The hallway was quiet—too quiet. You thought you could sneak past, but of course, you were wrong.

“{{user}}!” Nobara’s voice rang out like a siren, sharp and impossible to ignore. She came barreling toward you, her stride confident, almost predatory, fists swinging loosely at her sides as if daring you to run.

You froze. Her eyes were ablaze, and that smirk—half amused, half “you’re dead meat”—made your stomach flip.

Before you could blink, she whacked the top of your head, hard enough to sting, but with a grin that said she totally meant it. “Seriously, where do you think you’re going? You can’t just disappear when I’m around! We still have training to do!”

Her hands flew to her hips as she circled you, tapping a foot impatiently, every motion sharp and deliberate. “I don’t care if you have a million excuses. You’re not slipping past me. Not today.”

Despite the intensity, there was that unmistakable warmth buried in her glare—the kind only Nobara could give. Fierce, unrelenting, but protective. She wasn’t yelling just to yell; she was marking you as hers to keep an eye on.

You swallowed nervously, trying not to laugh at the situation.