Bamboo Forest Manager - Chapter 397



Ambush

– Seo Yerim: Outdoor s*x!

– Yoo Arin: No, you crazy b*tch.

– Choi Yiseo: I suddenly don’t want to go because of that.

A satisfied smile spread across my face as I read the conversation in the group chat.

The final exam period was fast approaching.

The students at Gahyun University were incredibly busy, but we were busy in a slightly different way.

Since I was going to the military, the guys had decided to fulfill my bucket list.

– Choi Yiseo: I saw a pretty decent glamping site. Just put up with that.

– Kim Woojin: Of course. Even if I’m rich, I can’t buy all the camping gear just for one trip.

– Yoo Arin: So for glamping, we just need to bring food?

– Seo Yerim: Outdoor s*x!

– Choi Yiseo: Yeah, and like, basic cooking tools? But they said those can be rented too.

– Yoo Arin: I wanted to try fire gazing.

– Yoo Arin: I guess I can’t vlog there, huh?

– Choi Yiseo: Absolutely not.

– Kim Woojin: Not a fan either.

– Seo Yerin: Outdoor s*x!

– Yoo Arin: Where the hell are you right now. I’m coming to break your wrist.

– Seo Yerin: Outdoor s*x!

Anyway, she’s something else.

Just repeating the same words a few times, but Yerin’s presence is just…wow.

“Excuse me?”

That was when a voice called out to me.

I took my eyes off my phone and looked up, Choi Jinah was staring at me with a pouty face.

“Ah, sorry. I was chatting with the others and got too focused on this.”

“I asked you to wait for 5 minutes but I’ve been waiting for 20 minutes now.”

“You could have said something.”

“I didn’t want to interrupt you grinning while you were texting.”

Anyway, she pretends to be all prim and proper with other people but talks to me so casually.

Right now, Choi Jinah and I were at the school cafe.

After class, there was about an hour gap and that’s when Choi Jinah suddenly came to me saying she had something to talk about.

“So where were we? Was it when Jinah ate 3 servings of Nakgopsae right there after trying it for the first time?”

“I haven’t talked about Nakgopsae at all.”

“Oh, was that it.”

Then what were we talking about?

“I was talking about how I fought with my parents. And now I am living freely without getting swayed by them.”

“Right, right. That’s what you were saying.”

“…You were really just half-listening.”

Choi Jinah seems to think there is a relationship between us, so she came to “report” to me.

But frankly, I had no interest.

What do I need to know Choi Jinah’s family history for?

“Really, you said you made up? That’s good.”

“No, I said we fought.”

“Yes, to make up, you have to fight first.”

“No, that’s-.”

Choi Jin-ah, who was about to say something out of frustration, hesitates. I take the opportunity to sip the coffee I ordered.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Choi Jin-ah nods as if she understands and then smiles slightly.

“It seems like we fought to make up.”

“Yes, right?”

I thought the conversation was over, but Choi Jin-ah glances at me and adds.

“That’s why I moved out of my parents’ house.”

“I don’t have space in my room.”

“…Do you really think I’m a parasite? I found a place too.”

Someone like Choi Jin-ah could probably just glance through real estate listings and buy whatever she likes.

“But it’s a bit lonely inside. I’m going to buy furniture today, do you want to come with me?”

“Me? No, thanks.”

“Joo-hee and Yoon-ji are coming too.”

“Are you telling me to get lost?”

“…”

Choi Jin-ah drinks her coffee, seemingly having nothing more to say.

She’s drinking something with a lot of Oreo in it, and it looks like she’ll get diabetes from it.

Perfect timing.

“Since I listened to your worries, you should listen to mine too.”

“You listened to my worries? Didn’t you just forget everything?”

“Listen.”

“How shameless…”

Since there’s still some time before the next lecture, I share my recent worries.

“Is there no such thing as friendship between a man and a woman?”

“That’s really out of the blue.”

Even if it’s out of the blue, I’m serious.

“I used to think that friendship between men and women was possible, you know? But lately, it doesn’t seem like it.”

Taking another sip of her coffee, Choi Jin-ah tilted her head and asked.

“Why? Did someone else confess their feelings to Woo-jin again?”

“…You could say it’s something similar.”

Because I heard Senior Joo-hee’s resolve again.

“Hmm, I think it’s definitely possible to be just friends.”

Choi Jin-ah tilted her head, wondering if it was a big concern.

It didn’t seem like a big deal to her, but her straightforward words oddly put my mind at ease.

“Really?”

“Yes. I get a lot of calls from male classmates too. But it’s not like I contact them with romantic feelings.”

“Hmm?”

But isn’t this something that needs to be considered?

“Are they really your friends?”

“They’re classmates.”

“Just because they’re classmates, does that make them friends? Don’t you have to contact them often, meet up, and hang out to be friends?”

At my words, Choi Jin-ah closed her mouth for a moment, pondering, then nodded in agreement.

“You’re right, they’re not friends.”

“Right? At best, you could say Bong-geun is a friend, right?”

“Bong-geun… James.”

Choi Jin-ah pondered again.

