Bamboo Forest Manager - Chapter 42



42 – 42. Slave

“Yeah, goodbye. You worked hard today.”

Choi I-seo sees off her first-year classmates leaving the gopchang restaurant.

“Ah, I-seo, it’s you who worked hard.”

“I didn’t know Kim Woo-jin was crazy. Wasn’t he just a quiet guy?”

“But I have to admit it was satisfying.”

Due to the shocking events of today, even the first-year students were discussing them.

There were comments about crossing the line, and there were also curses towards Kim Woo-jin, but the overall reaction seemed to be a sense of relief.

“Is it somewhat okay?”

Kim Woo-jin’s actions were worthy of criticism, but it seemed to show its own legitimacy.

It seemed that the actions of the senior girls from the third year, not able to give a proper answer and fleeing, had a major impact.

“He really had a hard time being the chairman.”

“Yeah, that’s for sure.”

Seeing her classmates murmuring and leaving, Choi I-seo sighed and went back into the shop.

She was about to tidy up and go home.

“Hey! You! Cancel it!”

“Congratulations!”

“Don’t congratulate me! Post the cancellation right away!”

“Omedetou!”

“I’m really going to kill you!”

“Hontoni omedetou!”

Once again, a loud commotion erupted inside the shop.

Naturally, Kim Woo-jin was the protagonist of the conflict this time as well.

Yoo Arin, who was just eating gopchang with him a moment ago, rushed at Kim Woo-jin, trying to throw a punch, but Kim Woo-jin held onto both of her wrists and was smiling playfully.

“Let go of this! Let go!”

“Nah, I don’t want to. If I let go, you’ll hit me. Besides, what kind of habit is that towards the owner?”

“The owner? What do you mean?!”

‘What is this….’

Kim Woo-jin spilled the water while she was cleaning, but why is he playing so happily with Yoo Arin?

Although Choi I-seo was slightly annoyed, she approached with an expression that was not at all different from usual.

“What are you doing?”

However, the words he spat out were chillingly cold. It felt as if there was a suspicious coldness coming from the open store door.

Both Kim Woojin and Yoo Arin looked at Choi Iseo in astonishment.

“No way! It’s Iseo! This kid!”

Yoo Arin, who was about to report immediately, had her hand stopped by Kim Woojin, who reached out and covered her mouth.

They naturally fell into a posture that seemed like they were being pulled from behind, but the two didn’t seem to care about such skinship.

“Eububububong!”

“hahahaha! I have no idea what nonsense he’s spouting!”

“Woobubababong!”

“Oh no! He bit my palm, he’s crazy!”

Yoo Arin, whose mouth was blocked by her hands, finally freed herself by biting Kim Woojin’s palm.

“Phew! Phew! Disgusting!”

Yoo Arin, who said she would go and rinse her mouth, ran to the restroom. Unlike her usual playful self, her face was burning with anger.

“Wow, this is a real mess.”

It was Kim Woojin who showed Choi Iseo the tooth marks.

“Is it fun?”

Choi Iseo glared at him with her arms crossed. She didn’t feel good, but it was not very good either.

He felt very upset that despite having done all the cleanup himself, he felt neglected.

“What? Just ask. Is it fun?”

“…No, it’s not fun.”

“Hah.”

Choi Iseo sighed as she looked at Kim Woojin, who immediately backed down. She wondered if he would know how his university life would go from here.

“He probably doesn’t care.”

She thought that Kim Woojin would be able to handle his university life well, whether it went awry or not.

Even if the seniors tried to gather him through their influence, he would never go.

“Hah, Woojin. You really need to exercise more. I’m worried you might get beaten up somewhere by someone.”

“Well, I may not know how to fight, but I should practice running away.”

Kim Woojin replied with a laugh.

From Noble mtl dot com

Seeing his bright expression, Choi Iseo felt her heart melting again.

“I won’t pay attention to what others think, but we still have three more years of university life. Will it be okay?”

“Well, since you’re in the same department, you’ll personally inform me about important announcements and such, right?”

“……That’s the way it is.”

“Then it’s settled, you’re on my side.”

Could it be that such a statement could sound so matter-of-fact? As if Kim Woo-jin were speaking as a hostage of sorts, Choi Lee-seo couldn’t help but feel a little irritated.

“Can you promise not to think of me as being on your side forever? I might change my mind too.”

“Um?”

In response, Kim Woo-jin tilted his head, smiling.

“In that case, it must be because I made a mistake.”

“……”

“You’re trying to think more logically than emotionally, that’s why.”

The statement was categorical.

It applied to everyone.

Kim Woo-jin was certain that Choi Lee-seo would never dislike herself to the point of wanting to be rid of her, unless she herself did something particularly wrong.

“Choi.”

Why was that?

As she felt acknowledged, Choi Lee-seo’s face unintentionally flushed.

She tried to hide her blush by covering her mouth with the hand she had been fanning herself with, turning her gaze to the side.

She made up an excuse, saying that she had been drinking a few glasses of wine, trying to explain the flush.

“Let’s go when Arin comes.”

Now that everyone had left, Choi Lee-seo suggested they pack up, to which Kim Woo-jin also agreed.

“Yeah, I’ll be too tired later.”

……

Saturday.

On weekends, feeling physically tired felt good. With yesterday’s events, simply lying in bed felt like a luxury.

‘Maybe I’ll watch a movie on my laptop.’

She had barely used the laptop for anything other than gaming, but she brought it over and opened it up as she lay down.

At that moment, her phone, which was connected to the messenger, received a notification.

