Professor Uchiha: My Tutor

by Inabikairi ga osotta

After receiving a scholarship from a rich boy, Sakura is going to the most renowned college in Konoha amongst the very people she hates: the rich. To her horror, they hate her too because she is probably the only commoner left in Konoha. Music is a required class in which she has no talent—however, her music teacher, Sasuke Uchiha, offers to tutor her. What could go wrong?

5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or its characters.

This update took so long, I apologize… I had to rewrite this entire chapter, much to my dismay. :[ I didn't like where it was going at first, so I just started from scratch and I'm pretty much pleased with this chapter 5. :] So enjoy! This is the longest chapter yet lol

oooo

An obnoxious alarm resonated its loud ringing off the walls. An annoyed groan tore out of Sasuke's throat as he smacked the snooze button. Mornings were not his thing, and quite frankly: he didn't care. He pulled his blanket back over his eyes to block out the rays of sun peering through his window. Yes, morning was really here. Did he have his lesson prepared? Only about half—he had planned on adlibbing the rest. Just as he was about to doze back off into a wonderful slumber, someone barged into his room and turned on that stupid light switch.

"Rise and shine, Uchiha!" Kakashi yelled out to the half asleep raven, who only groaned in turn. "Come on, really now; I need to talk to you." Hearing his sensei change his tone from his fake-nonchalant character to his true serious tone caught Sasuke's attention. He sat up and faced him; even with his exhausted face, Kakashi could read the "what" expression perfectly. He had his attention.

"That commoner girl: Ms. Haruno—you two need to… back off from each other. She's a student, she's poor. You're a teacher, and you're rich—not to mention an Uchiha—"

"'Uchiha'? Don't even spew that at me," Sasuke snapped. "Karin is more Uchiha than I am and she's adopted."

"Well, we all know that," Kakashi said thoughtfully, a sigh escaped his lips. "She doesn't need your sympathy: 'The poor shall struggle on their own' as your father once said."

"As he once said before he abandoned me, right?" Sasuke ground his teeth. "I'm tutoring Ms. Haruno and that's how things are between us. They won't change, no matter what kind of 'interference' you plan on throwing my way. Hatake-sensei, my request to you is that you stop deceiving her that you give a care about her." Kakashi smiled with a sneer. That was the face Sasuke was trying to get out him: the face that showed his true colors. The rich smirk of the Hatake.

"You know I can't do that. It's our job to please all the students," he said simply, the glint in his eyes proving his stubborn will. Sasuke grunted and slipped out of his bed.

"Hn," he responded with the same simplicity, seeing as the conversation threatened to go in circles if they continued on. After requesting Kakashi's removal from his dorm room, he dressed himself in his suit and unwilling tied his tie. These uniforms were uncomfortable. He could barely wait until tutoring at this point so he could dress in something normal. And now she'll be spending her lunches with me so she doesn't do anything foolish… He thought, thinking back to the conversation he had with Kakashi. That could possibly be annoying if Karin decides to throw herself in my business again… He groaned, remembering that his cousin had a tendency to be nosy.

He walked out his room and trotted down the stairwell, hoping to find solitude in there. It seemed much more likely than to take the elevator. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't alone: there stood Karin, waiting in the stairwell. "I thought you would take the stairs," she said, looking at him with eyes of interrogation. Sasuke straightened his shoulders. This could be a while. "Hatake told me what's going on… do you want what happened to me to happen to you too?" She frowned, pushing her glasses up.

"The poor are humans too."

"You and I both know that Sasuke, but the poor live in a different world than us. That's why… that's why I was forced to divorce my husband!"

"All for money," he snapped. "You don't understand because your mindset is that of a true Uchiha. If it were up to me, my last name would not be anything close to 'Uchiha'. If it were up to me, I wouldn't be here right now."

"Just the same as if it were up to your parents!" She retorted. "But you can't do anything about it now! So why don't you live to impress—like a true Uchiha!"

