diff --git a/client/src/network/SocketClient.ts b/client/src/network/SocketClient.ts
index 4f919d4..6d3e123 100644
--- a/client/src/network/SocketClient.ts
+++ b/client/src/network/SocketClient.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export class SocketClient {
   onNarrationEvent: ((data: NarrationEvent) => void) | null = null;
   onNarrationUpdate: ((data: { id: number; narration: string }) => void) | null = null;
   onNarrationHistory: ((data: NarrationEvent[]) => void) | null = null;
+  onNpcThought: ((data: { entityId: number; text: string; emoji: string }) => void) | null = null;
 
   constructor(url: string) {
     this.socket = io(url);
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ export class SocketClient {
     this.socket.on('narration-event', (data) => this.onNarrationEvent?.(data));
     this.socket.on('narration-update', (data) => this.onNarrationUpdate?.(data));
     this.socket.on('narration-history', (data) => this.onNarrationHistory?.(data));
+    this.socket.on('npc-thought', (data) => this.onNpcThought?.(data));
   }
 
   get playerId(): string | null { return this._playerId; }
diff --git a/client/src/scenes/GameScene.ts b/client/src/scenes/GameScene.ts
index fea229a..8e3003b 100644
--- a/client/src/scenes/GameScene.ts
+++ b/client/src/scenes/GameScene.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
   private highlightedSpriteId: number | null = null;
   private dayNightOverlay!: Phaser.GameObjects.Graphics;
   private narrationEvents: NarrationEvent[] = [];
+  private npcThoughts: Map<number, { text: string; emoji: string }> = new Map();
   private currentGameTime = 0;
   private targetGameTime = 0;
   private lastPhaseKey = '';
@@ -201,6 +202,12 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
       this.refreshRecentEvents();
     };
 
+    this.client.onNpcThought = (data) => {
+      this.npcThoughts.set(data.entityId, { text: data.text, emoji: data.emoji });
+      this.refreshThought();
+      this.showThoughtEmoji(data.entityId, data.emoji);
+    };
+
     document.addEventListener('narration-follow', ((e: CustomEvent) => {
       const { entityId } = e.detail;
       const npcIds = this.getNpcIds();
@@ -733,6 +740,8 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     const portraitUrl = await this.portraitCompositor.compositePortrait(es.lastState.appearance);
     this.npcInfoPanel.show(es.lastState, portraitUrl);
     this.npcInfoPanel.updateRecentEvents(this.getEventsForEntity(targetId));
+    const thought = this.npcThoughts.get(targetId);
+    this.npcInfoPanel.updateThought(thought?.text ?? null);
   }
 
   private async updateFollowPanel(): Promise<void> {
@@ -746,6 +755,8 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     this.npcInfoPanel.updatePortrait(portraitUrl);
     this.npcInfoPanel.updateInfo(es.lastState);
     this.npcInfoPanel.updateRecentEvents(this.getEventsForEntity(targetId));
+    const thought = this.npcThoughts.get(targetId);
+    this.npcInfoPanel.updateThought(thought?.text ?? null);
   }
 
   private getNpcIds(): number[] {
@@ -801,6 +812,52 @@ export class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     }
   }
 
+  private refreshThought(): void {
+    if (this.mode === 'follow' && this.npcInfoPanel.isVisible()) {
+      const npcIds = this.getNpcIds();
+      const followedId = npcIds[this.followTargetIndex];
+      if (followedId != null) {
+        const thought = this.npcThoughts.get(followedId);
+        this.npcInfoPanel.updateThought(thought?.text ?? null);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  private showThoughtEmoji(entityId: number, emoji: string): void {
+    const es = this.entitySprites.get(entityId);
+    if (!es) return;
+
+    const x = es.sprite.x;
+    const y = es.sprite.y - 30;
+
+    const text = this.add.text(x, y, emoji, { fontSize: '16px' })
+      .setOrigin(0.5)
+      .setDepth(1000)
+      .setAlpha(0);
+
+    // Fade in
+    this.tweens.add({
+      targets: text,
+      alpha: 1,
+      y: y - 8,
+      duration: 500,
+      ease: 'Power2',
+      onComplete: () => {
+        // Hold, then fade out
+        this.time.delayedCall(4000, () => {
+          this.tweens.add({
+            targets: text,
+            alpha: 0,
+            y: y - 16,
+            duration: 500,
+            ease: 'Power2',
+            onComplete: () => text.destroy(),
+          });
+        });
+      },
+    });
+  }
+
   private getDayNightPhase(gameTime: number): { phase: 'day' | 'sunset' | 'night' | 'sunrise'; progress: number } {
     const hour = gameTime * TOTAL_HOURS;
 
