After Sasuke and the others heard Shin Uchiha's words, the joy in their eyes turned to disappointment.
Sasuke took it a little better, merely standing there in a daze, while Naruto slumped straight onto his desk in dejection. Even Karin's spirits visibly sank, and her fiery red hair seemed to lose its luster along with them.
Shin Uchiha had not expected this reaction from them.
But it made sense. Whether it was Sasuke, Naruto, or Karin, he was one of the people closest to them. Even Kakashi could not replace him in their hearts.
Shin Uchiha clapped his hands to draw their attention back to him.
He sighed helplessly and said,
"All right, all right. I really don't know what to do with you. How about this? If you aren't satisfied with your teacher later on, you can come to me. If I'm free, I'll give you some extra lessons. Will that do?"
At Shin Uchiha's words, the three perked up as though they had come back to life on the spot. Naruto even jumped to his feet and said cheerfully,
"Uncle Shin, I knew you wouldn't have the heart to turn us down! I'm going to be Hokage someday, and I'll never forget what you taught me!"
Shin Uchiha waved a hand in amusement. After reassuring them, he beckoned to Shikamaru and his two teammates, who had already stood up, and led them outside, leaving just the three of them in the classroom.
There was no telling where Kakashi had wandered off to again. Ever since he had been attacked while remembering Obito at the Memorial Stone, he had been wary of going there. Even Shin Uchiha had no idea where he might have gone, despite having just seen him leave the Hokage Office.
Shin Uchiha wasted no more