Bamboo Forest Manager

“Um, the thing is… Woojin.”

Jeong Chan-woo called out to me from behind.

Just hearing his deep voice calling my name made me feel like a supporting character in a noir film.

With Jeong Chan-woo as the lead.

And I’d probably make my appearance, get shot, and die right away.

“What?”

“Is it really okay for me to come along?”

Even though we had arrived right in front of the after-party location, the pork belly restaurant, Jeong Chan-woo was still hesitating.

It was our tent’s after-party, and he might have felt it was not right for him, a civil engineering student, to join.

Normally, that would be the case.

If the roles were reversed, I wouldn’t have gone either, not even if I was paid to attend.

After all, it’s about reading the room, and the party costs are being borne from the department’s earnings, so it would just be freeloading.

But.

“I’ve been curious since last time.”

Crossing my arms, I asked Chan-woo honestly.

“Do you, or Seo Yerin, not know the usefulness of having that face, or do you know but are pretending not to?”

“……”

As soon as Jeong Chan-woo arrived, the people who should be thankful first were clearly visible. Specifically, the expressions of the female students.

Especially since Chan-woo often stopped by our booth during the festival, he must have properly made his presence known.

“Let’s go in. If they say no, I’ll take responsibility for bringing you here. This was decided from the moment I looked for a substitute for the PC café shift.”

If they say no, Chan-woo and I can just leave and grab something to eat together.

Upon entering, we could see that most of the tables at the pork belly restaurant were occupied by students from our department.

“You’re from Gahyeon University’s Department of English, right? Sit anywhere you’re comfortable.”

The owner, carrying side dishes, also greeted us with a big smile.

Initially, I intended to drop Chan-woo off at Yu Arin’s table, but unfortunately, that table was already full.

Because of Yu Arin’s friend, Seo Yerin.

With the two of them at the same table, it was only natural for people to flock there.

Although it was regrettable, the sight of Yu Arin’s expression twisting unpleasantly upon noticing us was satisfying enough.

I casually take a seat at an available spot.

At first glance, groups were already seated together, opening bottles of soju, engaging in their own conversations, or playing drinking games.

For now, Chan-woo and I sit down and order two servings of pork belly.

“……”

Chan-woo sneakily surveys the surroundings.

Although he occasionally makes eye contact with some girls from our department, he cautiously asks after gauging the atmosphere.

“Woojin… by any chance…”

“Don’t I have any friends?”

“Ahem.”

“I don’t.”

“Would I be grilling meat with you right now if there were any friends?”

I replied indifferently while grilling the meat.

Choi Yiseo, who noticed my arrival belatedly, hurried over. Choi Yiseo was the class rep, so she was sitting at the same table with the vice representative Ahn Hyeon-ho, the secretary, and the treasurer.

“You’re late.”

Slapping my shoulder and grumbling, Choi Yiseo quietly takes the seat next to me.

Then she seated at the table didn’t pay much attention to anyone else and took the tongs I was holding.

“What?”

Then, she started grilling the meat instead of me.

“I’ve already eaten, so don’t worry about grilling and just eat.”

“……”

What’s this?

This nice, fluffy feeling.

Maybe it’s because Choi Yiseo mentioned being a supportive partner yesterday, but I strangely find herself caring for me.

“I-I’m okay not eating.”

Chan-woo, still conscious of gazes from our department peers, insisted on not eating the pork belly.

It was funny yet regrettable to see him so serious, especially as he kept sneaking glances towards Yu Arin, seemingly longing to join her even then.

“It’s fine, really. Just eat. Woojin almost ate for three at the tent, so it’s no problem if you join us.”

“I guess so.”

I had eaten with more effort than necessary. A sigh of frustration escaped me, enough to make me want to hit my forehead and grab a soju, lamenting the harshness of reality.

“That means you did well.”

Choi Yiseo flipped the meat over and poured some cola, which was unexpectedly not alcohol.

“Drinking too much continuously is bad for your health.”

“…What’s with you since before?”

Why do I feel like a husband being cared for for his health? Even as I looked at Choi Yiseo with mixed emotions, she smoothly caught my gaze and pushed the cooked meat towards me.

“Eat. You won’t stay long anyway, right?”

“True.”

I did come, but I only planned to show my face, eat, and then leave. I wasn’t even considering a second round of food or drinks.

“Wrap it in lettuce and eat. You like garlic, don’t you? Should I grill it?”

“…Grill it. And the kimchi too.”

“Right, right. Eating just meat isn’t great either.”

Choi Yiseo, finding this somewhat amusing, started grilling this and that with a grin. Honestly, it was a bit of an overwhelming care, but then again, why refuse when she’s offering to grill the meat?

This must be something close friends do for each other.

‘Is that so?’

Pretending not to know the truth even when you do know the truth was also a skill one needed to have.

“You look good together.”

Jeong Chan-woo, sitting across from us, looks at us and comments.

Perhaps it’s because of the heat from the grill in front of us, but my face suddenly felt hot, and though Choi Yiseo covered her mouth with her hand while resting her chin on it, she didn’t seem to be in a bad mood at those words.

“Excuse me!”

Then, a girl with a glass of alcohol approached our table. It was Hyun-ah, who had been in charge of the cooking of the pork belly with me at the pub.

The kitchen assistant, already drunk, asked Chan-woo with a flushed face.

“I-I lost in a drinking game, could you pour me a drink?”

“What nonsense.”

