the way you write is so fun!! :p can you make a fic where the reader is trying to win a plushie from a claw machine or something and she keeps losing, so seongje being “such a good boyfriend” decides to help her only for him to suck at it and now they’re both struggling LOL
CLAW MACHINE;gsj
Geum Seongje x reader
Warnings: Swearing, seongje being humbled by a claw machine.
The arcade on the corner of the busy street near Kanghak High was loud, flashing, and smelled like popcorn, cheap perfume, and teenage sweat. Neon lights blinked aggressively overhead, and the constant beep-boop of games mixed with shouts of victory and groans of defeat. It was a Friday evening, the kind where students blew their allowance on nothing useful.
You stood in front of the claw machine like it had personally insulted your ancestors. Inside the glass case sat the cutest plushie ever, a chubby black cat with big sparkling eyes, tiny white paws, and a little red bow tie. It was perfect. You wanted it. No, you needed it.
For the seventh time, you fed another coin into the slot. The claw hummed to life. You bit your lip in concentration, tongue poking out slightly as you maneuvered the joystick with precision.
“Almost… almost… got it—”
The claw descended, gripped the cat’s head for half a second… and slipped right off. The plushie wobbled mockingly but stayed exactly where it was. The machine made that sad little “try again” jingle.
You let out a long, defeated groan and slumped against the glass. “Why is this thing so rigged? It’s like it hates me specifically.”
From behind you came a low, cocky laugh. Seong-je leaned against the side of the machine, arms crossed over his chest, that signature smirk plastered on his face. His school uniform jacket was slung over one shoulder, hair slightly messy in that effortlessly cool way. Even in the harsh arcade lighting, he looked like he owned the place.
“Having trouble there, babe?” he drawled, voice dripping with amusement. “Looks like the machine’s winning. Again.”
You shot him a glare, but it was half-hearted. Dating Seong-je meant dealing with his massive ego on a daily basis. He was Baek-jin’s right-hand man for a reason, brutal in fights, playful when he felt like it, and convinced he was the best at literally everything. Including, apparently, things he had never tried.
“It’s not my fault,” you muttered, poking the glass. “The claw is weak. Or the plushie is too heavy. Or the universe is against me.”
Seong-je pushed off the machine and stepped closer, towering over you with that arrogant tilt to his head. “Or maybe you just suck at it.” He grinned wider when you swatted his arm. “Relax. Watch a pro handle this.”
You raised an eyebrow. “A pro? Since when are you a claw machine expert?”
“Since right now,” he said confidently, cracking his knuckles like he was about to step into a back-alley fight instead of an arcade game. “I’m good at everything, babe… picking up stuffed toys for my girlfriend? Piece of cake. Step aside and learn.”
He fed a coin into the machine with dramatic flair, rolling his shoulders like he was warming up for a title match. You crossed your arms and watched, trying not to laugh already.
Seong-je gripped the joystick with surprising focus, eyes narrowing. “See? You gotta be precise. Calculate the angle. Account for the drop. It’s all about control.”
The claw moved. He positioned it perfectly over the cat’s head.
“Watch this,” he muttered, mostly to himself. “One smooth motion and—”
Down it went. The claw closed… around empty air. It brushed the cat’s ear and lifted nothing. The plushie didn’t even budge.
The machine played its mocking jingle again.
Seong-je stared at the glass for a long second. “What the—? That should’ve worked.”
You couldn’t hold back the snort. “Piece of cake, huh?”
He shot you a look, half-annoyed, half-challenged. “Beginner’s luck for the machine. Try number two.”
Another coin. Another attempt. This time he aimed for the side, trying to nudge it toward the prize chute. The claw grabbed the cat’s paw… and the entire thing slipped free at the last second, dropping the plushie right back into its smug position.
“Fuck,” Seong-je hissed under his breath, loud enough for you to hear.
You leaned against the machine, grinning now. “The great Geum Seong-je, terror of Kanghak High, defeated by a claw machine. I’m telling the whole Union.”
