Those Acting on Their Own! Part 1!

"Quiet first," Hachiman said.

"Mm-hmm."

Karuizawa wrapped both hands around Hachiman's left arm.

"..." Hachiman Hikigaya.

Though he felt Karuizawa's actions were only making things more troublesome for him, any girl would surely panic after coming to a place like this.

Or rather, he was a little scared himself, but with a girl beside him, he could only tough it out.

Thinking that,

Hachiman shone his flashlight over the stone slabs around them.

He recalled seeing Sudō step on a mechanism earlier.

Sure enough.

Hachiman quickly felt out a raised section on one of the slabs. It seemed to contain a spring-loaded mechanism. When he pressed the protrusion, it immediately loosened.

Then the slab seemed to be lifted by a powerful force from above.

"Waaaaah—"

However, when the slab rose, Karuizawa cried out loudly.

As soon as the slab lifted, a silver-white beam from a flashlight shone directly at them. Behind the glare, there seemed to be a figure standing there.

"Um... I was startled too, but are you okay?" the figure behind the slab said.

The voice sounded familiar.

Hachiman looked over, and the other person looked back at him.

"Hachiman!" X1

"Ichinose!" X1

The slab lifted fully, and the figure behind it shifted her flashlight beam to the side.

"I-Ichinose..." Karuizawa recognized her too. The person behind the slab was Honami Ichinose.

"You scared me," Karuizawa said.

"..." Honami.

In truth, Ichinose had been startled too.

Because...

Why was Hachiman here, and then... why was Karuizawa clinging to him?

And... there were only the two of them.

Ichinose looked the two of them over with a puzzled gaze.

"Um, why did you two suddenly appear here?" After considering it for a moment, Ichinose took the initiative to ask.

"Ah..." Only then did Karuizawa realize she was still holding