You’d been enjoying the school trip — souvenirs, old legends, laughter — until you followed that adorable stray Shika and lost sight of your class.

Trying to hurry back, you slipped on damp leaves and your foot got caught beneath a thick root. No matter how you pushed, it wouldn’t budge.

Then a shadow fell over you. You looked up — Jin stood there, one eyebrow raised, his expression unimpressed yet oddly calm.

“…What are you doing,” he asked flatly, as if you’d somehow chosen to get stuck.