I Became an NPC That Rankers Are Obsessed Over

The woman who picked up the olive oil glanced back at me.

She left with a sharp glare before walking away leisurely.

Why is her expression like that after I helped her…

I tried to forget about the strange woman and finished my shopping.

Struggling with heavy bags, I dragged them to the first-floor lobby.

Then I sat on a bench and zoned out until the Executor returned.

A faint analog game sound came from somewhere far away.

I turned my head in that direction.

“—.”

It was around the corner.

Hearing the repeated “Too bad, better luck next time,” it seemed to be a claw machine.

The sound was familiar to me.

In fact, it was so familiar it felt nostalgic.

Because I had memories of enjoying claw machines with Ji-soo noona in the past.

Was it in Hongdae?

Our one-on-one meeting had been awkward, so we’d brainstormed what to do to pass the time.

After much deliberation, we ended up deciding on an arcade.

Among the many games, we settled on claw machines since they felt familiar.

Noona wasn’t really into console games, after all.

I also thought claw machines were quite cost-effective.

Even if you failed, there was always an ‘alternative reward’ to look forward to.

The chance to get closer to the other person.

With one grab of the claw, we could feel the full range of emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure.

And if we succeeded in grabbing something, a high-five came naturally.

That high-five was noona and my first moment of physical contact.

Recalling that memory, I found myself heading toward the claw machine.

Turning this corner would reveal the machine.

I leaned the bags against the wall and peeked out to see the claw machine.

There wasn’t a couple like noona and me there, but just one person.

The woman was intensely staring down at the machine, concentrating on moving the claw.

Next to her were large boxes of onions and eggs leaning against the wall.

“That’s the same woman from earlier…”

I clung to the corner with both hands, staring blankly at her.

She was so focused on the game she didn’t even notice my gaze.

However, despite her focus, her technique didn’t seem particularly effective.

All that came from the machine was the annoying taunt, “Oh no, too bad!”

Even so, she kept feeding bills into the machine.

You’d think she’d give up by now…

I’d already seen her spend 5,000 won.

At this rate, she’d soon surpass 10,000 won.

“Too bad!”

The machine’s relentless mocking continued.

Frustrated, I slowly approached her.

How could someone be so bad at this?

When I stood right next to her, she glanced down at me.

Then she refocused entirely on the claw.

The trembling claw moved slowly.

It already looked precarious.

The claw stopped over a wolf plushie.

When she pressed the button, the claw accurately descended onto the plushie’s head.

But the claw slipped off the plushie’s head as if it were greased.

That was one of the most common mistakes beginners made.

The head was the most obvious target, so they instinctively went for it.

“You’re not supposed to do it like that…”

I muttered to myself.

But the woman didn’t react at all to my distracting voice.

She simply inserted another bill.

Come to think of it, this machine costs 1,000 won per try.

And she had already played it six times?

I couldn’t tell if she was wealthy or just stubbornly determined.

“Too bad!”

By now, she had lost another 1,000 won.

Seemingly irritated, she roughly shoved her hand into her pocket.

Then she pulled out a crisp 10,000 won bill and inserted it into the machine.

At this rate, she might end up breaking the machine.

“Excuse me…”

I called out quietly, and her dark eyes behind her mask turned toward me.

Meeting her deep, lifeless pupils sent a chill down my spine.

Out of habit, I rubbed my neck and avoided her gaze.

Then, I mumbled hesitantly.

“For plushies shaped like that wolf, it’s better to aim for the body. The head’s too big, so the claw slips off.”

She paused for a moment.

Then, as if determined, she moved the claw directly toward the wolf’s tail.

Ah, seriously, not there either.

“Too bad!”

The machine’s constant taunts were getting on my nerves.

I clenched my fists tightly and took a deep breath.

“You’re trying to get that wolf plushie, right?”

“…”

“Let me give it a try.”

I pulled out two 1,000 won bills from my jacket.

Time to show off some skills.

Confidently, I inserted the money.

But even with my actions, the woman didn’t step aside and continued gripping the handle firmly.

When she didn’t respond to my words, I gently leaned into her.

Then I slowly nudged her away without being too forceful.

The tall woman responded by quietly stepping aside.

Instead, she watched me intently, as if she was curious to see how good I was.

That gaze reminded me of Ji-soo noona in the past, making me feel strangely emotional.

It strengthened my resolve to grab the plushie for her.

I skillfully maneuvered the claw.

This time, I targeted the body instead of the head.

The claw moved decisively.

“—.”

Finally, the claw snapped onto the wolf plushie’s neck like a snake.

Slowly, it began lifting the plushie.

But that was as far as it went.

As the claw moved toward the chute, the wolf slipped out and fell.

“Too bad–!!”

The machine heartlessly exclaimed.

The only spectator of this failure quietly observed me.

“…”

“Ah, this isn’t something that works in one go. You have to coax it—patiently…”

Even though she hadn’t said anything, I started rambling nervously.

