Bamboo Forest Manager - Chapter 297



The Beach

“Ha, you have to be able to believe it.”

While Kim Woo-jin and the others were chatting in the room, spending the day together.

Min Joo-hee entered the room that Kim Woo-jin had originally decided to stay in alone.

All her things were in the other room, but since she had to follow the words of her employer, Kim Woo-jin, it was a good idea to stay here today.

“I’m tired.”

Thinking about it, hadn’t she just been wandering around without adjusting to the time difference after getting off the plane?

She needed a bit of rest, so as she lay down on the bed, a familiar scent wafted around her.

There was no need to ponder whose smell it was. It mingled with the deodorizing scent in the hotel room, but Kim Woo-jin’s scent was definitely lingering on the bed.

“…….”

Is it okay to sleep like this?

Min Joo-hee hesitated for a moment, but then again, she couldn’t just sleep on the floor or the sofa because of the smell, could she?

As I cover myself with the blanket and close my eyes, I suddenly recall a similar situation.

‘It was at Gold One.’

The moment I saw Kim Woo-jin enjoying himself with the two of them, I felt an inexplicable sense of enchantment.

After the two of them left for work.

Lying next to Kim Woo-jin, even now it feels insane to think about it.

‘Why did that happen?’

I don’t know what it was, but at the time, witnessing the scene was utterly shocking.

Should I say I felt an overwhelming masculinity as I watched him enjoying himself with the two women below?

I had always felt that, apart from my brother, men were beings I had to fight against throughout my life.

Back then, I thought there was no way I could ever win.

‘What’s wrong with you, Min Joo-hee?’

Get a grip.

I told myself to manage alone tomorrow, but I still shouldn’t completely let go.

As I close my eyes, my sense of smell sharpens. Unconsciously sniffing, my hand momentarily slips inside the pajama pants I’m wearing.

Knock, knock.

A knock sounds from outside the room, and Min Joo-hee jumps up in surprise.

“Who is it?”

“Why are you here alone?”

“Come play with us!”

When I open the door, there stand Oh Yoon-ji and Choi Jin-ah, who had just been in the same room.

Both of them seem to have had a bit to drink, their faces flushed, and they don’t even respond as they step inside.

“If you just barge in like this—”

“Wow, it smells like Kim Woo-jin.”

“It’s really nice in here, even if you’re alone.”

Oh Yoon-ji lies down on the bed while Choi Jin-ah surveys the room, holding a bottle of alcohol.

Min Joo-hee contemplates kicking them out right away, but then thinks,

‘Well, everyone will sleep in late tomorrow anyway.’

I decided to let it go, convincing myself it was fine.

Honestly, I was also afraid that being alone in Kim Woo-jin’s bed might lead me to do something unnecessary.

* * *

The next day at lunch.

The hangover from the morning had mostly faded. I wanted something spicy for brunch, but there wasn’t really anything like that here.

In the end, what I ate was just some pho that they were selling as exotic food.

‘Should I suggest going to a Korean restaurant for dinner?’

But if I said that, I felt like the others would pester me about why we came all the way to Hawaii just to go to a Korean restaurant.

‘But when are they coming?’

In front of the beach.

I had already changed into my swimsuit and was waiting for the others on a paid sunbed under an umbrella.

Since we were in Hawaii, we shouldn’t just hole up in the hotel; we should go out and have some fun.

‘Hawaii is definitely Hawaii.’

Just look at the openness.

Exotic bodies draped in what looked like little scraps of swimsuits that you hardly ever see in front of the Korean sea.

Men and women wearing swimsuits that couldn’t even cost 5,000 won in terms of material were enjoying the beach.

I definitely understand why people want to earn money to travel to Hawaii.

After taking some photos with my phone, I sent them to the group chat of my buddies.

– Kim Woo-jin: (photo)

– Kim Woo-jin: (photo)

– Kim Woo-jin: This is insane.

– Kang Han-gang: What is this? Take me with you.

– Pyo Jin-ho: So Arin said she was going on a trip, and this is where she went? So jealous.

– Ahn Hyun-ho: Ah, shit. I got caught by Gyu-ah from the photos, you b*stard.

– Jung Chan-woo: I’m also on a trip to Japan. I came with my girlfriend.

– Jung Chan-woo: (photo)

– Jung Chan-woo: (photo)

Ah, Chan-woo was on a trip to Japan.

Looking at his atmospheric travel photos, I could tell he was better at taking pictures than I was.

Since he keeps swapping out girlfriends like that, he must have no choice but to learn how to take good photos.

‘The reactions are great.’

Anyway, everyone had some amazing responses. Of course, from the middle onward, instead of being jealous, they started bragging about what they were doing at that moment.

Even Pyo Jin-ho showed off the ultimate childish brag by saying he was going to grill pork belly for dinner tonight.

“Hey!”

At that moment, a woman called out to me.

Her body, clad in a bikini, was the kind of figure you’d see in magazines or adult films.

“Yeah?”

Despite being in an English literature program, I immediately responded in Korean, but she didn’t seem to mind.

She was babbling something in English while pointing at her friends in the distance with her fingertips.

‘Is this some kind of hunting?’

I felt a slight thrill at the thought of being hunted by a foreign girl. Girls often experience this kind of attention.

Every time I saw it, I couldn’t help but feel a dip in my own confidence.

While they could just stand there and have guys flocking to them, I felt a twinge of insecurity.

“No! No! Sorry! I have a girlfriend! But thank you! You’re so beautiful!”

I wondered how I would even manage an English literature exam with my level of English.

When faced with a native speaker, all that came to mind were simple, basic phrases.