“Don’t even start,” he warned, but there was no real heat in it. His ego was clearly bruised, and that only made him more determined. “This thing is rigged. The claw’s loose on purpose. They want your money.”
“Uh-huh. Sure.”
He fed in a third coin, muttering strategy under his breath like he was planning a gang takedown. “Come on, you piece of junk…”
The claw descended. Gripped. Lifted.
For one glorious second, the cat rose halfway to the chute.
Then the claw opened prematurely. The plushie tumbled back down, landing face-first in a pile of other rejects.
Seong-je slammed his palm against the glass. “Are you kidding me?!”
You burst out laughing, covering your mouth. “Oh my god, your face. You look like you just lost a real fight.”
“I don’t lose fights,” he snapped, pointing at the machine like it was a personal enemy. “And I’m not losing to this fucking machine either.”
What followed was a slow, hilarious descent into chaos.
Seong-je, the guy who could intimidate entire groups with a single smile, became completely obsessed. He started pacing in front of the claw machine, analyzing it like it was a rival gang’s territory.
“These things have weak spots,” he declared. “You gotta exploit them. Watch.”
Coin four. He tried slamming the joystick at the exact right moment for “extra grip power” (his words). The claw barely moved.
Coin five. He shook the machine lightly, not enough to trigger the tilt alarm, but enough to make you hiss, “Seong-je...”
"Shut, I'm not leaving this piece of junk until I win".
The cat remained untouched.
By coin seven, his confidence had shifted from cocky to stubborn. Sweat was beading on his forehead under the neon lights. His usual playful smirk had turned into a focused scowl that would’ve sent underclassmen running.
You were doubled over laughing at this point, clutching your sides. “Babe, it’s been twenty minutes. We can just buy a plushie somewhere else. Or, you know… admit defeat.”
“Defeat?” He whirled on you, eyes wide with mock outrage. “Geum Seong-je doesn’t admit defeat. Especially not over a goddamn cat plushie. I’m doing this for you. As a good boyfriend.”
You raised an eyebrow, still giggling. “A good boyfriend would’ve won it on the first try instead of trash-talking the machine for half an hour.”
He pointed an accusing finger at you. “You’re the one who wanted it. Now I have to win it. My pride is on the line here.”
“Your pride versus a claw machine. This is the hill you’re dying on?”
“Exactly.”
Coin eight. He tried a new tactic, tilting his body with the joystick like it would transfer “power” to the claw. The arm swung wildly and knocked over a different plushie instead. Not the cat.
“Close!” he claimed, even though it wasn’t.
You wiped tears from your eyes. “You’re terrible at this.”
“I’m strategically wearing it down,” he insisted, feeding another coin. “The machine will crack eventually.”
The arcade staff had started glancing over. One employee looked like he was debating whether to intervene as Seong-je muttered curses at the claw under his breath.
“Stupid weak grip… come on, grab it properly… I’ve crushed skulls harder than this thing…”
You leaned in closer, resting your chin on his shoulder as he concentrated on attempt number ten. “You know, it’s kind of cute watching you fail so spectacularly.”
He paused, turning his head just enough to glare at you. “Cute? I’m not cute. I’m intimidating.”
“Right now you look like a kid who lost his favorite toy.”
Another failed grab. The claw slipped again. Seong-je let out a dramatic groan and banged his forehead lightly against the glass.
“This is bullshit. In a real fight I’d have this thing on the ground in three seconds.”
“You can’t punch a claw machine, Seong-je.”
“Watch me.”
“You’ll get banned from the arcade.”
“Worth it.”
By now you were both laughing, him through gritted teeth, you openly. The absurdity of the situation hit hard: one of the most feared guys at school, known for his brutal streak and playful sadism in fights, was currently losing a battle of wills against a children’s toy dispenser.
He tried one more time. Coin eleven. Perfect positioning. The claw descended with what felt like divine intervention.
It grabbed the cat.
It lifted.
It moved toward the chute…
…and dropped it at the very edge. The plushie teetered for a heart-stopping moment… then fell back inside with a soft plop.
