Bamboo Forest Manager

At The Bar

Late night.

Seo Yerin rushed over breathlessly and looked around,

Wondering if this really was their agreed meeting spot when—

“Yerin, over here.”

Underneath a nearby lamppost stood Choi Yiseo waving her hand; she too seemed casually dressed for an impromptu night out due to its sudden nature.

Seeing Seo Yerin running up flustered,

“Yi-Seo! You made it!”

“Why did you run here so hastily? Wait—are those pajama pants?”

Before the appointed time had even arrived, she asked with a laugh, “Why the rush?” Seo Yerin wiped the sweat from her forehead.

“I sneaked out without Mom knowing. That’s why. I was afraid she might catch me.”

“…”

“It’s okay. It’s just that Mom has been overly protective lately.”

Was it really okay to just listen quietly?

Could their meeting be causing unnecessary trouble in their college friend’s family life?

Choi I-seo was troubled by these thoughts, but Seo Yerin seemed resolved, smiling and patting her on the shoulder.

From noble mtl dot come

“How about Arin?”

“She should be here soon?”

“Ah…”

Seo Yerin seemed to understand why she was late. It must be complicated feelings.

“You saw it too, right I-seo?”

“Yeah, Arin sent it to me. Choi Jin-ah’s post.”

The identity of Kim Woo-jin’s blind date revealed through social media. She had heard he was just going on a blind date but never imagined it would be with a famous violinist and an elementary school classmate.

The three of them probably felt similarly at this moment.

Then from afar, a woman walking towards them started to run leisurely.

It was clearly Yu Arin.

“Oops, I’m the last one here but surprisingly there are still 5 minutes left until our appointment time so no apologies,” said Yu Arin boldly yet shamelessly showing her phone for the time.

“I didn’t expect that.”

“Let’s go inside; it’s chilly out!”

“…Why are you wearing pajamas?”

The three chatted as they entered the store together.

Choi I-seo had chosen an izakaya—a place with quite a serene charm.

It was already late at night and nearing midnight.

With its distinctive red lanterns and sparsely cast shadows creating harmony inside, this Japanese bar exuded its unique ambiance.

Not many people were around; it was quaint and just right.

“There’s no worry about being hit on in such a place.”

People often approached them showing interest when they were in bars like Seo Yerin or Choi I-seo and Yu Arin.

But this kind of bar mostly attracted customers who came to talk among themselves so there wasn’t any need for such worries.

“Wow, the menu here is Japanese too? I’ve been craving Japanese food after watching an anime about cooking recently!”

“It’s a shame. I was hoping to stir up some trouble for Woojin.”

Seated at the counter, Yerin seemed pleased, while Arin wore a satisfied expression despite her words.

The three of them ordered some drinks and simple snacks before diving into the main topic.

“Woojin is cheating…”

Yerin, who had been excitedly drinking just moments ago, slumped and handed over her phone.

Since Yerin was sitting between them, both could see her phone screen.

Displayed on it were recent photos of violinist Choi Jina and Kim Woojin together.

“Ha! Didn’t you know he was cheating? That jerk has been playing us all along.”

With a click of her tongue, Arin turned away from Yerin’s phone screen as if she couldn’t stand to look at it anymore.

“He’s always been like this with the three of us; what’s so strange about adding one more? Right?”

“…”

Iseo couldn’t really argue with that. They said it was just a meeting but they looked quite close in the photo.

And now he wasn’t even responding to their messages.

“So he keeps adding more people and then when he falls for another woman, he’ll probably say he doesn’t love us anymore and wants to break up. Doesn’t that make our relationship trivial?”

Arin continued aggressively; though she was cursing Woojin, somehow it felt like they were getting hurt instead but tried to ignore it.

“Let’s settle this once and for all. If that jerk doesn’t choose one of us again this time around, I’m done.”

“…”

“…”

Suddenly both turned their gazes sharply towards Arin.

She took a sip of alcohol and slammed down her glass roughly; from her huffing breaths alone it seemed she had already drunk half the bottle herself although she’d invited them to drink together.

“So are you going to drop out then?”

“Yes! Of course! Think about it! What are we lacking that we have to cling onto such a guy fighting over him as if playing king of the hill?”

“What about you then? What will you do?”

As if passing on the baton in a relay race, attention shifted towards Iseo who sighed deeply before offering a bitter smile.

There were things she wanted to say but voicing them out loud required more courage than expected.

Thanks partly due perhaps because Arin pushed another bottle towards

“The person Woojin met for the arranged date. Recently appeared on a variety show, and as a violinist who has received awards, he’s often in the news too.”

That was not all.

“Moreover, his family is wealthy, just like Woojin’s. Since Woojin’s father established himself well, they must be of similar status.”

A shadow fell across Choi Iseo’s face.

