Bamboo Forest Manager

Alumni Gathering

“Yawn.”

Lying on the sofa and casually watching TV turned out to be more boring than I expected.

Even though it had only been about a week, had I gotten used to living at Yoo Ah-rin’s house?

With all the noisy kids now in Yoo Ah-rin’s room, it felt lonely and dull.

Today was the day of the alumni gathering.

And tomorrow, Yoo Ah-rin’s parents would be coming.

I felt a bit regretful that I would have to check out right after the gathering, so to be honest, I wondered if I really needed to waste time going there.

But anyway, once I go, I can travel abroad with the kids and spend more time like this.

Yoo Ah-rin and Seo Ye-rin were openly excited, while I caught Choi Yi-seo secretly searching for travel destinations or picking out clothes on her phone as I passed by.

‘If the kids are happy, then what’s the problem?’

Isn’t good just good?

If I go to the gathering, eat some good food, drink some nice alcohol, and try to remember the faces of people I don’t know, time will surely fly by.

‘Oh right.’

Thinking about it, there was something I needed to take care of.

‘I should ask to stop by the dorm for a bit.’

The older brother said he would send a vehicle separately, so I plan to stop by the dorm on the way.

I might be a little late for the appointment time, but…

—

What does it matter? I wasn’t going to see those kids for long anyway.

There would be so many people that my absence wouldn’t really be noticeable.

“Ugh, I’m so sleepy.”

Is it just my imagination that I’m getting tired as it’s about time to leave?

I still needed to change clothes, but the kids told me to wait as they would coordinate my outfit, so I was just sitting still for now.

At that moment, Yoo Ah-rin and Choi Yi-seo came out of the room.

“Phew, that was awesome.”

“Definitely, Ye-rin really—”

When I heard the content, it seemed they had successfully styled Seo Ye-rin.

Seeing them click together as if they had made some groundbreaking invention made me a bit excited.

I quickly got up from the sofa and approached them, but Yoo Ah-rin suddenly dashed over and covered my eyes with both hands.

“Wow, damn. I thought I was getting poked and freaked out.”

Since she does all sorts of crazy things, I momentarily panicked thinking it was a poke.

“I’ll cover her eyes, so you take Ye-rin outside.”

“Do we really have to go this far?”

Choi Yi-seo had a tone that suggested it was excessive.

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But it seemed they were at least taking action, as I heard the front door opening.

“I’ll wait outside, Woo-ji!”

“Yeah, our driver will be here soon.”

“Driver, huh? That’s crazy.”

Yoo Ah-rin grumbled in front, but the term ‘private driver’ did feel a bit awkward for ordinary people.

“There are bus drivers and taxi drivers. What’s the big deal about a driver?”

“There’s no one who drives your own car for you.”

“Chauffeur.”

Kuuuk!

“Ah! My eyes! They’re squished!”

“Why do you have to add a comment like that?!”

I heard the front door close. It seemed Seo Ye-rin and Choi Yi-seo had gone outside together.

Only then did Yoo Ah-rin remove her hands from my eyes.

“Is it really necessary to go this far?”

As I asked in disbelief, Yoo Ah-rin crossed her arms and grumbled.

“Yerin looks really pretty right now. We styled her perfectly.”

“Yeah, I know you worked hard to make her look pretty. But why are you hiding it?”

“I sent her away because I didn’t want to see you getting distracted by another girl in front of me. Is that clear?”

“……Yeah, it’s clear.”

Look at her being honest.

“Ah-rin, should we kiss?”

And because she was so adorable, I couldn’t help but step closer, and Yoo Ah-rin let out a deep sigh.

“Hurry up and come to the bathroom; I need to do some hairstyling.”

Yoo Ah-rin walked straight into the bathroom. I followed her inside.

I grabbed Yoo Ah-rin’s shoulders, spun her around towards me, and immediately kissed her.

“Ugh?!”

Surprised, Yoo Ah-rin tried to push me away, but I firmly gripped her hips from behind, making her lose strength.

“Ha! Huh!”

The sound of our tongues intertwining echoed in the bathroom. The initial stubborn refusal crumbled at some point, and eventually…

Yoo Ah-rin continued the kiss with her hands around my neck.

After a kiss that lasted longer than expected, we looked at each other from a distance where our noses almost touched.

“Do you have time for this right now?”

“But you looked so cute sulking because you wouldn’t show me Seo Yerin.”

“Ugh, seriously.”

Yoo Ah-rin, who had been grumbling, slowly leaned in to kiss me again.

And so, we continued our rather long kiss.

* * *

“Why are you so late?”

In front of a black luxury sedan.

Choi Yi-seo was glaring at me with her arms crossed.

Yoo Ah-rin, who followed behind, awkwardly answered while trying to hide her flushed face.

“W-well! Kim Woo-jin said he didn’t want to bother with styling! We got into a bit of a squabble over that, so we were a little late!”

“Ah-ha.”

Choi Yi-seo nodded mockingly and pointed at me as she spoke.

“Is that why you’re wearing sportswear? Even if it’s a reunion, it’s supposed to be a party.”

“…….”

“It’s not like it’s some luxury brand; it’s just ordinary sportswear!”

I step forward to calm Choi I-seo, who is shouting.

“I-seo, it’s okay. It’s just clothes; it’s no big deal.”

As I say this, Choi I-seo’s eyes widen as she examines my sportswear closely.

“This isn’t Adidas; it’s Adios? It’s even a knockoff? Oh, my head.”

Choi I-seo clutches her forehead, complaining of a headache.

“Yerin put in so much effort to get ready, and you look like you just came from the neighborhood convenience store to buy ramen!”