It wasn’t until I realized what I was doing that I coughed awkwardly.

“Guess I’m rusty after so long…”

I mumbled as I crouched down again.

And then, I neatly straightened the last bill.

As if offering a sacrifice to the gods, I respectfully inserted the bill with both hands.

“Hoo…”

I lightly slapped both cheeks.

Get a grip, I’m the guy who grabbed five plushies for noona.

Even if my body has changed, the skill remains the same.

I took a deep breath.

With my eyes fixed, I began maneuvering the claw.

My focus was so intense that the mole under my eye seemed to gleam.

Here?

No, one pixel more to the left.

Like NASA launching a spacecraft, every cell in my brain held its breath.

Their attention was wholly on the claw.

After locking the position, I moved to the back of the machine.

Lowering my head, I double-checked the claw’s placement.

The spot where the nape and body connected.

That’s the weak point.

Soon, my hands sent the signal.

Attempting to dock.

“—.”

I firmly pressed the button.

The machine emitted a solemn sound as the claw gracefully moved toward the target.

The claw roughly grabbed the wolf plushie’s nape.

Its fabric stretched as the plushie began to rise.

Just a little more to reach the chute.

Both the woman and I watched the glorious retrieval process intently.

At this moment, everything was eerily silent.

So quiet you could hear someone swallow.

“—!”

But the stillness didn’t last long.

The wolf’s legs got stuck on the edge of the chute.

“Oh, come on! Seriously!”

I clutched my head and yelled.

The machine, as if responding to my outcry, tried its best to pull the wolf free.

However, the plushie clung stubbornly as if refusing to come out.

In the end, the wolf froze on the edge, its neck hanging pathetically.

Every cell in my body also froze as though humanity had suffered a great failure.

“No way…”

It wasn’t over yet.

There was still one forbidden technique that worked on these old machines.

I stepped decisively to the back of the machine.

And with all my strength, I pushed it with my shoulder.

The old claw machine rattled.

Then the stiff wolf plushie started to wiggle.

I kept pushing the machine repeatedly.

Even though my shoulder ached and throbbed, I couldn’t forgive this machine that had devoured my precious 2,000 won.

“—!”

Finally, I heard something hit the floor.

“Congratulations-!”

The machine sent a celebratory message, seemingly impressed by my efforts.

But to me, it just sounded like, “Wow, you actually got it? Persistent, aren’t you?”

I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand.

Grabbing the wolf plushie I had finally won, I shook it proudly at the woman.

“How’s that? I got it in just two tries.”

I handed the wolf to her with both hands.

The woman, who took the plushie absentmindedly, fiddled with its ear.

Then, as if emboldened by my success, she started rummaging in her pocket.

Soon, a massive bundle of cash popped out of her pocket.

Seeing the neatly rubber-banded bills, my eyes widened.

Wait, did she rob a bank or something?

The woman nonchalantly pulled out a 10,000 won bill.

And casually inserted it into the machine.

“See that? Aim for the neck.”

I pointed to the nape of the wolf plushie.

The woman, as if she understood, began moving the claw.

Following my guidance, she precisely dropped the claw onto the wolf’s nape.

The plushie soon dangled elegantly from the claw and began its journey toward the chute.

But even during this smooth process, I couldn’t relax.

The greatest obstacle, the “Wall of Lamentation,” still remained.

“—!”

Sure enough, the plushie got stuck on the edge of the chute, just like before.

And just as it had with me, the neck dangled precariously.

“Too bad-!!”

The machine didn’t miss a beat and let out its taunt.

“It’s okay. You saw what I did earlier, right? If you push it carefully, it’ll fall into the chute.”

The woman stepped toward the back of the machine as if responding to my advice.

I gestured to show her how to push it.

“Just tilt the machine gently, like this… with just this much force…”

I tried to explain as sincerely as possible.

But I couldn’t finish my explanation.

Because…

“—!”

The moment she pushed the machine, it completely broke apart.

The sturdy-looking metal exterior crumpled like clay.

“Too… bad…”

The annoying voice of the machine ceased.

It was probably the last time we’d ever hear it.

Instead, sparks began flying from the machine.

I slowly backed away.

But the woman didn’t seem to care.

She boldly reached into the dangerous wreckage.

And soon, she pulled out a pile of plushies.

“Take them.”

With a low, cold voice, she shoved the mass of wolf plushies into my arms.

But I couldn’t focus on the pile of plushies in my arms.

Because…

The voice I just heard sounded extremely familiar.

A voice you’d never forget once you heard it.

By the time I realized who she was, the woman was already walking away from me.

Her hands are full of eggs and onions.

“Wait a minute.”

I called out to her desperately.

But the woman, as if annoyed by being recognized, silently headed outside.

I stood there blankly watching her back.

Then, suddenly, I frowned.

The bold woman had come to a halt.

The reason was simple.

The department store’s exit shutters had abruptly come down.

The sunlight that had been shining on us at noon disappeared completely.