"Impress who?" He lost his temper, glaring into Karin's eyes with hostility. "The people who prayed to every heavenly being that I would be a miscarriage?! The people who ran off to Tokyo and are only supporting me because it's Konoha law?! I hate the Uchiha. I hate Fugaku Uchiha; I hate Mikoto Uchiha; I hate Itachi Uchiha. That feeling is mutual from them to me and right back." Sasuke's face was reddened in anger. He was subconsciously grinding his teeth, and his face twitched into a scowl.

Karin swallowed. She knew Sasuke was going through so much ever since he was born. Being an Uchiha raised by a Hatake, Sasuke had seen the worst of the rich, but that was what was supposed to form him into an ideal Uchiha, not make him hate them. She did truly pity him, and she wished it would all disappear. She thought that if he wrote a song about it, it would ease his pain, and he could finally act like the rich, but he still had yet to write. He had yet to play. He had yet to sing. "Sasuke…" she whispered. He just shook his head. This conversation was over.

He continued walking, now at a faster pace. Karin didn't follow him. Right now, he just needed some time to cool off. Or, make that a lot of time.

oooo

Sakura stood in the bathroom earlier in the morning, straightening her wavy pink tresses. She thought about what had happened the previous day… and her dream. This is insanity… I can't be thinking like this—I just can't! And now I'll be spending lunches with him? What is this school year coming to? She worried herself as a huff of air sighed out her lungs. She had gotten into the habit of getting up much too early, but only because she wanted to spend her mornings with the professors. That was enough of a reason for her, considering they seemed to be the only ones who didn't mind speaking with her.

Once she was ready, Sakura strode out her room and went down the hall to the elevator to head for the cafeteria. As usual, she met Sasuke in the hall, but something about him was different. He had no placidity. He scowled at the world surrounding him; his face showed his lack of attention to his surroundings and more of his deep thought inwardly. She wanted to address him—she wanted to talk to him, but right now he looked more than upset: he looked hostile. It was a face that his natural placidity would never allow to show, as far as she could tell. It sent chills down her spine and made her clench her fists in a form of fear.

She subconsciously stepped back. What could possibly bother him so much that he... that he looks like that? She swallowed when he looked up at her rather than his constant stare at the flooring below him. His expression slowly softened to its normal state: the tranquil placidity that she was used to seeing, but now Sakura wondered: was that all an act?

"Ms. Haruno," he nodded in greeting her.

"H—hi—er, good morning, Professor Uchiha," she bowed her head a bit. Where did that come from? He was supposed to be the one she felt comfortable around, wasn't he? And now, Sakura found herself bowing to him as if he, too, was one of the pompous rich. When she looked back up at him, he frowned.

"It's been a bit since you've done that," he pointed out simply. Sakura heard a slight tinge of leftover anger plaguing his voice. Her emerald orbs wandered around the hallway, avoiding him.

"I'm sorry…"

"You're apologizing again," he pointed out. Why was he being so testy? It seemed everything that he was saying to her was a subdued snap of an answer. She heard him sigh. "Come, let's go. Just forget I said anything," he started walking, expecting her to follow. Sakura, of course, did follow. But something about Professor Uchiha was throwing her off. He had always been so nice before, and now suddenly he was acting so distant and upset. Was it because of yesterday?

"Um, professor?" She hesitantly got his attention; he barely glanced over.

"Hn?"

"Are you upset at me…?" Sakura almost didn't want to know the answer, but if it was something she did or said, she wanted to know at the same time that way she could reconcile.

"At you? No. At someone else? Yes," he answered simply, opening the door to the cafeteria for her. "Apparently, my attempt to withhold that anger has failed. I apologize for seeming to take it out on you." Sakura could tell by his curt answers that whatever was bothering him was not fading away any time soon. She nodded, understanding that he wanted his space, and she asked no further.

The four: Kakashi, Guy, Sasuke, and Sakura ate in silence for the first half of their meal. Kakashi looked at Sasuke with what seemed to Sakura as a mischievous grin. But Sasuke knew the Hatake better than Sakura did: that was a hidden grimace. A look of disdain for the pinkette sitting beside him was what the silver haired man was quietly communicating to the Uchiha.

