Bamboo Forest Manager

Although it was sudden, Choi Yiseo coming over was reassuring.

Having an extra pair of hands was immediately helpful, and Choi Yiseo had good stamina.

But more than anything, I was most grateful that Choi Yiseo came to see me in person.

It made me feel gloomy about distancing myself because of Oh Yoon-ji.

Choi Yiseo helped me move the luggage with a refreshing smile.

“Still, it’s nice that you get the whole room to yourself.”

Choi Yiseo entered the room carrying a box of clothes.

“Is that the last one?”

“Yeah, this is the last one.”

I was inside organizing, and received the last piece of luggage brought by Choi Yiseo.

“Thanks a lot. It got done much faster thanks to you.”

Other rooms were still in the midst of moving, but I was already done.

“It’s partly because you don’t have much stuff. In fact, you might need to buy more clothes.”

While hanging up clothes from the box on the hangers, I shrugged.

“Where would I get the money to buy clothes? I came here because I don’t have money.”

“…That’s a worry that doesn’t even feel a bit urgent.”

Since Choi Yiseo knew about my family, it sounded like mere complaints to her.

“What do you want to eat for dinner? Since you helped out today, I’ll treat you.”

The wardrobe organization ended quickly.

Maybe it was because of what Choi Yiseo just said, but I felt like it ended quickly because there weren’t many clothes.

Now, I start to unpack the rest of the stuff inside.

“Hmm, then can I choose the menu?”

“We have to play rock-paper-scissors for that.”

“You never change.”

I remembered the times we used to play rock-paper-scissors to decide the menu whenever we ate together.

Back then, I never imagined that I would have this sort of relationship with Choi Yiseo.

“I guess I can’t visit often anymore. The dormitory prohibits outsiders.”

“What’s the big deal? Just come over. I heard from Dae-sang hyung that you can just sneak in.”

“Already picking up bad habits since moving into the dormitory.”

Although she said that, she had a slight smile, indicating she was considering visiting.

“Does it take long to unpack? Need some help?”

As I was unpacking and organizing my stuff, Choi Yiseo approached, but I waved her away.

“Just rest. I’ll finish this quickly anyway.”

“Really? Then…”

Choi Yiseo lay down on the bed I was going to use. Although the mattress was new, the blanket and pillow were the ones we used before, so she looked comfortable.

“Don’t fall asleep.”

“Mmph.”

“Don’t talk with your face buried in the pillow.”

“I know, I won’t sleep.”

Choi Yiseo lay with her back turned. While leaving her alone, I continued tidying up the room.

“But Woojin.”

Choi Yiseo, who had been so quiet that I worried she might have fallen asleep, called my name softly.

“What? Want me to pay you?”

Though I said that earlier, I was actually planning to buy something expensive and delicious for Choi Yiseo, who had come to help voluntarily.

“Where did the condoms I brought the last time go?”

“……”

The body that was opening the next box froze.

Feeling the back of my head stinging, I glanced over to see Choi Yiseo, who had turned her face slightly to stare at me intently.

I couldn’t tell what emotion there was in her lowered eyes, but it felt like a kind of protest indicating that no excuses would be accepted.

Gulp.

Swallowing hard, my throat bobbed, reflecting my emotions.

‘Definitely.’

I remember throwing it away just in case Oh Yoon-ji showed up.

Since Oh Yoon-ji came in right after Yiseo went out.

I’m not sure if Choi Yiseo saw Oh Yoon-ji, but she wouldn’t like talking about anything related to Oh Yoon-ji.

She might misunderstand…

“That? Seems like I lost it somewhere.”

Shrugging, I reply as usual and start packing again.

‘That was so natural.’

It was such a brilliant act that Seo Yerin would have clapped and said, ‘You have a talent for acting’.

“Where is it.”

Why.

How did Choi Yiseo see through my lie.

She gets up from the bed and walks over, crossing her arms and was now blatantly glaring at me.

“Kim Woojin lost a condom? I think something like a condom would have a pretty high priority for you while moving.”

“……”

Not an incorrect statement.

“Hmm? You often have sudden situations. So, I thought you would have brought it without fail.”

That too, is not an incorrect statement.

For example, if Choi Yiseo suddenly said she wanted to do it with me right now, there was a condom ready to be pulled out.

Yes, it was prepared.

But the important thing is that it was a different brand from the one Choi Yiseo had bought.

Choi Yiseo is not a fool, she would obviously suspect if I took out a different brand.

‘Let’s stay calm.’

Choi Yiseo staring intently.

As I slowly got up while organizing my things, her gaze followed me upwards.

Here, it was time to use the technique I had learned from my ex-girlfriend.

“Yiseo, what should we have for dinner?”

“Do you want to die?”

“……”

It’s not working.

“Who did you use it with? Yerin? Or Arin?”

Even though she was speaking casually, one thing was clear. The moment someone’s name was mentioned here, it would become quite a big deal.

‘That’s a trap.’

I had experienced it a few times with Oh Yoon-ji.

They tell you it’s okay to talk, but if you do, you’re dead that day.

‘I really don’t want to talk about anything related to Oh Yoon-ji.’

The atmosphere was good, and I didn’t want to bring it down again by talking about Oh Yoon-ji.

I was afraid that Choi Yiseo might subtly try to distance herself from me again.

So.

After coming up with another convincing statement, I placed my hand on her shoulder and answered seriously.

“Yiseo, I’m not dating anyone else yet.”

“…Is that right?”

