Bamboo Forest Manager

“What are you going to do since you’re late now?”

Holding hands as we walked, I cautiously asked Seo Yerin.

She should at least get back before 11, but it’s already 30 minutes past.

I felt sorry because it was my idea to stay longer.

“It doesn’t really matter.”

Seo Yerin, whose lips hadn’t stopped curling up in smile, lightly replied.

“I’m 21 now. It’s not like I have to live worrying about my mom anymore.”

At 21, it seems like one should still be under their parents’ wing.

But having run away from home myself, it’s not something I should say to her.

Especially now, when Seo Yerin’s mother is likely on high alert.

“Sigh. If it really doesn’t work out—tell them whose son I am.”

Using my father’s influence is always uncomfortable.

Overwhelming versatility that makes one ignore discomfort.

If her parents knew Seo Yerin was dating the youngest son of a conglomerate chairman, their hearts might soften a bit.

“Um, I don’t think that would be very helpful.”

Scratching her cheek, Seo Yerin showed an ambiguous reaction.

Anyway, I see Seo Yerin off near her house.

She whined, refusing to let go of my hand, saying she didn’t want to go, or even suggested sneaking into her room, but I refused.

If I truly care about Seo Yerin, it’s right to resist temptation here.

“Oh, by the way, there’s an after-party tomorrow, are you going?”

“…What after-party?”

I asked because I genuinely didn’t know, and Seo Yerin tapped on her phone.

“The MT after-party. Didn’t you use that as an excuse on purpose because you knew about it?”

“No, I didn’t.”

I didn’t expect it to actually exist.

“Hyeon-ho posted a notice about an afterparty for the MT. But it’s actually for those who didn’t attend the MT.”

“Just how much do they plan on drinking.”

“Anyway, make sure to come, okay? I don’t really want to go either, but I said I would.”

“……”

I want to ask if other people are coming.

How will Choi Yiseo and Yu Arin react if they see me there?

It’s a bit scary for me.

“I’ll think about it for now.”

“It might be better to meet Yiseo or Arin there. They can’t hit you in front of everyone, right?”

So they’re coming.

“That’s true.”

It does seem a lot safer than meeting them privately.

“Make sure to come tomorrow, okay? You know it’ll be boring without you.”

“…Alright.”

After sharing a brief kiss with Seo Yerin, I saw her off.

“Tomorrow’s the afterparty.”

I think we’ve already hashed everything out at the MT, so I don’t know what else there is to discuss.

But it seemed like a good idea to go.

Wait a minute.

‘But can Seo Yerin come tomorrow though?’

She would reach home late today, so won’t her parents catch her?

- Seo Yerin: Waaah!

Exactly as I feared.

Seo Yerin couldn’t attend the MT after-party.

Sending a tearful text was the only resistance she could muster.

The after-party venue was a dak-galbi restaurant.

We ate so much pork at the MT, so it seems like we’ve switched to chicken now.

Smoking area outside the stir-fried chicken restaurant.

I was watching the other guys eating stir-fried chicken through the window. Whether it was because the professors weren’t there or because we got closer at the MT, I didn’t know. 𝑅ＡꞐȫ𐌱Ê𐌔

The atmosphere was much more relaxed than at the MT.

“Woojin, Gyu-ah asked me out, what do you really think?”

Ahn Hyeon-ho’s concerns whispered into my ear.

I was dragged to the smoking area, and the reason was none other than Ahn Hyeon-ho.

He came for advice after receiving a confession from Gyu-ah.

I replied with irritation, blatantly covering my nose.

“Just go out with her. You said you like her. What’s the problem then?”

“You said something weird, and it kept bothering me. So, before accepting, I wanted to hear why you said not to date Gyu-ah.”

“Hmm.”

I glance away slightly.

I look towards Gyu-ah through the window.

She seemed to have realized something from watching my relationships with others last time.

“I saw her boyfriend.”

Gyu-ah and Ahn Hyeon-ho.

If I had to weigh the two, it would be Ahn Hyeon-ho’s side I would take.

Actually, it’s not that Ahn Hyeon-ho is heavy burden on me, but that Gyu-ah is too light.

“She has a boyfriend?”

“Yeah, I heard she’s dating about three guys.”

“Crazy!”

The guy with a sullen face, hitting his forehead.

The despair of realizing the girl he liked was a player.

“Ah, seriously, stop joking. It’s not funny, Kim Woojin.”

Even though he already accepted it, what’s the use of denying it to my face?

“So just give up. She’s not a good girl for you, so Gyu-ah is really not it.”

“Wow, Kim Gyu-ah is unbelievable. She said she wanted to date me though?”

Seeing him explode in anger towards Gyu-ah while looking sad, made my heart feel strange.

As I’m patting Ahn Hyeon-ho’s back, a familiar face approaches us.

“Hey, guys.”

Unexpectedly, it was senior Han-kang who showed up at the after-party location.

I’m about to blurt out why this person is appearing here.

“I called him.”

