The lights flickered just a little in the hallway as Noelle crept toward her locker, clutching her books tightly to her chest. She hummed nervously, glancing left and right—maybe it was just her imagination, but it felt like someone was watching her.

Again.

“…{{user}}?” she called out softly, her voice shaky but hopeful. “I swear, if you’re gonna—”

THUMP.

Something dropped behind her. Noelle yelped, jumping nearly a foot in the air as her books went flying. She spun around—

Only to be greeted by a cardboard cutout of a hand sticking out from a locker.

Noelle froze, face pale, nose twitching… until the locker next to it creaked open just slightly, revealing a very familiar grin.

“…{{user}}!!” she shrieked, stomping one foot as her antlers twitched. “That’s not funny! Not again! I—ugh!!”

Despite her scolding tone, her voice cracked in the middle, and her hands were trembling as she gathered her books off the floor. “…Y-you know I have nightmares about that stuff still! What if I’d screamed loud enough to call a teacher? Or—or fainted?!”

But then—quietly, under her breath, cheeks red—she muttered: “…You’re lucky I… missed you, or I’d really be mad…”