"Ms. Haruno! What about today—will you look forward to PE today?" Guy broke the silence at their table, seeing as no one else dared to.

"Well… once the ballroom dancing is over I'll feel a lot better," she admitted with a blush. "I really am having a hard time with the steps, and my overzealous partner isn't making it much easier."

"Perhaps Professor Uchiha could tutor her in that too," Kakashi's lip twitched after his sarcastic statement. Sasuke's eyes flashed in controversy and glared into the eyes of his sensei.

"I'm a music teacher; I don't dance," he said simply, not wanting Sakura to detect the mutual anger he and Kakashi were currently holding for each other. Guy could sense it, and knowing his rival, he knew what it was about. Sakura shifted in her seat, taking small bites of her food. Maybe he's just in a bad mood today or something… maybe he's just talking instead of keeping quiet while he's grumpy… She could have thought of many other suggestions to convince herself of why Professor Uchiha was being so curt, but she chose to stop there.

Guy sighed. Today would be a long day. When an Uchiha and a Hatake clashed, it always was a long day.

oooo

"And that is how we would go about solving that! Any questions?" Kakashi questioned his students. Sakura noticed even his nonchalance seemed… fake. It might have just been her imagination, but his eyes seemed to be on her the entire time. A look of hostility, of contempt—Sakura shuddered under the glare. Her professor did not have anywhere near the expression he usually did. Was something wrong with him too? He and Professor Uchiha seemed to be having a similar air of anger surrounding them. "All right good," Kakashi continued, clasping his hands together, "you're homework will be to answer questions one through fifteen and do problems one through four."

The class groaned at the weighty assignment, but dragged their books off their desk and headed to their next class: music. The class Sakura had learned to endure due to her music professor, but today, after the look she was receiving in physics, she didn't know if she should even be looking forward to seeing him.

She stepped into the room early and looked around at her surroundings: pianos, desks, chalkboard… no Professor Uchiha. Sakura heaved a sigh and slumped into her desk. Out from the corner of her eye, she spotted Sasuke Uchiha walk into the room, placidity filling his face. However, in the midst of his facial placidity, fire sputtered out of his eyes. Yes, the bad mood still remained. She wanted to talk to him; she wanted to know what was wrong—but fear kept her glued to her seat as she watched him situate himself behind his own desk without a word.

What's wrong with him? Did he and Professor Hatake fight? She figured by how both their faces were so similar in anger that they must be the source of each other's bad moods. Watching Sasuke move about the room without words was painful, fear inducing—it sent chills down Sakura's spine. Someone with such placidity and composure never showed intense anger as he was right now, and that only proved to her that he was even more human than she might have guessed.

"Professor—" Sakura tried to address him, but he walked out the room, ignoring her words. She felt backstabbed, torn, hurt… Not only was he in a bad mood, but now: was he truly avoiding her? He said he wasn't upset at her, but his actions were saying otherwise. She fought tears that threatened to stream down her cheeks. I can't cry for him—it's not even like that between us… she mentally rebuked herself. But, I don't want to lose my friend… why do I always manage to mess everything up?! She cupped her face in her hands and cried silently, to her dismay.

"Ms. Haruno," she heard Sasuke's voice from in front of her. She looked up quickly, not taking care to wipe her eyes. He frowned at the sight of her, and held out a hanky. "Don't cry," he ordered. His voice did not hold any sympathy, for his anger still held residence within him; however, his eyes showed the kindness that Sakura had learned he had over the past few days. She smiled weakly and took the hanky.

"Thank you Professor…" she mumbled her gratitude and wiped her eyes with the white cloth. Other students made their way into the music room and class started. Sakura had a hard time accomplishing the lesson, seeing as they were now learning to play Fur Elise. Everyone but her was playing fluently as their fingers glided across the piano keys.

"Ms. Haruno, are you having trouble?" Sasuke asked as he was walking his rounds around the music room to be sure everyone was doing as they were told. Sakura looked up at him with a frown.

