Just Love What Is

Love is small – too small to be noticed, but in the end it conquers all. In order to get her inheritance, she needs to get her diploma first. But she's failing miserably… that's why a hot stranger is assigned to tutor her.

Ch. 2: Ruinous Gathering

She crossed her fingers, prayed to every God she believed in, and even did feng-shui. But it still didn't work. The will of testament still couldn't be revised. Great, she'd be poor all her life if she wouldn't get the flipping diploma.

"I don't understand why father can do this to me," Ino looked at the man behind her. "He is never a good father to me, and up until now he's making me feel like I'm not his daughter. He does not love me."

"Your father does love you," the older man said. "He just… can't show it very well."

"Teacher Ibiki, you were a better father to me than he," she stated as an unwanted tear fell from her left eye. "He always makes me feel unwanted in many ways."

"Your father's health is getting worse each day," he put his hand on her shoulder. "He will appreciate it if you're going to spend more of your free time in the hospital with him."

"That's funny because we both know that he doesn't want me there."

"Every parent loves their child," he tried to remind her. But still, she knew he could go wrong. "Forgive him for not seeing how special you've been… forgive him for having overlooked how amazing you've become as these years have gone by…"

She smiled – a very sad smile. "You really know how to make me feel better, teacher."

Thank God, she had her teacher Ibiki. He'd always been there for her, since she was five. He had somewhat filled in the love her father couldn't give. And she appreciated that.

"Now, be a good girl and head downstairs."

&

Heading downstairs, it was. She was utterly surprised seeing the hot, rude stranger sitting on her living room's couch.

"I liked how you are in my house at Saturday morning," her sarcasm was obvious. Despite how unarguably hot he was, it still did not make her happy. "How may I help you, Mr. Uchiha?"

"We still have some unfinished stuff to do from yesterday," he said impassively. "Did you forget?"

"Why are you doing this for me?" she had to ask, it was unclear to her. Right after ditching him yesterday, she received a call from one of her teachers. He told her that this hot stranger wasn't getting paid for being her tutor. "Sir Kakashi told me that you get no benefit tutoring me, and I don't see why you should do this to me."

"I was assigned to do this," he looked at her directly; she realized how blank his eyes were.

"By whom?" her curiosity was almost killing her. She knew that in the world today, nothing is free.

"It doesn't matter who it was," he dodged the question. "I don't need to discuss anything with you unless it relates to your school work."

"Don't I have the right to know?"

"No."

"Bitch!"

He arched his eyebrow. What did she just say? He let it passed, just this time. He decided that he wouldn't be too nice next time.

"Where would you like to work?" he inquired; the look of disinterest in his face was visible. She wondered why he was doing this.

She half-smirked and didn't forget to have answered his question, "In the study room."

"Then let's go," he said.

But Ino thought she should warn him: "I'm a very dangerous girl."

&

She sat down in one of the desks; and the rude-hot stranger took the seat next to her.

"We'll finish math first and then we're doing Anatomy next," he told her. She didn't bother to say anything because she knew everything had to go his way.

"Take your notebooks out and then get a pencil with good eraser."

"You know what," she stared at his face. "I have never seen you in my school before yesterday yet you were wearing the same uniform."

"I go to that school," he retorted with sharp face. "But I'm in college and I never went to High School department until yesterday."

"But you're in my age!" Ino tried to argue.

"I skipped a couple of grades," he affirmed. "Now, do your homework."

"You must be one smart bastard then," she commented. She just thought he was a very serious guy. "Let me guess, you're majoring in Religion and Theology?"

"Are you making me laugh?" he asked, unemotional. Did she seriously think he was majoring in something lame like Religious Studies and Theology?

"Well, you seem to like doing some charity works," she continued, "I mean you are tutoring me without any cash involved."

"Industrial engineering and design."

"What did you just say?"

"That's what I'm majoring in," he filled her in. He didn't expect that it was easy to open up on her. "I'm a junior in college."

"You're actually telling me something about you," she made him realize. Just in case he didn't. "You seem like someone who likes to keep his shit to himself."

He didn't respond and just flipped the pages of the math book.

"15 questions it is," Ino looked at the numbers on her books with bored look. Why did she need to learn Calculus anyway? As far as she knew, she didn't need any Calculus to buy some designer things and real estates.

He stared at her, waiting what she would do next.

"Are you just going to be mesmerized with my beautiful face and not help me with the first question?"

"You have to use U-substitution in order to finish all those problems. It's the easiest technique there is."

Her gripped in her pencil tightened and nervously smiled, "What is this U-substitution we're talking about here?"

He rolled his eyes… and realizing something: tutoring her wouldn't be as easy as he thought.

&

beautifulgeek11: I'm sorry that this is later than I promised – I have no idea why I uploaded this much later. But to be fair with y'all, I'm gonna update this before I finish first sem – first sem ends on the 22nd. Thank you for all the people who have reviewed and saved this story on their alert and fave list! I hope you spread love for Ino more!