Afternoon.
Yuki Yuichi and Kakashi Hatake still came to the Ninja Academy that afternoon.
As soon as he sat down, Yuhi Kurenai poked him with her little hand.
"Yuichi, when Teacher Ikkaku saw you weren't at school this morning, he seemed really angry."
Yuhi Kurenai's voice was soft and sweet, but she sounded a little nervous too.
She was worried for Yuki Yuichi.
Umino Ikkaku had looked terrifying when he got angry that morning.
Kakashi Hatake, sitting in front of them, perked up his ears, ready to hear how Yuki Yuichi planned to get out of this mess.
He could learn from him too.
Yuki Yuichi glanced at Kakashi Hatake, who was leaning on his desk with his head tilted back toward them, and immediately understood what he was thinking. He spoke at once. "It's fine, Kurenai."
"When Teacher Ikkaku asks, I'll just say Lord Hokage took us away because he needed us for something."
As Yuki Yuichi spoke, he glanced at Kakashi Hatake out of the corner of his eye.
Kakashi had already ducked his head back down.
Hearing Yuki Yuichi's words, Yuhi Kurenai's mouth fell open in surprise. "Yuichi, did Lord Hokage really call for you?"
Seeing her expression, Yuki Yuichi smiled.
"Of course."
As he spoke, he took a scroll from his vest.
"This is the ninjutsu Lord Hokage gave me as a reward."
Yuki Yuichi handed the ninjutsu scroll to Yuhi Kurenai.
The scroll Sarutobi Hiruzen had given him bore a special mark.
It had the character for "Fire" on it.
That meant the ninjutsu scroll had come from the Hokage Building, or was one of the techniques shinobi could redeem with merit earned on missions.
Ordinary people wouldn't get one.
Yuhi Kurenai knew this too. She didn't open the scroll, but instead gave him a sweet smile.
"Yuichi, you're amazing!"
As she spoke, she handed the ninjutsu scroll back, but Yuki Yuichi didn't take it. Instead, he ruffled Yuhi Kurenai's hair.
"Could you hold on to this scroll for me, Kurenai?"
"When we get home, we can make Uncle Shinku happy."
Yuhi Kurenai looked at the scroll in her hands, then at Yuki Yuichi, and nodded earnestly.
"I'll take good care of it!"
"Mm! I know you will!"
The two of them chatted as if no one else were around. Kakashi and the other students sitting nearby looked utterly miserable.
Six years old!
They were only six years old!
Was it really appropriate for them to show off like this in front of everyone?
Just then, Umino Ikkaku walked in.
He said nothing as he entered. He stood at the lectern, surveyed the classroom, set down his books, and cleared his throat.
"Kakashi Hatake! Yuki Yuichi!"
"You two, come to the office with me!"
Umino Ikkaku said nothing more and headed outside.
Kakashi Hatake and Yuki Yuichi stood up, exchanged a glance, and followed him out.
"Be careful, you two." Uchiha Obito glanced cautiously at the doorway and spoke to them.
"Teacher was really angry this morning."
Uchiha Obito sat not far from them. Although Yuki Yuichi had beaten him up, he didn't hold a grudge.
At his words, Kakashi Hatake glanced at him, then turned his head away with a haughty air.
He wasn't worried at all!
Lord Hokage had summoned him!
Not worried in the slightest!
Yuki Yuichi, on the other hand, gave Uchiha Obito a bright smile.
At the sight of it, Uchiha Obito shuddered, remembering yesterday's outrageous scene of eye drops awakening the Sharingan.
By the time Yuki Yuichi and Kakashi Hatake reached the office, Umino Ikkaku was already waiting there.
The office was empty.
It was just after the start of the school year, and all the teachers were busy.
"Shouldn't you two give your teacher an explanation?" Umino Ikkaku asked with a forced, gentle smile, holding back his urge to scold them.
His smile was a little strained.
Yuki Yuichi took half a step back, placing Kakashi Hatake in front of him like a shield.
Noticing the movement, Kakashi Hatake smirked. "Teacher, Lord Hokage called us over to help with something."
Umino Ikkaku's fists clenched.
But he said nothing. Instead, he looked at Yuki Yuichi and waited for his excuse, curious to see what new story he would come up with.
When Yuki Yuichi saw him looking his way, he cleared his throat and bowed ninety degrees, apologizing with all the dedication of a master craftsman. "I'm very sorry!"
"I thought you'd told us to do as we pleased, so I made up an excuse. But I didn't realize I'd misunderstood what you meant!"
Yuki Yuichi apologized again. "I'm really sorry. It won't happen again, Teacher Ikkaku!"
His actions left Kakashi Hatake confused.
That wasn't what you said a moment ago!
Umino Ikkaku looked from Yuki Yuichi to Kakashi Hatake and took a deep breath.
Yuki Yuichi had shown a good attitude about admitting his mistake, so Umino Ikkaku wasn't nearly as angry anymore.
He liked children who admitted their mistakes and corrected them.
"Since you understand what you did wrong, you can go back for now."
"Tell your classmates to study the Will of Fire on their own. I'll check on them later."
Seeing that Umino Ikkaku had let him off, Yuki Yuichi was delighted. Then he smiled at the still-bewildered Kakashi Hatake, sighed in feigned disappointment, and shook his head.
When Yuki Yuichi left, Kakashi Hatake instinctively tried to follow.
He thought Umino Ikkaku had told them both to go back.
But after he'd taken only two steps, Umino Ikkaku came up behind him with a dark expression and shut the office door.
He had figured that, although both boys had skipped class, they could read and had learned how to mold chakra. A brief lecture should be enough.
He'd expected them to make excuses, but he hadn't expected Yuki Yuichi to admit his mistake so readily.
He could have put up with excuses, but once you've seen the light...
Now the difference between Yuki Yuichi and Kakashi Hatake's attitudes was plain to see.
He was going to give Kakashi Hatake, that little liar, a proper scolding!
After leaving the office, Yuki Yuichi walked down the hallway. His class was making quite a racket.
When he entered the classroom, everyone fell silent.
Under everyone's gaze, Yuki Yuichi strolled up to the lectern, cleared his throat twice, then slammed his hand down on it.
"You know nothing, and you don't study!"
"The moment the teacher leaves for a while, you start playing around!"
"You're the worst class I've ever taught!"
After saying all that, Yuki Yuichi cleared his throat again. "What I just said was all from Teacher Ikkaku. He also told us to study the Will of Fire on our own. He'll be back to check on us later."
Yuki Yuichi had started out speaking loudly enough for his voice to carry through the classroom and reach the young teacher next door. The teacher's lecture faltered for a moment, and he silently marveled.
Teacher Ikkaku's students were so considerate. They knew their teacher wasn't there, yet they still kept the class in order.
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