Then she clicked her tongue and shook her head.

“You could say James is a friend. We talk on the phone sometimes. But if you ask if I see him romantically, absolutely not. James isn’t my type to begin with. And our calls are not personal, but business-related.”

“Should we ask Bong-geun too?”

“….”

Choi Jin-ah didn’t answer my question. She seemed subtly curious.

After a few rings, Bong-geun answered the phone.

– Hello.

“Hey, Bong-geun. What do you think of Jin-ah?”

– …Choi Jin-ah?

“Yeah, the violinist Choi Jin-ah.”

– Like the ornamental fish raised by Chairman Choi Gil-seop?

Choi Jin-ah’s expression immediately crumpled. She seemed to think, “What kind of nonsense is this?”

Since it was on speakerphone, I stopped Choi Jin-ah from immediately rebutting and revised my question.

“No, not that. Can it be seen as a romantic relationship?”

– Choi Jin-ah is excellent. Chairman Choi Gil-seop wants to pass the company to his son, and if he marries Choi Jin-ah, he will inherit everything.

“Is this b*stard only capable of answering like this?”

“James has always been like that.”

– Was Choi Jin-ah next to you?

“Yeah. Not that. Just emotionally, how does it look?”

– …Why should I see Choi Jin-ah emotionally? Not really.

“Pfft.”

I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Choi Jin-ah, who was in front of me, also shouted with an incredulous expression.

“I don’t like you either?! You’re not my type at all! Your name is so old-fashioned!”

– Fuck?! Apologize to all the Jameses out there.

“Sorry, Bong-geun!”

Then Choi Jin-ah snatched my phone and hung up.

I just held my stomach and laughed at the situation.

“Ah, this is so funny. Anyway, it seems like they’re not each other’s type.”

“Hoo, I just feel worse now.”

It was quite entertaining to see elementary school friends bickering.

Isn’t this enough to be satisfied with as a time-killer?

“Anyway, you saw it, right? Friendship between men and women is definitely possible. So don’t create weird distances with the women around you.”

“Ah, yes. Come to think of it, there were quite a few people around me who were just friends.”

For example, Choi I-seo and Oh Yoon-ji’s high school friend, Jung Min-ji.

Lee Eun-woo, who is still active in the bamboo forest as Anonymous90.

Bae Ji-hye, who is broadcasting under the name Popo.

There were other kids who were friends with Seo Ye-rin and Yoo Ah-rin.

And.

‘There was also Choi Jin-ah.’

When I think about it, isn’t the woman right in front of me just a simple friend to me?

It was absurd that the answer was right in front of me, but I couldn’t see it.

“Thank you. Right, when you think about it, friendship between a man and a woman is obviously possible.”

She stands up.

“I have my next lecture, so I should get going.”

“Are you really not going to help me with shopping?”

“How can I go when Joohee and Yoonji are coming? I’ll get beaten to death by Iseo and Arin.”

“Tsk.”

Choi Jina stands up with a hint of regret.

As we step out of the cafe, she shivers slightly in the chilly air and pulls her collar tight.

“Oh, right.”

Choi Jina also wraps the scarf she brought around her neck and says,

“But I like you, Woojin.”

“Ah, yes.”

To get to the next lecture, I have to run a bit since the classroom is a bit far… What the hell?!

“Yes?”

I stop in my tracks, wondering if I heard her correctly, and turn to look at Choi Jina. She adjusts the scarf she had wrapped incorrectly and replies,

“Yes? What?”

“No, just now. Didn’t you say you like me?”

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

“…Did you forget what we were talking about just now?”

“Is friendship between a man and a woman possible?”

“Why are you suddenly denying the basis of our 30-minute conversation, damn it.”

“No, I told you before.”

“Told me what.”

“That you were my first love.”

“……”

“……”

We stare at each other blankly.

As the cold wind whooshes past, my lips part.

“Elementary school?”

“Yes, elementary school.”

“Why does it matter that you were my first love in elementary school? We’re college students now.”

Choi Jin-ah responded, puzzled by my words.

“I never said it was over.”

“……”

“Or did I? Maybe I did.”

Choi Jin-ah, with a vague memory, pulled her bread hat over her head.

She shoved her hands into her coat pockets and walked past me.

“Anyway, see you later. I found a place near Gahyeon University, so we’ll see each other often.”

“You’re just going to say that and leave? Are you crazy? You commit a sin once and now you’re just going wild?!”

At my shout, asking if she had no shame, Choi Jin-ah chuckled and replied.

“Living like this won’t kill me.”

“What?”

“I learned from watching you, Woo-jin. Living confidently doesn’t cause big problems. Confessing won’t be the end of me.”

As I stared at her back, I strode towards her.

Smack!

I hit the back of her head.

“Ouch!?”

Startled, Choi Jin-ah whipped her head around to look at me.

Her face, which I hadn’t seen earlier, was flushed red with embarrassment.

“In that case.”

I declared to her.

“I’ll kill you.”

The chokehold I learned from senior Joo-hee went straight to Choi Jin-ah.