Bamboo Forest Manager

Reconciliation

“Do you know who’s the most despicable b*stard in the world?”

As Yu Arin sat next to me eating fries asked this question; Yerin sitting opposite answered,

“The guy who sold his country?”

“…It’s not wrong.”

She seemed surprised by such a textbook answer.

A slightly flustered Yuarin continued speaking.

“There’s everything you could need, yet it’s so annoying how some always look for something else.”

“Oh.”

Seoyerin nodded as she ate a fry, though her response didn’t quite show that she grasped the full intent of the words.

“Ha.”

Was it that which had been frustrating her?

Yuarin blatantly glared at me as she spoke.

“Being sandwiched between two girls and still worrying about another, that makes you the scummiest dog in the world. You get that? A real scumbag.”

“Aha, so you were cursing Wooji then.”

And there was Seoyerin innocently sipping her cola.

Anyway, although Yuarin had cursed at me, honestly I wasn’t too affected since my mind was elsewhere.

“Hey, it’s been a whole week. Lee Seo has been ignoring me for a week now.”

A week.

At this point in time with final exams underway and Choi Iseo still ignoring me…

Could it be…

“It’s over then.”

My heart sank as Yuarin shrugged nonchalantly.

Memories of times spent with Iseo flashed through my mind like a breakup song playing in the background.

– Goodbye~ Goodbye~ Goodbye~.

“Hey, turn it off.”

Seoyerin quickly noticed and frowned at having accidentally played the breakup song on cue.

“Hehe.”

What’s so funny about this? She said she’d be busy going into filming soon but from what I see, not really.

“So neither Yerin nor I satisfy you? Honestly, I feel relieved thinking one less problem to deal with.”

“Haahh… It’s not that simple.”

“You ask three people out and talk about simplicity. You’re the simplest one here; thinking with your dick.”

Why is she hitting where it hurts today?

I snatched away the fry Yuarin was about to eat causing her to grumble angrily.

“Hey!”

“No, don’t you see that this isn’t a simple issue? The meaning Seo has for me is something only Seo can have.”

It’s the same with the other kids.

“It’s the same with you and Yerin. If one of you disappears, Choi I-seo can’t fill that spot. To me, you are such beings.”

Both of them stared blankly as they listened to my words.

I thought I had delivered quite a cool line.

“Why does this guy make such trashy statements and act like he’s being cool?”

“Aha! I get it now. Even if there’s a dildo the size of Woojini, it can’t give off the Woojini vibe.”

Ah, damn it.

“That’s not what I-“

I tried to find something to retort with but ended up choosing my words carefully.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

I just sighed in frustration and decided to eat a hamburger instead.

“Hey, but do you even have one of those?”

Even as I kept my mouth shut and continued eating my hamburger, their conversation went on.

“What? A Woojini-sized dildo?”

“Yeah, do you have one?”

“I did have one. Bought it from Woojini’s store last time. But after buying it, I felt repulsed by it and just sold it.”

Sold?

“You sold it? To whom?”

“I wouldn’t know. We both wore masks when we met.”

What surprised me more was that people bought and sold such things through second-hand transactions.

“I’d be worried about hygiene or STDs; I couldn’t buy something like that.”

Though I didn’t show it outwardly, I agreed with Yu Arin’s comment. However, Seo Yerin confidently replied,

“I told you I didn’t use it. It was still in its packaging so they bought it too.”

“Then why didn’t you just return it?”

“I kind of wanted to experience what that was like.”

Crossing her arms and nodding her head as if she had realized something profound, Seo Yerin muttered,

“The feeling when Woojini is taken away? Since its size is about right for Woojini maybe?”

“Is she crazy?”

If Yu Arin hadn’t said anything about her remark already then surely would have.

“Some people get excited about NTR stuff. I wondered what that felt like, but it didn’t really move me. I just thought, ‘So that’s how it is.’ It wasn’t really about Woojin anyway.”

“I feel dizzy. This kid will become an actor and then just fake smiles on TV.”

Yu Arin held her forehead and sighed deeply.

But more than that, there was something serious I wanted to ask Serin.

“Serin, are you doing drugs?”

This isn’t the kind of thought a normal person would have…

* * *

It was proven that the rumors of Serin using drugs were false, and I was on my way back to the classroom.

I chose a hamburger for lunch thinking it would be quick, but lunchtime took quite a while.

‘I wanted to review.’

I felt somewhat anxious until before the final exams started, but once they began, there I was working fiercely hard.

It was because I had a goal after all.

‘Sigh.’

The real reason I studied hard was because Choi Isuh liked it when I did well in studies.