"Yes... I can't hit them! Not that fast—it's like torture to stretch my fingers out like this," she complained as she showed her frustration. Sasuke chuckled lightly as a good mood played to show on his lips.

"All right, let's see here," he sat beside her on the piano stool. Sakura smiled; he seemed to be getting better. Perhaps it was because he was in his element of music. Sasuke situated his skilled fingers on the keys. "Music isn't about the speed it's played in; it's about the emotion put into the art. Of course, going faster adds an element of drama, but we'll learn about that in a later lesson."

"So, you mean I can learn it as slow as I have to?" Her face beamed with glee. Sasuke nodded and she clasped her hands together gratefully. "Um… so I start… here?" She placed her fingers on the keys and he nodded silently.

"But—" he repositioned her fingers, "loosen your hands—there. You want to move fluently, not so stiff." Sakura tried to hide her blush when he touched her, and she did so successfully. Because they were only learning the beginning parts of Fur Elise, class ended somewhat early. Sakura stood behind in the music room, students glowering at her for it. She turned and faced Sasuke to get away from the menacing looks. "Hn?" He responded to her sudden give of attention.

"I know you said you weren't mad at me but… does it have anything to do with me? At all?" She ventured to pry him, though she had not originally intended to. Now that the music had ceased, he once again looked in a sour mood. A sigh eased out of his lips.

"Look, I'll… explain during lunch hours," he stated, remembering she would be with him during that time. "Is that fair enough?" Sakura nodded and gave her thanks to him before taking off to be in time for PE.

Sakura groaned when she saw her partner was there early, but a smile rose to her lips when she saw he was preoccupied talking to Professor Guy. No one else is here yet, huh? She looked around curiously. Once she spotted Ino, she redirected her attention elsewhere. Yes, someone was here. Sakura shuddered and hugged her arms to her body.

Students came in slowly but surely, and everyone, though in separately, was on time for class. "All right everyone! Get with your partners! You all know the steps so get started!" Guy pointed at the class with a toothy grin and lots of vigor. All obeyed him with smiles on their faces—all but, once again, Sakura. This seemed to be an activity the rich enjoyed: dancing with others like them. Sakura thought it to be silly, especially being stuck with a partner like hers. Maybe dancing with Professor Uchiha would be different. Wait no! Stop it, Sakura…! She shook her head.

"Poor girl!"

"I said call me 'Haruno'," she snapped at her dancing partner. Lee frowned, but quickly replaced it with a smile.

"Haruno!"

"Can we please not talk? I just want to get this over with…" she mumbled the last part under her breath.

"Will you marry me?!" Lee persisted; apparently he had forgotten what her answer was just the previous day. Sakura heard Ino, Tenten, and Temari snickering and making fun of her for being stuck with Lee. She heard Ino say something about her being lucky to even touch a rich girl; Tenten said something about how she should be grateful that a rich man can even bare to look at her; Temari said something pertaining to how she looks even uglier standing next to Lee. Sakura just hung her head, taking the insults without tears, blocking out thoughts of cut arms that threatened her to take action.

oooo

I know they all hate me, but why can't they be the kind of people that hate without words? Sakura asked herself as she washed off the sweat and tears from her body and face after PE. She allowed the water to splash on her face in a relaxing manner as she tried to remain calm. The last thing she wanted was for Ino or one of her gang to hear her cry.

When she finished her shower, Sakura stepped out and dressed back in her uniform. Standing at a solitary mirror, she fixed her soft pink hair into a less disheveled form. "Um, poor girl?" Hinata walked up to her. Sakura sighed inwardly. No matter how nice this rich girl may be acting, she knew she couldn't possibly mean well. The way Hinata acted was much different than the way Professor Uchiha acted. It just didn't match up.

"Hn?" Sakura's eyes popped open as she realized she had copied the action of the Uchiha. Pink flushed her cheeks. "Er, um… yes?" Where did that come from?! She tried to hide her surprise after the expression had escaped her lips. Hinata's face switched for just a split second, but it didn't give Sakura enough time to notice what emotion shy rich girl had just successfully hidden.

