Bamboo Forest Manager

"Yah, what are you people doing to my boyfriend?"

Although the manner of speech felt rough, the tone of voice was light. That's why the first year English Literature students also took it with a laugh.

"Uh, senior Ju-hee?"

"Senior, you are dating him?!"

"Hehe, it would be nice if I was, right?"

Despite what was said, it was too obvious that it was more of a joke than to be taken seriously. It felt exactly like when middle-aged men cracked jokes.

It wasn't exactly pleasant, but since it was Captain Ju, they all just let it slide.

"Group…"

"Senior, come drink with us!"

"Right! We want to get closer to you, senior!"

Min Ju-hee was especially popular among the girls, probably because of her down-to-earth nature, and it seemed like she might have the girl crush appeal too.

After all, cool women are more liked by other women.

"Umm?"

However, Min Ju-hee sneakily glances in my direction. It seemed like she was hesitant because she didn't want me to join a drinking session against my will.

And honestly, I didn't want to join them.

But that didn't mean I particularly preferred having a meal or drinks with only my senior either.

After all, earlier on we had the assignment as a topic, so it didn't matter what we talked about, but it is different now.

"It's okay."

As I nod and assure her it's no problem, her lips slightly lift into a smile and she playfully hits my back.

"What now, I thought you'd hate such a thing?"

'I do hate it.'

But it would be somewhat wrong to ruin the mood now, wouldn't it?

Besides, it wouldn't be a big deal if I eventually vanished from the group drinking halfway through.

Actually, I was counting on that, so I could accept it all without much thought.

The bar was decided as the place where the others wanted to go, not the original place we had in mind. They said we absolutely had to go because they had already made this reservation over the phone and spoke about how nice the food there is.

"Meals aren't available at this time."

As we entered the bar, found a seat, and sat down, the server spoke to us with a smile.

"Should we leave?"

Senior Ju-hee seriously said because she couldn't leave me hungry for too long but I shook my head.

"It's fine, I'll get filled with a few snacks and a beer."

The others had already eaten, so they came to the bar specifically for drinks and ordered beer along with some dry snacks and salads.

'What kind of salad is this?'

Though I thought that, it appeared to be a simple Caprese salad with tomatoes and cheese artfully arranged on lettuce leaves, topped with some sauce.

It wasn't to my liking though.

The kids were either smoking or off to the bathroom for the girls to freshen their makeup, all leaving a gap in the talks.

Senior Ju-hee went off to smoke and handed me the menu, telling me to get something to eat.

The menu was filled with numerous types of alcohol for about two pages and then when I flipped the side dishes section.

'Ah…'

Dried snacks, French fries, sausage and rice cakes, pizza, salad, nachos, assorted sausages and more.

There really was a wide array of side dishes in this place.

I wasn't one who is usually this picky about food, but for some reason I didn't even feel like eating a single thing here.

"Not great?"

Choi Yiseo, who had been sitting close to Ahn Hyeon-ho, subtly moved to a seat next to me.

Ahn Hyeon-ho had gone off to smoke with a couple others so he wasn't seated here.

"Umm, I wonder if they can add rice to the assorted sausages? Maybe with kimchi?"

"…Can that happen?"

Choi Yiseo looked at me as if I had said something absurd to her.

"I wish I could buy some instant rice now."

While feeling regretful, I scanned the menu when Choi Yiseo pointed at pizza.

"You don't like pizza?"

Well, pizza is just a thin layer of dough with cheese and pepperoni on top.

"It's not that I don't like it. It's just not… a meal for me."

There is no use in calling me picky.

I am a Korean who thrives on the power of rice.

"Well, I knew it from the way you were looking at the menu."

Having gone through the day of pork stir-fry and pork cutlet, Choi Yiseo shook her head as if she was dizzy.

I decided to ignore that and maybe fill myself up with some dry snacks and beer.

"Are you really dating senior Ju-hee?"

Choi Yiseo rested her chin on her hand, and asked in a low voice so that the others around the table couldn't hear it.

"No, we were just together for a group project."