Holding a pen and solving problems or giving presentations is clearly different from actual conversation.

But if I can communicate with this, isn’t that enough?

The girl kept chattering and eventually gestured to her friends.

A swarm of girls approached.

I was curious about why they were suddenly coming over, and one of them pointed to an empty parasol and sunbed.

“What’s that? I rented it.”

Frustrated, the girl pulled out her phone, said something, and then subtly handed it to me.

Chinese burst forth from the phone.

“You’re Korean, you b*stard. Korean. South Korean.”

“Oh!”

[Please lend us the parasol and sunbed.]

“Why should I?”

When I asked back with a genuinely confused expression, she smiled and replied.

[We’ll take pictures for you.]

[You can post them on SNS.]

[Show off to your friends.]

“Fuck you.”

As I raised my hand to signal her to leave, she finally spat out a curse at me and walked away.

“Are those crazy b*tches?”

I guess they thought I was just some rich fool since I was alone with the sunbed and parasol.

It’s because the others aren’t here.

“When are they coming?”

“They’re already here, you idiot.”

I heard Yu Ah-rin’s voice from behind me. When I glanced back, she was standing there with her arms crossed, wearing a yellow bikini.

“I thought a bunch of girls were suddenly flocking to you to see if you were acting like a dog, but you handled it well.”

I stared blankly at Yu Ah-rin, who was smiling as if she was in a good mood. I approached her and placed my hands on her shoulders, suggesting,

“Shall we go back to the hotel?”

“What? Why? We just got here.”

“I’m feeling really sick.”

“Suddenly? What’s hurting? Did you drink too much last night?”

“My, my lower back hurts.”

“……”

“Ah-rin, you’re really pretty. Yeah, super pretty and it’s driving me crazy. I don’t think I can stay on the beach.”

Yu Ah-rin glanced at my lower body with a look of disdain.

“Well, in that state, you wouldn’t be able to stay. Why are you wearing such a tight swimsuit that reveals all that?”

“I didn’t know it would cling like this before I put it on.”

It’s a disaster because I didn’t try on the swimsuit before buying it.

“As long as you’re in the water, it won’t be visible, so just hold on until then.”

After I replied that I understood, Yu Ah-rin frowned while waiting for the others.

“Sit and wait. People passing by will see you.”

“Don’t ignore Asians again.”

“Damn, it’s embarrassing, so just sit!”

Finally, after Yu Ah-rin’s body blow hit me, I sat on the sunbed.

Then Yu Ah-rin sat on my thigh. With just the bikini on, I could feel her bare skin.

“What are you doing? What do you want to do sitting there?”

“I’m trying to cover you. Just lie down a bit. You’re poking my butt!”

“She just sits there.”

Even if I try to change direction, it’s difficult since Yoo Ah-rin is already sitting there. With her face slightly flushed and her proactive demeanor, it seems the earlier compliment made her feel good.

As I wrap one arm around her waist, she leans in without pulling away.

The feeling of our skin touching is pleasant, and just as I’m enjoying it, the next person arrives.

“It’s so stuffy…”

Naturally, I thought Seo Ye-rin would come dressed in something revealing.

But what she actually wore was a full-body rash guard.

Not the typical swimsuit.

While it tightly constricts her ample chest, there’s a precarious thrill in that.

Still, considering Seo Ye-rin’s personality, I thought she would have chosen something much more revealing than that.

From noble mtl dot com

Yoo Ah-rin simply clarifies for my confused mind.

“She bought it when she was doing the Confucian girl concept last time.”

“Oh…”

So that was the reason.

Now that I think about it, the kids suddenly started picking concepts back at the department store.

“It’s so stuffy.”

Seo Ye-rin grumbles as she sits next to me. It seems she doesn’t particularly care that Yoo Ah-rin is sitting on top of her.

“Is that the only swimsuit you have?”

I wondered if I should buy her a new one if she kept feeling stuffy, but Seo Ye-rin shook her head.

“I have others, but I was planning to wear those at the hotel pool. They’re a bit too revealing.”

“Oh.”

I guess I was a bit mistaken.

Seo Ye-rin doesn’t enjoy showing off to others; she enjoys showing off to me.

‘Hmm?’

Wait a minute.

If Seo Ye-rin bought the rash guard because she was doing the Confucian girl concept at the department store back then…

“What about Choi Yi-seo?”

As I utter her name, the two of them giggle. The answer to my question comes quickly.

“Ugh…”

At that time.

—

Despite my strong recommendation for a rash guard, Choi I-seo ended up buying an underboob bikini, visibly upset.

“Ugh, ahem!”

Wearing a small blue bikini, Choi I-seo walks timidly, drawing the attention of everyone around her.

I naturally thought she would wear something over it, but that wasn’t the case.

“I-seo, you look so pretty!”

“Wow, that’s exactly why you should never underestimate an Asian!”

Two people comment as they admire Choi I-seo’s healthy body and the revealing bikini.

I-seo, embarrassed, covers herself with her arms but sneaks glances at me.

Not wearing anything over it seemed like she wanted to hear my opinion.

I express my honest feelings.

“I-seo, my stomach hurts.”

“…I want to go.”

Unable to contain her embarrassment at the blatant compliments, Choi I-seo tried to turn back, but I quickly ran over and draped the thin outerwear I had brought over her.

“It’s okay. You look really pretty.”

“Ugh, I’m just embarrassed to be seen by others.”

“True.”

To be honest, at this point.

“Isn’t that more of a nipple cover than a swimsuit?”

A fist flew my way, but fortunately, the ground was sandy, so it didn’t hurt when I fell.