Choi Yiseo, suddenly serious, nodded with a reluctant expression.

The momentum shifted to me.

Choi Yiseo is an extremely rational and logical person, so I just need to win her over with logic here.

“It’s not right to have sex with someone who isn’t your girlfriend.”

“You bastard, what the hell did you do?”

Choi Yiseo immediately grabs me by the collar and trips me to the ground.

Where did she learn this technique?

It’s very clean.

“I fought with logical and reasonable statements?!”

I shouted, feeling wronged, but Choi Yiseo sighs in disbelief.

“That’s because a contradictory person is making logical statements.”

“Tsk, Seo Yerin would have been fooled.”

“You’re underestimating me too much.”

Choi Yiseo lets go of my collar and climbs on top of me. Then, she looks down at me with an unmistakable pout.

“Hurry up and tell me. Who did you use it with?”

Do I have to say it in the end?

“I didn’t use it with anyone. I just threw it out the window.”

“Threw it?”

“So, that is-”

At that moment, the voices of three people could be heard from outside.

“Senior! Are you there!”

“Senior! It’s Chul-soo from the drinking party last time!”

“Hey, damn it.”

It was Chul-soo from the English department, along with Young-hee and senior Ju-hee, whom I had seen at the dormitory gathering.

For some reason, senior Ju-hee opened the door and entered as if in a huff.

“……”

“…….”

An awkward situation ensued.

Chul-soo and Young-hee, who saw Choi Yiseo on top of me, wore blank expressions.

“S-sorry!”

“We truly apologize!”

They blushed and ran away, while senior Ju-hee, with her mouth agape, stared blankly.

“S-sorry.”

Her face reddened, and she stepped back, closing the door.

“What do we do about this.”

A sudden situation.

When I looked up at Choi Yiseo, she seemed flustered too, standing frozen without any reaction.

“Well, isn’t this a good thing?!”

I had no idea what she meant by it being a good thing, but it was clear that she was panicking.

---

“Wasn’t that senior dating Yerin?”

“Yeah. Wow… Isn’t he the class president for the second-years?”

Chul-su and Young-hee were talking in the lounge on the first floor of the dormitory building.

Having attended the same school since elementary school, they had known each other for 15 years and had been dating for 5 years now.

Right now, they could almost be considered a happily married couple as they whispered to each other, reflecting on the shocking scene they had just witnessed.

“I’ve heard bad rumors about senior Woo-jin.”

“Isn’t it because he has complicated relationships with women? That’s why he fought with the seniors, right?”

“……”

Min Ju-hee, sitting on the sofa, staring blankly at the ground, didn’t even pay attention to the two kids chattering beside her.

‘No way.’

She knew that Choi Yiseo had come.

Originally, she intended to help Kim Woo-jin herself, but when she saw Choi Yiseo helping, she stepped back.

But seeing them not coming out of the room made Min Ju-hee strangely anxious, so she deliberately instructed Chul-soo and Young-hee to go greet Kim Woojin.

‘No way, even Yiseo!’

This was the result.

Not only enjoying with Seo Yerin and Yu Arin, but even with Choi Yiseo, the atmosphere was as such.

Moreover, the dormitory walls were not well soundproofed, so even the word ‘condom’ was blatantly audible from outside.

An anxious Min Ju-hee unknowingly opened the door roughly and went inside.

‘Hoo.’

Min Ju-hee let out a long sigh and bit her lip firmly.

“It’s so unlike me.”

Yes, she had been acting unlike herself recently.

Who is Min Ju-hee.

She is the woman who survived high school with fists and tools, but devoted herself to studying for scholarships in college.

‘I must have been possessed by something weird.’

Taking a deep breath, Min Ju-hee calmly closed her eyes.

Her face, which had been flushed with embarrassment until just now, calmed down, and her sharp gaze turned to the kids chattering next to her.

“You guys, don’t spread weird rumors.”

A blatant warning to Chul-soo and Young-hee, who were already exaggerating the gossip.

“Y-yes, ma’am!”

“Of course, senior!”

The two, seemingly frightened, quickly answered and hurried away from the spot.

Other dormitory students also saw Choi Yiseo moving his stuff, so the rumors were bound to spread.

“That’s his karma.”

‘Whew, that’s enough.

Let’s not worry about Kim Woojin anymore.’

He was a good junior, and he still is.

He has a bit of playboy tendencies, but it seems the girls are aware of it.

‘Let’s not worry about it.’

Resolving to forget about that night, Min Ju-hee shoves her hands deep into her jacket pockets.

‘Maybe I’ll go see a movie tomorrow to mend my mood.’

---

“……”

The next day.

Min Ju-hee, who came to a movie theater downtown to watch a film, looks at the two people waiting for the same movie with a sour expression.

They hadn’t noticed her yet, so she pulled her hat down a bit more.

“Hey, why are you so clueless? You should buy caramel popcorn.”

Grumbling, it was Kim Woojin.

“That’s nonsense. Salted is the best.”

Her gaze kept drifting to Yu Arin, who was feeding him popcorn in annoyance.

“Hey, why is there salt-flavored popcorn? Then why isn’t there pepper-flavored popcorn?”

“If it’s tasty, just eat it all.”

“As if it would be tasty. Ah, don’t force-feed me- um? Wow!”

“Haha, you crazy guy!”

“Wow, it’s really tasty?”

“Don’t bury your face in the popcorn! I’ll feed you, just open your mouth!”

Listening to the juniors’ conversation.

Min Ju-hee’s head was throbbing.