diff --git a/game.js b/game.js
index 87d4c48..39fb9d0 100644
--- a/game.js
+++ b/game.js
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ class Game {
     const p = document.getElementById('map-player');
     if (p) {
       const centreX = viewW / 2 - 20;
-      const centreY = viewH * 0.60 + this.state.worldY;
+      const centreY = viewH * 0.75 + this.state.worldY;
       p.style.left   = centreX + 'px';
       p.style.bottom = (viewH - centreY - 40) + 'px';
       p.className    = `map-player walk-${dir}`;
@@ -214,10 +214,22 @@ class Game {
     this._checkNPCProximity();
   }
 
-  /* Slide the world so the camera follows the player */
+  /* Slide the world and reposition NPC in screen-space every tick */
   _applyCamera() {
     const world = document.getElementById('map-inner');
     if (world) world.style.transform = `translateX(${-this.state.worldX}px)`;
+    this._positionNPCOnScreen();
+  }
+
+  _positionNPCOnScreen() {
+    const world = document.getElementById('map-inner');
+    const viewH = world ? world.parentElement.offsetHeight : 300;
+    const npcWrap = document.getElementById('map-npc-wrap');
+    if (npcWrap) {
+      const screenX = this.state.npcWorldX - this.state.worldX;
+      npcWrap.style.left   = (screenX - 24) + 'px';
+      npcWrap.style.bottom = (viewH * 0.18) + 'px';
+    }
   }
 
   _checkNPCProximity() {
@@ -233,7 +245,7 @@ class Game {
     if (hint) {
       hint.style.display = near ? 'block' : 'none';
       hint.style.left   = (viewW / 2 - 28) + 'px';
-      hint.style.bottom = (viewH * 0.46) + 'px';
+      hint.style.bottom = (viewH * 0.32) + 'px';
     }
     if (bub) bub.style.opacity = near ? '0' : '1';
     this._updateDirArrow(near);
@@ -250,7 +262,7 @@ class Game {
     arrow.textContent   = npcScreenX >= viewW / 2 ? '▶' : '◀';
     arrow.style.display = 'block';
     arrow.style.left    = (viewW / 2 + 30) + 'px';
-    arrow.style.bottom  = (viewH * 0.40) + 'px';
+    arrow.style.bottom  = (viewH * 0.28) + 'px';
   }
 
   _nearNPC() {
@@ -266,7 +278,7 @@ class Game {
     this.startQuestion();
   }
 
-  /* Place player at viewport centre, NPC at world-px position */
+  /* Place player at viewport centre, NPC via screen-space conversion */
   _placeMapSprites() {
     const world = document.getElementById('map-inner');
     const viewW = world ? world.parentElement.offsetWidth  : 420;
@@ -275,15 +287,10 @@ class Game {
     const p = document.getElementById('map-player');
     if (p) {
       p.style.left      = (viewW / 2 - 20) + 'px';
-      p.style.bottom    = (viewH * 0.32) + 'px';
+      p.style.bottom    = (viewH * 0.18) + 'px';
       p.style.transform = 'scaleX(-1)';
       p.className       = 'map-player idle';
     }
-    const npcWrap = document.getElementById('map-npc-wrap');
-    if (npcWrap) {
-      npcWrap.style.left   = (this.state.npcWorldX - 24) + 'px';
-      npcWrap.style.bottom = (viewH * 0.32) + 'px';
-    }
     this._applyCamera();
     const hint = document.getElementById('map-talk-hint');
     if (hint) hint.style.display = 'none';
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index e6f5d43..09d2db5 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -107,14 +107,14 @@
           <span class="tree">🌲</span><span class="tree">🌳</span><span class="tree">🌲</span>
           <span class="tree">🌳</span><span class="tree">🌲</span><span class="tree">🌳</span>
         </div>
-        <!-- NPC with ! bubble — position driven by JS in world-px -->
-        <div class="map-npc-wrap" id="map-npc-wrap">
-          <div class="npc-bubble" id="npc-bubble">!</div>
-          <div class="map-npc" id="map-npc"></div>
-        </div>
       </div>
       <!-- Path stays fixed to the viewport — does not scroll -->
       <div class="map-ground"></div>
+      <!-- NPC in viewport layer — JS positions it using screen-space X -->
+      <div class="map-npc-wrap" id="map-npc-wrap">
+        <div class="npc-bubble" id="npc-bubble">!</div>
+        <div class="map-npc" id="map-npc"></div>
+      </div>
       <!-- Player stays fixed to viewport, only Y moves -->
       <div class="map-player" id="map-player">🧢</div>
       <!-- Hints overlay the viewport, not the world -->
diff --git a/style.css b/style.css
index 452c6b3..5bd6cb5 100644
--- a/style.css
+++ b/style.css
@@ -395,6 +395,7 @@ html, body {
   top: 0; bottom: 0; left: 0;
   width: 400%;
   will-change: transform;
+  z-index: 5;
 }
 .map-trees  {
   position: absolute;
@@ -436,7 +437,7 @@ html, body {
   filter: drop-shadow(0 0 4px rgba(248,192,48,.6));
 }
 /* NPC lives inside .map-inner, positioned in world-px via JS */
-.map-npc-wrap { position:absolute; text-align:center; }
+.map-npc-wrap { position:absolute; text-align:center; z-index: 30; }
 .npc-bubble   { font-size:14px; font-family:var(--font); color:var(--black); background:var(--yellow); border:2px solid var(--black); width:20px; height:20px; display:flex; align-items:center; justify-content:center; margin:0 auto 2px; animation:bounce .7s ease-in-out infinite; }
 .map-npc      { font-size:clamp(36px,10vw,52px); filter:drop-shadow(2px 3px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.35)); cursor:pointer; }
 /* Player is fixed to the viewport centre horizontally; only Y moves */