Unknowingly, her head had bowed down.

“Woojin casually meets and dates people I thought were incredible. Even if he says this one isn’t great, he’ll easily meet others who are even more impressive.”

An arranged meeting meant an intention to marry.

And it seemed unlikely that a chaebol family would just sit back after one unsuccessful attempt.

There would be a second and third arranged meeting anytime soon.

Each time Choi Iseo would wonder,

“Do I have anything better than those people?”

Twenty-one years old.

Just a sophomore in college.

An age more concerned about tomorrow than the distant future; worried about assignments, grades, relationships between people.

They must be of the same age yet,

Choi Jina had achieved what she couldn’t possibly achieve even in several years,

And that woman was taking an interest in Kim Woojin.

“I thought Woojin was holding onto us. Trying to straddle three boats… Yeah, it doesn’t make sense.”

Choi Iseo sneakily turned her head to look at them both,

The fuss from Seo Yerin and Yu Arin’s aggressive tone,

Everyone now knew they all stemmed from the same emotion.

“But looking at that photo made me suddenly think maybe it wasn’t him opposing us. It was me… holding onto Woojin. Preventing him from going anywhere.”

A frog in a well, a canary in a cage,

They wondered if they were keeping this man named Kim Woojin trapped like that;

Preventing the frog from seeing the world outside,

Stopping the canary from flying freely towards the sky on its own accord.

“Ah, really.”

Brushing back her bangs with an exasperated sigh,

“I really hated myself.”

With tears forming slowly nodded her head without realizing she’d ever say such things.

“I give up.”

With her lips pursed, that was all she could manage to say.

Because saying any more seemed like it would bring tears.

“Cheers.”

Understanding her feelings, Yoo Arin quietly offered a glass, and Choi Iseo responded with her head still bowed.

Cheers.

Seo Yerin watched as the two glasses clinked in front of her.

“What a pity.”

She genuinely felt regretful seeing that.

“What’s there to regret?”

“…”

Receiving both their gazes at once, Seo Yerin slowly filled her glass with alcohol.

“Because now we’ll never have time to hang out together again like this.”

Seo Yerin took a deep gulp.

All three weren’t particularly strong drinkers, but the naturally accumulating bottles of alcohol were gradually muddling their minds.

“I hate sharing. I wish Woojini would only look at me. That’s true.”

Snicker.

Why is this happening?

Why am I saying these things?

Even Seo Yerin herself didn’t understand, but it was sincere.

“Ah… It really was fun just hanging out among ourselves.”

Now we can’t do that anymore.

That was what she regretted.

“Huh, how funny.”

“Sigh.”

Though she spoke like that, surprisingly the other two also empathized with her feelings.

We had fun playing together.

It’s sad we can’t continue doing so from now on.

From elementary school to middle school.

From middle school to high school.

From high school to university.

Parting with friends I used to hang out with was always regrettable, but just as much, good connections had come around again.

So.

It would be the same this time too.

“It’s not like we’re going to be separated since we’re in the same department anyway.”

Yoo Arin grimaced as she offered her glass.

“Yeah, right. We can just meet up like this from time to time.”

Could that really be possible? Though doubtful, Choi Iseo also extended her glass.

The two glasses gathered before her.

“Sworn brothers!”

Seo Yerin shouted a nonsensical word and raised her own drink for a clink.

Stretching it out long,

After drinking, Seo Yerin exhaled a breath heavy with the smell of alcohol and nodded.

“Great! I give up too!”

It might have been said in a spur of drunken irritation, but at that moment, it was sincere.

“If I’ve been blocking Woojin’s path forward then heck. I’ll let go for now.”

And then become a great actor,

Becoming an extremely famous actor everyone admires,

Let’s go back once more then,

Even standing next to Kim Woojin without feeling inferior—

“Gah! Gah! Ah man, seriously!”

At the sound of a man’s voice from behind them, all three turned their heads swiftly around

In the quiet hours past midnight,

Among people holding back their desire for another drink because they had work on Monday morning and trudging home tiredly,

Kim Woojin alone was standing there sweating profusely looking at them three

“What are you doing here? Why aren’t you answering your calls?”

As Kim Woojin approached with a deep sigh and they stared blankly at him,

Pressing down hard

Choi Iseo pinched Kim Woojin’s cheek.

Thwack.

Yoo Arin struck Kim Woojin’s shoulder once.

Thud.

Seo Yerin slipped her hand between Kim Woojin’s legs.

Then all three of them said at the same time,

“It’s real.”

It was real.

This was indeed Kim Woojin.

Kim Woojin, who had supposedly gone to his family home for a marriage meeting, how and why was he here?

The trio’s questions spilled out,

And Kim Woojin grumbled about them asking strange things.

“I came because I missed you.”