Bamboo Forest Manager - Chapter 372



The Competent Bodyguard

Watching the two people get into the off-road vehicle, we felt a surge of inexplicable emotion.

The two, who had been in tears, sighed with relief and were about to say their goodbyes.

“Guys, take care.”

“Don’t get into trouble and make sure to enlist properly.”

Kang Han-gang and Pyo Jin-ho.

They were idiots, and bad guys too.

But still, as friends, we got along pretty well.

Now that we’re parting ways like this, it feels bittersweet.

“I’ll come back a better person!”

“You b*stards! Make sure to visit! When we get leave, we’re going drinking!”

Jung Chan-woo, Ahn Hyun-ho, and I stepped forward to shake hands with the older guys one last time.

“Men’s friendship… it’s nice.”

We ignored the bald man muttering something from the driver’s seat.

We had been united in camaraderie until just now, but his words created a strange atmosphere.

“Take care.”

“You’re awesome!”

“Respect!”

The three of us cheered them on and were about to close the door. But Kang Han-gang and Pyo Jin-ho’s hands wedged into the gap, preventing us from closing it.

“Move aside now.”

“Are you the only ones saying goodbye?”

“……”

Look at them wanting to say goodbye to the girls one last time.

Didn’t they say they were late?

Even if they leave now, it will take three hours.

The two of them pushed us aside.

Even though they had just gotten into the car, they insisted on getting out again to say goodbye.

“Ye-rin, when I get discharged-.”

Kang Han-gang tried to approach Seo Ye-rin quickly.

But Senior Joo-hee blocked his way.

Senior grabbed Han-gang’s hand tightly and nodded with a smile.

“Goodbye. Don’t disgrace yourself till the end.”

“Uh, uh-huh.”

Han-gang got back into the car.

Since they were comrades, Senior Joo-hee took care of him in her own way, telling him not to disgrace himself at the end.

Pyo Jin-ho also looked towards Yoo Ah-rin, but eventually lowered his eyes and followed Han-gang, as Yoo Ah-rin glared at him.

‘Do those b*stards still have feelings left?’

Impossible.

Didn’t they always play around with other girls?

Don’t I know how much they flirted with girls before going to the army?

“We’re leaving!”

“Make sure to come as our junior!”

The two waved their hands.

And so.

Two of the fools left.

* * *

“What are we supposed to do about this?”

It had only been an hour since I felt the numbness of farewell.

But already, I wanted to curse out Kang Han-gang and Pyo Jin-ho. It was a strange experience.

“Hey, you b*stards!”

Senior Joo-hee was actually on the phone, cursing at Han-gang, who was probably still on his way.

“How am I supposed to explain this to the kids? I can’t just tell them to go back!”

Why did we gather at the pension today?

Wasn’t it for Kang Han-gang and Pyo Jin-ho’s farewell party before they enlisted?

But now, it had become a farewell party without the two of them.

As the lecture ended and evening approached, more and more people gathered at the pension, and the number was a bit overwhelming.

“How many people are coming?”

Yoo Ah-rin marveled, clicking her tongue.

Seeing how many people have gathered, I guess it’s fair to say it’s impressive.

Choi Iseo was either helping with parking in the lot or explaining the situation and turning people away.

What about Seo Yerin?

She was surrounded by the models Bong Geun had brought, and they were all fussing over her appearance.

“Look at that flawless skin.”

“You’re an actress, right? I saw your movie. You were really pretty, but you’re even more stunning in person.”

“Could you maybe help me get an interview at your company?”

“Um, that’s not something I can really do…”

Seo Yerin glanced at me, signaling for help.

But the models didn’t seem particularly jealous; they were genuinely interested in her, so I decided to leave it be.

“Isn’t jealousy the usual reaction? It’s almost a cliché in dramas.”

Yoo Arin, arms crossed, answered my question.

“That only happens when they’re on a similar level. When someone is as overwhelming as Seo Yerin, they just think, ‘Oh, she’s different from me,’ and move on.”

I see.

As I nodded, Senior Joo Hee finished her call and came over, fuming.

“I’ve talked to them. Han Kang and Pyo Jin Ho will send out a message saying the party is canceled. It sounds like about half the people have arrived.”

“This is half…”

“And you only rented one room at the pension?”

If it weren’t for Bong Geun, we might have been kicked out by the pension owner today.

With so many people, it seems Bong Geun even made additional payments.

Even without Han Kang and Pyo Jin Ho, quite a few people wanted to stay for the party.

For those people, Bong Geun and Jin Ah were securing drinks and food.

“But can’t we just send them away? Do we really need to take responsibility?”

Senior Joo Hee asked awkwardly.

Honestly, I had similar thoughts, but it seemed Bong Geun just liked the party.

He was smiling contentedly, watching people drink the alcohol he had provided.

“Oh, the Taekwondo people are here. Hey, I’ll go take care of them.”

“Okay, go ahead.”

Yoo Arin patted my chest and ran off.

With her gone, it was just me and Senior Joo Hee left standing there.

‘What should I say?’

Recently, things have been a bit awkward with my senior, so I was wondering how to start the conversation.

