Bamboo Forest Manager

I hadn’t really been to a concert before, but once I entered and found my seat, strangely, my heart began to flutter.

Because people were passing by, the stage was intermittently visible, but even that filled me with anticipation.

“Wow, honestly, I thought it would be similar to watching a movie, but it’s very different?”

“Right. It’s my first time too, so I’m a bit nervous.”

Choi Yiseo also seemed excited since it was her first concert, as a faint smile appeared on her lips.

The atmosphere wasn’t bad.

Because I was holding on to her in line, others occasionally glared at us with a mix of jealousy, but that was just a part of it.

Originally, it was rare for someone to come to such a concert alone, so everyone was preoccupied with their own partners.

“What should I do, I’m so excited.”

Choi Yiseo, stomping her feet, was trying hard to suppress her excitement.

It was the first time seeing her act like a child, which felt refreshingly cute.

I also felt proud of myself for succeeding in getting the tickets.

When I offered Han-kang and Pyo Jinho as sacrifices, I felt a twinge of guilt now and then.

But seeing Choi Yiseo so happy made me think it wouldn’t be a problem to offer them up a few more times.

“Oh, looks like it’s starting.”

At that moment, some lights went out, and the remaining lights began to focus on the stage.

The moment the singer appeared on stage, I thought cheers would erupt.

Instead, the audience was mesmerized by the quietly resonant voice, exclaiming out loud not even crossing their minds.

“Wow.”

Having stayed in the same position for three hours straight, I twisted my stiff neck from side to side.

Choi Yiseo pressed on my neck as we walked, which eased it a little.

After roughly receiving a massage, I reciprocated by giving one to Choi Yiseo, and we shared our thoughts.

“I didn’t realize concerts could be this grand. Seeing it in person is amazing.”

When I clicked my tongue in amazement, Choi Yiseo nodded vigorously in agreement.

“It’s really different from just listening to the recordings. It felt like I was absorbing the music with my whole body.”

“Oh, good analogy! That’s exactly it.”

I nodded while pressing on Choi Yiseo’s slender neck. That expression seemed just right.

“What should we do now? Should we get dinner?”

The concert was over, and it was already evening.

The sun had set, and I was feeling peckish, so I checked my phone to see if there was anything to eat nearby.

“No.”

Choi Yiseo gently pushed my hand away.

I wondered if the massage was enough now, but there was a strangely damp resonance in her voice.

The fresh atmosphere just moments ago cooled with the winter wind.

Choi Yiseo, who stepped forward, distanced herself from me, and the hand that was pressing on her nape lingered there faintly.

As if it regretted her departure.

“Choi Yiseo?”

Out of anxiousness, I urgently called her name without realizing it.

Otherwise, it felt like Choi Yiseo would leave without looking back at me at any moment.

“Woojin, listen carefully from now on.”

Choi Yiseo’s navy blue eyes were moist, tears welling up in them.

However, as if hoping I wouldn’t notice, the tears just welled up without flowing.

“During the break, I worked with Yoon-ji.”

“……”

It was a name that wasn’t very welcome to me.

A name that still remained like a lump in my heart, delivering a heavy feeling.

“Right now, Yoon-ji is working with your brother.”

“I know, she is working with my second brother.”

I heard from my eldest brother last time.

I still don’t know what exactly you’re doing, though.

“I helped Yoon-ji there. Actually…I wanted to hear about you from Yoon-ji.”

“……”

“So what I’m trying to say is, Yoon-ji hasn’t forgotten you yet.”

Even when my eldest brother said something similar last time.

I had imagined such things.

What if Yoon-ji had left me for some unspeakable reason.

Then how should I react?

“Yoon-ji is working for you now.”

“For…me?”

“Yeah, to free you from the family business. So you don’t have to rely on the family’s help.”

A chilling feeling crept over me.

Family business and family.

The blood of my father within me boiled, urging me to live as the heir to the company.

“It was just a slight misunderstanding… No, it was just a miscommunication that made you break up.”

“……”

I felt a certain hollowness.

During the vacation after the first semester, living like a recluse.

I imagined it countless times, hoping it was true.

Of all people, Choi Yiseo was the one telling me.

The one who helped me the most to get over Oh Yoon-ji.

It had to be her.

She was thrusting the memories and unknown truths of that day back at me.

The hollowness made my heart ache.

The heaviness made my tongue heavy as lead.

It felt like my eyes were slightly moist.

Unable to answer, just confused, Choi Yiseo smiled bitterly at me.

“I’ll speak first, Woojin.”

Without hesitation.

And honestly.

Choi Yiseo calmly unravels words that cannot be spoken lightly to others.

“I feel guilty.”

