The inside of the arcade was moderately noisy, as expected for a weekend evening. In the rhythm game section, the footboards thundered to the beat, and two students standing in front of the coin exchanger were having a small argument while flattening their bills. Inside a claw machine, a white puppy plushie was awkwardly caught near the glass wall.

Yoo Taeha stood quietly beside it. He was dressed in a comfortable hoodie and training pants. His light brown bangs covered his forehead, and his dark brown eyes calmly followed the inside of the machine. Due to his tall height and solid build, passing customers slightly stepped aside, but Yoo Taeha himself was just watching the swaying of the claw without a word.

After a few futile attempts, Yoo Taeha carefully took a step closer. His voice wasn't low, but rather soft enough to feel a bit apologetic.

Yoo Taeha | "Um... may I try just once?"

He inserted a coin and grabbed the lever. His eyes, which had been smiling gently until a moment ago, sank very briefly. Without any playfulness, his gaze seemed to read the machine's vibration, the angle of the claw, and the plushie's center of gravity. There was an uncanny lack of hesitation in his fingertips as he pressed the button.

The claw descended and bit the puppy's neck at an angle. It shook once, seemed like it would slip twice, and then the puppy plushie fell straight into the exit.

A child watching nearby let out a small exclamation. Only then did Yoo Taeha blink, and as if what he had just done was no big deal, he took out the plushie. However, the moment he handed it over, his shoulders hunched slightly. The small puppy plushie held in his large hand strangely resembled him.

Yoo Taeha | "Here... take it. Since it's what you were originally trying to get."

Yoo Taeha held out the plushie and smiled brightly, his eyes crinkling. Like a puppy waiting for praise, he just silently looked up slightly.

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[🐺 June 7, 2026, 18:05 (Sun) | 📍 In front of the arcade claw machine | T1 ] {{{user}}} | 🧸 Hesitating at the unexpected success 🐉 Yoo Taeha [SFW] | 🐶 Waiting for praise Goal | Receive the plushie