Bamboo Forest Manager

Erecti*le Dysfunction?

‘I woke up too early.’

There’s an image that athletes are diligent but…

I never thought they would be this excessively early-rising.

With Choi Iseo and Yoo Arin sitting opposite me, I leaned back in my chair and calmly closed my eyes.

8 AM.

I’m still tired.

Wearing a hat pulled down over my eyes because it feels like I could fall asleep again soon, but those two in front are quiet.

Cracking an eye open to check reveals them whispering together while looking at me.

‘Were they this close?’

I knew they weren’t awkward with each other; Seo Yerin and Yoo Arin were quite close.

It was just Seo Yerin and Choi Iseo who were friends.

I never really got the impression that Choi Iseo and Yoo Arin were close.

‘Well, it’s good if they get along.’

The important thing was that they were whispering about me right now.

Feeling oddly uncomfortable about it kept me from falling asleep as intended so I asked,

“What are you two gossiping about so amiably?”

If they’re talking while excluding only me when I’m right here—it must mean there’s something they want to hide.

“Oh, it’s nothing.”

“Right. It’s nothing.”

“……”

What’s going on?

Honestly, up until just a moment ago, I thought it was nothing too.

I doubted we’d say anything significant even if we talked.

But seeing them awkwardly hide it like this made me want to pry.

“What’s with the sudden cold shoulder? Why are you ostracizing me?”

“We’re not ostracizing you.”

“It’s just that we have our own worries. Why are you so interested in girls’ problems?”

“I might be able to help.”

When I asked if we weren’t close enough to talk about these things, they both clammed up.

Then,

“Woojin.”

Choi Yiseo cautiously looked around and asked,

“Did you perhaps sleep poorly?”

“Me? No? If anything, I think I slept quite comfortably.”

Actually, I feel refreshed.

I wondered why I felt so refreshed despite sleeping on the floor.

Maybe it’s because Seo Yerin decisively backed off this morning…

After all, it started off as a good morning.

“……”

“……”

But instead, their expressions grew even darker.

Even though I was staring right at them, they started whispering among themselves; it really felt off-putting.

‘What is it? Did I do something wrong in my sleep yesterday?’

The kids said they were watching a drama and went to sleep first; did I make some mistake?

Did I perhaps call out Yunji’s name in my sleep?

‘Wow, that would be…’

No way.

That couldn’t be it.

There was nothing left in my heart, and had it been so from the start, being summarily executed on the spot wouldn’t have been strange.

“Creepy.”

If I had made a mistake while sleeping, surely things would have escalated then.

After all, there was nothing else for me to do while asleep.

“What could it be?”

After pondering deeply, I suddenly realized that the gazes of two people were directed towards my table.

Glances sneaking down diagonally across to me.

And when they reached their destination, there was my lower body.

“……!”

My body tensed up and cold sweat began to flow.

‘Did they catch onto what Seo Yerin did for me this morning?’

I bit my lip hard.

Surprisingly reaching a conclusion started turning into certainty gradually.

Was it a look of caution?

Or perhaps scrutiny?

Either way, they weren’t looking at me as usual.

I thought Seo Yerin had swallowed everything so that no smell would linger; could it possibly be that a scent had spread?

Or maybe Seo Yerin bragged about it in the kids’ chat group altogether.

Whatever it was, I started feeling a headache coming on.

‘Yoo Arin told her not to do that…’

Even Choi Yi-seo once got quite upset over this kind of issue before.

While I reproached myself for succumbing to momentary temptation, on the other hand, I wanted to argue that perhaps I was some sort of victim here too.

“Sigh.”

I wanted to say something but their mood wasn’t right,

and at times like these staying still without stepping on any mines seemed like the best course of action.

Just then pork bulgogi came out and I picked up my chopsticks instead.

* * *

“……”

At Yoo Arin’s house after having breakfast,

the three didn’t particularly talk much but their silence felt incredibly unnatural.

Choi Yiseo headed towards the balcony to make a call.

And Yu Arin continued to search for something on her phone.

Watching them blankly, Kim Woojin began to sink into doubt again.

“Could it be something Seo Yerin did?”

Initially, he thought their gazes were rather cold, but as time passed, he started feeling differently about them in a strange way.

Worry?

Sympathy?

Something like that.

“Ah, what on earth is it?”

As Kim Woojin continued to ponder, he aimlessly flipped through TV channels without really watching them.

Meanwhile, next to him, Yu Arin’s fingers were rapidly tapping on her phone screen.

Unexpectedly, she was browsing through numerous questions in a search engine portal.

The keywords varied:

– Male morning erections

– Morning tent

– Erectile dysfunction.

