Bamboo Forest Manager

Go Away

Until a moment ago, I was at the family home, but now I had booked a hotel nearby.

Mom was at home, along with Jin-ah and my younger sister-in-law.

My younger sister-in-law was currently pregnant, so she kept her phone far away to avoid stress.

After seeing the videos that the fact killer had posted, claiming that my younger brother and Yoon-ji were having an affair, I nearly threw my phone in anger.

I wouldn’t doubt it, but if my younger sister-in-law saw something like that, it would surely affect the fetus.

That’s why my younger brother was spending the whole day with his wife.

Though it could be a bit nauseating at times to see them so lovey-dovey, it was still nice to watch.

Knock, knock.

A sound of knocking came from outside the door.

I was about to go open it, but before I could, Senior Joo-hee moved first and opened the door.

The only one who had followed as a bodyguard was Senior Joo-hee. There had been various incidents, but in any case, she was the most trustworthy person.

“Why did you book a hotel so high up?”

James entered.

And behind him were people in black suits, along with a disheveled-looking woman in between them.

While glancing around, he asked the woman standing awkwardly in front of me.

“Ms. Jin Mi-ae, is that right?”

“Yes, yes! That’s correct!”

Yes, this woman is Jin Mi-ae.

So, she is Oh Cheong-min’s mistress.

Oh Cheong-min had been waiting, believing that Yoon-ji was this woman’s daughter.

—

It’s probably this person who said they’d put in the food for the inmate.

In short, it meant that Yoon-ji’s real mother had never visited Oh Cheong-min.

How much fear had they instilled for her to be trembling like this?

When I glanced at James, he shrugged and replied.

“He’s just drunk. He’s been downing soju since the afternoon. We didn’t do anything.”

“Phew, Jin Mi-ae. You know Oh Cheong-min, right?”

“Excuse me? Th-That Cheong-min?!”

“You know him. The perpetrator of the Deungbae Mountain serial murders. And the man who was your boyfriend.”

“…….”

“Not going to answer?”

“Y-Yes! That’s correct!”

It always takes this kind of pressure to get her to speak.

“Oh Cheong-min’s first murder was a couple. He lured them out under the pretense of going hiking and killed them. The reason was that he was a victim of an investment scam.”

“…….”

After that, it was a series of murders where Oh Cheong-min moved from mountain to mountain, pushing or killing hikers for food.

“But something feels off. When I visited Oh Cheong-min this time, he was cursing because the victims hadn’t paid the final amount.”

“Excuse me? You, you went to see him?”

Jin Mi-ae glanced at me.

It seemed like she was subtly probing to see if I knew something.

I couldn’t help but let out a small laugh at the absurdity.

“Oh, I’m neither a detective nor an investigator. I don’t know anything for sure.”

James and Senior Joo-hee’s gazes were fixed on me. They must have thought I knew something, but it seemed they were just realizing it was all bluster.

“But that’s why I brought Jin Mi-ae here. Oh Cheong-min believes that Jin Mi-ae must have found the money.”

But he also said that contact had suddenly stopped.

“Maybe she found the money and then cut off contact. Something like that, right? But I have no idea where this money came from.”

I could only speculate; the truth remained unknown.

That’s why I brought Jin Mi-ae.

“Tell me.”

“Eek!”

“Tell me what happened between you two. Spill it all.”

—

Life in the world.

The fist is closer than the law.

What calls for the fist is money.

A sharp mind?

Outstanding deductive skills?

Beast-like instincts?

Unfortunately, I have none of those.

So I can only write what I can write, pretending to be a great detective.

And honestly.

Isn’t this more comfortable?

“I-I-I…”

In a situation where countless robust people are glaring at me.

An alcoholic, whose mind is far from intact, trembles as he brings up dusty old stories.

* * *

“…”

The next day.

A quiet rural village in Gangwon-do, arrived only after dinner time.

Even though I came in a cheap car to avoid drawing attention, the glares from the local elders burn into me as an outsider.

“We’ve arrived, young master.”

Today, it was my senior Juhee who drove me. Since the last time, she had been cold to the point of being frigid.

But I knew it wasn’t because she disliked me; it was simply her way of separating the professional from the personal.

“I’m sorry, senior. It’s already after work hours.”

As I apologized while gazing at the sunset rural landscape, Juhee senior chuckled softly.

“You have to do what you have to do.”

“Thank you. You’ve also helped with managing the bamboo grove recently, right?”

“I only did a little. I saw that Arin was doing it quite strictly. Since it’s vacation, I guess stories about our school are circulating as bait.”

