Aladdin had a secret. She wasn't really bad at math. Her entire Freshman year she purposely got answers wrong so her father would believe her when she said she needed a tutor. The school's best math student, Judal Magi; she needed to spend time with him. After the first few weeks of school where her letters didn't seem to make a difference, she started sabotaging herself on math tests and quizzes. She felt a little guilty, tricking Ugo like that. He was really worried when her sophomore year she brought back the first math test with a big C written and circled on the first page. She told him she wanted to get a tutor and he easily agreed.
Ugo called the head of the math department, who immediately assigned Judal to be her tutor at Ugo's request. Ugo didn't know why Aladdin wanted a specific tutor but he would let it go if she thought he would be the most help. Judal wasn't exactly happy about the teacher asking him to tutor some sophomore in precalculus but he was getting extra credit for every A the girl got so he dealt with it. As good as he was at math linear algebra was still difficult.
The first study session in the library was annoying. Aladdin already knew how to do the math problems but she had to "struggle" to understand them so the Judal wouldn't call her bluff, and Judal had to explain everything incredibly simply. It wasn't as bad as he imagined it would be though. At least the girl was pretty. She looked better than the other people he was tutoring and she wasn't quite as frustrating to talk to given she wasn't a complete idiot. She did eventually understand the topics and could actually have a conversation about the other classes she was taking.
The second study session was better. Aladdin figured out how to "learn" better. She was better at looking at him now too, she could anticipate when he was going to look over at her in time to bring her gaze back to the math book.
After three weeks of tutoring Aladdin allowed herself to get an A on a test. She didn't want Judal to stop tutoring her because she wasn't getting better grades. Judal started increasing the number of sessions each week. They moved to her house to make things easier for Ugo. Aladdin had an A on her quarter grade report.
It was sometime during the second quarter that Judal found out that she was faking her bad grades. He was looking through her old math notebook while she was getting drinks from the kitchen when he found the notes and work. Everything was thorough, every step correct. The problems on the page were more advanced then what he was teaching her right now. He looked through every page of the notebook and found it to be the same.
A few days later he overheard Alibaba and Hakuryuu talking in the library.
"Can you believe Aladdin knew how to solve that problem? I thought she wasn't good at math."
"She used to be really good in middle school. She was taking the highest-level math our school offered, actually, they made a more advanced curriculum for her. I don't know what happened to her the last year she was there, I guess she must have stopped studying or something. I can't imagine her doing that but I don't see any other explanation."
"She has Kouha's friend tutoring her now though. Maybe she only understood basic level math and the more advanced stuff confuses her?"
"Then how did she understand my homework problem? I'm a year ahead of her in math."
"Don't ask me. You have known her longer. Ah, I have to go meet with my sister. See you later."
So she was playing games?
Aladdin slipped another note in Judal's locker. This one about how well he played in the last basketball game. He jumped so high it made up for his height difference with the other players. Judal caught her walking away from his locker. He found the letter. So she was his little admirer.
He kept playing her game, waiting for her to say something. All girls that liked him eventually did. He watched her carefully while at school. The things some classmates said pissed him off. The girl was not ugly, nor did she look like a little boy. He snapped when after school one day her caught her with two other girls making fun of her. They would pay for the things they were saying. He knew both of them to be part of his fanclub. Yes, both he and Kouha had fanclubs, probably why so many girls were afraid to talk to him. He walked straight up to Aladdin, ignoring the other two girls, and kissed her. He watched the shock make her eyes widen. The other two didn't seem all that happy about it. He pulled back and smirked. "Come on beautiful, I don't have all day. You were supposed to meet me ten minutes ago."
Aladdin just stood there looking completely shocked. The other two girls weren't quite so idle. "You like her?"
"But we are so much better."
"I think I'll be the judge of who is better. At least she isn't an idiot, unlike the two of you." He grabbed her hand and started pulling her away. They were halfway to her house before he finally spoke. "You shouldn't let people bully you like that. I'm not here to protect you from bullies too."
"Sorry."
"Stop acting all shocked and look normal already. I thought you would be all smiles by now."
"What are you talking about?"
"You have been faking the idiocy in math to get my attention. Well, attention captured, not stop being an idiot and act happy or whatever. The letters made it sound like you liked me. Something wrong, Chibi?"
She was a cross between happy and horrified. She was completely embarrassed that he knew it was her after everything she said in her letters. Even though she wanted him to know it was her she never though about how she would feel knowing he knew it was her that said all those gushy things. He even knew she was faking! This was bad. "I-um-well…"
"Wow, you really need to work on that vocabulary of yours. Come on, we have stuff to do."
"But if you know that I don't need tutoring aren't you just going to stop?"
"Yep."
"Then were are we going?"
"To get food. That's what most people do on dates, according to the two playboys at our school."
"Wait, what?"
"We. Are. Going. On. A. Date. Open your ears Chibi. I hope you aren't always like this, otherwise it will be the shortest relationship I've ever been in. That is saying a lot, considering the longest relationship I've been in was two weeks. Wow, I really should do something about that fanclub. They ruin everything."
"Date? You don't hate me?"
"Nope."
"Really?"
"Chibi, stop asking stupid questions. I want food. And the desert shop closes soon so we won't make it if you keep on wasting time."
"But you are smart and a senior and you never date-"
He stopped her lips with his. "I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who can decide whether or not I'm dating someone."
"So we are boyfriend and girlfriend now?"
"Chibi, that is what dating means."
She smiled that huge smile of hers. He offered her a smirk and turned in the direction of the restaurant. She caught up and grabbed his hand. She never stopped smiling.