Bamboo Forest Manager - Chapter 347



Dormitory Rumor

Kim Woo-jin didn’t attend the taekwondo gathering.

It was because Yu-arin was unable to attend the gathering.

“Are you okay?”

The path that leads away.

I was carrying Yu-A-Rin, who found it hard to stand alone.

People around us stole glances, but I paid them no mind.

What worried me more was Yu-A-Rin, who kept her lips tightly sealed.

‘Did I go too far?’

I had to admit, I had heavily influenced the atmosphere.

It was a clear mistake to act that way with the team outside.

No matter how good I felt.

I even did it again after sending the kids away.

The playful excuse that Yu-A-Rin was just too captivating wouldn’t hold water.

“Let’s stop by the convenience store.”

Near the apartment where Yu-A-Rin lived.

As we passed the store, she finally spoke up.

“Convenience store?”

“Get me a Choco-Mong.”

“Sure!”

I quickly set Yu-A-Rin down on a chair in front of the store.

Then I dashed inside, bought a Choco-Mong and a snack that Yu-A-Rin liked, and came back out.

I hadn’t noticed while carrying her, but her expression was anything but normal.

Yu-A-Rin seemed lost in thought.

I crept closer to her, gently inserting a straw into the Choco-Mong and offering it to her.

“Here you go.”

“Uh, thanks.”

“How’s your body feeling?”

Slurp.

Yu-A-Rin sipped the Choco-Mong without answering. That silence stirred an unsettling feeling within me.

Slurp.

The juice pack crumpled.

Its deflated form felt like a warning directed at me.

“Did you enjoy it?”

As the child chewed on the straw, she asked me, and I lowered my head like a sinner, responding softly.

“Mm.”

It was good.

If it had been bad, would I have gone at it so madly?

“Were you satisfied enough?”

“Of course, naturally.”

Was it just satisfaction?

No, it was complete satisfaction.

“Really?”

Had her mood lightened just a bit?

I tore into the snack, continuing to elaborate with more detail.

“I don’t think I can do it again. It was just sucked dry. Truly, Yuarin. A more lascivious woman than Seorin! A succubus with skewed stats!”

“Enough already.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Haah, I think I can somewhat understand Choi Iseo’s feelings now.”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

“Just…”

As she popped another snack into her mouth, Yuarin fell silent again. Did she have something she wanted to say but felt too shy?

“What is it? Just say it. We’re close, after all.”

We had seen everything there was to see, even involving others in our little displays.

With a soft chuckle, Yuarin finally bared her honest thoughts.

“Do you ever feel like this is too much? You just went and filled me up without a second thought.”

“Ahem.”

“I’m just wondering if this is okay. What if something happens and you end up getting me pregnant? You know, that kind of worry?”

“…You don’t want that?”

I cautiously gauged Yuarin’s expression. Hearing her words made me reflect on how I had acted purely on desire.

“To be fair, it’s not that I don’t want it. If I had to put it into words… it’s more like concern?”

“Concern?”

“If someone really did end up pregnant, this relationship could come to an end, you know.”

“…….”

“That’s why it’s a bit complicated.”

Is that what I talked about with Choi I-seo?

“Ugh, damn it, I don’t know. I really don’t.”

Yu Ah-rin scratches her head.

We were still too young for this kind of conversation.

“I wonder if it’s okay to be this irresponsible. Honestly, even thinking about it, no good answers come to mind.”

Yu Ah-rin stands up.

She hesitates slightly, but it seems she’s recovered enough to walk.

“Ah-rin.”

Following her, I too rise and stand in front of her.

Without saying much, I embrace her, and she wraps her arms around my waist without any particular words.

“You don’t need to worry.”

I will take responsibility, no matter what.

“Ha, damn.”

Yu Ah-rin’s voice, softly resting against my chest, has lightened.

Leaning in, she rubs her cheek against my chest and whispers.

“You really have to take responsibility for my life.”

It was probably meant as a warning.

“Thank you.”

I welcomed her words by holding her even tighter.

“For allowing me to take responsibility.”

* * *

Time passes, and it’s midterm exam season.

I was now heading to the library with Seo Ye-rin.

She had actively suggested we study in my room, but yesterday, that ended up with us just having s*x.

“Damn, is this really how life should be?”

As a college student, living this life where it’s just s*x with my girlfriend.

Some might envy it, but I felt like something was a bit off.

“But it’s not like that with I-seo or Ah-rin.”

Even when I’m with them, it doesn’t feel this way.

But the moment I’m alone with Seo-yeon, something triggers and we’re somehow shedding our clothes.

I’ve felt this kind of vibe with Oh-yoon-ji back in the day, in our dorm room.

Waaah!

My phone starts ringing.

I check the message and glance over at Seo-yeon, who’s muttering to herself about not wanting to study.

“Seo-yeon?”

“Uh-huh?”

Looking slightly annoyed.

“Yu-ah-rin and Choi-ee-seo sent me a message.”

– Yu-ah-rin: How many days has it been since you said you’d take responsibility for something, only to go around sticking it to someone else?

– Choi-ee-seo: I thought about it while we were at taekwondo, and I’ve decided to be more restrained from now on.

“Oh my.”

Seo-yeon’s eyes widen in surprise as she points to her mouth.

“I took off the autumn leaves that were stuck on your head,” I say, as if teasing her.

“You know what we did yesterday, don’t you?”

“How did you know?”