I had a feeling that Choi Yiseo had approached me with an ulterior motive, like the last time, so these questions didn't really do anything to me.

"Really?"

It seemed like she was relieved at that, but it wasn't because she saw me as a normal person.

'Hmm.'

I got this feeling that she was glad, and that meant she had some other reason. Ever since the ex-girlfriend had been brought up, Oh Yoon-ji, Choi Yiseo's attitude had been a tad unsettling.

"And."

This time she drew closer and whispered.

"Be careful of Hyeon-ho. He was famous for being a bully in high school… and he doesn't seem to like you that much."

"..."

"I'm telling you because we're in the same department, I don't want to create a weird atmosphere by having two students from the same department fighting."

Well, I know that.

Because he has been busy writing posts insulting me as Anonymous287 on the Bamboo Forest.

I nod and reply that I get it, to which Choi Yiseo sighed.

I thought that she might have another question, but this time, it was something else.

"Do you know about the Bamboo Forest?"

"The anonymous community of Gahyeon University?"

As soon as I answered, her lips tilted up a little. She seems happy that I know about this.

"Do you visit it often?"

"Sometimes? There are fun people and posts which come up."

What is this?

Why did Choi Yiseo suddenly decide to speak about the Bamboo Forest?

"I see."

"…Your question is kinda weird?"

I was about to ask more when…

"What is it?"

Ahn Hyeon-ho and his friends, who were done smoking, returned and Choi Yiseo moved back to her seat.

"What were you two talking about? It seemed fun?"

Sitting down with a smile, Ahn Hyeon-ho asked, though his smile was forced, and the look in his eyes said that he thought that I was up to something unfavorable.

"Just talking."

"So, what about?"

If it had been just Ahn Hyeon-ho and me, the atmosphere would have turned hostile.

"What now? Is Ahn Hyeon-ho jealous?"

"Are you trying for Yiseo? Our Yiseo is off limits!"

"Look at him get all serious! Using his authority on the class rep of all, insane!"

"Ah, what are you saying? I just wanted to join their conversation."

The students whom we came with passed it off with thoughtless laughter, and as the beer we ordered arrived, the subjects of conversation all changed.

"Woojin, what did you order?"

After coming back from her cigarette break, senior Ju-hee tapped me on the shoulder and asked. Judging from the perfume scent which emanated from her, it seemed like she tried to mask the scent of smoke out of manners.

"I'm fine just filling it with beer."

"I would feel sorry if you did that."

"It's alright."

And time passed after that.

After drinking a lot, senior Ju-hee kept apologizing and telling me to fill my stomach with the beer.

Ahn Hyeon-ho also seemed to subtly get Choi Yiseo to drink through the drinking games.

I lightly responded to what senior Ju-hee said, making space for the girls in the department to open up and talk to senior Ju-hee.

They thanked me and quickly took my place.

'Now then.'

It is time to slip away.

I sent a quick message to senior Ju-hee and sneaked out.

'Has it been around an hour?'

I did drink a little, but I wasn't stumbling or too drunk to control my body.

'Ah, I'm starving.'

Despite having had some beer and snacks, I wasn't feeling full, rather I felt even hungrier.

Just as I was about to head to the convenience store nearby.

"Where are you going?"

Choi Yiseo's voice came from behind.

Glancing back, I saw Choi Yiseo looking at me blankly.

Considering that she'd drunk a few glasses more than me, yet showed no change in her expression, shows that she has a high tolerance to alcohol.

"Why are you here?"

"Ahn Hyeon-ho kept trying to make me drink, it was annoying so I left."

"That sounds like you ruined the mood."

"…It wasn't that bad."

But Choi Yiseo, saying it wasn't wrong, thrust her hands into her coat pockets and turned her head.

"I want to be someone who can clearly say no when I don't like something."

The fact that her sentence began with 'I want to' meant that she hasn't been able to do it then?

"More importantly, where are you going? Sneaking off by yourself, were you planning on going home?"

"Ah, I've sent a message to senior Ju-hee."

"How about your stomach? Did you eat enough?"