Watching the scene from the side, I couldn’t help but blurt out in disbelief, and Hyun-ah immediately glared at me sharply. 𝒻𝓻𝘦𝑒𝓌𝑒𝓫𝓷𝑜𝓋𝘦𝓵.𝓬𝘰𝓂

“Kim Woojin, shut up okay.”

“If it’s a penalty for a drinking game, I’ll pour it for you.”

“I won’t accept a drink from a playboy like you.”

“Didn’t you see that it was all nonsense in the Bamboo Forest?”

Why are we talking about this? Anyway, Jeong Chan-woo, who awkwardly poured her a drink, was caught between us.

Seeing Chan-woo’s awkwardness, I casually asked Hyun-ah.

“Are you at Yu Arin’s table?”

“What now?”

“Because Chan-woo and Yu Arin are high school friends. Take him and stay together. We have a serious conversation to take up now.”

I know I’m being shameless and pushy, but what can I do if that’s just my character?

Chan-woo must have seen it as a chance and stood up immediately. After being rejected once before, it seems this guy has changed and is ready to take action.

“Let’s go.”

“Oh my.”

Hyun-ah immediately takes Chan-woo away from the table.

And seeing her give a thumbs up towards us, it seemed she was quite happy to have brought Chan-woo to their table.

“Now you’re getting along well with the others, aren’t you?”

Before I knew it, Choi Yiseo had grilled various things and placed them in front of me, smiling happily.

It was somewhat jittery and embarrassing, so I pretended not to notice and just kept eating.

“Here, eat this too.”

She even wrapped a lettuce wrap for me.

“Yah, this is a bit…”

I appreciate the sentiment, but we weren’t dating, and doing this at an after-party seemed a little too much for me to handle.

Especially since there were people glancing over at us from time to time.

“……”

But Choi Yiseo didn’t say anything, just holding out the wrap. Just her stare at me was enough pressure.

“Ah.”

As soon as I opened my mouth slightly, her lips lifted into a smile and she put the wrapped meat inside my mouth.

Wow, why did she wrap it so huge!

“Is it good?”

“Sssohashyyy.”

“Hm? What did you say?”

It’s just a wrap.

Somehow when I was focusing on chewing, someone sat next to me.

Both Choi Yiseo and my gaze simultaneously turned in that direction, initially thinking Chan-woo had returned.

“Woojin, you’re here.”

But sitting there was Seo Yerin, smiling brightly.

“Moat?”

What?

Honestly.

To be really honest, Seo Yerin made me uncomfortable right now. Although she said it was nothing and to let it go on her side.

After all, we had spent the night together.

It was a situation that would naturally make anyone feel uneasy and uncomfortable, not just with Seo Yerin, but with any woman, this would be the same case.

‘She came here by herself?’

So, I thought today wouldn’t be the day to have a conversation alone with Seo Yerin.

As Anonymous69, she could spill anything she couldn’t say in words, but in reality, she couldn’t say anything to people’s faces.

With the thought of dying from embarrassment just by saying sex, I wondered how long it would take for her to speak again with the man she had sex with.

Thinking that a natural conversation would be impossible, I intentionally avoided her for a while.

“Look at those chubby cheeks.”

Watching Seo Yerin poking my cheeks with her finger as I ate the wrap Choi Yiseo made.

I realized that things were flowing in a different direction from what I had expected.

“Ugh!”

I push her hand away, telling her to stop, and Seo Yerin burst into laughter.

“So cute.”

“Ugh!”

“Hehe, why are you so cute today?”

What’s this?

Why do I feel like I can see a tail wagging behind Seo Yerin?

Is this really the Seo Yerin I know, who would self-destruct from embarrassment at every moment?

Even though she had drunk a little, this reaction was definitely different from usual.

“Ah, Choi Yiseo. You wrapped the meat wrap so big, I almost dislocated my jaw.”

Having barely swallowed the wrap, I joked, but Choi Yiseo stared at me with a subtle expression.

Feeling awkward, I tried to eat again, but the meat was completely burnt.

“Hey! The meat is all burnt!”

I exclaimed in surprise, but Choi Yiseo slowly put the tongs down and coldly replied to me.

“You grill it then.”

“……”

Did I do something wrong just now?

Just as I was about to ask that question, Seo Yerin stretched out and grabbed the tongs quickly.

“Then I should grill it for you?”

Suddenly, the scent of Seo Yerin’s shampoo gently permeated my nose.

How does she still smell so good after eating meat?

Seo Yerin started grilling the meat instead of Choi Yiseo. And Choi Yiseo was looking at me with her chin taut.

“Yah!”

Sorry, but I have no time to care about Choi Yiseo.

“You really suck at grilling meat!”

“Huh?”

I snatched the tongs away in annoyance after seeing Seo Yerin’s clumsy skills burning the meat, charring it black.

“Ah, seriously, because everyone just caters to you, you don’t even know how to grill meat. Do you know how to pour water into ramen or you don’t even know that too?”

“……”

“Hey, this too, you know. There’s something called skill in doing things. It’s not for nothing that people adjust the cooking for steak to be rare or medium, get it?”

“It’s just pork belly though…”

“Pork belly isn’t meat then? What else can you do besides having a pretty face? You should be thankful to your parents, seriously.”

A satisfied smile formed while looking at Seo Yerin, who was pouting.

This is Seo Yerin.

Acting all high and mighty.

The practice of grilling meat deliciously for my ex-girlfriend is coming in handy here.

What a shitty feeling.

And so, our table was in a bit of a mess right now.

“Wow, it’s so warm.”

Senior Min Ju-hee, who had just arrived from the cold air outside, took a seat where Chan-woo had been sitting.