Ahn Hyeon-ho, with his shoulders slumped, confesses as if lamenting.

“Senior said he wanted to meet the new freshmen.”

“Now that my military service is postponed, I’m a free man.”

Han-kang grins.

I wonder when he’ll come to his senses living like that.

With the courage to come here to flirt with freshmen while on leave, I think he can do anything.

“Senior, don’t do anything weird. Just quietly go to the military.”

I tried to tell him to grow up, but Han-kang responded by raising his middle finger.

“Shut up. I’ve been hanging out with Jinho so much that I can’t even remember the last time I smelled a girl. Today, I’m definitely going to snag one-”

At that moment, senior Ju-hee, with a cigarette in her mouth, comes out and runs into Han-kang.

“Oh, oh. Ju-hee, it’s been a while.”

Han-kang greets her nervously, but senior Ju-hee lights her cigarette without much response.

Sizzle.

A long puff of cigarette smoke.

“Why are you here?”

With her hands shoved into her jumper pockets, senior Ju-hee asked warily, and Han-kang scratched the back of his head as he answered.

“Well, I just stopped by on my way. I kind of wanted to see you guys after a while.”

“He’s trying to flirt with a first-year girl.”

As I added this right behind him, Han-kang’s expression turned pale.

Senior Ju-hee nodded, as if she expected this, and complained.

“Just quietly go to the army. Don’t ruin the relationships of the freshmen.”

“…Ju-hee, this isn’t right.”

Oh.

Look at him becoming all serious with senior Ju-hee.

“I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes. But you can’t restrict me from meeting and dating people-”

“What?”

The moment senior Ju-hee glared, asking him to say it properly again, all three of us flinched slightly.

Isn’t senior Ju-hee the one who can handle even a gangster boss alone?

If he didn’t bow his head here, Han-kang might end up in the Han River.

“…Can I just drink and leave?”

Han-kang cautiously asks.

The way he curls up at a glance is both amusing and pathetic.

“Sigh, hang out at the third-year table. Don’t go to the first or second years for no reason.”

“Yes…”

Then, senior Ju-hee clicks her tongue while looking at us.

“Don’t hang out with him. You’ll get influenced by weird things.”

“Yep, of course.”

“Ugh, trashy bastard. Obsessed with women!”

Ahn Hyeon-ho immediately cuts him off.

I completely distance myself from him with curses.

“……”

Senior Ju-hee stares at me incredulously but pretends not to see.

I quickly go inside with Ahn Hyeon-ho.

When I return to our table, many seatings have already changed.

A situation where males and females are seated mixed together.

While we were outside, the others were already gathering people to start a drinking game.

‘Ah, I really hate those things.’

I wanted to opt out because I don’t particularly like drinking while playing games.

But seeing Yu Arin and Choi Yiseo getting involved, I had no choice but to use Ahn Hyeon-ho to join in as well.

“Are you going to play?”

As I took a seat next to Choi Yiseo, she casually asked.

The murderous intent dripping from her voice was chilling enough to make my spine tingle.

“I have to.”

When I nodded and answered, Choi Yiseo stared at me blankly before letting out a sigh.

“You don’t like this sort of thing. Don’t force yourself to do it.”

“You don’t particularly like such things either.”

“……”

Choi Yiseo kept her mouth shut, perhaps because I wasn’t wrong.

On the contrary, Yu Arin, sitting across from us, was setting up drinks with the others, laughing and saying it would be fun.

“Should we start with something simple since it might be a bit much to begin with something loud?”

I was definitely with them, but before I knew it, Ahn Hyeon-ho was leading the proceedings.

“Oh, the host.”

“English department’s national MC, Ahn Hyeon-ho!”

He once hosted the talent show during MT, so he should do well.

While the others dragged their chairs and gathered, senior Ju-hee and Han-kang, who finished smoking, also came in.

Thanks to that, they naturally joined in and participated.

The game that started was the Son Byung-ho (Have-Have not Drinking) game.

“What kind of game is this?”

Since I genuinely didn’t know, I asked, and Choi Yiseo leaned in to whisper the answer.

“You start with your hands open, and if something the others say applies to you, you fold a finger.”

“For example, if they say fold if you’re a guy, you fold one?”

“Yeah, you drink if you fold all of them.”

Hmm.

“Is this really fun?”

I asked because I honestly couldn’t see the fun in it, and Choi Yiseo replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“When you drink, you just get a bit excited. It’s the same thing. Just setting the mood.”

“You know surprisingly well?”

“…Try being the class president. You’ll know whether you want to or not.”

Choi Yiseo lamented, saying her alcohol tolerance had increased, and as we started conversing normally, a smile appeared on my lips, feeling reminiscent.

“Don’t laugh.”

Choi Yiseo complained to me as if sulking, but even that seemed cute.

Like that.

A game started, one that I honestly didn’t find very fun.

From the start, Han-kang laughed and spoke.

“Fold if you liked me.”

“Wow, what’s this? This is so fun.”

