arigatou gozaimasu!

This chapter has quite a bit of what Kyouya thinks in it. I love that kind stuff. xP

Now, to Chapter Three!

Invaluable Love

Chapter Three: Your Response?

"Haruhi, would you like to go on a date with me?"

It was as if he'd read her mind again.

She thought about it carefully as Kyouya watched her and reflected on what he had just said.

Wait… did I just ask Haruhi to go on a date with me? He realized quietly. He looked toward her face, her brown eyes fogged in concentration, obviously pondering what to say. Why did I do that? I'm never spontaneous. She's probably busy with schoolwork and not interested anyway, so…

"Sure, Kyouya-senpai. I'd enjoy that." She replied with a smile, her eyes shining. What exactly am I thinking? She studied his widened charcoal eyes and mouth, slightly agape. What exactly is he thinking? She thought, smiling a bit more at his shocked face (or at least as shocked as Kyouya would show).

"Ah… oh… okay then," he said lamely. "Then… how does tomorrow sound?" He figured, Yes… tomorrow is Sunday, so she won't have any classes. And I don't have anything planned for tomorrow, and I have already gotten my paperwork done for the meeting on Monday. I wonder what we should do. He was so engrossed in thought that he hadn't realized Haruhi had already given her answer.

"Kyouya-senpai, are you sure you're alright?" She said with concern. He sure had been spacing out quite a bit during his visit. He was always so alert and perceptive, so Haruhi wondered if he had a fever or something.

Kyouya looked over at Haruhi, who had interrupted his thoughts. "Gomenasai, Haruhi," he said as coolly as possible. "I was just thinking. I did not catch your answer. Would you like to go out tomorrow?" he finished, silently half praising himself for not letting nerves get the best of him, and half scolding himself for being nervous in the first place.

"Ah, yes, tomorrow is fine." She said sweetly. I'm curious to know what he's thinking so much about. "What are we going to do? Do I need to dress formally?" she inquired.

"No, I will have everything prepared for you," Kyouya said with confidence, though he was lying through his teeth. He had no clue what they were going to do. He hadn't even planned on asking her out in the first place, let alone coming to her apartment.

Earlier that evening, from Kyouya's point of view…

Kyouya was walking down the street of a commoner neighborhood not far outside the city of Tokyo. He was in the city now for one of the tests his father had put him and his brothers, the potential Ootori heirs, up to. He had needed a bit of fresh air, to clear his mind of the overwhelming responsibilities that were thrown onto his shoulders. He was currently strolling past a floral shop, and through the windows he could see many of the beautiful flowers. Because this beauty did not concern him in the slightest, he continued walking until he came upon a slue of commoner apartments. His dark eyes happened to glance over to one cluster of mailboxes, set in front of one of the complexes. All names he did not recognize, since obviously he was not in contact with any common… suddenly, he did a double take. One of the nameplates upon the boxes read "Fujioka".

Kyouya's eyes widened in curiosity and realization. Fujioka… he thought … could that mean Haruhi lives in one of the units of this condominium building? Kyouya stood there in the middle of the sidewalk in thought as people passed him, shooting him curious glances. Tamaki did tell me she planned on attending The University of Tokyo…

Ootori Kyouya now did what he had not done in all of his twenty-five years of existence. He walked quickly back to the flower shop, bought a bouquet of the first flowers he laid eyes on, and rushed back to the building where he assumed Haruhi resided. He was going to do something completely impromptu and visit Haruhi.

Now, standing and looking at the structure with four units standing before him, looking very intimidating, he was having second thoughts. Maybe I shouldn't go unexpectedly… he thought as he was going to turn and go back to his five star hotel in Tokyo. No, he argued with himself, I'm going to go and visit Haruhi. I can't let my nerves get the best of me. I just have to… just then, he noticed a flicker of movement through the light of one of the windows in the edifice. Maybe that is Haruhi, he wondered as he made his way to the door on the first floor.

Kyouya knocked somewhat timidly on the door and it opened. Instead of seeing Haruhi there, he met an older woman with a wrinkled face and narrowed eyes.

"What do you want?" spat the woman.

