Bamboo Forest Manager - Chapter 400



Enlightenment

*Vrr! Vrr! Vrr!*

The phone vibrated roughly, like it was issuing a threat.

I glanced at it, it was the bamboo forest, and it looked like things had blown up because of the post I made.

There seemed to be quite a few comments.

Originally, I’d have to be present constantly and reply to every single one of them.

“Huh? What’s wrong? You getting a call from somewhere?”

“Nah, it’s nothing.”

I didn’t want to be disturbed during my time with Lee Seo, so I decided to just ignore it for a bit.

Anyway, in my estimation, there probably weren’t that many people who’d want to become the bamboo forest admin.

Most of the comments would be either mockery or braindead questions just looking to stir shit up.

I thought about passing it on to current admins like Yuarin and Senior Juhee, but I just gave up on that idea.

I figured if I quit, they’d probably step down too, in the first place.

‘But giving it to the President is…’

The Gahyeon University Bamboo Forest is anonymous; not just students but professors can obviously see it.

Even so, this is still supposed to be a space for students.

The President might accept a manager, but I didn’t want to entrust the management of a student space to them.

And giving it to another acquaintance felt awkward too.

All the close guy friends I had were headed off to the army together.

And honestly, there wasn’t a single girl I wanted to give this role to.

‘The Bamboo Forest admin is a real dog’s life.’

Sometimes you’re just reduced to a punching bag, and you have to block grotesque pics or what amounts to near terrorist levels of spamming.

Especially since it’s such a slog of a job because it’s just some honorary position that gets you exactly zero benefits.

And the honor is also anonymous, so no one even knows.

‘Come to think of it, why did I even do this?’

A senior gave it to me, so I just did it…

Thinking back now, it feels like that senior just passed it off on me and ran.

Anyways.

When vacation starts, I’ll step down as admin of the Bamboo Forest.

I couldn’t shake off this feeling that was both refreshing and strangely sad.

*Squeeze*

Knowing I’d get an earful from Eseo, I give her a strong hug anyway.

I expected her to complain I was interrupting the movie, or ask if I was horny again, but…

*Tap*

Eseo just quietly put her hand on my head and patted me.

She was being so gentle, acting like she knew I’d been through a lot, that a lump formed in my chest and I felt a strange swell of emotion, but I forced myself to ignore it.

* * *

*Chomp*

The two that remained ended up, surprisingly, at an internet cafe.

Seo Yerin had been chilling, enjoying some time off work, and Yu Arin had tagged along because she didn’t want to be alone.

“Ah, shit. Jungle diff.”

But Seo Yerin was totally engrossed in her game, and Yu Arin regretted coming; she should have just stayed home.

Maybe that feeling was showing.

She tossed out a few blunt words, just trying to start some kind of conversation.

“You worked so hard to get it up there, and now where’s it at?”

“Don’t ask.”

“Ugh, you idiot. You should’ve just left it when you hit Silver. Why’d you have to play and screw it all up?”

“If you’re gonna park it there, why even play the game!”

Seo Yerin, fuming, furiously hammered at her keyboard.

She was just spamming some more crap on the bamboo forest forum.

– Anonymous69: I wanna fuck!

“Ugh, what are you doing? Why are you being such a tool on the forum.”

“It’s my routine.”

“Ha, you want me to delete it?”

“Why delete it! I only did it once today? Yu Arin, you’re a total dictator! I’m gonna snipe you!”

They glared at each other, bristling, before letting out a simultaneous sigh.

They both knew their sour mood wasn’t really about losing the game, or the bamboo forest spam.

Was it because Kim Woojin and Choi Yiseo had gone out together that was making them feel so shitty?

“Ah, fuck. Should I not have let them go?”

Yu Arin, downing her chocolate milk, was filled with regret. Sure, they were supposed to meet the two of them separately sometime too.

But she hadn’t realized being left behind would feel this insecure.

“Next time, I’m going.”

Seo Yerin stated firmly, causing Yu Arin to frown and argue back.

“What? It’s my turn.”

“It’s my turn.”

“Fine, let’s settle this. How do we decide? Arm wrestling?”

“How about a 1v1 in game?”

“A sparring match isn’t bad either.”

“How about a boob size contest?”

“You mocking me?”

“So, you’re saying you want to spar?”

While the two were fiercely engaging in a battle of nerves, each spouting only what they could win at.

Another post popped up on the bamboo forest Seo Yerin had set up.

– Admin: Recruiting the next administrator for the Gahyeon High bamboo forest.

“Huh?”

Both of them let out a simultaneous, bewildered exclamation.

And, in the instant they stared blankly at the post, comments started pouring in real-time.

↳ Anon102: ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋlooking for the next slave right away.

↳ Anon11: They were doing a good job, running away I see.

↳ Anon214: Yo, where’s that dude going.

↳ Anon90: ???

↳ Anon198: Before you go, drop a pic of you spanking the admins.

↳ Anon407(Admin3): …….

↳ Anon243: Before you leave, Admin, please pick just one from the anime list I sent you, your ultimate pick.

↳ Anon111: Ah, Adminnimㅠㅠ

↳ Anon301: Will PoPo cry for you? You’re dead meat.

↳ Anon82: But who’s gonna do this?

Comments kept streaming down.

