Bamboo Forest Manager

Life.

There are times when unique and amazing things come your way, and the important thing is timing.

An extraordinary situation that arrives at an unexpected time feels like it’s testing my sense, mental state, or reaction speed.

If I had to pinpoint it, today seemed to be just that kind of a day for me.

I was staring blankly at the mirror while brushing my teeth.

A day with no lectures.

Thanks to my kind neighbors, the seniors, who took on all my assignments, I had a day more leisurely than other students.

Since it’s time to prepare for midterms, I thought I might as well study and sat down.

But before I knew it, I found myself turning on my laptop to play a game.

The Construction Engineering department kids were posting all over the Bamboo Forest about Popo’s broadcast, so I deleted the posts and went to watch Popo for the first time in a while.

‘She’s doing well.’

She was eating a hamburger and chatting about this and that.

She looked much healthier and laughs more than when I last saw her, which is quite nice to see.

- What? You’re asking if this is lunch? No, it’s breakfast. I woke up late. It’s not brunch. I’ll be eating lunch again soon.

[I love you, noona.]

- Oh my! Thank you for the 100 coins donation, PopoLove! I love you too?

Her reaction to the donation was somewhat plain.

Because of that, she got some harsh words from President Hwang, but she insisted it was her broadcasting style.

“Hmm.”

Normally, I would have just turned it off.

Maybe because the exam study was waiting for me, I found myself sending coins with the Kim Woojin ID.

The memory of being reprimanded a few times for giving orders to the kids while with President Hwang lingered.

[Fighting]

- Yes, Kim Woojin, 10 coins recei…

Popo, who was staring blankly at the screen, rubbed her eyes and then grabbed the mouse.

She seems to be searching my history.

- Huh? Why? Oh, it’s nothing. I just thought you were someone I know.

Awkwardly smiling, Popo continued to move the mouse.

- Oh, I think the lunch delivery is here. Huh? Did I order more? Should we stop eating here?

- I am not being threatened, so should I stop shaking the cola? If we shake the cola, we can’t drink it.

Jokingly speaking as she left the screen, Popo. I also turned off the broadcast and prepared to study again.

Buzz!

- Popo: It’s been a while.

A message came.

- Kim Woojin: Streaming. The kids flooded the Bamboo Forest so much, I came to check it out.

- Popo: Then I guess I should do more wallpapering.

- Kim Woojin: Please don’t.

These bastards in the Construction Engineering department, seriously.

- Popo: I’m returning to university from the second semester. I decided to go back with the Boss.

- Kim Woojin: Really? Maybe we’ll run into each other.

- Popo: I’m a third-year, though.

- Kim Woojin: …Should I call you noona?

- Popo: Just buy me a meal if we meet.

- Kim Woojin: No way. You eat five servings as a basic.

We had a brief chat.

Anyway, thanks to Yoon-ji and second brother taking good care of Popo, there didn’t seem to be any major issues now for her.

I also glanced at the chats, and perhaps because it had been in the news about her being confined, most of the chats were mild.

“Ah, I really need to study.”

Closing the laptop, I pushed it aside.

Just like I exercised for Seo Yerin, this time I planned to study to win over Choi Yiseo.

I actually started studying, but.

Knock knock.

Someone came to the room.

“Who is it?”

Resentment pours out toward someone who interrupted my study.

I was really concentrating well just now.

“Senior, it’s me, Gyu-ah.”

“Yes, there’s no one here, so go away.”

“…I also bought some bread for you, Senior.”

“I don’t eat bread.”

“Senior? Can we talk for a moment?”

“No, you iguana girl.”

I respond with genuine annoyance.

Bang!

A loud noise as if someone kicked the door.

“Please talk to me! Because of you, my image is ruined, you know? Everyone found out I was two-timing?”

“That’s your fault!”

“Sigh.”

Isn’t that a correct statement though?

She aimed at me first anyway.

“Senior… Actually, watching you seniors made me think a lot too?”

A somewhat serious voice.

“I too, wanted to be deeply into someone. So, but….”

“I’m sorry, but all my seats are taken.”

“Are you crazy? What would I even see in the Senior to like you? Please help me get along with Ahn Hyeon-ho senior.”

“……”

I drank kimchi soup for nothing.

As I sighed and stepped outside, Gyu-ah was holding a real slice of bread.

“The bread sense is really messed up. I don’t even have jam in my room.”

“You just eat plain bread.”

Whatever it is, for now.

“You want to get along with Hyeon-ho?”

When I asked, Gyu-ah nodded slightly.

“It seems difficult.”

Hyeon-ho already seems to have lost interest in Gyu-ah.

…Why are there so many victims and perpetrators of two-timing around me?

Is the university originally this sort of place?

“So, I came to get advice from you. You were okay even when you openly declared you were seeing three people.”

“You didn’t see me get hit, did you?”

I was beaten to the point of losing consciousness.

At that time.

“Woojin?”

At the end of the hallway, Choi Yiseo’s voice came from the stairs.

I reflexively tried to trip Gyu-ah, but she had already skillfully stepped back.

“…Quick-witted, huh?”

“Not the first time.”

“What are you doing?”

Choi Yiseo looked at us with a bewildered expression, and I hesitated for a moment before giving a clear explanation.

“The hallway floor is dirty, so I’m trying to clean it.”

“Hmm?”

“So I asked the first-year kids to bring a rag, but they brought Gyu-ah instead? Haha.”

“You bastard.”

Gyu-ah cursed beside me, but I didn’t care about her words.

Even if I’m called a trashy person, as long as Choi Yiseo doesn’t misunderstand, I am alright.

“That’s not funny, and it’s rude. Apologize to Gyu-ah.”

But instead of misunderstanding, Choi Yiseo scolded me.

“I’m sorry.”

