Bamboo Forest Manager - Chapter 315



Return Home

“Ugh!”

Inside the airplane.

As we returned, just as we had departed, we found ourselves seated in first class.

There weren’t many seats, so it felt as if we were the only ones aboard, and perhaps that was why the sound of crying echoed persistently.

“Waaah!”

It was Seo Ye-rin, who finally burst into tears.

The passing flight attendants, flustered, offered tissues and asked if she was hurt, but Ye-rin merely shook her head, insisting it was nothing.

“Ye-rin, stop crying… The staff will misunderstand.”

“But, but—”

Even when Choi Yi-seo tried to admonish her, Ye-rin couldn’t hold back.

We all knew why she was crying so desperately, and though we wanted to brush it off, a sense of disillusionment crept in.

“Everyone else did it but me!”

Yes, the reason for Seo Ye-rin’s sorrow was precisely that.

This trip to Hawaii.

It was only on the return flight that she realized she hadn’t been intimate with me.

Of course, it wasn’t simply because she hadn’t had the chance.

It was a bizarre fear that if any of us ended up pregnant from this trip, she would be so unfairly tormented that she wouldn’t be able to sleep.

Senior Joo-hee, seated nearby, approached Ye-rin.

I thought she might scold her for causing a ruckus on the plane.

“Ye-rin.”

She took her hand firmly.

“Don’t worry. There won’t be any accidents.”

Her tone was serious, offering comfort.

No, was that what she truly wanted to believe?

If something happened here, her lie to her older brother would be exposed.

“Not at all! Our Woo-jin has an incredibly high level of male hormones! What if I end up being the one left behind?!”

“Ahem. It’s not going to be that simple. So just calm down.”

“I really think I’ll feel so unfair that I won’t be able to sleep!”

“Should I let you sleep?”

Yoo Ah-rin suddenly chimed in, her voice loud, but the embarrassment was starting to bubble up, and I clenched my fists, ready to intervene.

“I’ll manage on my own, you fool! After this trip, Woo-jin will be staying with me!”

“Go ahead. Ugh, that girl has really become something else.”

Seoyeon finally calmed down.

Everyone returned to their seats, turning their heads to gaze out the window.

“Hmmm.”

The runway captured in their eyes.

An airplane slowly beginning to move.

As fleeting landscapes passed by, I gently closed my eyes.

‘It was a good trip.’

When I returned to everyday life.

It was clear that this time had been a recharge, a moment to gather strength and push forward.

The plane took off.

I, weary from yesterday’s hangover, intended to lie down and sleep.

“Woojins?”

“Yes?”

Choi Jina approached, glancing around at the others. From the hesitation in her expression, I sensed that what she was about to say wasn’t going to be pleasant.

“Your father is coming to pick you up at the airport.”

A moment of silence.

Choi Jina looked at me, as if asking how I would handle this.

‘Ah, I had forgotten.’

I realized I had completely overlooked what I had said to Choi Jina’s father.

Had I told him not to interrupt because I was busy with… something else?

Even now, it sends chills down my spine.

The dangerous part is that I couldn’t even claim it was someone else.

After all, he thinks of me as Choi Jina’s fiancé.

To suddenly say I mistook my phone while being with another woman would be crossing an irretrievable river.

So, what I should say here is.

“Wow, what a good father you have.”

“…….”

“Then, will you be going separately? Haha! It can’t be helped. I enjoyed the trip.”

“Woojins?”

“Have you not yet organized your things at the family home? I’ll have them send it by courier.”

“Wait a moment, Woo-jin?”

“No, I should just tell them to bring it directly. The courier will take too long. If I say something, it’ll be there in a day—”

“You have to come with them, Woo-jin!”

“…….”

“…….”

A silence stretches between us.

A brief moment passes as we communicate through our gazes.

“No, it might be a bit much for our people to handle Jin-ah’s personal belongings, right?”

“Don’t pretend you didn’t hear me! You’re the one who created this situation!”

From noble mtl dot com

What am I supposed to do about this?

* * *

“What is this?”

As soon as I arrive at the airport, I’m dragged into a car without even a moment to adjust to the time difference.

The people from our side didn’t come, only those from Choi Jin-ah’s side, which is why I ended up being brought here.

“I didn’t even get to properly say goodbye to the kids.”

Because of the suddenness of it all, I couldn’t even greet them at the airport.

I’ll see them again soon when the semester starts, but still, the conclusion of this trip feels utterly unsatisfactory.

At least I’m relieved that Senior Joo-hee came along.

Just when I thought everything was over, something happened, and I could tell it must be uncomfortable for her, yet she showed no sign of it on her face.

“I’m sorry you have to clock out now.”

“No, it’s fine. Honestly, after playing in Hawaii, it feels a bit like I’m finally working now.”

Senior Joo-hee, dressed sharply in a suit like the bodyguards, scans the outside.

She seems to be trying to remember the streets, checking where we are.

In this situation, her competence, which I hadn’t noticed much in Hawaii, is becoming increasingly apparent.

“I’ve already contacted the vice president. He said to follow along for now, and he’ll check in, so there shouldn’t be any major issues.”

“That’s a relief.”

From what I heard from Choi Jin-ah, her father is quite conservative and domineering.

So even if I want to think positively about why he called for me, it doesn’t seem like a good reason.

‘Did they say he collapsed?’

But there’s one thing that bothers me: you fainted for a moment after hearing our news?

The doctors at the hospital said there was nothing seriously wrong, yet it seemed you were so shaken that you collapsed despite being in good health.