“That’s probably true.”

It’s not limited to just the bamboo grove. Most of the communities were talking about Yoonji right now.

Should I be thankful that the kid hasn’t woken up yet?

Everyone is defending the fact-murderer, praising him as a hero, and revering him as the true justice of this era.

Yoonji is being criticized along with her company and the broadcasters affiliated with her, all because she is said to be a woman without shame.

It’s a situation that leaves me speechless, only able to sigh.

This must be how the public is—provocative and merciless towards those who have sinned.

I can feel what my father meant by the modern-day version of collective punishment.

“Go ahead, I’ll be waiting.”

With that, Senior Juhui put a cigarette in her mouth. Since it was already after work, I suppose we should consider ourselves equals now.

Vroom! Vroom! Vroom!

Just as I was about to leave, my phone rang.

– Choi Iseo –

“Yeah, Iseo.”

I know that Iseo is currently in Yoonji’s hospital room to take care of her.

I wondered if Yoonji had woken up, but it seems that’s not the case.

– Have you arrived?

“Yeah, I’m about to meet her.”

The reason I came here was to escort Yoonji’s mother.

She should have come to see Yoonji a long time ago, but for some reason, she hadn’t come separately.

– Yoonji’s mother is someone who has her own pain. Be sure to speak kindly.

“I’m expecting that.”

The fact that she didn’t come when her daughter was hospitalized suggests there’s something going on.

– Stay strong. It’ll all be over soon.

“Thanks.”

Talking to Iseo gave me a sense of comfort. Even though I was the one who should be comforting, I still felt that way.

– I should be the one thanking you.

“Please take good care of Yoonji.”

From noble mtl dot com

– Yeah, I’ll text you as soon as she wakes up.

Phew.

After hanging up, I stared at the call log for a moment. Honestly, there was something I wanted to ask Iseo.

Why is she helping Yoonji so much?

It wasn’t just about the current situation.

Iseo had also told Yoonji about her father’s misdeeds, as if she hoped Yoonji and I could get back together.

‘It can’t be Lee Seo.’

Wasn’t it Choi Lee Seo who viewed my interactions with multiple women in the most negative light?

Yet, her current behavior seemed to suggest that she actually wanted me to accept Yoon Ji.

‘She can’t possibly be saying she’ll give up, right?’

Giving up for Yoon Ji?

The thought made me suddenly anxious.

So I sent a message right away.

– Kim Woo Jin: You’re not going somewhere, are you?

The reply came back quickly.

– Choi Lee Seo: Suddenly?

– Kim Woo Jin: There’s no one who can take your place.

– Choi Lee Seo: I have a rough idea of what delusion you’re having. It’s not that, so just finish up quickly and come back.

“Cough.”

Was I mistaken?

Did I jump to conclusions too quickly?

– Kim Woo Jin: Sorry

– Choi Lee Seo: I was supposed to help the kids pick your swimsuit.

– Choi Lee Seo: (photo)

– Kim Woo Jin: ? Isn’t that a thong?

– Choi Lee Seo: Hahaha

– Kim Woo Jin: Haha, then I’ll help you pick yours too.

– Choi Lee Seo: Ugh

“What the…”

I felt inexplicably pleased.

I was a bit excited, but in any case, I had to get things done.

Gathering my thoughts, I moved forward.

It was a house that could be considered a bit too spacious for living alone, yet in the countryside, it could be called an aristocratic home.

I pressed the doorbell and waited for a moment when my mother, who had been informed of my arrival, came out.

“Hello, ma’am. I’m Kim Woo Jin.”

“Yes… You said you were from the Wooju Group. I’m Shin Yoon Ah, Yoon Ji’s mother.”

“I have come to bring your mother. Right now, Yoon-ji is in a lot of pain. It would be good if you could be with her.”

At my words, her mother’s complexion noticeably darkened.

“I have no face to see that child.”

“Mother.”

“There’s nothing I can do for her. To that child, a parent is… worse than nothing.”

I hesitated for a moment before conveying my words in a different direction.

“Mother, do you know Jin Mi-ae?”

“…Yes.”

Of course, she would know, being my mistress.

“Yesterday, we filed a lawsuit against Oh Cheong-min and Jin Mi-ae.”

“A lawsuit?”

“We contacted the victims’ side separately. They accepted it, saying they would understand.”

Things were moving quickly.

Because that’s what I hoped for.

“Is it the families of the victims who are speaking?”

“No, it’s not the families of the victims from the Deungbae Mountain serial murder case.”

