Bamboo Forest Manager

Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om

“Right now, at the Gahyeon University Festival, let’s go to the hottest street stall! It is the English Department’s pub! I heard their spicy pork is really delicious!”

Popo was saying something to the phone attached to the selfie stick. It seems like they were broadcasting live, and it was my first time seeing someone do this.

It was kind of fascinating, but due to the crowd that gathered, it was annoying to me.

“I’ll try smashing it!”

Smash what, exactly?

Popo, who had sneakily moved closer to me, smiled as she (Popo is a woman!) asked,

“Hello, do I order here?”

Maybe because she is a broadcaster.

She was definitely beautiful. I’ve heard she’s a mukbang broadcaster, but considering mukbang, she seemed quite petite.

“Please order inside the pub.”

In case I don’t appear on the broadcast, I lean my neck back to answer Popo and she enters with a smile.

Probably because she’s a popular figure in the University, the pub is noisy inside, with male students trailing behind Popo.

Chan-woo was there too.

“Eh? Why are you here?”

When Chan-woo, who was being dragged along in the back, was called, he sighed, scratching his cheek.

“The seniors forced me to come because they wanted me to appear on Popo’s broadcast.”

“……”

“Haa, why me.”

Considering they said they were busy with the deli festival, yet they brought Jeong Chan-woo all the way here, so it must mean they were serious.

Naturally, the number of female viewers would explode if Jeong Chan-woo appeared as a guest on the broadcast.

“Good luck.”

“Yes, you too.”

Jeong Chan-woo gestures and goes inside. As I start grilling pork again, Hyun-ah next to me, opens her mouth and poking me in the side, asking,

“Do you know that person?”

That person?

“Chan-woo?”

“He’s the handsome god from the Department of Engineering. Woah! I heard he came to our booth earlier, and it’s true! Insane! How handsome!”

He truly is handsome.

“Can you introduce me to him?!”

“I can introduce you. But you know there are a lot of rivals, right? You think you can win?”

“……”

At my words, Hyun-ah pouted and look at the meat I was grilling.

At least, she’s clear-headed about her chances, which was nice.

Then,

“Woo-Woojin! An order of 20 servings of pork belly has come in!”

Seo Yerin urgently informs me of the order, momentarily shocked, but I remember that Popo is a mukbang broadcaster.

“Wait for a bit, please.”

After entrusting the tongs to Hyun-ah, I immediately head to the main tent, but Seo Yerin stops me.

“Yah, where are you going!”

I sigh as I look at Seo Yerin, who has stretched out both arms to block me.

“I was going to say if you don’t want to start a fight, change it to two servings.”

“No way! We are live! And I think you’ll lose!”

Look at this girl?!

“Are you planning to live off this for the rest of your life? It’s only until tomorrow, what does it matter if something bad spreads?”

“Oh my!”

Seo Yerin pushed against my chest with both hands, trying to stop me as we continued the back and forth.

“Woojin, change the 20 servings to 5.”

Choi Yiseo, who sneaked up on the side, told us.

“Don’t overdo it.”

Choi Yiseo left with a smile. It seemed like she somehow managed to switch the order from 20 to something else.

“Choi Yiseo is the best!”

“……”

Although I hinted for her to agree, Seo Yerin sighed and left me alone.

The endless stream of customers seemed to have stabilized at some point.

Because a pub is essentially a place for drinking, and once people sit down for drinks, they tend to stay for a long time.

With the tables full, there were few orders for more side dishes, and it was just a matter of busily bringing out more drinks.

“Go and have some fun.”

Wiping off the sweat with a towel, I looked at senior Min Ju-hee.

“Uh?”

“Go have fun. I’ll handle the pork belly when it comes. You’ve worked too hard.”

“……”

“Everyone else took a break or went out to have fun for an hour or two, but you’ve been working nonstop. Go on and enjoy yourself.”

“Thank you!”

As soon as I accepted, worried that the offer would be rescinded, senior Min Ju-hee chuckled and patted me on the back.

“You worked hard. Thanks to you, this year’s fest will make a record-breaking profit.”

“That’s good to hear.”

But even if we made profit, it wouldn’t be going into our pockets.

It will all go into operating expenses.

With others taking a break and only a few of us left at the pub, the atmosphere felt lighter.

As I take the apron off and step away from the dreaded grill, Hyun-ah, who had been with me, approaches.

“What are you going to do? If you’ve got nothing else, want to hang out?”

“Sure.”

