Bamboo Forest Manager

Anz Coffee.

One of the cafés near the university, maintaining a steady clientele with its sentimental interior and taste amidst the trend of brand cafés.

Here I am now.

Carrying coffee while wearing an apron.

Just an hour ago, it was a situation I couldn’t have imagined.

Thanks to my experience at Gold One, adapting wasn’t too difficult.

Most cafés nowadays have customers pick up their drinks with a buzzer.

But here, the store isn’t big, so we deliver the drinks directly.

‘It’s fortunate for me.’

There’s a role where I just memorize table numbers and deliver drinks to customers.

About 2 or 3 hours have passed.

Since it was dinner time, the students who had been sitting and studying went to eat, and even takeout orders were decreasing.

Thanks to the next part-timer arriving, I untied my apron and sighed.

“Whew.”

“Good job.”

The manager approached me and discreetly handed over an envelope.

“These are today’s wages.”

“Oh.”

I didn’t expect to receive it at all.

The manager, who had an impressive beard, was in his mid-thirties. He had a dignified aura that screamed ‘adult’.

There was a peculiar comparison to the bald guy I saw recently.

“You must have been surprised to come in suddenly instead of her, but you did well.”

“Thank you.”

“I’ll have a separate talk with Ju-hee.”

“…Senior Ju-hee is very responsible and works well.”

“What?”

It might seem out of the blue, but I felt I should at least make some excuses.

The recent collapse was literally a kind of accident.

“Of course, if you say that managing one’s condition is a personal ability, I have nothing to say. But still-”

Ding ding!

Just then, senior Ju-hee rushed in as the door opened.

Seeing her pale, stricken face made me realize I was witnessing several new sides of senior Ju-hee today.

“Uh, Manager. I’m sorry. Woojin, I’m really sorry to you too.”

Her deeply bowed head conveyed her genuine sincerity without any fuss.

The manager looked back and forth between me and senior Ju-hee before saying it was okay.

After finishing the conversation with the café manager, on the way back home.

The surroundings had become dark before I knew it.

Senior Ju-hee offered to buy me dinner, but I said I was fine.

“Go to your dorm and get some sleep. I think that would be best.”

“Yeah, I should.”

Seeing her still weary expression, I really felt concerned about her.

“It’s tough to juggle studying and a part-time job. Don’t push yourself too hard, and let me know if you need anything, Senior.”

For the classes we take together, I could take notes separately and show them, or summarize the key points for her.

However.

“No, it’s fine. There’s no need for that.”

Senior Ju-hee firmly refused my help.

It seemed like she was drawing a line for some reason.

“……”

I couldn’t approach any further.

I had turned down the senior, yet she continued to maintain a friendship with me without issue.

Digging deeper wouldn’t be good for her, either.

“I’m really sorry about today, Woojin. I’ll definitely make it up to you.”

“No, Senior. I’ve received so much help from you.”

In major situations like group projects and the President Hwang incident, I’ve always received help from senior Ju-hee.

There was no need to get anything from a senior just for filling in once at a part-time job.

“……”

“……”

We didn’t really talk after that.

What could I say.

It felt like there was a sense of distance that told us we shouldn’t share more than this.

However, on senior Ju-hee’s face as she walked toward the dormitory, various emotions could be seen.

I didn’t know what they were.

It seemed like if I left her alone, she might collapse at any moment.

I almost reached out to hold her hand without realizing it, more than once.

‘Sigh.’

Each time, I held back thinking about the others.

I wasn’t the person meant to stay by senior Ju-hee’s side.

“Woojin.”

“What.”

Exam period.

Having already taken one test, I was studying with Seo Yerin at a convenience store’s table.

“Woojin.”

“What.”

Even while drinking coffee, with eyes remain fixed on the notes.

If asked why are we studying here, it’s because there are no seats available.

The café and library within the university are already full.

The cafés outside are a bit far, making it hard to go straight to the next exam.

As a compromise, I was studying at the convenience store for now.

“Woojin.”

“Why are you calling me?”

I heard she also has an exam in an hour, is it okay to be this relaxed?

When I replied with slight irritation, Seo Yerin pouted and rested her chin on the table.

“I hate studying.”

“I hate it too.”

“My mom wants me to attend acting classes, what should I do?”

“You should go. What’s the problem?”

“Sigh.”

Seo Yerin sighs deeply, as if something’s wrong. At times like this, I think maybe stroking her hair would help lift her mood, so I reach my hand out-

Smack!

“It’s not the kind of mood that can be lifted with such a trivial touch!”

She immediately swats my hand away.

“Instead of childish antics like this, I want more intense contact!”

“I worried for nothing.”