“Ah, I see.”

She had forgotten that Yoo Ara-rin was noisy, and had left her phone on.

Since it was the weekend, she had assumed that the forest would be quiet, so she hadn’t bothered to check.

When she went to the bulletin board, she found that there were posts on the forest at the same level as during the week.

Of course.

It was because of the announcement made by the caretaker that happened yesterday.

– Anonymous175: If you could appoint a caretaker, you should have done it earlier.

↳ Anonymous88: For real, lol.

↳ Anonymous113: For real, lol.

↳ Anonymous63: For real, lol.

– Anonymous98: There will be adult content. Do your job, caretaker.

↳ Anonymous258: This jerk doesn’t do anything and gets away with it.

↳ Anonymous98: Some evidence (photo).

– Anonymous75: But why was 59 chosen as the caretaker?

↳ Anonymous41: The manager likes pizza.

↳ Anonymous75 (author): ?

↳ Anonymous41: Ogu rice pizza, hahahaha.

– Anonymous69: S*x.

↳ Anonymous90: No frills. S*x.

– Anonymous44: A real horror story that happened in China with a happy ending. This story…

– Anonymous169: The caretaker doesn’t do their job? They don’t delete strange photos and political posts?

↳ Anonymous41: Okay.

↳ Anonymous88: The caretaker really doesn’t do their job.

↳ Anonymous258: But why? They receive the manager’s favoritism. If it were me, I would be grateful.

↳ Anonymous175: Okay, okay. If the manager loves you, that should be enough.

↳ Anonymous98: You have to spend 30 minutes a day checking the bulletin board, delete vulgar posts and dirty pictures, get cursed at, but you don’t get paid. Still, you receive the manager’s favoritism.

↳ Anonymous41: That’s right.

↳ Anonymous59 (Caretaker No. 1): F*ck off.

“Oh?”

Yoo Arin appeared in the midst of the bustling bamboo forest.

As expected, the bulletin board immediately went into chaos.

– Anonymous41: OMG, Caretaker No. 1 has arrived, LOL.

– Anonymous175: Welcome, slave, LOL.

– Anonymous98: Caretaker, delete this (photo).

↳ Anonymous169: Ah, f*ck!

↳ Anonymous59 (Administrator): You’re banned, you son of a b*tch.

↳ Anonymous98 (Author): I’m sorry. Please don’t ban me. I have no one to talk to if I can’t be on the forum.

↳ Anonymous258: Goodbye.

↳ Anonymous63: You’re working, slave number one.

↳ Anonymous41: Did 98 die?

↳ Anonymous59 (Administrator): I just crossed the River Jordan.

↳ Anonymous41: hahahaha! The slave does his job well!

“Phew.”

He complained about not wanting to do it, but when I actually asked him to, he did it well.

Honestly, I wasn’t sure if he would do the job, but he was surprisingly working hard.

He even posted a forum thread.

– Anonymous59 (Administrator): The moment you post a strange image, you will be permanently banned. I just saw a disgusting photo and vomited.

It’s quite bold to set such strict rules.

“It’s comfortable.”

I wish I had someone to pick.

I was observing this child-like person working.

↳ Anonymous69: Why are you the administrator?

Suddenly, s*xxLazh came into the picture.

↳ Anonymous59 (Administrator): If you know, it will hurt.

↳ Anonymous69: I want to know.

↳ Anonymous59 (Administrator): Not knowing is the best.

↳ Anonymous69: I want to know.

↳ Anonymous41: s*xxLazh is talking about something other than s*x.

↳ Anonymous90: Let me quickly inform s*xxLazh! This person is responsible for the birth rate of the forest!

Everyone agreed with Anonymous69’s statement and wondered how a child-like person could become the administrator of Daesup Forest.

It was understandable.

Anonymous59 had been an inconspicuous user who only posted bored comments.

“Well, I guess he won’t say anything.”

I thought.

– Anonymous59 (Supervisor no.1): I found out the identity of the administrator.

This person made a bombshell statement.

Naturally, I quickly deleted the post. But the bulletin board was active and buzzing at the time.

– Anonymous88: Wasn’t the supervisor’s post just deleted?

– Anonymous258: What just happened? Article from no.1 got deleted in real-time.

– Anonymous243: The administrator is watching! Everyone, be careful with your words! It’s God Enel!

↳ Anonymous41: Find it. We have placed everything in the Great Forest.

– Anonymous90: Just now, the situation. Supervisor no.1 found the hidden identity of the Bamboo Forest Administrator and revealed that they got infected and became supervisors. But the administrator who was watching deleted the post right away.

↳ Anonymous175: We shouldn’t act like we know even if we find out.

↳ Anonymous63: Wow, this gives me goosebumps.

“This person…”

I’ve never seen the posts on the Bamboo Forest spread so quickly, even though it’s the weekend.

I hurriedly searched for my phone and turned it on, only to find 20 missed calls waiting for me.

All of them were from Yoo Arin.

Not only that, there were numerous unread messages as well, but I didn’t bother to check and just made a call.

Click.

They hung up on the other side.

“Should I try it?”

No matter how many times I called, there was no answer. Feeling frustrated, I put on my jumper and hat and went outside.

After asking Seo Yerim or Jung Chanwoo where Yoo Arin lives, I planned to go straight there.

“Sigh.”

A blond-haired woman standing in front of our house. With a refreshing fruity scent and a slightly oversized hoodie, Yoo Arin, wearing a white snapback, looked at me.

“Oh my!”

She hit me straight in the throat.