I didn’t expect to receive such an invitation. Surprised, I stared at her and Hyun-ah asked with a playful smile,

“Curious why you’re being so sex…y?”

“That’s not true.”

“Pfft! It’s not like you have any plans anyway. Since there are boys going, you should join us too.”

Ah, so it wasn’t just me being invited.

It seems like a plan for those who are free to move as a group.

“I have plans.”

“Really? That’s hard to believe. Well, have fun then.”

“…Why is that hard to believe?”

“You’re not just going to squat somewhere on the stairs and play games right? Going ‘Sakura-chan kawaii’ and all that.”

“Don’t even say hi to me if you see me.”

Hyun-ah leaves with a giggle. Anyway, I quickly change my clothes and send a message from a spot not too far from the booth.

A few minutes later.

Choi Yiseo, who hurriedly put on her coat, approached me, had slightly flushed cheeks, making me wonder if she had been drinking.

“What, I thought you left on your own.”

As soon as she arrives, Choi Yiseo flicks me lightly. It wasn’t forceful, but more like an affectionate gesture.

“You said you wanted to meet.”

“I thought you’d just let it slide because you were busy.”

“It might become bothersome if people like Ahn Hyeon-ho find out…”

I thought it was the start of another gloomy jealousy.

“But it’s funny to think about walking on eggshells because of someone like that.”

At my words, Choi Yiseo chuckles and stealthily approaches. I thought she was going to put her arm around me, but she hesitated for a moment and reached out awkwardly, keeping her distance.

“Th-there! There’s this place which sells caramelized fruits, let’s go there.”

“I’ve never tried it before.”

“Me neither.”

It was a bit of an unexpected situation, but this was the start of a delicate date.

The atmosphere wasn’t bad.

We ate the fruits, tried shooting air guns, and even got something like a health check-up.

Originally, I should have gone to look for Anonymous90, but because I went with Yu Arin, Choi Yiseo didn’t even glance in the direction of the Physical Therapy Department.

It wasn’t a bad atmosphere though.

It was slightly disappointing that there was no physical contact.

It felt like Choi Yiseo was intentionally avoiding it. In any case, there was distance between us.

“Uh, it seems like it’s time for us to head back.”

Choi Yiseo, looking at the time on her phone, regretfully spoke while hesitating about what she wanted to say.

“Let’s sit on the bench there and rest for a while.”

When I pointed to the empty bench, Choi Yiseo nodded and headed in that direction.

We blankly watched the festival.

A guest singer was performing, so all the attention was focused there, making this place less crowded.

Probably, people from our department were there too.

“I… have something to say.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Since I was waiting for this, I replied with a smile and Choi Yiseo visibly relaxed a little.

“You see…”

Just as she was about to say something after taking deep breath,

“Excuse me!”

Someone interrupted our silence. I quickly turned my head to the voice of a woman I had heard earlier.

It was Popo, the streamer I had seen before.

But now, the atmosphere around her was strange, with her pink hair hidden under a hat and hood and she was wearing a plain gray hoodie.

Popo, catching her breath, asked,

“I-I am sorry, but can you help me?”

Was she being chased by a fan?

I looked up at her and said,

“No, please leave.”

“……”

“I am in the middle of a serious conversation, so please go.”

“…Yes, sorry.”

Popo said that and just left. I was curious but I wasn’t that into it to care. Choi Yiseo tilted her head.

“Usually, you’d help them out in that situation.”

“Me? Help her? Why would I help someone who ordered 20 servings?”

And now wasn’t the time for that, wasn’t Choi Yiseo mustering up her courage to speak something important?

Sorry, but Choi Yiseo is more important to me than a broadcaster like Popo.

Realizing this, Choi Yiseo seemed sorry for Popo but grateful to me.

“You know, I feel a bit sorry.”

Sorry?

I wanted to ask back but didn’t.

I didn’t want to interrupt her flow.

“At the festival this time… more people showed interest than I thought.”

Putting it mildly, she probably meant she got hit on. It would be believable for someone like Choi Yiseo.

Even if there’s a warning sign in front of the pub not to do it, when one is drunk, would they care about such things?

“Honestly I was a bit annoyed. It’s bothersome. It might sound odd, but I felt malicious gazes on me.”

“Not strange at all.”

For her to feel that way.

Fidgeting with her hands, she sighed.

“B-but then suddenly, I had this thought. That, I, I might be doing the same to you…”

“Huh?”

