Bamboo Forest Manager - Chapter 305



The Burden of Min Joo-hee

Min Joo-hee understood in her mind that she needed to remain calm.

Yet her heart was anything but.

Where exactly had she stepped into?

The curtains, drawn even though it was still daylight, cast a soft darkness over the room.

The air conditioner hummed, but the faint scent of night-blooming flowers mingled with the damp smell of sweat, lingering in the air.

This had persistently hindered the woman named Min Joo-hee from thinking clearly.

The problem lay with the two people whispering among themselves in front of the bed.

“Are, are we really going to do this?”

Kim Woo-jin, clad in a robe, kept glancing at Min Joo-hee, his eyes darting nervously.

He kept asking, unsure if this was the right course of action.

“Ah, why? It’s so annoying.”

The very person involved, Yoo Ah-rin, huffed and began to vent her frustrations.

“Already, with people like Seo Ye-rin and Choi Yi-seo, there’s no time, so why do others have to butt in and make it worse?”

“That’s true, but…”

“Then why not just let us go on the trip? Did we demand this unilaterally? The vice president told you to go to the reunion, and the trip was a fair exchange for that.”

“That’s also true.”

“But why do we have to be interrupted even in our own space? Do you think I’m dating you just because you’re the president’s son? Huh?”

“No…”

“Using a condom? Of course, it’s something to worry about. It’d be a disaster if something happened here, especially since you’ve already messed up a few times.”

She couldn’t deny it, nor could she argue back.

There were already a few faces flashing through her mind.

“But! But this obsessive interference in our situation is just ridiculous. What’s next? Are you going to advise on positions too, damn it?”

“…….”

“Why do you give advice in a way that isn’t sensible? Isn’t it? Am I wrong?”

“Right, you are.”

In truth, telling someone to use a condom is a given, but having a bodyguard to enforce it is…

A bit excessive, to say the least.

“I need to show you outright. A counter-offensive.”

“But why do I have to show it with mine?”

“Then should I put on a condom?”

Words failed him, and all Kim Woo-jin could do was click his tongue in frustration.

Yoo Ah-rin adjusted her gown, letting out a sigh.

“Anyway, it doesn’t matter since Senior Joo-hee has seen yours before.”

“……!”

In an instant, Kim Woo-jin’s body stiffened, his eyes trembling with fear.

There was a slight misunderstanding between the two.

Yoo Ah-rin was referring to the previous night when she had fled from Seo Ye-rin, half-naked, in a panic.

But Kim Woo-jin, still under the impression that he had been with Min Joo-hee, immediately thought of that.

He was like a thief caught in his own trap.

“Uh, uh, uh?”

Kim Woo-jin stammered.

How on earth did Yoo Ah-rin know about that? There was only one possibility.

‘Senior?’

Hadn’t Yoo Ah-rin and Min Joo-hee been spending more time together lately?

They had even drunk heavily together, so who knew what kind of conversations had taken place?

“Ah, Ah-rin. Are you… not angry?”

He asked, expecting her to be furious or to hit him. Instead, Yoo Ah-rin shrugged her shoulders in response.

“Why would I be angry? It was just an accident. Do you think I’m the kind of inflexible woman who can’t handle that?”

‘Damn, at this point, Hollywood should take notes.’

It wasn’t flexibility; it was saintliness.

How could she accept so easily that her boyfriend had gotten drunk and slept with another woman?

Kim Woo-jin felt a bit bewildered, but on the contrary, he wondered if he had created this monster himself.

In reality, Three-Some had never been involved with Yu-arin, who kept inserting herself.

So, couldn’t the s*xual part of the common sense collapse?

It seemed to be a monster more terrifying than Seo-ye-rin, and Kim Woo-jin was worried.

“Ah-rin, I’m really sorry.”

The child he had destroyed.

He apologized and gently pulled Yu-arin into his arms.

“What?”

On the other hand, Yu-arin wondered why he suddenly apologized. It would be more natural if he was sorry himself.

He had suddenly brought another woman and showed her off, saying “Look, look, look.”

“What, um… Then, let’s make it clear to our seniors that we won’t be interested in them.”

“Kkhh.”

Kim Woo-jin’s eyes were about to well up with tears.

What he was now holding in his heart was the very same incident that had crushed Min-ju-hee.

To receive such mercy like this.

“Ah, Ah-rin.”

I will never disappoint this child. I will make sure to warn the seniors, including Ju-hee-seonbae, that they won’t approach us.

Kim Woo-jin’s body turned around.

Something was visible through the gap in the robe he was wearing, and Min-ju-hee, who had been holding her breath, felt like she was going to suffocate.

It wasn’t visible, but it was hidden under the robe, and it seemed to be rising towards the sky, imposing and majestic.

“What, what, what’s so big?!”

It was similar in size to the one O-yun-ji had shown Kim Woo-jin, but it felt much more oppressive.

Was this the difference between real and fake?

Kim Woo-jin’s expression, which had approached Min-ju-hee, was stern.

Like a general about to capture the enemy’s flag, he reached out and pressed his chest against hers.

“Ah, ah?”