‘How strange.’

You treat your own daughter like a mere tool for the company, yet this is what shocks you?

It felt a bit contradictory.

“By the way, Woo-jin, or rather… Young Master.”

You leaned toward me, covering your mouth with your hand.

You were trying to keep the driver from overhearing.

“‘Young Master’? Are we back to that title? You were speaking so casually just a moment ago.”

“I’m at work, after all.”

“Can’t you speak a little more comfortably?”

“I’m being paid for this.”

But calling you ‘Young Master’ really feels off.

“Just saying ‘Young Master’ reminds me of that time. Call me something more casual.”

“What time are you talking about?”

Your expression was genuinely puzzled, and I calmly recalled that moment.

“What was it? Young Master, just, a little more gently—”

Squeeze!

“Ah!”

You gripped my thigh tightly, glaring at me with sharp eyes, a chilling smile creeping across your face.

“Don’t make me exert myself.”

“Yes, yes!”

“Seriously…”

Your face flushed, and you fanned yourself with your hand.

Grumbling not to let the conversation stray too far, you asked quietly again.

“What brought you here to pick up me and Jin-ah? You just got back from a trip; you could have taken your time.”

“Oh, that’s…”

I briefly explained the events with Choi Jin-ah.

After all, you already knew everything between us, so it wasn’t particularly awkward.

“……”

With narrowed eyes, the senior glared at me.

Her expression seemed to say, “What kind of nonsense is this?”

“Ahem, it seems we’re about to arrive,” I said, noticing the car carrying Choi Jin-ah and her father had come to a halt ahead of us. At my words, Joo-hee let out a deep sigh and shook her head.

“What kind of nonsense is this?”

There it was, the words finally spilling from her lips.

Anyway.

The place we had arrived at resembled our family home in scale, a sight that was unmistakably Choi Jin-ah’s own residence.

* * *

“Is it really okay to just leave it like that?”

As she stared blankly at the empty space where Kim Woo-jin had been dragged away, Choi Yi-seo asked, and Yoo Ah-rin sighed heavily.

“What else can we do? Jin-ah said it herself. She thought we should go together.”

“That’s true, but…”

After all, as the fiancée, it felt uneasy for her to be left behind while Jin-ah went off. Yet, there was nothing to be done here, so she decided to simply wait for the bus to take her back, sighing in resignation.

Oh Yoon-ji was already stretching her limbs, sunglasses perched on her nose, while Seo Ye-rin was frantically tapping away at her phone.

‘What, are they playing a game or something?’

In the midst of feeling a bit lonely and bored with Kim Woo-jin’s absence, the bus finally arrived, and we all boarded.

Choi Yi-seo naturally tried to sit next to Oh Yoon-ji, but oddly enough, Yoon-ji chose the seat beside Yoo Ah-rin instead.

“What’s this? Why are you sitting next to me?”

“I have something to discuss with you.”

Choi Yi-seo felt a strange unease at Oh Yoon-ji’s sly grin.

Deliberately sitting in the back, she eavesdropped on their conversation.

“Something to discuss? What is it?”

“Do you have a separate appointment to meet Woo-jin later?”

“Hmm? No? I don’t think so. Maybe just when we register for classes?”

“Aha, I see.”

“Why do you ask?”

“Well, I heard you’re quite the expert.”

“Specialty? What specialty?”

Yoo-ae-rin’s ear whispered to Oh-yoon-ji. Choi-ee-seo also leaned in to listen, not wanting to miss a word.

“We’re doing something. I’ll join in too.”

“Are you crazy?! I’m already annoyed about that! What’s going on?”

“You said I really liked it, didn’t you?”

It’s not a lie, honestly.

Anyway, Yoo-ae-rin had said a lot of silly things here, and she had never missed a beat.

In fact, because of that, Yoo-ae-rin became even more furious and shouted.

“Who?! Kim Woo-jin, that piece of trash?”

“No, it’s Yerin.”

“Yerin, you idiot!”

Yoo-ae-rin jumped up, looking at Seo Yerin, who was sitting next to Choi-ee-seo.

But Seo Yerin had been glued to her phone all along.

“What’s going on?”

Yoo-ae-rin asked, her eyes fixed on Seo Yerin’s phone, which was filled with a familiar sight – the bamboo forest bulletin board of Ga Hyun-dae.

As soon as Seo Yerin had returned to the country, she had posted a message on the bulletin board, and the comments that followed made Yoo-ae-rin’s eyes widen in disgust.

– Anonymous69: I want to have s*x!

↳ Anonymous222: There’s an open chat room. Please leave a response.

↳ Anonymous222: I’ll provide it according to your desired level.

↳ Anonymous222: You can say your gender, age, and major separately in the chat room.

↳ Anonymous222: It looks like you’re interested in this kind of thing, but I’ll show you something you’ve never seen before.

↳ Anonymous11: What the hell is this place? You’re a disgusting piece of trash. Stop spamming.

↳ Anonymous222: There’s an open chat room. Please leave a response.

↳ Anonymous409: But it’s really disgusting.

↳ Anonymous243: Are there any anime girl pictures?

↳ Anonymous222: I’ll post the address in 5 minutes. Please enter it.

“What’s wrong with you, you idiot?”

“Ah, what a relief!”

The caretaker, Yu Ah-rin, thought the situation had settled when she promptly issued a three-day suspension to Anonymous 222.

↳ Anonymous 477: There’s an open chat room. Please leave a reply.

A few minutes later, another anonymous user began to repeat the same antics.