The Stickman Teacher
Today was a day with no special notes in the duty log, but for me, it was anything but ordinary. It was the start of what Song Ha-yeon had mentioned: the overnight shifts. From today until the exams ended, one teacher per grade's staff room would stay behind. That meant running into teacher youkai at any moment wouldn't be strange at all.
If Song Ha-yeon hadn't warned me, I might've walked right into one cluelessly. Shouldn't something this crucial be in the Guard Rules Booklet? I wanted to storm the Counseling Room and demand answers from Soonbaek-i, but unfortunately, it was already closed. I'd make sure to ask next time I had the chance—I vowed it to myself.
At 10 p.m., after locking the Main Gate, I stood before the Annex Building door. I wasn't going in just yet; the order mattered. First, I locked the Annex door. Knowing I'd unlock and enter it later felt oddly surreal.
I shook off my impressions of the Annex and focused on the Main Building doors. If Song Ha-yeon was right, I could face up to three teacher youkai today. Praying they'd stay holed up in the Staff Room and not come out, I headed inside.
The moment I reached the second floor, I glanced at the Staff Room. Thankfully, it was shut tight. Was a teacher youkai in there? Knowing it might sense me and burst out, I tiptoed extra carefully today.
Reducing noise was simple: bend your knees deeply the instant your foot hits the ground. This floor already had me hugging the wall like a crab, so combined, I looked utterly ridiculous—like a clown. But who cared? No one was watching. Sure, some youkai outside the window or Kkamang-i or Soonbaek-i might see, but they weren't human anyway. You don't get embarrassed stripping naked in front of animals, right? Without others, shame doesn't exist.
Anyway, crab-walking got me safely through Class 1-5 door locks. Based on past patterns, I half-expected the Staff Room door to fly open mid-round and a youkai to charge out. Nothing happened, which was surprisingly anticlimactic. Only the third and fourth floors left. I hoped they'd be as uneventful as this one.
The third-floor hallway was my second-safest spot after the Guard Room. Sure, the gap was huge—like heaven and earth—but second place was second place. I could afford a little cheer here. Or could I? No personality, no joy, huh.
When I first read the "no running" rule, it felt like a massive handicap—before learning youkai followed the same rules. Even the fastest youkai couldn't outpace me if it had to walk too. Unless one with freakishly quick walking speed showed up.
Climbing the left stairs to the midpoint between second and third floors, I heard a door slam open above—clearly the third-floor Staff Room. I dropped flat and peered up cautiously. Footsteps approached. Then its owner entered my view.
First came the spindly legs. If a stylish gentleman just seemed tall, this youkai was chopstick-thin—fragile enough to snap with a poke. Thin body, slender arms, and a motorcycle helmet on its head. Like a stickman from those simple cartoons. The difference? Its head was normal human-sized, not oversized.
The real issue wasn't looks—it was height. Ceiling-scraping giant, striding over a meter per step. My mouth's running wild—no, just my brain. A fast-walking youkai had appeared right on cue.
Luckily, it didn't spot me and vanished down the hall. "...Wait a sec." Problem. I couldn't lock doors with a teacher youkai patrolling. No choice—I'd wait prone until it returned to the Staff Room. Good thing no rule banned lingering on stairs.
Time dragged. No clock, so it felt eternal—over 30 minutes, easy. But the youkai showed no sign of going back. What was it doing in an empty hall? From my spot, I only saw up to Class 2-1. Staying put like this, I'd never reach the Annex before shift end.
Reluctantly, I rose quietly. A bit higher on the stairs, the Staff Room door cracked open. Just before full third-floor access, I froze. My overactive imagination's curse: terrifying what-ifs. What if it was lurking around the left corner? That thought killed any peeking plans.
Only option: skip third and head straight to fourth. Foot on third floor, I twisted immediately to the fourth-floor stairs. Glancing back mid-scramble—nothing. No ambush. My paranoia stayed imaginary. Overdramatic, sure, but happy ending anyway.
Honestly, fourth floor was the last place I wanted to meet a youkai. Others let you run; here, rules forced a stop. Goosebumps from that hair youkai's touch resurfaced. If it dodged rules like that one? Worst nightmare.
Before stepping up, I checked the Staff Room with emergency light flashes. Third-grade one: shut like second floor. Lights off, I started with Class 3-1 locks, syncing with the strobe's freeze-tag game through 2, 3, and 4.
At Class 3-5, the distant Staff Room door creaked open. Too quiet—knew it. But I'd already confirmed 3-5 locked by touch. Bolted to right stairs. A month-plus as this school's forced guard meant blind navigation to there.
Strobe reactivated as I descended. Curious about the youkai? Nah, not checking. Fourth floor cleared safely. Only the skipped third left before Annex.
Before retrying third, I checked Guard Room CCTV. Hoped I was wrong—empty hall, as expected. Message clear: teacher youkai hiding somewhere. My delusions were spot-on, just missed the spot.
Chin in hand, pondering breakthroughs, my eyes hit the baseball on the shelf. Staring blankly sparked an idea. If it's hiding, force it out.
The key came from Song Ha-yeon's words: teachers stayed to guard exams. Stickman leaving the Staff Room empty this long? Sloppy.
Up left stairs, paused before third. Left foot raised, baseball in right hand. Today, I'd win with one pitch. No speed, but control from catch honed.
Whiff—my Arirang ball sailed into the dark Staff Room. Crash-bang—it hit something, echoing wildly for its size. I squatted instantly. Stairs meant instant detection, but it'd check room first.
Classroom door creaked afar. Hiding there, huh? Footsteps neared. My pulse raced in sync. Thud-thud—right overhead, it passed without noticing.
Straight to Staff Room, door shut. Go time. Locked Class 2-1 (unlocked). 2-2 locked. 2-3 locked. 2-4 unlocked—key in, click.
Slam—Staff Room again. Intrusion noticed. It strode toward me. Instinct screamed: flee now, no more locks tonight. So I veered to Class 2-5, not central stairs.
Unlocked, naturally. Death crept closer; oddly, I stayed ice-calm. Annex hype? Experience? Click—2-5 done. Straight to right stairs.
It halted as my foot hit them—right at 2-5. No need to look; down to first floor.
Annex exploration: all that remained.