Bamboo Forest Manager

"Yah."

"Uh?"

Despite being in the middle of the lecture, Seo Yerin was checking numerous things on her phone.

I thought she wasn't listening to the lecture, but she clearly was taking notes of key points, showing she could do it all.

Even though I called her, she wasn't throwing a single glance at me and often clicked her tongue. Wasn't she being too harsh on an account which was just started yesterday?

"Did you eat oranges this morning?"

"Uh? How did you…?"

Startled, Seo Yerin quickly brought her hand to her nose, and then her face turned red, and she froze.

"I had it as a snack on the way here."

"I see, the oranges are a bit sour now, but you seem to have enjoyed it."

"..."

Puffing her cheeks out as if asking me to not speak, Seo Yerin stuck her lips out making herself look cute and I found myself smiling without realizing it.

*Woong*

My phone rang.

Naturally my gaze turned to it.

-Bamboo Forest message….

My hand reacted first to the message which appeared, swiftly snatching the phone up. Then I immediately checked Seo Yerin's reaction, who was staring blankly at the spot where the phone was.

'Did she see it?'

What if she did?

What if she finds out I'm the administrator of the Bamboo Forest?

'If she finds out….'

Upon reflection, it wouldn't be a problem even if she did. After all, the person I have been talking to as the administrator is Anonymous69 and not Seo Yerin.

It might be a bit awkward if it was found out but I knew Anonymous69 was Seo Yerin and still talked to her.

So it won't matter as long as I don't make any mistakes.

"Bamboo Forest."

However, at Seo Yerin's words, I tensed up. I had just thought it wouldn't matter if she knew, but facing this situation made me feel a bit nervous.

"You use the Bamboo Forest too!"

But her response was slightly off the mark.

"Uh?"

"I use it often too. There are a lot of fun things posted there."

You are one of the fun ones in there.

It seemed like she thought I posted something on the Bamboo Forest and received a comment on it.

Should I be relieved about it?

"Well, right. A lot of interesting things get posted. Sometimes there are people that you wonder if they're really attending the same university."

"Right, right. It's kind of like playing detective, trying to guess who posted what."

"There are times when direct attacks are posted."

"Ah…"

Seo Yerin opened her mouth slightly, making a face as if she had made a mistake.

It was a chance for me to naturally frame it as if I had criticized the Bamboo Forest with the karaoke incident that happened.

"I installed it to confirm if the sniping happened at that time, but I found quite a few interesting stories. So I have been watching it from time to time."

"I see. It's fortunate that bad memories can turn into good ones."

Seo Yerin smiles and rejoices together.

"Being able to talk anonymously has its downsides, but it also has its merits."

As I added that, Seo Yerin seemed to agree and nodded vigorously. As the conversation shifted to the Bamboo Forest, we began to talk, forgetting about taking notes on the lecture.

"Right! It kind of feels like I'm saying things I normally couldn't? So it feels a bit freer to me."

"You're not going around picking fights, are you?"

"Anonymous11?"

"Ah… the one who goes around picking fights on every post, right?"

"Right, people call them keyboard fights on the forum, I have been cussed out by that person too."

I know.

This morning, you and your follower were cursed for being affectionate with each other.

"But I don't really care about being cursed. It's like, I get to say what I want behind a mask and receive curses behind a mask too."

"Right, I didn't expect you to make such wide use of the Bamboo Forest."

"It's pretty nice. It feels like a masquerade party with verified people."

Since only students of Gahyeon University get to use it, they are, in a way, verified people.

"And then there's the Admin."

It came so suddenly that there was no time for my expression to even change. So, without any change, I became curious.

"Uh? Admin?"

"The Admin is quite competent. Good at the job and kind, which is something I like."

"Do you know them?"

"No, I don't know the person. But I've had a few talks because of inquiries."

"Ahh."

"Every time, I get the feeling that they are kind. Even when they're nitpicky, they seem kind of nice."

When talking about the Admin, Seo Yerin's expression changed to a slightly nostalgic, adorned with a gentle smile.

I felt worried and asked her.

"You're not like, interested in them or something, right?"

At my question, Seo Yerin laughed mischievously.

"Who knows? But I do want to meet them. Who knows? After being alone for 20 years. Maybe I'll finally get a boyfriend?"

"That bad?"