It was hard for me to grasp the context of her words. So I needed time to organize all that in my head.

“So you mean you were worried that you were clinging to me too much?”

“Y-yes.”

So that was why she deliberately avoided physical contact today; now I get it.

Choi Yiseo was sneaking glances at me as she waited for me to speak. Thinking she’s taking it too seriously, I exhale and said,

“Not all men are like that.”

“Huh?”

“I mean, I welcome anyone unless I really hate them.”

“Welcome everyone…?”

Was my wording off?

Choi Yiseo looked at me with disgust.

“No, I meant that’s just how I say it. Well, I’m not exactly popular, so I am grateful to anyone who shows kindness to me… though dating is a different thing.”

“…Trash.”

Choi Yiseo mumbled and I just shrugged.

“I don’t hide it. I have no plans to date anyone now. That won’t change either.”

Choi Yiseo didn’t bother to ask why. She knew it was because of Oh Yoon-ji, a classmate of hers.

“You have lingering feelings?”

“Hardly.”

I answered with a chuckle, and Choi Yiseo looked at me like she wanted to read my mind.

Well, I made my stand clear. I kept the promise because Choi Yiseo asked me out, but I had no intention of dating.

It seemed Choi Yiseo had sorted things out, so she sighed and glanced at me.

“Then, what if… someone just asks you to go to a hotel?”

“Huh?”

This was unexpected, but Choi Yiseo seems serious.

“There are people like Yu Arin who just let you touch their chest.”

That-

“Shh, that’s a different thing.”

“……”

“Given the chance, I would want to.”

“……”

“I’m being honest.”

Now with a look of genuine disgust, Choi Yiseo glared at me, making me want to utter some excuse.

“N-no! It’s not like I would do it with just anyone! Of course, if some unknown woman comes up and asks me, I would refuse!”

“What if she’s pretty?”

“……”

She hit the nail on my head.

No wonder she’s so good at studying.

As I firmly kept my mouth shut, Choi Yiseo clenched her fist so I tried to say,

“How pretty are we talking?”

“You son of…!”

Choi Yiseo rushed at me with her fist clenched. We bickered for a moment, but the heavy atmosphere from before was lifted.

I thought this was enough.

“Anyway, it’s not like I would do it with just anyone.”

“What if Yu Arin is asking?”

“…I would.”

If I hadn’t seen that movie, I would have resisted. Too bad.

Choi Yiseo was getting angry.

“What about Yerin?”

“Oh my, thank you.”

“Sigh.”

Choi Yiseo cooled her head with a hand fan.

Then, she sneakily glanced around and asked,

“So what about me?”

“Should we go to a hotel?”

As I ask with a sly smile, Choi Yiseo’s expression turns serious.

“Find one.”

“……”

“I said yes. Turn on the app.”

At Choi Yiseo’s bold response, my body flinched without realizing. After glancing down at the phone I ask.

“You… are you being serious?”

“Yes, let’s go.”

“…Think about it carefully. Being too impulsive isn’t good either.”

“……”

“Think calmly, am I a guy who can sleep with anyone? Experiencing it this way isn’t good for you…!”

“Hmm.”

Choi Yiseo smiled at my words. That’s when I realized I was baited.

“All talk and no action.”

While crossing her legs and sitting down, Choi Yiseo flaunted being at ease. Realizing that she was trying to confirm if I was really as indiscriminate as I claimed, I said,

“Let’s go, I’ll make you cry today!”

I jumped up shouting in excitement, but Choi Yiseo chuckled.

“It’s too late now.”

“What do you mean by too late! How can someone’s feelings change in just a couple of seconds?!”

I want to go this time!

I won’t stop!

Though I shouted, Choi Yiseo got up, linked her arm with mine and began to drag me to the English department’s booth.

“No. At least for today, I dislike you for being annoying.”

Today?

My heart fluttered slightly but my mind calmed it down. Though it felt like it was all sorted, my mind felt muddled again.

As I was being dragged by Choi Yiseo, I wanted to organize my thoughts.

“We’re not dating, so I won’t push you as I was doing so recently. It isn’t my place to meddle with whom you are close to or spend time with.”

Though it made me wonder if Choi Yiseo had been that pushy, if she says so, then she must be right.

“Still.” 𝖋𝔯𝖊𝖊𝖜𝔢𝖇𝔫𝖔𝔳𝔢𝖑.𝖈𝔬𝖒

Poking me in the side, Choi Yiseo whispered.

“At least allow me to be a bit jealous.”