Oh Cheong-min is the perpetrator of the Deungbae Mountain serial murder case.

The motive for the first murder was a scam, fueled by resentment towards the scamming couple.

“Victims of the Garam investment scam at the same time have charged the two as accomplices.”

What I learned through Jin Mi-ae was slightly different.

Initially, Oh Cheong-min and Jin Mi-ae played the role of instigators in the investment scam.

However, when the scamming couple tried to cut ties with them, a crazed Oh Cheong-min acted first.

“Oh Cheong-min took the fall alone so that Jin Mi-ae could embezzle the money hidden by the scamming couple. But when Jin Mi-ae got the money, she abandoned Oh Cheong-min, who was in prison.”

Jin Mi-ae reportedly squandered all that money a long time ago.

She spent it all on drinking and calling men, and it was gone in an instant.

“Those people are truly…”

Her mother closed her eyes tightly, unable to believe it. There were many other points I could explain, but that was not what was important right now.

“Mother, please be by Yoon-ji’s side even now.”

“…”

“Your daughter is suffering because of a fool who doesn’t even recognize his own daughter and thinks of his mistress as his wife.”

“Black.”

“Please just go and stay by her side. That alone is a great strength for Yoon-ji.”

Wooong!

– Choi Yi-seo: Yoon-ji wakes up.

Choi Yi-seo’s message arrived at just the right moment.

“They just said Yoon-ji has woken up. Let’s go together and at least hold her hand. It’s almost over now.”

“Alright.”

With a trembling voice, my mother nodded her head.

“I don’t want to be tied to that useless person as a parent.”

“Thank you.”

As we headed to the car with my mother, she suddenly seemed curious and asked me.

“But… what will change if we press charges?”

“Excuse me?”

“Even if Jin Mi-ae gets caught, Oh Cheong-min is already on death row.”

“That’s true. The statute of limitations for fraud has already expired.”

“What? Then isn’t it impossible to prosecute?”

“It might not even go to trial. Jin Mi-ae knows that, which is why she said it. But that’s not what’s important.”

“……”

“I’m not trying to judge the two of them. I just want to make it clear that Yoon-ji is not connected to Oh Cheong-min.”

I smiled at my mother, assuring her that she would understand soon enough.

* * *

“Ha ha.”

At the time I was exchanging messages with Kim Woo-jin.

Choi Yi-seo found herself smiling without realizing it. It felt nice to share this kind of conversation with Kim Woo-jin after such a long time.

“Are you laughing?”

A voice came from the hospital bed.

Oh Yoon-ji had opened her eyes.

“Yoon-ji! Are you okay?!”

“I’m fine… Hah, my head hurts from lying down for so long.”

—

“I’ll call the doctor!”

“Who were you chatting with that made you smile so beautifully?”

“Ahem, I’ll be right back.”

“Damn girl.”

Pretending not to hear, Lee Seo stepped out of the hospital room. There were reporters gathered around, so she proceeded cautiously.

In fact, a doctor had come discreetly to examine her and had left.

But somehow, someone among the nurses had informed the reporters, and soon the area outside the hospital room was swarming with them.

“Ms. Oh Yoon-ji! Have you really just woken up?!”

“There are rumors that you’re playing the victim in the media?”

“Do you know the source of the large funds that Oh Cheong-min possesses?”

“Is the scandal with Kim Woon of the Universe Group true?”

Hearing the voices from outside, Oh Yoon-ji stared blankly at the ceiling.

Choi Lee Seo had called for a nurse, but it seemed to be taking time due to the number of reporters.

“Lee Seo, you chatted with Woo-jin earlier, right?”

“……Yeah.”

“He must be busy trying to resolve this right now?”

“He went to pick up your mother.”

“Ugh, I miss her.”

Oh Yoon-ji let out a long sigh.

“Lee Seo, please go and relay a message.”

“Hmm? What message?”

* * *

Clatter.

Choi Lee Seo opened the hospital room door and stepped outside.

“Ah, they really do look alike.”

She had said it was a punishment for chatting and laughing with Kim Woo-jin in front of her while she was collapsed, but wasn’t that a bit harsh?

“Are you a friend of Ms. Oh Yoon-ji?”

“How is her condition right now?”

“What is your stance on the YouTuber known as the Fact Killer?”

“There are rumors that the funds used to establish the company come from Oh Cheong-min?”

—

—

“That, it’s Yoonji…”

The hesitant Choi Iseo awkwardly conveyed Yoonji’s words.

“Can’t you tell from the fact that she’s in a hospital, not a prison?”

“……”

“She said to get lost…”