Seong-je stared in dead silence for five full seconds.
Then he exploded.
“Are you fucking serious right now?!” He threw his hands up, voice carrying over the arcade noise. A couple of middle schoolers nearby turned to stare. “That was perfect! The machine cheated! There’s no way—”
You were laughing so hard you had to hold onto his arm for support. “Oh my god, your ego is in pieces. I can see it shattering on the floor.”
He looked at you, cheeks slightly flushed from frustration and embarrassment, and for a second his usual cocky mask slipped into something almost pouty. “This isn’t funny.”
“It’s hilarious.”
Seong-je ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. Then, unexpectedly, he started laughing too, low at first, then louder, that playful, slightly unhinged laugh he got when something genuinely amused him. “Fine. Okay. Maybe the machine’s stronger than it looks.”
“Maybe you’re not as good at everything as you think,” you teased, poking his chest.
He caught your hand, pulling you closer with that signature smirk returning, though it was softer now, edged with defeat. “Don’t push it. I’m still the best at the things that matter.” His voice dropped, playful but with that underlying intensity he always had around you. “Like keeping you around. Or beating up anyone who looks at you wrong.”
You rolled your eyes, but your smile was warm. “My hero. Defeated by polyester and cheap mechanics.”
He glanced back at the cat plushie, still sitting there innocently. “One more try. Last one. If I lose, we leave and never speak of this again.”
“You’ve said that three times already.”
“This time I mean it.”
You both knew he didn’t.
Coin twelve. Seong-je took a deep breath, cracked his neck, and approached the joystick like it was a final boss. You stood behind him, arms wrapped around his waist, chin on his back, giggling quietly.
“Root for me or something,” he muttered.
“Go, big strong boyfriend. Show the evil claw who’s boss.”
“Shut up.”
The claw moved. Positioned. Descended.
Gripped the cat’s head and body this time.
Lifted.
Moved slowly, steadily toward the chute.
You held your breath.
Seong-je tensed, muttering, “Don’t you dare drop it…”
The claw reached the drop zone.
It released.
The plushie fell… straight into the prize chute with a satisfying thunk.
The machine lit up and played a cheerful victory tune.
Seong-je froze. Then he punched the air once, sharply. “Yes! I knew it!”
You squealed and immediately bent down to retrieve the cat plushie from the slot. It was even softer and cuter up close. You hugged it to your chest, beaming up at him.
Seong-je turned to you, chest puffed out, ego fully restored in record time. “See? Told you I’d get it. Just needed the right strategy. Persistence. Skill.”
You raised an eyebrow, holding up the plushie. “After twelve tries and a full mental breakdown?”
“Details,” he waved off, slinging an arm around your shoulders and pulling you against his side. “The point is, I won. For you. Because I’m such a good boyfriend.”
You laughed, leaning into him as you both walked away from the cursed machine. The cat plushie dangled from your hand, ears flopping with every step.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night, tough guy.”
He smirked down at you, that arrogant, playful glint back in his eyes. “You’re welcome, by the way. Next time you want something, just say the word. I’ll handle it. No problem.”
“Even if it’s another claw machine?”
“Especially if it’s another claw machine.”
You shook your head, but you were smiling too wide to hide it. Dating Seong-je was never boring. His ego was massive, his temper quick, and his pride ridiculous… but moments like this, when he turned something small and silly into a personal mission just because it made you happy, reminded you why you put up with all of it.
As you left the arcade, the neon lights reflecting in the evening streets, Seong-je stole the plushie from your hands for a second, holding it up like a trophy.
“See this? Proof that even rigged machines bow to me eventually.”
You snatched it back, laughing. “Sure, big guy. Sure.”
He grinned, unrepentant, and pressed a quick, rough kiss to the top of your head. “Damn right.”
The two of you walked home like that, you clutching your hard-won cat plushie, him with his arm around you, bragging the whole way about his “masterful” technique while you teased him relentlessly about the twelve failures.
Neither of you mentioned how much money had disappeared into that machine.
It was worth every coin.