Seeing a few girls blush or giggle and fold, I unknowingly retracted what I had said to Choi Yiseo earlier.

“Sigh.”

Choi Yiseo shook her head at me.

Of course, her fingers didn’t fold.

Isn’t it fun when the level of questions goes up like this?

I’ve never really played drinking games.

Next, moving right along.

It got boring quickly since no heavy questions like Han-kang-level ones came up.

When it was Gyu-ah’s turn, she smiled and said,

“Fold your finger if you’ve confessed during the MT.”

Damn it.

I barely held back the urge to smash her head with a soju bottle.

I forcibly bit my lips and folded one finger.

“What, Woojin confessed during the MT?”

“To whom? What, is he dating someone?”

“Or was he rejected?”

“If Gyu-ah knew, could it have been to Gyu-ah-?”

Since I was the only one who folded, all eyes were on me, but I exercised my right to remain silent.

They didn’t ask who I confessed to.

Choi Yiseo and Yu Arin clicked their tongues simultaneously, looking at me like trash.

‘Shouldn’t Yu Arin and Choi Yiseo fold too?’

Or not.

Is it ambiguous?

Right next to me, it’s Yu Arin’s turn.

Yu Arin’s gaze shot straight at me, so I couldn’t help it.

“Whoever is trash (doing unconventional stuff) fold.”

Fold another one.

Now, the talk about confessing to Yu Arin started swirling, heating up the drinking party.

“Senior Han-kang should fold!”

“Yeah, senior, fold!”

“Shouldn’t Ju-hee fold too? They say she went around hitting people in high school.”

In the end, senior Han-kang and senior Ju-hee folded too. Ahn Hyeon-ho folded stealthily.

The turn went around and around until it was my turn.

I bit my lip hard and looked at Gyu-ah with two fingers left.

“Fold if you have more than two lovers.”

Damn it, you’re dead.

Everyone stared at me, questioning what kind of question that was. But the first punch came from their side.

When I stared intently at Gyu-ah, her face turned bright red and eventually.

Swoosh.

Folded one.

“Sniff.”

The atmosphere buzzed.

As the kids began to say something to Gyu-ah, she urgently shouted.

“Ba-back in high school! I was clueless and dated someone like that! That’s what happened!”

She tries to explain evasively, but honestly, it wasn’t very effective.

Ahn Hyeon-ho was already shocked, clenching his fist tightly.

“How did you know about that?”

I gave a smile as I answered Choi Yiseo, who whispered slyly.

“I saw her fighting with her ex-boyfriend. She asked me to pretend to be her boyfriend, so I immediately stepped in.”

“Should I praise you for this?”@@novelbin@@

“Then should I have acted as her boyfriend?”

“…Well done. If it happens again, step in right away.”

“Roger that.”

The distance with Choi Yiseo has now quite reduced. A situation where our shoulders touch before we knew it.

Except for Yu Arin glaring this way, it wasn’t bad.

The questions from Yiseo next to me also passed somewhat blandly, amidst the continuous flow.

Ahn Hyeon-ho, who was shocked, looked at Gyu-ah with disbelief and asked.

“Fold if you’ve tried a threesome.”

“Ah, that’s really not it!”

Gyu-ah, flustered, makes an excuse.

Even though she’s had multiple partners, she exclaims that she’s never done such promiscuous acts.

Hmm, right.

Threesome is definitely crossing the line.

‘Damn, that’s scary.’

My lips feel parched.

It’s okay.

Just laugh it off casually and move on-

“……”

Senior Ju-hee is staring intently at my way.

I just turned my gaze away, pretending not to notice.

Reaching out for a drink of water, Yu Arin sitting opposite was staring this way.

- Don’t do it.

When I conveyed that with my mouth, Yu Arin glanced sideways at Choi Yiseo.

Yu Arin, who had been glaring at them while they were chattering cozily together from earlier.

- You’re dead.

With a smile, she folded one of the two remaining fingers.

To make matters worse, the remaining finger was the middle one, naturally flipping me off.

“Oooooo?!”

“Wow, shiiiit!”

“Hollywood! This is Hollywood level!”

Exclamations burst out from all around.

Feeling the pressure from Yu Arin’s gaze urging me to fold a finger, I lowered my head.

Before I knew it, Choi Yiseo’s hand was gripping my thigh so tightly it hurt.

“Woojin.”

“Y-yes, heh.”

I tried to answer in a small, shrinking voice.

“If you fold this, you’re dead.”

Though she’s smiling, her voice is chilly, and her eyes are lifeless.

I don’t want to fold it either.

Isn’t it obvious that if I don’t fold it, Yu Arin will say something?

Swoosh.

In the end, one of my fingers folded cautiously.

The moment everyone’s shocking gazes fixed on me again.

Clatter!

Choi Yiseo, who stood up by pushing her chair back, spoke softly without even looking at me.

“Outside.”

And then she went out of the stir-fried chicken restaurant.

“O-outside….”

I could only follow her with drooped shoulders, looking miserable.