Why?

Such words needed to be said.

But all that came out was a white breath as she bit her lips.

“Yoon-ji is my friend. And you were her boyfriend. Even morally, this isn’t right.”

Choi Yiseo’s expression gradually contorts.

She hastily wipes away the tears that almost fall because of it.

“Woojin, do you know what I thought after finding all this out?”

She tried to smile, but her cheeks stiffened awkwardly as if it wasn’t easy.

“A little.”

“……”

“Just a little bit.”

A wish close to a lament.

Desperation contained within the sorrow.

“I wished that I’d met you earlier.”

Only then.

Choi Yiseo smiled at me.

Without shedding tears, the smile without awkwardness is a confession of love for me and a farewell gift.

One day.

When I recall the memories of us.

This moment.

That bright smile of Choi Yiseo.

Is the epilogue of memories and the full stop of a brief love.

“Again.”

Realizing that.

“Do I have to go through the same thing again?”

I strode towards Choi Yiseo.

The stiffness I felt just moments ago seemed like a lie. Sitting in the corner of my room, hugging my knees, and crying over a lost love…

No longer suited the person I had become.

“Do you remember what you said to me, when Ahn Hyeon-ho confessed and you were walking home that day?”

I reached out to her.

Choi Yiseo stepped back to avoid my hand, but.

“You said you’d give me the right to hold on to you.”

I didn’t give up on holding her.

I reached my hand out again.

“Don’t hold me. It’s different now than it was back then…”

This time, Choi Yiseo brushed my hand off.

But still, I reached out again.

I grabbed her wrist as she tried to push me away and closed the distance between us.

The distance was close enough to feel each other’s breath.

I rebuked her with emotions mixed with resentment.

“Do you know what really pisses me off?”

I was so angry that my head felt hot, and there was one thing that annoyed me so much in this situation.

Someone who caused a rift between Oh Yoon-ji and me?

My second brother, who didn’t explain properly while working with Oh Yoon-ji?

Oh Yoon-ji, who called Choi Yiseo to work and explained separately?

No.

Neither of them.

None at all.

“What’s really making me angry!”

Is you.

Choi Yiseo.

“Why do you feel guilty!”

I resented her for feeling guilty.

“What did you do wrong to hang your head like a sinner?”

I hated her for regretting the past.

Because I…

“You saved me!”

Because she helped me.

Thanks to her, I could think that maybe I could love someone again and start over.

The one who made that possible was Choi Yiseo.

The one who healed me was her.

“Why are you regretting that! Why are you thinking of it as a sin! What wrong have you done in that!”

If there was any wrongdoing, it would be by me, Oh Yoon-ji, or someone else that was involved.

At least, it wasn’t Choi Yiseo.

“I won’t let you go.”

I release her wrist, which she held tightly while silently shedding tears.

Then, I gently embrace her as if to hide her in my arms.

“You are never the perpetrator. No one can point fingers at you.”

Is she a bad woman for loving her friend’s lover?

No, that’s not it.

If anyone points fingers.

“It’s not you, it’s me who’s the bad guy.”

It should have been me all along.

“It’s because I’m a scumbag who flirts with this woman and that woman without any principles.”

Seo Yerin, Yu Arin, both the same.

They both have feelings for me, and this ambiguous situation is ultimately my fault.

“I’m the bad guy, so don’t you worry.”

You just pitifully met the wrong man.

Instead, the one who should be stoned for extending his vile hands even to his ex’s friend is me.

“Do whatever you want. No matter what you do, I’ll be the bad guy at the end.”

If you want to love, then love.

If you want to leave, then just leave.

If you want to forget the past and pretend it never happened, then do so.

But.

I hoped that it was due to our own emotions.

I wished it wasn’t because of the guilt I felt through someone else.

Choi Yiseo, who was sobbing, lightly tapped my chest with her fist.

A powerless reproach.

“How could you do that?”

“……”

“Even though I’m here, you say you’ll meet someone else…as if it’s for me?!”

“Because I’m trash?”

I gave a slight squeeze to the hand holding Choi Yiseo with a bitter smile.

“So even if you like me, it’s inevitable, isn’t it?”

“Bastard! Bad guy!”

Choi Yiseo’s hand, hitting my chest, grew stronger.

Rather, it felt like she was returning to her original self.

Facing the winter wind, I laughed heartily.

Looking up at me, Choi Yiseo clenched her fist and caught her breath.

“Bad man.”

When we stood in line earlier, you gave me a hint.

“This is when you kiss.”

Ah.

“There is a lot to learn.”

I lowered one hand to Choi Yiseo’s waist, supported the back of her neck with the other, and kissed her on the lips.