“When are you going to the army?”

Senior Joo-hee crossed her arms and looked towards the parking lot as she asked.

“Me? Maybe next year?”

I should finish my second year first, right?

I don’t have any plans to delay it.

“Really? Then this year will be the last one we spend together.”

Senior Joo-hee smiled bitterly.

Hearing that, I frowned unconsciously and replied.

“What do you mean? Senior, you said you were joining our security team.”

“Hmm…”

“I’ve already told the team leader. I promised to get you in. You absolutely have to join our security team.”

As students move up in their academic years, they become preoccupied with job hunting, but senior doesn’t need to worry about that.

Especially since our security team pays well, and if you guard someone like me, who is part of the owner’s family, you’ll get additional incentives.

“…”

But senior Joo-hee didn’t respond.

At this point, I started to feel a bit uneasy, so I decided to push a bit more aggressively.

“Are you thinking about doing something else?”

There were a few times when senior changed her career path.

She once considered going into the restaurant business at Gold One.

Back then, she said she was indecisive, but to me, it just seemed like she was thinking and working hard for a better future.

This time is no different.

If senior has changed her career path again, it means she has thought about it and seen the possibilities.

A much better option than the Wooju Group security team.

“No.”

But senior shook her head.

She said there was no such option.

“But I feel like you’d be uncomfortable if I were around.”

The words she uttered were uncharacteristically passive for her.

From noble mtl dot com

“I promised to protect you. But I feel like my presence makes you uncomfortable.”

“……”

“How many times have we had this conversation? When I reveal my feelings, you reject them. I try to hide them, but somehow you always find out.”

It had been a while since I saw this side of my senior.

He looked fragile.

Maybe it was because he seemed like he was about to collapse.

I responded urgently to him.

“What does it matter! You hid it well anyway! Those strange remarks were because of Oh Yoon-ji!”

“……”

“Uncomfortable? Not at all! I’m actually grateful that you see me in a good light!”

This is the truth.

It’s an honor that someone like Senior Joo-hee likes me.

But.

“There are already too many people by my side. That’s the only reason I can’t accept you, Senior Joo-hee.”

I already have people I love.

Three of them, in fact.

Adding more would be uncomfortable for me and not good for them either.

“By the time I come back from the military, you’ll have had plenty of time to sort things out. You might even meet someone much better than me!”

“……”

“So don’t throw away the opportunities that come to you because of me. If you’re worried that I’ll be uncomfortable, you don’t need to be.”

That kind of consideration is unnecessary.

Senior stared at me and then chuckled.

“Alright, I understand.”

‘Huh?’

What?

He didn’t seem like the dying senior from a moment ago.

Just as I felt strangely deceived.

Wham!

Senior suddenly grabbed my hand, pulled me, and pinned me against the wall of the pension.

“What the-.”

My back slams against the wall.

My senior’s arms, flashing past either side of my face, trap me, leaving me nowhere to run.

*Thud!*

The situation, a so-called ‘wall slam’.

My senior, smiling, asked,

“This kind of thing could happen, right? While on guard duty.”

“Uh, I don’t think so?”

I tried to subtly bend my knees, hoping to escape downwards, but

that was a misstep.

My senior moved even closer, looking down at me hunched over, asking,

“Thank you for saying you aren’t uncomfortable.”

“S-Senior?”

“Thank you for confirming you have good feelings towards me.”

“Captain?!”

Senior Joo-hee’s face got closer and closer. In a panic, I covered my face with both hands, but,

*Whack!*

My senior grabbed my wrists and easily broke my guard with force.

“Did it hurt?!”

The strength in my senior’s grip is tremendous!

It’s astonishing she can hold both of my wrists still with just one hand!

My senior is getting closer.

In a final act of resistance, I turned my head, but my senior’s remaining hand grabbed my chin and forced it back to the original position, and

our lips meet.

The first taste of my senior’s touch since Hawaii.

A subtle hint of cigarette mixed with the sweetness of the woman that is Min Joo-hee.

The tongue was stiff, but that’s exactly why my lips were half-forcibly explored.

Why all of a sudden?

Because of Oh Yoon-ji?

Or was there something else?

Or perhaps.

The senior just.

Might have been waiting for someone to push them from behind.

It wasn’t even a big push, just a little poke with a finger.

I thought maybe the senior had been waiting for that.

“Huuu…”

The senior parted their lips.

Seeing me staring at them with wide eyes in shock, they chuckled and said,

“If we’re going to keep going around in circles, I decided to just live honestly.”

“Wa-wait a minute. This isn’t honesty, this is madness?!”

I wondered what they were planning to do with the others.

“Your friend told me. Sometimes, a female bodyguard has a relationship with her master that she can’t talk about.”

“I didn’t mean to-.”

“It’s okay, young master. You don’t have to say anything. I’ll take care of everything.”

The mischievous smile of the senior made me imagine the times ahead.

“I’m a competent bodyguard, after all.”

When I get discharged from the military.

The senior will become my exclusive bodyguard.

There will be many times when we’re alone together.

When that time comes.

Will I be able to stop the senior?