Bamboo Forest Manager

Suman-Tui

“Yawn.”

Three hours into the flight.

I clearly remember feeling tired before boarding the plane, but at some point, all my sleepiness vanished.

I keep yawning, yet I don’t want to sleep. My body feels exhausted, but my mind wants to stay awake—it’s that kind of feeling.

Next to me, Choi Yiseo has already fallen asleep. With her sleep mask on, she remains stiff and still, just as she was before, and it’s still fascinating to see.

‘How does she sleep like that?’

Lying down with my phone, I’m watching an anime when I sense a presence.

I thought Seo Ye-rin was asleep, but she’s resting her chin on the seat divider, looking down at me.

“What’s up?”

“I’m bored.”

“That’s why I told you to bring something to pass the time since I’d be bored too. Just sleep if you can’t find anything.”

“I can’t sleep.”

“What about Yoo Ah-rin?”

I remember that earlier, Yoo Ah-rin had said she would read a book on the plane, bringing along a foreign novel.

“She’s using it as a pillow and sleeping.”

Of course.

I’ve never seen anyone actually read a book on a plane when they say they will.

Maybe the closest was my older brother?

“There’s a monitor in front of you. Why not watch a movie on that?”

Each seat has a touchpad screen for personal use, known as AVOD.

“I already watched one.”

But Seo Ye-rin pouts her lips and grumbles.

“Then what do you want me to do? What do you want from me?”

I furrow my brow, recalling what Seo Ye-rin said before we boarded the plane.

“I just came to see you because I’m bored. Should I ask you to make me some ramen?”

“You can also drink. I can’t have too much, but wouldn’t it make you a bit drowsy?”

“Hm, I guess I shouldn’t just lie here clinging to you, right?”

“Are you kidding?”

No matter how much it’s first class.

—

So even if it’s first class and the seats are spacious, isn’t it a bit much to be lying closely together in one seat?

The flight attendants are also walking around quite often.

“I was just saying it.”

Why does that feel like it was sincere?

Seo Ye-rin, slowly returning to her seat.

While continuing to watch the movie, she briefly goes to the bathroom and sees other first-class passengers.

‘Most of them are familiar faces.’

Since there are fewer seats in first class, most of them are faces she knows.

The first person she spots is Choi Jin-ah.

She’s watching a movie with her own expensive headphones instead of the provided ones.

Holding a glass cup filled with what looks like melon juice in both hands, she’s sipping through a straw, looking like a child.

As she passes by, she pulls off Jin-ah’s headphones, and Jin-ah stares at her with a blank expression.

“What, what is it?”

“Just that.”

“……Are you a kid?”

“You seem to be enjoying yourself a bit too much.”

“Let’s go quickly.”

Jin-ah puts her headphones back on and starts drinking her melon juice again. Glancing at the screen, it looks like an ordinary romance movie.

Next to Jin-ah is Oh Yoon-ji. Yoon-ji is already fast asleep.

Seeing her deeply asleep, after working hard until recently, brings a bit of relief.

Moving to the next seat, there’s Senior Joo-hee. She’s eating ramen, and just as she’s about to take a bite, her eyes meet mine.

“Looks like you’re enjoying it.”

“Uh, um. Is there anywhere uncomfortable for you?”

“Are you a flight attendant?”

“…….”

I approach her with a smile.

Seeing her relaxed and enjoying herself like that makes it easy to talk.

“Senior, it’s a trip. I’m not going to do anything dangerous. You won’t have to step in.”

“…….”

“And I heard that your older brother asked for some strange favor? But I won’t cause any trouble, I’ll just rest well and go.”

—

Leaning against the partition with my arms crossed, I smile at my senior.

“Senior, you should relax your shoulders a bit too. It feels really uncomfortable, like I’ve messed up with a senior I’m actually close to.”

“Phew.”

Maybe my senior was having similar thoughts.

Gently setting down the chopsticks, they look up at me.

“So what should I do?”

“Just act like you did in college. You’re a senior in the English department and the leader, after all.”

My senior lets out a small laugh.

But seeing the lack of response, it seems they’re still deeply troubled internally.

I pat my senior’s shoulder and continue speaking.

“Well, I’m the employer, right? So you have to follow my opinion. If you start using formal speech with me as your bodyguard from now on, I’ll—!”

I was about to say I’d punish them when suddenly—

My senior glances at the martial arts competition displayed on the screen and retracts their words.

“I won’t actually punish you. Ahem, I don’t want to get beaten up for no reason.”

Why are they watching something like that while eating?

Not that it’s strange, but at this point, aren’t they practically a woman born for fighting?

Isn’t there something like the goddess Athena?

Seeing me falter in my words, my senior chuckles and nods.

“Okay, I got it. At least while we’re traveling, I’ll try to be more relaxed.”

“Great! That sounds good!”

“But, I do have something I was asked to take care of by the vice president, so I’ll definitely keep that in mind. You know what I mean, right?”

They must be talking about preventing any trouble.