It seems like she remembered that I said I wanted to have something.

"No, so I'm heading over to the convenience store."

Pointing to the store in front of us as I spoke, I waved my hand to her.

"Then, take care."

As I stepped in the store and was deciding on what to eat, Choi Yiseo followed me in.

"What will you eat?"

"Ramen and the triangle kimbap."

"…Sounds nice."

For Choi Yiseo, who has been working out for her body profile shoot, it might be somewhat cruel to see me choose this menu.

I was about to ask why she wasn't heading home now, but then I remembered that I hadn't asked about the Bamboo Forest matter earlier.

"Let's eat together. I'll buy, so pick something."

Offering to join in the little luxury that a convenience store offers, Choi Yiseo smiled and responded.

"Whenever I'm with you, I end up snacking on more food."

"So don't you want to eat? It's rare for me to buy anything."

That's true.

I don't buy things for others.

Choi Yiseo, finding my words ridiculous, grabbed a spicy flavored ramen and said.

"Kimbap too?"

"It'll make you fat."

Choi Yiseo, as if she was provoked by my words, snatched up a tuna triangle kimbap.

After paying, we sat facing each other at a table outside, waiting for the ramen to cook.

"The PT is going to be so mad at me."

Choi Yiseo said with a bitter smile. I thought that there was a slightly awkward atmosphere, but neither of us were the type to force another into conversation.

We just checked our phones.

[Unread: 46]

'Woah.'

Upon checking, I realized that I haven't checked into the Bamboo Forest for several hours now, so when I logged in I found many messages awaiting me.

The important thing was that they were all sent by the same person.

As expected, Anonymous69.

-Anonymous69: Are you upset, admin?

-Anonymous69: Please respond, I said I was sorry earlier.

-Anonymous69: It's okay if you aren't a frail, pale beauty too.

-Anonymous69: Or are you actually a frail, pale beauty?

-Anonymous69: Soy sauce, milk, carton of egg.

-Anonymous69: Assignment due tomorrow.

Now they're just using it as their personal notepad, knowing just exactly how to push my buttons.

I wanted to unblock them but that would be unfair.

Without responding, I ignored the messages and looked up.

Choi Yiseo looked as if she was checking her phone and was too sad.

'Is something up?'

Feeling something odd like wanting to throw the phone away, my hand trembled.

"The ramen is done."

I spoke as I separated the chopsticks and thanks to me, Choi Yiseo put her phone down and began eating the ramen.

"It isn't fully cooked?"

"Right."

Actually, it was slightly undercooked, but Choi Yiseo's expression had changed back to normal.

After a couple of bites, I got to the main point.

"Why did you bring up the topic of the Bamboo Forest?"

"You remember it?"

Choi Yiseo, who had casually asked about the Bamboo Forest during the drinking session. It was a question that came out of the blue and when I asked her about that it caused her to look down at her ramen and confess.

"Yoon-ji's high school friends."

Oh Yoon-ji.

The name of the girl I dated and broke up with during the first semester has been coming up too frequently now.

"It seems like they're planning something because they'll write about you on the anonymous Bamboo Forest."

"Even if it's anonymous, only the University's students can use it."

"..."

Choi Yiseo didn't answer, but this was enough of an answer for me.

High school classmates of Oh Yoon-ji, who are also students in Gahyeon University, one who is already right in front of me having ramen.

"Well, just be careful. If you see the post on the site, tell the admin immediately to delete it, okay?"

I couldn't tell what kind of relationship this woman had with her friends from high school, but it didn't seem like a good one.

Was she worried about me?

Choi Yiseo started eating her ramen, looking a bit more relaxed.

'Ah, I really hope they prepared it well.'

I don't know what nonsense people will say there, but I hope that they all grit their teeth at night in hatred and thump the keyboard loudly.

I wanted to show them how futile the act of sniping on someone was, and my fingers were itching to do just that.

The long post they had painstakingly prepared and pieced together.

The pleasure of waking up in the morning, yawning, and then deleting it in just three seconds.

Anonymous69. This is what sex is like.

*****

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