– Reasons for not getting an erection in the morning.

– A healthy man suddenly becoming unhealthy…

However, the intent behind these searches was similar.

There was only one reason she would search for such things that normally wouldn’t interest her.

“Kim Woojin?”

Yes indeed. It’s Kim Woojin.

A man who readily gets going when asked and dives right in.

Of course, it’s not like he indiscriminately spreads this around; it happened with people he loved.

Anyway,

Kim Woojin didn’t even have an erection when he woke up this morning and just lay there listlessly?

It made her think there must be some problem.

“When having s*x it stands up fine but if it doesn’t stand up in the morning… could that mean there’s likely a very serious psychological issue?”

Is this because we’re staying here?

Perhaps sleeping at someone else’s place might psychologically make one feel somewhat inhibited.

While thinking this, Yoo Arin’s eyes kept darting towards the lower half of Kim Woojin, who was sitting next to her.

“Can’t it be helped?”

Sitting on the sofa, Yoo Arin was genuinely worried.

Especially since she had just realized that erectile dysfunction due to psychological issues was a possibility.

From noble mtl dot come

[Since it’s my house, I make the rules. For the next week you stay here, no erections for Kim Woojin.]

She felt a twinge in her heart about what she had said yesterday.

“No, it was obviously a joke.”

But Kim Woojin didn’t seem to take any action that would show his trust in them.

He started exercising to prove his love.

He also studied hard to prove his love.

Given their twisted relationship with Choi Yi Seo, there wasn’t zero chance he took her words about not having an erection seriously.

‘…….’

Eventually,

Yoo Arin subtly leaned closer to Kim Woojin’s side.

Kim Woojin, who had been watching TV until then, turned slightly and gave Yoo Arin a sly smile before turning his gaze back to the TV.

‘Normally I would have wrapped my arm around his waist by now.’

Why is he staying still?

Psychological pressure?

Yoo Arin decided to cross the line further.

She subtly placed her hand on Kim Woojin’s thigh. Even as her touch moved inwardly deeper into his thigh, Kim Woojin did not flinch at all.

‘……Huh?’

Yoo Arin began feeling anxious.

Could it really be that something went wrong because she forcefully demanded him suppress himself?

Despite such thoughts,

“What is this girl thinking? Is she asking me to pounce on her? Does she want me killed by my own arousal?”

The scent of fresh fruit lingered heavily as sticky and hot touches moved further inside his thigh.

Kim Woojin merely tried hard focusing on keeping his gaze fixed on the TV since this morning and even now.

The reactions from both Yoo Arin and Choi Yi Seo were peculiar today.

Normally he would have considered such actions from Yoo Arin as typical s*xual appeal and accepted them accordingly.

Thinking rationally.

“There’s no way Yoo Arin would seduce me with Choi Iseo on the balcony!”

Thus, this must be a trap.

Kim Woojin struggled to keep his lower body from reacting, not knowing what the two unusual people were up to.

Minimizing physical contact, he deliberately switched the TV to a Go channel to find some mental stability amidst their meaningless struggle.

Meanwhile, Choi Iseo was groaning on the balcony, calling a friend she could consult about such matters.

– So,

Minji’s voice sounded groggy as if she had just woken up. Knowing that Choi Iseo hadn’t come home, she drank alone at home and seemed to still be hungover.

– Kim Woojin is having problems with his s*xual function?

“No, it’s not that. It’s just that usually very lively kid seems a bit… out of energy.”

– What? He might not pitch a tent for a day or so. Are you worried about that?

“Is that it? Right? That must be it?”

– Unless he’s usually insatiable all day long?

“…….”

Choi Iseo clamped her mouth shut.

Unaware of this reaction, Minji continued talking by herself.

– Ah, but he’s at an age where he should be quite active. The guys I’ve been with seemed ready every morning at least.

She spoke freely enough as if old stories were no longer off-limits for her now that her mental state had recovered somewhat. However, Choi Iseo began feeling tense herself.

– From what I know, mental aspects can also play a role. Like during exam periods; too much pressure can actually cause stress and make things worse instead of better.”

“……!”

– Plus, some people get erectile dysfunction from nervousness if it’s been awhile since they last did it.”

Gulp!

Choi Iseo swallowed hard as recent conversations started replaying in her head—always conservative when discussing s*xual relationships.

Perhaps watching how others behaved around other girls made abstaining three times harder than usual for him?

– Feed him something tasty; you know there are foods good for virility. Then maybe soon enough you’ll see him back like nothing ever happened?

After ending the call, Choi Yi-seo immediately entered the living room and exclaimed.

“Shall we go to the supermarket right now?!”