But now that Choi Isuh had drifted away from me, it seemed like there wasn’t much reason left to study hard anymore.

‘It lingers like an aftertaste.’

Maybe because of my belief that she might come back someday if only I kept trying without slacking off?

‘Would she notice what I’m doing and come find me?’

‘Too convenient?’

It did seem rather self-centered of me to think this way.

Since it’s already late anyway, might as well stop by the convenience store and grab some chocolate milk or something on my way back.

Exiting the convenience store: Choi Isuh.

In her hand were ramen and kimbap triangles.

“Ah…”

“…”

We bumped into each other right at the entrance of the convenience store. From inside came voices of girls from our department; she wasn’t eating alone apparently.

“Isuh! Long time no see.”

“…”

Without responding at all, Isuh just walked away briskly. As if enchanted by her presence behind her at one of those parasol tables outside.

“Why don’t you have a hearty lunch? Didn’t you see my message asking if we could eat together?”

“I saw it.”

His chilly response made my heart feel cold.

I wanted to keep the conversation going, but when I tried to speak, my tongue seemed frozen.

Maybe that’s why.

I found myself blurting out anything.

“Aren’t you cold wearing that during the exam? The air conditioning is usually cranked up high.”

It was ridiculous that this was the best thing I could come up with in response to his icy demeanor.

“…A little?”

Since Choi I-seo glanced at me and responded, it must not have been a wrong thing to say.

The moment I heard her answer, I immediately took off the jersey I was wearing and handed it over to her.

“Wear this. Don’t get too cold and lose focus.”

“What about you?”

“I run warm. Not too cold for me.”

Just then, Choi I-seo’s other friends came out of the convenience store. Worried she might refuse, I quickly placed the jersey on the table.

“Return it later. Good luck on your exam.”

Though I left as if fleeing, it was enough.

Returning the clothing would create an opportunity to meet with Choi again later; that was sufficient for me.

With a somewhat lighter heart, I returned to the classroom.

* * *

Choi I-seo zipped up the jersey all the way due to the chilly air-conditioned classroom.

The jersey itself was much larger than her frame; its hem reached down to her hips and she had no choice but roll up its sleeves—yet she deliberately wore it anyway.

As Kim Woo-jin’s scent reached her nose from within its fabric, Choi almost unwittingly smiled slightly.

From noble mtl dot come

‘Sigh.’

And yes—I’m currently taking an exam.

It might be inappropriate to think about other things during an exam.

But since it turned out easier than expected and she had nearly finished solving everything already—Choi allowed herself a brief mental break.

She knew well enough that classrooms could be chilly because of air conditioning—that’s why she had brought outerwear in her bag already.

‘She didn’t refuse…’

Choi Yi-seo did not refuse when Kim Woo-jin handed her his clothes.

Initially, Kim Woo-jin was nothing but annoying to the point of being detestable.

She had even prepared herself to never see him again.

But can human emotions ever remain constant?

“I hate this.”

With her nose buried in the clothes that reeked of Kim Woo-jin’s scent, Choi Yi-seo tightly closed her eyes.

Honestly speaking,

she missed him.

She now wanted to reconcile and fill her heart with peace, but the atmosphere made it awkward for her to forgive him truly.

It also upset her that Yu Arin and Seo Yerin kept sending pictures of themselves with Kim Woo-jin via chat.

“That’s strange.”

However, she felt that this was slightly more than just a feeling of jealousy.

What should I say?

While she envied the two being with Kim Woo-jin,

she felt unjustly left out from their group.

“I wish I could talk to someone about this.”

But who would understand such relationships?

With these thoughts, Choi Yi-seo finished solving the remaining problems and left the examination hall.

It was easier than expected.

Perhaps smelling Kim Woo-jin’s scent after so long had relaxed her mind.

“Ahem.”

So without bothering to change out of his clothes, she headed straight to the library while wearing them.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

Her ringing phone.

Hoping it might be Kim Woo-jin, she glanced at it only to see an old friend’s name displayed since high school:

– Yoon Ji –

“……”

Suddenly, Choi Yi-seo thought,

Maybe Yoon Ji could listen and advise on my current situation; knowing well about our relationship dynamics and very much about who Kim Woo-Jin is!

“Let’s uphold human decency…”

No matter what, asking an ex-girlfriend about her ex-boyfriend seemed like a major faux pas.

He shook his head from side to side and took a deep breath.

He wasn’t sure how she felt, but he still harbored some guilt towards Oh Yoon-ji.

He cleared his throat and cautiously answered the phone.

“Uh, Yoon-ji.”