"Do you want to sit with me at lunch?" She asked innocently; far too innocently for Sakura to believe her, but if Hinata were to report back to Ino that she was eating with Professor Uchiha, she would be in for it.

"No thanks; I'm skipping lunch today," Sakura threw her bag over her shoulder and managed a smile at the rich Hyuga. "Thanks anyways though… Maybe some other time."

"Oh, um… okay. Some other time," Hinata repeated with a nod that looked like disappointment, but was that disappointment for something else? It didn't look like remorse of not being able to spend time with the poor pinkette. It was something else. Sakura could see that much, but she didn't want to stick around to find out.

From Sakura's knowledge, the Professor's ate lunch in their rooms rather than the cafeteria during school hours. With that knowledge, Sakura took the elevator up to the top floor: the professor's dorm area. This is kind of nerve wracking… She looked around in the elevator as it went higher than she had ever taken it before. Sakura recalled some of the conversation they were having while they walked down to the cafeteria yesterday for dinner:

"So um… about having lunch with you…" Sakura began. "Where would I have to go? I never see you in the cafeteria."

"No, you don't; I'm not there then," he explained simply, "The professor's all eat lunch up in the dorm rooms on the top floor with some kind of room service… It's annoying eating in a room. I always feel like I'm going to ruin the carpeting or something."

"Me too!" She agreed and smiled; Professor Uchiha, although rich, had some of the same feelings as she had. They could relate, and that made her smile.

Xx

The elevator arrived at the lavish floor of the professors. Sakura had thought that the students' hallways were impressive, but this was much too fancy; it was out of her comfort zone. She had still not grown accustom to all of the richly furnished hallways in the student's dorm floors, but this? This was insanity! No, it was more than insanity. Competing with rich design in a school must be a pain for the architect. Families from all around Konoha all are rich, but have different amounts of money.

The Uchiha, who were the richest of the rich, no longer lived in Konoha; they had moved to Tokyo, so impressing them was thankfully off the architect's list—all except for Sasuke and Karin Uchiha. Then, there was the Hatake; Sakura knew they owned something renowned, but she couldn't quite remember, but they were the formerly second richest in Konoha: now the richest. After the Hatake came the Yamanaka's and the list went on… To impress all of these families must be difficult. As far as Sakura knew, they had as many mansions as they did Yen. Who is to say that the one they chose to live at managed to be even more lavish and overdone than this school?

Sakura shook her head at the thought, but couldn't keep herself from wondering if Sasuke though that the school was inadequate. As she strode down the halls, she looked for room number "8-B". That is what Professor Uchiha had told her his room was. Or was it 8-C? Or 8-D? She shook her head; she should probably stick with her first instinct.

She knocked on the 8-B door and awaited a response. "Give me a minute," came the snap of an answer from behind the door. Sakura flinched; yes, that was Professor Uchiha in there for sure. When the door was opened, she saw that he had dressed down. From his expression, he looked relieved. He must hate dressing up… She giggled inwardly.

He was dressed in faded black jeans and a grey T-shirt. He looked like a normal guy! His bangs were no longer styled out of his face; they hung over his onyx eyes and gave him a very young and casual appearance. "I thought you were Hatake-sensei; I apologize for snapping at you."

"No, it's totally okay," she said, realizing her giggle had managed to slip out of her lips when she answered. Sasuke's lips curved in a slight smile, and he motioned for her to go in the room.

Sakura was thoroughly surprised. If she didn't know he was rich, she definitely wouldn't have ever found out based on the appearance of the room. His bed was sloppily made—unlike the rich. His uniform was loosely strewn over those messy sheets—once again, unlike the rich. Books and papers lied messily opened on a wide desk off in the corner. The only thing that seemed rich about this room was the scent. The aroma of that masculine cologne he put on every day clung to the air as if it were one with it.

"Do you always freeze in place at the sight of something new?" Sasuke asked with sincerity. Sakura looked over, startled from being knocked out of her state of thought. She laughed a bit, embarrassed at herself.