Wait, it wasn't like the talk was anything special, what made Seo Yerin take such a liking to them?

"Anyway, I don't need to reveal my true self to that person."

Seo Yerin whispered softly but audibly.

Min Ju-hee, my senior, poked me in the ribs as I sat there, confused.

"It's nice that juniors are talking to one another, but it's getting a bit noisy."

Uncharacteristically, senior Min Ju-hee is even wearing glasses. They really don't suit her though.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry, senior."

As soon as we apologized, she added some words with a refreshing laugh.

"Our smartie seems flustered because there's someone Yerin likes, right?"

"What?!'

Seo Yerin looked at me in surprise, but I shook my head coldly at that.

"No, it's not that."

Perhaps it was because the denial was so firm and sincere.

"I-is that so? I must be mistaken then."

Feeling awkward, Min Ju-hee went back to the lecture, and Seo Yerin looked down at her notes with a complicated expression.

Just as senior Min Ju-hee said, I was flustered.

But for myself.

This was because I was flustered as I wondered if she liked the administrator.

'I should be more careful.'

I thought I should respond to the 1:1 inquiries with brief responses for Anonymous69.

After the lecture.

The team members gathered to make a movie, just as senior Min Ju-hee had mentioned.

We didn't leave the classroom but moved while just sitting around the desks casually, and seeing the seniors on senior Han-kang's side and he himself keeping their distance from me, made me want to laugh.

At least, having Seo Yerin sitting next to me made it feel less empty.

"Thank you all for making time."

Senior Min Ju-hee, who took on the role of team leader, stood in the center and began to lead the discussion.

"First, I've been thinking about the content of the short film? Since melodrama or horror would cost less, I'm leaning towards that. Any objections?"

Of course, no one said anything. Melodrama was expected and horror like B-grade horror movies, would be cheaper to produce.

Just walking around the school at night could easily produce a horror story.

"I asked the professor, and he said the movie's story structure and completion level would also be reflected in additional points. So today, we are announcing that we are looking for a scriptwriter."

Scriptwriter?

"Come up with a story and submit it. Whoever gets selected can skip the assignment from that day on."

"Oh?"

I couldn't help but let out an exclamation. It seemed that not just I, but the other team members were all intrigued.

Could we really skip the cumbersome assignment just by sending in a story?

"I'll post about two videos in the group chat. Just come up with a story of that scale."

The idea of crafting a story seemed fun, and the possibility of skipping an assignment was what piqued my interest.

"But Woojin is out. You'll have to edit it with me."

"Ah…."

My shoulders stopped bouncing and slumped. I couldn't help but feel disappointed.

"Submit the script, anyone can except for Woojin. Got it?"

"Was this the reason you gathered us?"

As the meeting seemed to come to an end, one of senior Han-kang's friends raised his hand and asked.

It was a valid point.

Couldn't this just be posted in the group chat?

But senior Min Ju-hee shook her head.

"This is just an addition to it. I have something else to say."

Then, Min Ju-hee senior looked between me and senior Han-kang and then bluntly dropped the bomb.

"You people fought, right?"

"Ah, haha. It's not really a fight or anything."

Senior Han-kang had this awkward laugh and stepped forward. Min Ju-hee ignored his words and looked at me.

I just shrugged without giving any response.

It was true that I had cursed at senior Han-kang and it was also true that things got twisted and I was sniped on the Bamboo Forest.

"Since the parties involved didn't fight, let it be known that they didn't fight. Even if they did fight, I will not tell them to reconcile. Rather."

Firmly and intensely.

Senior Min Ju-hee declared.

"Don't let that affect the project. If you're going to drop the lecture because you hate the bastard or you aren't going to do the assignment, saying some fucking nonsense like that, then say it right now, because if this comes up later, I will rip your mouth open."

*Woah*

Senior Min Ju-hee momentarily went back to her past self. Senior Han-kang too, looked taken aback for a moment.

I immediately raised my hand and said,

"I will do my best to edit, team leader."

"Yes, that's right. As expected, Woojin's actions are so lovely."

"Eh, not at all."

Blushing, I waved my hands in denial and friends of senior Han-kang made faces like they saw something they shouldn't have.

"I don't have that intention either."

"Right, Han-kang, you can't get out of it unless you have a warrant."

*Woah*

Look at her gallant form.

Our Captain Ju is simply the best.

*****

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