“Actually, that was the plan. If I look like this, then Choi Jin-ah will lose interest, and no one will cling to Kim Woo-jin!”

Choi I-seo retorts with a frustrated expression at Yoo Ah-rin, who is shouting that it was a brilliant idea.

“A minimum appropriate outfit for the occasion is a matter of etiquette. And you, fix your clothes. Button up. You have marks on your neck.”

“……!”

Yoo Ah-rin, startled, quickly covers her neck with her hands and adjusts her clothes.

I was about to point it out earlier, but I thought it would be better if I didn’t say anything.

In the heat of the moment, she left a mark.

“Ugh, I don’t know. You figure it out.”

And then Choi I-seo grabs me and shoves me into the car.

“Woo-jin, hello.”

Inside, Seo Ye-rin, who was all dressed up, was waiting for me.

She wore a form-fitting white sleeveless dress, and her hair had a slight curl, giving off a distinctly different vibe from usual.

Her innocence still firmly held its ground, but the shoulder line was clearly visible, and the snug dress accentuated her chest line, making her look even s*xy.

Her appearance was, well, undeniably excellent.

“Have fun! Ah-rin, let’s have a little chat.”

“Okay, have fun!”

I wish Yoo Ah-rin luck as she gets pulled away by Choi I-seo.

I was about to close the door and tell the driver to stop by the dorm for a bit, but it was blocked by a black partition.

As I search for the button to get off, Seo Ye-rin pokes me.

“Woo-jin, don’t you have anything to say?”

Ah, right.

—

The situation was so urgent that I had completely forgotten.

“I didn’t do anything with Arin.”

“Do you want to die?”

“Wasn’t it this?”

I naturally thought he was angry because I had done something inappropriate with Yoo Arin.

“Don’t you feel anything?”

Without realizing it, my gaze drifted downwards.

I wondered if maybe I was touching Seo Ye-rin and not feeling it, but that wasn’t the case.

“Ah.”

Living a life full of stimulation, I had overlooked the basics.

If a woman puts on makeup, compliments are a given.

“Ye-rin, you’re-.”

But just as I was about to compliment her, a thought struck me.

How many times in her life must Seo Ye-rin have heard that she’s pretty?

Probably as many times as she’s eaten.

So, I decided to give her a compliment that was a bit different yet something she would definitely like.

“I’d want to skip the reunion and go to a hotel.”

“Hehe!”

Seo Ye-rin, with her face flushed bright red, covered her cheeks with both hands, trying to hide her laughter.

Was this the right answer after all?

Of course, it wasn’t a lie.

Seo Ye-rin was genuinely attractive enough that I wanted to lay her down right then and there.

Since the driver was there and there was a partition, I thought about maybe playing around a bit.

Ziiing!

The partition came down, and my senior, Joo-hee, who was holding the steering wheel, glanced at me in the rearview mirror.

“Ah….”

I had asked her to come as a bodyguard, but I had forgotten.

I never thought she would be driving too.

“Sir, we will depart immediately.”

“Uh, it’s awkward, so just call me Woo-jin.”

—

Let me know if you need anything else!

“I’m working, so that’s not possible.”

“…Then could you please go to the dorm for a moment? I have something I need to take care of.”

“You might be late for your appointment.”

“That’s okay.”

“Alright, I understand. And—”

With a quick glance, Juhui, who was looking at me with a blank expression, warned me.

“I can’t take you to a hotel separately, so please keep that in mind.”

I heard that, damn it.

Ziiiiiing.

Without waiting for a response, I buried my face in my hands against the partition and let out a sigh.

* * *

“…”

Choi Jina leaned against the railing of the massive cruise ship, admiring the night view of the river.

Even though she had come to a luxurious party disguised as a reunion, she hadn’t engaged in any conversation.

Thirty minutes had already passed, but the cruise ship had yet to depart.

Jina’s gaze was fixed on the entrance of the ship, guarded by security personnel.

“Hasn’t he arrived yet?”

At that moment, a man’s voice came from behind Jina.

The man, possessing striking good looks, naturally stood beside her.

He was James, the one who had organized this reunion as an extravagant cruise party, unlike any other.

James, a mixed-race individual, flashed a bright smile that revealed his teeth and suggested, “Let’s stop waiting and go inside. He said he wasn’t coming in the first place.”

“But he told me again that he would come.”

He had definitely contacted me and said he would show up.

“Probably a lie. That guy has always enjoyed deceiving others and taking advantage of them.”

“…”

“No matter how big the company is or how influential he is, what does it matter? Anyway, the eldest son is set to inherit it.”

“Phew, I’m not interested just because Woojin is the heir.”

“Sure, sure, I believe you.”

As she faced the mocking James, Jina stood her ground and responded.

“Isn’t it you who’s waiting for Woo-jin? It seems like you’re trying to show off that you spent money in a hurry now that Woo-jin is coming.”

“Ugh, so what?”

James replied with a victorious smile already on his face.

“That guy didn’t even think of coming in the first place and ran away. Whatever, I’m not interested anymore. It’s probably not worth much anyway.”

Just as James was about to step inside to get the passenger ship underway.

Three people were leisurely walking from afar.

It was dark, and even from a distance, as soon as Choi Jin-ah saw the silhouette of the man in the center, she recognized who he was.

He’s here.

A bright smile spread across Choi Jin-ah’s face.

Meanwhile, Kim Woo-jin clicked his tongue at the sight of the massive passenger ship.

“Why hasn’t it set sail yet? Always so damn lazy.”

“That’s what we’re saying, Woo-jin.”

“If it had set sail, we could have just eaten some hearty sundae soup at a nearby restaurant.”