“I understand. Don’t worry.”

I respond confidently, giving a thumbs up. With my heart feeling lighter, I start to engage my senior in more conversation.

“By the way, have you ever been on a plane?”

“Me? No, it’s my first time. I’ve never even been to Jeju Island. I never imagined I’d suddenly have to go on a business trip to Hawaii.”

“Then how did you pack your things? Did you buy clothes and a suitcase separately?”

“The vice president provided them. Surprisingly considerate of them. Since it’s a business trip, they prepared everything so I wouldn’t have to spend any money on it.”

“Are you a good swimmer? I feel like we’ll be swimming a lot there.”

“I can swim. I’m pretty good at it. If you drown, I can rescue you quickly.”

Surely, the squad leader.

Just a person who is reassuring in itself.

“But I don’t think you’ll swim unless you’re falling in.”

“Hey, you never know.”

In the pool, there’s usually no such thing as seniority among peers.

I imagined the scene of enticing the kids to push Senior Juhui into the pool, but she seems to have caught on and laughs.

“Can you do it?”

“……”

It seems impossible.

The moment I charge at her, all I can see is a future where I’m the one flying away.

“Did you bring your swimsuit?”

“A black rash guard. They sent me a few, but I only brought that.”

“Honestly, these days rash guards are so nice that everyone just wears those.”

“Well, what? Should I be wearing a bikini? Me?”

“……That’s not it.”

Honestly, it doesn’t matter what swimsuit she wears. It was just a thoughtless remark.

“Oh, the ramen is all soaked now.”

“Let’s order a new one. It’s first class; what’s the big deal?”

Senior Juhui hands me the ramen, her expression dissatisfied as she watches the noodles swell and threaten to overflow from the cup.

“It’s your fault, so you eat it.”

“Ahem, security guard Min Juhui?”

“Shut up, junior.”

“Yep.”

She really has come back just like the old days.

As I quickly grab the ramen and turn back to my seat, our eyes meet with Choi Jina, who is standing and watching us.

She’s standing up, sipping melon juice through a straw.

She was definitely watching a movie just a moment ago, but now she’s focused on us.

“What’s up? What’s the problem?”

“No, it’s just that this looks more fun than the movie. Just saying.”

The way she’s slurping her drink is really annoying.

“Do you want to eat ramen?”

“Chop chop.”

“…….”

“Chop chop.”

“I’m asking if you’re going to eat ramen.”

“I don’t want to.”

She quickly sat back down.

Annoyed that she deliberately took her time to answer, I contemplated whether to smack the back of her head but decided to just hold back.

As I returned to my seat, I saw Yoo Ah-rin sleeping with the book I brought as her pillow.

The way she was sleeping, only letting out soft breaths, made it hard to look away.

I placed the cup ramen next to her and reached over to adjust her head.

“It’ll hurt your neck if you sleep on a book. Use a proper pillow.”

I supported her head, took the book away, and placed a pillow under it. I couldn’t help but keep my eyes on her peaceful sleeping face.

As I stared, Yoo Ah-rin’s tongue suddenly poked out.

“What are you looking at?”

“Weren’t you sleeping?”

When I asked her, she still kept her eyes closed and replied with a grin.

“I just woke up.”

“Eat the ramen. I thought you might be hungry, so I brought it.”

“Oh? Really?”

Yoo Ah-rin opened her eyes and jumped up.

I fled immediately.

Finally, I passed by my seatmate, Choi Yi-seo.

Choi Yi-seo was still sleeping in a perfect position.

I wondered how she could sleep like that, but suddenly I got curious and gently tugged at her arm.

“Hmm.”

Then, Choi Yi-seo’s arm returned to its original position.

“How fascinating.”

This time, I pulled her leg to bend her knee, but it went back to the way it was again.

Is she some kind of Weeble Wobble or something?

—

I’m trying to do a bit more while chuckling.

“Didn’t you get hit enough earlier?”

A warning from Choi I-seo, still wearing her sleep mask.

I figured she woke up because of me, so I just grabbed her chest once and returned to my spot.

“Eek?!”

Choi I-seo gasps in surprise, wrapping her hands around her chest.

As I sit down giggling, the first to arrive at my spot before Choi I-seo is Yoo Ah-rin.

“Do you want to die?”

Yoo Ah-rin offers me the ramen that has become awkwardly soggy.

She really brought this back to me.

“You’d better eat it before I shove it into your mouth.”

“Ramen is best when it’s soggy.”

As I eat the lukewarm ramen, I hear Choi I-seo’s voice from the side.

“Ah-rin! Just hit him once!”

“Why? What did this jerk do now?”

“Ah, it’s… Hah, just hit him!”

As Yoo Ah-rin’s gaze turns toward me, she pressures me to answer what I did.

“Just a little chest grab.”

I answered honestly.

“Um, let’s put down the ramen. You’re spilling it.”

Watching Yoo Ah-rin loosen her fists, I started to eat the ramen a bit more slowly.