It was exam season so there were a lot of users, but the intensity of this attention was unprecedented in a while.

In the middle of all this.

The two of them were staring dumbly at it, their mouths opening and closing repeatedly.

They wanted to say something, but it felt like it would be a huge mistake if they did.

“Ah-.”

Seo Yerin, finally breaking the silence, couldn’t contain the emotion welling up from deep inside and let it out in a sigh.

“So, they’re really leaving.”

Kim Woojin was really leaving soon.

From noble mtl dot com

Of course, for most men in South Korea, it was the military.

So, you could say it was only natural.

“Hngh.”

It wasn’t something to take parting for granted.

“Hngh.”

No matter how you sugarcoat it, there was an inevitable gut-wrenching something about a couple’s breakup.

“Hwaaah!”

As Seo Yerin burst into tears, Yoo Arin cautiously approached and hugged her.

“Don’t go, Woojinaa!”

It was a process many couples went through.

Countless people had experienced the same farewell.

But that didn’t make it any less painful.

Understanding her heart, Yoo Arin, who held Seo Yerin, also subtly hid the slight moistness that was creeping into the corners of her eyes.

Only now did she vaguely understand why it was so uncomfortable for Choi Yiseo and Kim Woojin to be alone together.

One month later.

He wouldn’t be by her side anymore.

It must be the regret that they couldn’t even spend these short moments together.

* * *

She wanted to let her cry until she felt relieved, but.

Because the people in the PC room were staring like something had happened, the two of them went outside.

“Sniff, we still have time left in the PC room.”

“You make good money, what are you talking about?”

“Sniff, Arina, how does my face look right now?”

“Ugh, you’re pretty, you jerk. So don’t worry and let’s go.”

“Sheesh, where did Woojin go! Why is Arin the one hugging me at a time like this!”

“You’re telling me.”

They were about to go home, but their steps felt heavier than they thought.

Was it because the lump in her chest hadn’t been resolved yet?

She wanted to release it somewhere, and then she spotted the karaoke sign.

It seemed like there was a karaoke place in the basement of the building where the PC room was located.

“……Hey, wanna go sing and then head home?”

“Sing? Sniff.”

Seo Yerin, who had been talking in a nasal tone, looked at the karaoke sign and nodded her head vigorously.

“Let’s go, let’s go sing our hearts out.”

And just like that, the two of them ended up in a karaoke, feeling somewhat pathetic.

As Yu Arin watched Seo Yerin book songs, she immediately scowled.

“Hey, you b*tch. Did you break up? Why are all your song choices about breakups?”

“I don’t have a heaaart!”

“Crazy b*tch.”

“Arin doesn’t have a booob!”

“You fucking cunt!”

Luckily, it was a private room.

Yu Arin even considered killing her, but a ringing phone thankfully suppressed her impulses.

“I’ll go take this call.”

“Is it Woojin?! Woojin?”

“No! It’s Senior Joohee!”

“Tch.”

Her voice echoed from the mic, piercing her eardrums with a zing.

Yu Arin went outside with a face full of annoyance.

“Why don’t you knooow!”

“She’s just wallowing in her own sadness.”

She picked up the phone, irritated by Seo Yerin’s voice leaking out from inside.

“Yes, Senior.”

– Arin, did you see what Woojin posted on Bamboo Forest?

“Yeah, I saw it. That’s why we’re at karaoke now. Seo Yerin’s a sobbing mess.”

– Haa… Yeah. It was inevitable, I guess.

“But seeing that post made you feel a little sting, didn’t it?”

– Yeah, it does.

“Right? So we also-“

Yu Arin was about to say that they shared a common feeling, but she sensed something strange.

“But why are *you* relating to that, Senior?”

– …….

“Kim Woojin is my boyfriend.”

– Ahem, Arin-ah. No, should I say, Ma’am?

“Speak.”

Yu Arin, instantly becoming arrogant.

– We had a good time in Hawaii, didn’t we?

“……”

– I helped you out a lot, and all.

“That’s that and this is this! Seriously, this unni is crossing the line!”

– Oh, where are you? I’ll go talk to you. Huh? Let’s go talk.

“It’s Seven Karaoke, room 3, okay? We have time left, so if you wanna see, come over here!”

– Okay, I’ll be right there.

With that, she hung up and Yu Arin went inside.

“Farewell, my looove! I’ll let you go nooow!”

Watching Seo Yerin, all by herself, happily shaking a tambourine, Yu Arin gritted her teeth and yelled.

“Hey! Stop jiggling your chest so much and get over here!”

“Huh?”

Seeing the tambourine shaking, and her chest shaking along with it, made Yu Arin feel even more disgusted for some reason.

Anyway, she snatched the microphone from Seo Yerin, and then shouted into it.

“Prepare to fight!”

“A brawl?”

A few minutes later.

Min Juhee entered the karaoke room, and the two instantly looked ready to pounce, but.

“S-sorry, the others were with me.”

Two more people followed behind.

Oh Yoonji and Choi Jina.

Why she brought those two along, she didn’t know.

Carefully lowering the microphones they held, the two of them glanced around, trying to assess the situation, ready to subdue Min Juhee.

“Arin-ah, what do we do about this?”

“……Where did Choi Yiseo go.”

Suddenly, the two of them were outnumbered.