diff --git a/client/src/ui/NpcInfoPanel.ts b/client/src/ui/NpcInfoPanel.ts
index c20f4b5..2865639 100644
--- a/client/src/ui/NpcInfoPanel.ts
+++ b/client/src/ui/NpcInfoPanel.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ export class NpcInfoPanel {
   private nameEl: HTMLDivElement;
   private activityEl: HTMLDivElement;
   private recentEventsEl: HTMLDivElement;
+  private thoughtEl: HTMLDivElement;
   private separatorEl: HTMLDivElement;
   private needsBarsContainer: HTMLDivElement;
   private needsBars: Map<string, { wrapper: HTMLDivElement; fill: HTMLDivElement; valueEl: HTMLDivElement }> = new Map();
@@ -60,6 +61,9 @@ export class NpcInfoPanel {
       border: 3px solid ${EB.borderOuter};
       background: ${EB.borderGap};
       z-index: 1000;
+      max-height: calc(100vh - 32px);
+      display: flex;
+      flex-direction: column;
       transform: translateX(410px);
       transition: transform 0.35s cubic-bezier(0.22, 1, 0.36, 1);
       box-shadow:
@@ -78,6 +82,9 @@ export class NpcInfoPanel {
       background: ${EB.bgPanel};
       overflow: hidden;
       position: relative;
+      display: flex;
+      flex-direction: column;
+      min-height: 0;
     `;
 
     // Subtle diagonal shine overlay
@@ -106,6 +113,7 @@ export class NpcInfoPanel {
       display: flex;
       justify-content: center;
       position: relative;
+      flex-shrink: 0;
     `;
 
     // Inner portrait border (another doubled frame, just for the portrait)
@@ -148,6 +156,7 @@ export class NpcInfoPanel {
       display: flex;
       border-bottom: 2px solid ${EB.borderInner};
       font-family: 'Press Start 2P', monospace;
+      flex-shrink: 0;
     `;
 
     this.statusTab = document.createElement('div');
@@ -181,8 +190,15 @@ export class NpcInfoPanel {
     tabBar.appendChild(this.relationshipsTab);
     this.container.appendChild(tabBar);
 
-    // Content wrapper
+    // Content wrapper (scrollable area below portrait + tabs)
     const contentWrapper = document.createElement('div');
+    contentWrapper.style.cssText = `
+      overflow-y: auto;
+      min-height: 0;
+      flex: 1;
+      scrollbar-width: thin;
+      scrollbar-color: ${EB.borderInner} ${EB.bgDeep};
+    `;
 
     // Status content (existing info section)
     this.statusContent = document.createElement('div');
@@ -234,6 +250,20 @@ export class NpcInfoPanel {
     `;
     this.statusContent.appendChild(this.backstoryEl);
 
+    // Inner thought (italic first-person, shown above recent events)
+    this.thoughtEl = document.createElement('div');
+    this.thoughtEl.style.cssText = `
+      display: none;
+      font-family: 'Press Start 2P', monospace;
+      font-size: 10px;
+      color: ${EB.textSecondary};
+      text-align: center;
+      padding: 4px 8px;
+      font-style: italic;
+      line-height: 1.6;
+    `;
+    this.statusContent.appendChild(this.thoughtEl);
+
     // Recent events section (hidden by default)
     this.recentEventsEl = document.createElement('div');
     this.recentEventsEl.style.cssText = `
@@ -294,8 +324,6 @@ export class NpcInfoPanel {
       display: none;
       padding: 8px 12px;
       font-family: 'Press Start 2P', monospace;
-      max-height: 300px;
-      overflow-y: auto;
     `;
     contentWrapper.appendChild(this.relationshipsContent);
 
@@ -394,6 +422,16 @@ export class NpcInfoPanel {
     }
   }
 
+  updateThought(text: string | null): void {
+    if (!text) {
+      this.thoughtEl.style.display = 'none';
+      return;
+    }
+    this.thoughtEl.style.display = '';
+    this.thoughtEl.textContent = `"${text}"`;
+    this.thoughtEl.title = text;
+  }
+
   updatePortrait(portraitDataUrl: string): void {
     this.portraitImg.style.opacity = '0';
     setTimeout(() => {