"Excuse me," Kyouya said kindly, even though he wanted to walk away from this awkward scene, "I was looking for a Fujioka Haruhi. Does she live in this apartment building?" Kyouya offered her a smile. He did not need any more sour attitudes in his life, having his fill on with his father's ever demanding ways.

Even with the kindness of Kyouya's smile, the old lady narrowed her eyes even more. "A lot of nerve you got, comin' here so late." She said with extreme displeasure. "She lives up there." She scowled as she pointed up towards the apartment above her.

"Arigatou, mada—" Kyouya's thanks was cut off short by the door slamming in his face. He heard the old woman trudge around in her room, muttering something along the lines of "Young kids these days…" and "no respect for elders".

Kyouya shrugged this off, as it was no concern of his. He ran up the stairs to the unit the woman claimed Haruhi lived in. He knocked more shyly than the last time on the door, part of him hoping that he would not hear any footsteps coming. He put up his indifferent exterior and looked at his watch, letting the narcissuses droop to his side. I wonder if that lady was right… he worried. Maybe it is too late for me to be here.

Before he could change his mind, the door opened slowly, only to reveal a beautiful young woman with shoulder length, straight, cocoa colored hair. She was wearing jean capris, an elbow-length pink shirt, and a surprised look on her pretty face. Her brown eyes opened wide at the sight of him looking at his watch. He glanced up apprehensively and studied her a bit, his heart sinking.

"Gomenasai, I must have the wrong apartment," he said quickly, walking away before he would have to look at the girl any longer.

"K… Kyouya-senpai?" Haruhi's voice called out. His heart started to beat faster as he turned around, trying not to look to eager.

He tried his best to appear calm before he replied, "Hai. Hello, Haruhi. It's been a long while. What… almost seven years?"

Back to Haruhi's apartment and end Kyouya's point of view.

"Oh, okay then," Haruhi replied cheerfully. Good thing, that makes it all the easier on me… Haruhi thought happily.

Kyouya looked at the clock that read 9:45. It took about fifteen minutes by car to get back to his hotel, so if he got back by 10:00, he could get a good night's sleep for the next day, and…

Suddenly, it came to Kyouya's realization that he had been spacing out again. He cleared his throat, causing Haruhi's attention to come to his face. He stood up and proceeded to the door. "Well, I suppose that I should be getting back to my hotel now," he said with an unconcerned tone, hoping to mask the anticipation he felt towards tomorrow's events. Indicating that it was time for his departure, he put on his shoes and opened the door, starting out onto the porch and turning towards the steps.

Kyouya knew Haruhi was following him, so he turned around quickly and looked down at her, causing her to almost crash right into him. "Gomenasai, Haruhi," he apologized, "but please be ready for 11:00 tomorrow."

Haruhi's brown orbs widened slightly at this, causing Kyouya's calm smile to vanish. She looked up at him. "But, Kyouya-senpai likes to sleep in," she said, her voice suggesting worry. "Will that be a major problem for you?" She wondered.

This concern caused Kyouya to produce an unavoidable smile. "I will be fine, Haruhi. If I sleep enough tonight, I will be fine for our date tomorrow." The word date almost got caught in his throat, indicating to himself that he was anxious about it. "Just be ready for whatever I may have in store for you." At that, he gently lifted up her hand and placed a light but warm kiss upon it. Then, he vanished from her sight, and she listened to his footsteps recede away from her down the steps and onto the street.

Haruhi blushed ever so slightly at this, surprised that Kyouya would do such a thing. She was also excited for her date tomorrow. She leaned against the doorway. She would have to be careful around this even scarier spontaneous Kyouya. "A whole new version of the Shadow King," she muttered to herself with a smile as she closed the door and went back to her paper.

♥

Okay, so I was kind of disappointed in myself for not doing the date yet, but I just thought that this idea of Kyouya being nervous and spontaneous was too cute to pass up. So, I will start Chapter Four right now, and I promise the date scene will happen soon. Hopefully in the next chapter. If not, it will absolutely be Chapter Five. I'll try to get whatever chapter has the date in it finished today so you can enjoy it over the weekend while I'm getting tan at the beach, 'kay? (I wish. I only burn.)

This chapter was really short, but I'll get on Chapter Four right now. And sorry if I insulted anyone with making the old woman mean. I figured it had to be put in there. xP