"I guess I do; I never noticed," she admitted. Sasuke shrugged and allowed a light chuckle to escape his lips. He slumped down onto the floor in a very un-rich manner and motioned for her to sit. Sakura sat delicately, being sure her uniform skirt was low enough while she sat. "I wish they made these things longer," she complained. Sasuke laughed—he… laughed? He didn't chuckle, he full on laughed. Sakura smiled; she had never seen him that amused before.

"I'm sorry, you're right," he shook his head a bit, "I just never heard anyone say that before. It might be because the rich tend to flaunt themselves," he noted with a knowing look. Sakura held back her surprise; did he just insult his own people? "Anyways," he continued, "you wanted to know what was bothering me, right?" He handed her a tray of what looked like sushi to her, but it was definitely elaborate sushi. He definitely ate like a rich person.

"You don't have to tell me if you feel uncomfortable…" her voice trailed off. She wanted to know, but at the same time she didn't want him to feel forced or obligated to tell her anything.

"It's better you know—I know enough about you," he said simply. "It's about my life." Sakura nodded for him to continue and she nibbled at her food. "My father and mother—Fugaku and Mikoto Uchiha—had a son named 'Itachi'. He was perfect. He was their everything—they didn't want anything other than for him to take over the entire company as Fugaku's successor.

"However, Mikoto Uchiha found out later that she was pregnant again. You know the law in Konoha about company families, right?"

"Um… no," she admitted, embarrassed over her lack of knowledge.

"If there are two sons in the family, the company must be divided between the two brothers. It creates equality in families, but it also lowers the amount of money the company is now worth. Fugaku and Mikoto were freaking out when the hospital told them that her baby was a boy. They prayed to every heavenly being they knew of that their son would be a defect, a miscarriage—something to get rid of him. The considered abortion, but the doctor's said it was too dangerous for Mikoto's body.

"That accident child was born healthy, and they were distraught. They hated him. Itachi hated him. His family looked down on him: he was the problem in the entire family. He was the one who was going to ruin the entire company. They didn't even want to see his face; they didn't want to take care of something they hated. After about fifteen years, they gave him over to the Hatake family and he was put in their care. He kept his name as Uchiha, even in the Hatake household.

"The rest of the Uchiha moved to Tokyo and set up business there, where the other child could not interfere and 'steal' Itachi's business. However, because they are still Konoha citizens, they must follow the law and support their neglected son in the same way that they would support their accepted son. That son is rich by law, not by accomplishment or want from the family," Sasuke's voice shook as he spoke. His eyebrows twitched in what looked like an anger that threatened to burst out. He seemed to be losing his composure at an extraordinary rate.

Sakura stared at him with horror in her eyes. That baby—that accident child as he called it—there was only one person it could be: Sasuke Uchiha. Tears of sympathy filled up her emerald eyes. That was what Professor Uchiha was going through. That is what he meant when he said it wasn't his money. She reached out her delicate hand and put it over his fist, clenched in rage. She felt his hand twitch and loosen in the grip.

When he regained his composure, he continued, "That child hates his name; even in the face of his new caretakers, the Hatake, he was still shown scorn. He was hated, and in the face of hate, he learned to hate back. The rich—the Uchiha and the Hatake—are all fools. They are all money obsessed—money means more to them than human life and even love. People who want to be accepted into the Uchiha family even went as far as divorcing their poor husband: all in the name of money," the words came out in a clearly disgusted tone.

"Professor…" Sakura frowned with sympathy, gently squeezing his fist, offering to comfort him. She would have never guessed that this was what he was going through. Sasuke allowed her to continue her attempt to understand him. The tears trickled down her cheeks; the sight of her crying over him made Sasuke flinch.

"Ms. Haruno?" Sasuke looked up into her teary eyes and frowned. "I thought I told you not to cry…" he mumbled, trying to keep his own composure.

"I can't help it! It's—it's so terrible! It's not fair! It's—" he put his finger over her lips.