“So are you going to help? You promised, right?”

Gyu-ah tries to change the subject and quickly flees.

“What should you help with?”

I briefly explained to Choi Yiseo, who looked puzzled.

Ahn Hyeon-ho used to target Gyu-ah but gave up now. Now, it’s the opposite; Gyu-ah is targeting Ahn Hyeon-ho.

Upon hearing this, Choi Yiseo’s expression brightens.

“That’s great! It’d be nice for Hyeon-ho to date!”

“…Look at you, happy for the chance to get rid of him.”

“Ahem.”

Choi Yiseo awkwardly clears her throat and slyly offers a lunch box.

“You said you were studying. I thought it was admirable, so I brought you food.”

“Oh?”

“It’s pork neck pilaf. I know you like things like kimchi fried rice. But I thought you might eat that often.”

Is she bringing rice dishes I can’t often eat, knowing I like rice?

Honestly, I don’t really know the difference between fried rice and pilaf.

“Thanks, I’ll enjoy it.”

“I just made it, so eat it before it gets cold.”

“You made it yourself? Yiseo…!”

Feeling touched, I looked at her, and Choi Yiseo awkwardly crossed her arms.

“I still can’t accept that you’re trying to keep all three people in your heart.”

“……”

“But it doesn’t change the fact that you have feelings for me.”

On the other hand.

“So I just need to make you choose me, right?”

“……”

“And there’s that mindset of giving an extra rice cake to the hated one. Anyway, I’ll be studying at the library, so contact me if you need anything.”

“Why not study in my room? The library is crowded and a bit inconvenient.”

At my suggestion, Choi Yiseo glanced at the door and asked with her arms still crossed.

“Can you promise not to get distracted?”

I did just play games and watch shows in between studying.

“I can promise not to.”

Right now, I’m confident.

But with Choi Yiseo sitting next to me, if our shoulders bump a couple of times, I’m not sure if I’ll still be confident then.

“Looking at your eyes, it’s not true.”

Choi Yiseo says and swiftly turns away.

In the end, failing to stop Choi Yiseo, I went back to my room.

I’m not that hungry yet, so I’ll study a bit before eating.

“Alright!”

I gathered my resolve to study hard again.

Clatter!

As the door opened, Yu Arin entered, sweating profusely.

“Hey, I’m just going to take a quick shower.”

“…What did you do to sweat so much?”

“Basketball. The guys asked me to join, and it was more fun than I thought.”

It doesn’t seem like she played basketball just with girls. So, did she play with the boys?

Before I knew it, Yu Arin, who had entered the bathroom and stripped down, poked her head out to speak.

“I played with the girls from the women’s basketball club. Anyway, look at that jerk being hypocritically jealous.”

“Ahem.”

Bang!

Yu Arin closed the door and started showering.

The sound of water felt strangely enticing, giving me a peculiar sensation.

Before I knew it, I had put my pen down.

Had about 20 minutes passed?

“Hey, pass me a towel.”

Yu Arin, soaking wet, peeked her head out again.

“It’s on the towel rack there.”

“There’s only one. And it’s slightly damp.”

“Aha.”

As I handed over the towel, I tried to sneak a glance inside the bathroom, but she promptly shut the door.

“Phew, can’t be helped.”

If someone showers at another’s place, they should pay the owner, right?

Intending to teach her a lesson, I took away the change of clothes and underwear left in front of the bathroom door.

‘Oh, black panties.’

A nostalgic item, isn’t it?

When I placed her clothes on the bed and the door opened again, Yu Arin let out an embarrassed gasp.

“Where are my clothes?”

The girl who poked her head out saw her clothes on my bed and gritted her teeth.

“You bastard…”

“Suddenly coming to someone else’s house and asking for this and that is troublesome.”

“Give it here.”

“Shouldn’t it be ‘please give it here’?”

“You jerk, please give it here.”

“Oh, look at that long tongue. Additional master.”

“……”

It felt like I could hear her gritting her teeth.

In the end.

“Hoo, hoo-oo!”

Yu Arin came out, covering her chest with one towel and the space between her legs with another.

Her face was flushed red with embarrassment.

“You bastard. Do you think I’ll surrender?”

She hesitantly came out to get her clothes.

It was a nice sight.

I just watched quietly as she passed by.

“It’s a fake, you jerk!”

Suddenly, she threw the two towels at my face.

By the time I hurriedly removed the towel, Yu Arin was already gathering her clothes and heading into the bathroom.

Having seen her naked back, I felt like I gained something.

“If you go out wearing that, you’re dead!”

As I was thinking I should escape from her warning.

Bang.

The front door swung open again, and someone came in.

“Woojin! It’s a disaster, a disaster! They don’t call me the ‘sex god’ on the Bamboo Forest anymore!”

Seo Yerin came rushing in, looking distraught.

She bumped into me as I was about to leave.

Thanks to that, I fell backward and got pinned down.

“Woojin-ahhh! What do I DOOOO! Now everyone calls me a concept freak!”

“Well, you are one, aren’t you?”

Seo Yerin clung to me, rubbing against me, asking for help.

I push her aside to separate her.

I need to escape soon because Yu Arin will come out and beat me.

“Is anyone there?”

Again, again.

Someone came looking for me outside the door.

It’s not usually like this, is today some special day?

The door isn’t locked, but I open it abruptly with annoyance.

“Ah, who is it?!”

From here.

Go back to the beginning.

As we live, there are times when unexpected situations unfold.

At that time, our lives demand us to respond to variables as if testing us as individuals.

Right now was exactly like that.

That’s why today was a strange day.

“…Mom?”

The moment I saw my mom standing outside the door, my mind froze unconsciously.

“Son, I thought it was a doghouse!”

She laughed heartily, saying it’s a joke only the rich can make.