Seo-yeon puts her hand to her chin, looking like a detective trying to solve a mystery.

“That’s right. We’re the only ones who know what we did yesterday.”

“Hmm, it’s not a murder… no, it’s not a…”

Seo-yeon’s face twists into a nasty smile.

“I see. You’re saying we had s*x in a secret room.”

“Ahaha!”

(Ouch!)

“You’re too good at socializing! You’re too good at watching, talking, and counseling!”

“Shut up!”

(Violence!)

“Why are you showing off to kids that we had s*x? You’re not just doing this once, are you? You did it last time too!”

“……I didn’t do it.”

(……I didn’t do it.)

“You’re the only ones who know. If I hadn’t said anything, wouldn’t the perpetrator be you?”

As she released her grip on my cheek, Seo Ye-rin gently caressed her own face with her palm, nodding her head.

“It’s logical.”

Should I just kill her?

“Why are you even saying this? Huh? We could just keep it between us.”

“That feels like bullying! As the main consort, I have a duty to look after the other concubines!”

“Talking to you makes my head hurt.”

“Where does it hurt? Should we go to the nurse’s office? Let’s see, maybe take off your pants.”

“…Just go away, please.”

“Hehe! You’re so s*xy when you curse, U-jin!”

And then, without hesitation, Seo Ye-rin crossed her arms and leaned against me.

I wanted to say, what if someone sees us, but she boldly brushed it off, not caring at all.

“How do I reply to the kids?”

Eventually, with our arms still crossed, we sighed together as we made our way to the library.

Seo Ye-rin suddenly raised her hand, claiming she had a brilliant idea.

“Tell the concubines not to speak outside the bed.”

“Wow.”

Imagining sending a text like that was truly horrifying.

It wouldn’t be strange if someone came to find me and kill me right then.

“First, I need to calm them down.”

We spent a few minutes chatting with the others in the library, but after all, I focused on my studies once they settled down.

At first, Seo Ye-rin tried to mess with me, but eventually, she began to concentrate on her studies too, likely due to the others watching.

After about two hours, I think.

Tap, tap.

Seo Ye-rin poked me with her fan.

– Why?

I wrote something in my notebook and showed it to her, and she scribbled back.

– I have to go soon. My manager is coming.

Has it already come to that?

She did say there was a night shoot today.

– You’re really dedicated.

Studying hard, acting too.

Aside from the fact that this kid has a bit of a screw loose when it comes to s*xual norms, they’re truly remarkable.

– See me off.

Without a word of protest, I stood up from my seat.

If they’re leaving, how could I not see them off?

Seo Ye-rin, excited, packed her bag and stepped out of the library.

When we entered, the sun was still shining.

Now, outside, it had grown dark.

The chilly weather made me tighten my clothes once more.

“Ughhh!”

Seo Ye-rin stretched her arms wide.

Thanks to that, her heaving chest was on full display, but I clenched my fists, forcing myself to refrain from touching.

“Is the manager coming?”

“Yeah, they’ll be here soon.”

Then she glanced around, smiling, and leaned her face slightly toward me.

“A kiss?”

“What if someone sees?”

“There’s no one around.”

True enough, there was no one.

After a quick look around, our lips met.

Seo Ye-rin, pulling me close, thrust her tongue roughly into my mouth.

Just a brief kiss.

As I pulled away and glared at her, she wiped her lips and grinned mischievously.

“Special, isn’t it?”

“Why do you act like that?”

“What’s it to you? This is all part of the plan. If you want to pronounce things clearly later, you need to loosen your tongue.”

“…Can you loosen it a bit more?”

“Come quickly.”

As we continued to kiss for a while,

Bang! Bang!

“Yerin!”

In the distance, the manager’s fierce shout echoed as he drove in with Ben.

“I told you, for the love of all that’s holy, don’t show that kind of thing outside!”

The manager was at his wit’s end, having been tormented by Seo Yerin more times than he could count.

“Unnie! This is my boyfriend!”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake! You’re supposed to be an actress!”

“Ujin, I’m heading out, okay?”

“Hmm, have a good time.”

I feel terribly sorry.

I bow my head slightly, offering my own form of apology, and wave until Seo Yerin gets into the car.

A quick glance around reveals, thankfully, that no one else is around.

*Should I try studying again?*

As I step into the library, familiar faces greet me in the lobby.

Boys my age from the same dorm are whispering in front of the vending machine.

“Did you come to study?”

“Oh, Ujin.”

“What’s up? I went to your room to see if you wanted to hang out, but you weren’t there, so I just came.”

“Hey, let’s ask Ujin too.”

“Hmm?”

Ask me?

It seems they stepped outside to cool off and ended up lost in conversation.

“What’s going on?”

As I show interest, the others seem to have been waiting for this moment to speak up.

“Did you hear there’s a strange person in our dorm lately?”

“…A strange person?”

“Yeah, late at night when no one’s in the lobby, there’s a woman wandering around.”

“What? Is that a scary story?”

There are so many rumors in the dorm that I usually don’t find them interesting.

“No, but they say that woman is unbelievably beautiful.”

“Truly beautiful, they say. But I’ve never seen her in the dorms, you know?”

“Some of the people we know are even waiting on purpose until dawn.”

“We’re studying until the early morning too, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.”

“…….”

I was about to say it was a rather dull conversation.

In truth, I found it utterly uninteresting.

But then.

A sudden thought of one person twisted my expression sharply.

‘Still hasn’t left?!’

—