"Sh," he hushed her. She obeyed with a pouty lip, trying to control her overflowing feelings. Sasuke took a deep breath. "Thank you for everything," he stated sincerely, the placidity in his face switching to a look of complete gratitude. Sakura nodded quickly and hung her head to hide her tears.

They stood as such for some time, only saying words here and there. The time seemed to fly by quickly as they now heard the bell go off. "Looks like you need to get back to class," Sasuke looked up at her. "You can wash your face in the bathroom over there," he pointed loosely.

"Thanks," she smiled, wiping her eyes of the remaining tears and standing to her feet to wash her face.

oooo

Classes finished for the day and Sakura was still thinking about what Sasuke had told her during the lunch hour. His own parents were hoping that he wouldn't exist… they hated him so much that they gave him away to a different family, and they only support him because they're forced to… She fought the tears that threatened to reemerge. In preparation for her extra classes, Sakura dressed herself in light blue jeans and a plaid, light blue button down shirt with a white beret on top of her head.

Sasuke had a lot of work to do, so he told her to meet him in his dorm room again rather than outside. When she noticed Ino and Hinata entering the elevator, she deemed the stairs to be safer than the easy transportation. Even though she had to climb up eight flights of stairs, Sakura found it completely worth it to avoid torture from Ino.

Once again, she stood before 8-B and knocked her knuckles lightly on the elaborate door. Sasuke answered, this time in better moods and without snapping, and allowed her inside. The room was far more organized than it was when she came for lunch, but it was still somewhat messy. "We're going to go down to the music room, all right?" He informed her with an order-like tone. She nodded and held her music book to her chest: her notes for Fur Elise were in that book.

After they made their way into the music room, Sakura situated herself in the seat and set her fingers to the keys stiffly. "Relax, Haruno," Sasuke chuckled lightly. "So, begin; I want to hear what you have so far." She complied and began to play. She hit the keys slowly—often the wrong ones—and her motions were stiff. Sasuke's eye twitched slightly.

"Was it terribly?" She frowned timidly. Sasuke shook his head.

"Not as bad as it could have been I suppose," he observed. "I want to show you something—what it should feel like," he said, taking a seat beside her and placing his hands over hers. "Let my hands guide yours," and he began to play using her hands.

The motions were fluent and skilled. Even in using someone else's hands, Sasuke Uchiha proved his genius in the art of music. His tempo was unmatched. With Professor Uchiha's hands over hers, her delicate fingers were gliding across the piano, producing music she never thought she could. Her fingers were pressing against the keys, with Sasuke's help of course, and she felt like a real pianist. She felt like she was worth something—she felt like she was appreciated. Sasuke sent those feelings to her; no one else ever did. She leaned her head back and basked in the glorious tune of music that was resonating off the walls of the music room.

When the song was completed, Sasuke's hands lingered on hers for only a few moments before he removed them. "Did you feel it?"

"Feel what?" She asked, looking over to her tutor with curiosity.

"Feel what music is really all about; the emotion poured into it." Sakura thought for a moment. Through his guidance, she did feel something when the song was playing; so she nodded with a smile.

"I felt… I felt like I was worth something, and that I was appreciated…" her voice trailed off as her smile faded into one of subdued sadness. Sasuke placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently.

"You're worth so much, Ms. Haruno. Human life isn't something to be taken so lightly, but even so, you're not only worth something because you're human… you're worth something because you are the only you there can ever be. And I appreciate you," he stated with sincerity, his eyes speaking for him even while the words were pouring out from his lips. Sakura sniffed and fought the tears and rubbed her swollen eyes.

"Thank you, Professor Uchiha…"

"You're welcome, Ms. Haruno."

oOoOo

And there you have it. Twelve pages of Professor Uchiha: My Tutor. I hope you like chapter five; I'll be working on six. R&R and random question, I'm wondering if I'm the only one who did this: was anybody else yelling at Jiraiya through your screen to hurry up and kiss Tsunade a few episodes before he died?! Leave your answer in your review if you want lol I might just be weird on my own.