While I’m focusing back on my studies, Seo Yerin turns her head side to side and asks.

“Woojin, if I become an actress and have to shoot a romance with a male actor, what will you do?”

“I’ll think about it when the time comes.”

“The time is now. I just received a drama offer.”

……

I unconsciously lift my head.

Seo Yerin, staring straight at me, suddenly has a serious expression on her face.

“It’s not the lead role, but a supporting one. They said it would be nice if I could act with a fresh vibe.”

I slowly put my pen down.

“So Mom wants me to start attending acting classes soon. Filming might start as early as May, so she wants me to practice for at least a couple of months.”

“……”

“They said this would be my debut work. You know the movie we shot last time? It seems it will air around the same time it premieres, which is perfect.”

“I see why you can’t focus on studying.”

A deep sigh settled.

It was a concern I thought was still far off. But now that it’s right in front of me, I have nothing to say.

“Maybe that’s why your mom wants to see me?”

“Oh, could be?”

She can’t just stand by and watch her daughter be held back by a boyfriend she met at university as she debuts.

“Looking at the timing, it seems perfect. YS probably recognized your potential early on.”

It feels like they put in quite an effort.

From the schedule to the role.

Seo Yerin found the perfect time to become the talk of the town and was given a role suitable for a university student like her.

When the path of a loved one is wide open, standing in their way is a form of oppression.

Also, not seeing acting as a legitimate job is foolish.

“Don’t do it.”

And I am foolish.

Also, very selfish.

Seo Yerin, staring at me blankly.

I deliberately emphasize once more.

“I said don’t. Don’t do that kind of thing with anyone else but me.”

“It’s work?”

“Yes, even if it’s work.”

“Then I’ll fall out of favor with YS?”

“It’s okay.”

“I already told your mother I’d make it as an actor?”

“It’s you.”

Sorry, but among the three people I love, the one I worry about the least is Seo Yerin.

“No matter what, you’ll rise.”

Look at that appearance.

No matter where you turn on the TV right now, there’s no one with looks like Seo Yerin’s.

Even if there are differences in taste, you can’t say she’s ugly.

Also, thinking back to when she acted seriously, she had some talent in acting.

“You can definitely make it big even without doing that. So don’t worry.”

It was a forced statement.

I couldn’t list a single proper reason, and it was a very selfish remark.

“Heehee!”

Seo Yerin smiled brightly, quickly sat next to me, and linked her arm with mine.

A poignant sensation and fragrance overwhelmed me violently.

“Kim Woojin, have you become more like a boyfriend now?”

“Ahem.”

“Then should I just debut without hiding that I have a boyfriend?”

“Is that even possible?”

It’s not like you’re introducing yourself in a gacha game as you debut.

“You’ll do interviews and stuff, right? Just say it then.”

Ahem, ahem.

Seo Yerin cleared her throat.

Suddenly, her voice shifted to a broadcast tone.

“Yes, I’d like to thank the staff and senior actors who worked hard on this project, and everyone at the company. I’m so grateful to my parents and my boyfriend.”

“It sounds like an acceptance speech.”

“And I have some news to celebrate. Actually, I’m pregnant! Hohoho!”

“Oh dear.”

Seo Yerin seemed like she might actually do it, and that made me a little dizzy.

The internet might explode at that moment. People would spread it on various communities and talk about Seo Yerin.

Wait a minute.

“You didn’t really do it, right?”

Just in case, I glanced at her and asked, and Seo Yerin smiled bashfully.

“Why?”

Why, indeed.

“If you really did, we should be naming our baby instead of studying.”

“Heheheh!”

Seo Yerin, saying she felt good, clung to my arm and rubbed her cheek against it. I wondered if she could act at all, showing her emotions so clearly.

“Unfortunately, it’s not a bullseye yet.”

She whispered softly, and her finger touched that place of mine.

She rubbed it over my pants as if to tickle.

There were no words exchanged.

We just spent time like that.

Naturally, it was hard enough to make my pants bulge, but Seo Yerin didn’t go beyond her finger.

I decided to focus on studying without demanding more.

“I have to go take the exam.”

Though it’s a bit disappointing that she’s not pregnant.

Anyway, there are plenty of opportunities.

As I refocused on my studies, Seo Yerin pouted again and unlinked her arms.

Then she turned her body completely to lean her back against my shoulder.

Seo Yerin, absentmindedly looking up at the parasol attached to the table.

“Woojin.”

“What.”

Once again, we continue our meaningless exchange.

“Woojin.”

“What.”

A somewhat late spring breeze blew.

“My boyfriend.”

“Why are you calling me.”

“Hee.”

Feeling it, Seo Yerin was laughing.