“Thud” and his back hit the wall.

She had unintentionally backed away, but the firm pressure on her chest made it impossible for her to escape.

Snap!

Even Kim Woo-jin’s hand, which was not holding Min-ju-hee’s chest, seemed to be gripping it.

“Woo, wooo-.”

“Put on a condom.”

I tried to call her name, but my tongue felt loose, and the words wouldn’t come out right.

A commanding demand.

Min Joo-hee, flustered, wondered why he was being so aggressive, his hands gripping her chest.

“Put it on.”

His hand, which had been clutching her breast, slid up to her shoulder, pressing down on her.

Under the weight of his forceful command, Min Joo-hee felt her legs give way, and she sank to her knees.

“Hah, h-huh!”

Something sharp and vivid loomed over her face.

Her eyes began to spin, blood rushing to her head.

“Are you going to tell Arin about that night?”

The moment she heard that resentful remark, Min Joo-hee finally understood.

‘Ah…’

Kim Woo-jin thought they had been together once.

That’s why he could approach her so boldly.

The first time is hard, but the second is easy. And with the feeling of betrayal, it made sense that he would be this rough.

But the important thing is—

That it was a lie on Min Joo-hee’s part.

In short.

“Ah, aah…?”

This was the burden of the lies she had used to pressure Kim Woo-jin.

Thud.

Min Joo-hee collapsed sideways, fainting, blood streaming from her nose.

“Hey, what’s going on? Senior! Senior! Are you okay?”

Startled, Kim Woo-jin shook her, panic rising within him. He hadn’t expected her to fall like that.

“Hey.”

A voice came from behind him.

“Ah, damn.”

It was a sound, raw and primal, like the growl of a wild beast.

—

“Are you going to tell Arin about that night? What does that even mean?”

“Uh?”

I subtly turn my head away.

What Kim Woo-jin sees is a monster named Yoo Arin, ready to pounce at the slightest misstep of the tongue.

“I just told you to scare him a bit, but you went and touched his chest and pressed him down with your— I thought you crossed the line too easily.”

“Wait, hold on. You didn’t know? That’s why Juhui said she saw my thing!”

Kim Woo-jin steps back in a panic.

But Yoo Arin glares, demanding to know what he means.

“I was talking about when Seo Ye-rin followed you to your room.”

“Oh.”

At that moment, I was too frantic to protect my backside, lost in self-loathing, leaving no room for such thoughts.

So it was a complete misunderstanding.

I now realize we were talking about entirely different situations.

* * *

Croak! Croak!

The two people lying on the bed are engaged in a fierce struggle.

The blonde woman is straddling the man.

“Ah! Arina! Wait! I-I’m sorry!”

She was pounding down with her fists.

“Die! Die! You b*stard! Die! Am I just a toy to you? Huh? You thought you could just use me and toss me aside?”

“N-No! No! Ah! Arin!”

“You b*stard! I thought you had some decency! I thought you wouldn’t do this to anyone but us three! You’ve completely trampled my trust!”

The final blow.

As Yoo Arin’s fist rises high, vowing to strike and return to Korea.

“W-Wait a minute!”

Min Joo-hee, who had just been knocked down, finally regains her senses and grabs Yoo Arin’s hand.

“Let go! Damn it, I’ll kill you too!”

With tears welling in her eyes, Yoo Arin shouts back.

“I’m sorry! It’s all my fault!”

For the first time in ages, Min Joo-hee feels tears welling up and spilling over as she screams.

—

It was time to face the ripples caused by one’s own lies.

* * *

Minjuhee, kneeling.

Beside her, Yuarin, also on her knees.

And me, perched on the edge of the bed, applying an ice pack.

This alone sufficed to explain the current situation.

“I’m sorry.”

Minjuhee pressed her forehead to the ground, apologizing once more.

“Um, ahem… honestly, it’s a bit much.”

Could it really have been a lie?

Thinking of how Senior Juhui had suffered because of me, I could somewhat understand.

Yet, considering how it had troubled me and tormented Yuarin, it was hard to just brush it aside.

“I’m sorry.”

Yuarin also apologized for hitting me.

“Come here.”

I patted the space beside me, and Yuarin hesitantly slid into the seat.

“You didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t know either, so… it’s only natural to be angry.”

“But…”

Rarely did Yuarin show such vulnerability. With her head bowed low, she kept muttering her apologies.

“It’s okay. In fact, I feel a bit relieved. I didn’t like the thought of having gotten drunk and caused a scene.”

From the perspective of a man who loved three women, no matter how much I drank, touching another woman was something I could never allow myself to do.

“Still, I’m a man who keeps his composure, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I love you.”

Then Yuarin pressed her lips to my cheek.

Just a moment ago, she had been a fierce tiger, but now she transformed into a playful kitten, trying her best to be cute.

“Well then…”

I glanced at Senior Juhui.

Still with her forehead on the ground, she squeezed her eyes shut and cried out.

“Truly, I have committed a grave sin. I will do whatever you want. If you want me to quit my job, I will. If you want me to drop out, I will.”

Hoo.

Here it is.

Now, what shall we do?