Bamboo Forest Manager

35 – 35. Exam Period

“Can I go to the hotel with Seo Ye-rin then?”

Asking seriously, Choi I-seo’s fist began to come down again.

“Haaah.”

Choi I-seo finally took a breath and wiped his chest. Maybe because he had good stamina, his breathing wasn’t too heavy even though he had just swung the hammer.

“I’m the only one who’s a mess.”

When I told Choi I-seo to see the traces of my hard work, he seemed sorry and apologized.

“Sorry. I got carried away without realizing it.”

Anyway, I’m glad he calmed down.

A moment of silence.

As he calmed down, Choi I-seo understood that everything I had said so far was a kind of joke, and he scratched the desk with his finger.

He looked embarrassed and sorry for acting rashly and punching.

“Can you tell me why you thought I was sleeping with Seo Ye-rin?”

Since he seemed to have said everything, I asked him to explain the reason. Choi I-seo glanced at me and opened his mouth.

“Well, you had a picture of Ye-rin’s band in your possession.”

“……?!”

I was really surprised by this.

My back straightened up and I felt a surge of energy in my body.

Seeing my strange expression, Choi I-seo nodded confidently.

“As I thought, it was Ye-rin.”

“Ah, no… it’s not like that.”

“When we were at the tonkatsu restaurant, I asked you what you were looking at. You were looking at Ye-rin’s picture then.”

“Ah, I thought you were checking me out…”

I closed my mouth as I looked at Choi I-seo who was clenching his fist. If the conversation continued like this, it wouldn’t end until the lecture started.

“I didn’t know at that time. But when I saw Ye-rin changing clothes in the gym’s dressing room this time, it just clicked.”

“Ah…”

Unintentionally, I let out a sigh of relief.

Finally, now the puzzle pieces were falling into place.

“But you don’t seem to be in a relationship… so I wondered if you were in that kind of relationship.”

“Huh.”

“Unlike in high school, I realized that relationships between men and women can be like that in college…”

What should I call this?

As I pondered, I sighed and discreetly handed my phone over.

“Well, I don’t have any such photos. Check the gallery.”

She hesitated slightly at my words, but Choi Iseo checked the photos. I didn’t really like taking pictures in the first place, so there weren’t many photos in the gallery.

I was really relieved that I didn’t have any saved photos of Seo Yerin.

“But I saw it back then.”

Iseo Choi started to explain.

“First of all, let me be clear. Yerin Seo and I are not in any kind of s*xual relationship. We don’t see each other as members of the opposite s*x in the slightest.”

You could say that we’ve become somewhat friends recently.

“Liar…”

Slightly pursing her lips, Iseo Choi doubted me, but all I could do was push forward.

“It’s true that I had those photos of Seo Yerin. But she didn’t know that I had them.”

“Huh?”

“I can never tell you how I got those photos. It’s not for my sake, but for Seo Yerin’s sake, but one thing I can confirm.”

“…”

“It’s natural for everyone to have secrets that are hard to tell others. If you’re a friend, pretend you didn’t see anything and if you can’t do that, just don’t associate with Seo Yerin anymore.”

“Now, hold on.”

Iseo Choi, who was surprised that I came off so strong, suddenly stood up.

“What are you saying? You want to… cut ties?”

“I just said it extremely. It means if you feel disgust towards this kind of person, just don’t engage with them.”

While Seo Yerin’s behavior like this was certainly not good, everyone has aspects that they want to hide from others.

Being Anon69, it meant that I was cornered in a relationship with Seo Yerin to the point where I had to express desires like this.

Knowing that, I pretended not to notice and continued to accompany her.

“…”

It seemed like Iseo Choi was quite dissatisfied with my words, but eventually she sighed and responded.

“Just make one thing clear. There is nothing more than what I know about the relationship between the three of us.”

“Lunch together when Tuesday morning classes overlap. Maybe go to a PC room if bored, exercise together for an hour.”

Just that kind of relationship.

“There is nothing more than that. I’m not lying about this.”

She brushed her bangs back firmly and eventually looked up.

“Yeah, I got it. I’ll believe you.”

“…Really?”

Even though she had been honest, it was hard to expect Choi Yiseo to believe her.

After all, just the fact that she had seen Seo Yerin’s semi-nude photo was enough reason to be suspicious.

“Sigh, I’ll believe you since you’re saying it so strongly. Just treat Yerin like you usually do, and let’s forget about what I saw.”

“That’s impressive.”

She accepted that?

At that moment, Choi Yiseo once again felt incredibly impressive.

“But!”

Choi Yiseo spoke firmly, looking down at me sitting up.

“Don’t try anything strange with Yerin because of this. Got it? I won’t forgive that.”

“Don’t worry. I don’t plan on saying anything to Seo Yerin.”

“Hmph, I’ll believe you. It’s none other than you, after all.”

I felt like I was being trusted to an extent that was strange. Maybe it was because I had resolved the Minji incident.

Although I didn’t feel like I had done anything particularly impressive back then.

As for Choi Seojun, Minji’s boyfriend, I handled it quietly, so he wouldn’t know.

“It’s weird.”

Well, it’s a good thing to be trusted.

I thanked Choi Yiseo for believing me and added.

“But if Seo Yerin suggests it first, I won’t refuse.”

As I declared that while holding up my thumb, Choi Yiseo raised the corner of her mouth and smirked.

“To you? Yerin?”

“…You’re blatantly ignoring me.”

* * *

– Anonymous147: Is it true that there are no seats in the library? I have nowhere to study ㅠㅠ

“Sigh.”

Seo Yerin turned around on her way to the library after seeing the post on the bamboo forest forum.

It was the exam period, so it was difficult to find a place to study.

But going home to study didn’t feel right either.

‘Cafes… are too noisy. It seems like all the study cafes are full as well.’

I purposely distanced myself from my friends and used it as an excuse to avoid the guys who would approach me.

Now that there is nowhere to study, I am walking aimlessly around the school.

I have already drunk half of the coffee I bought to drink while studying.

Sighing, Seo Yerin was planning to head towards the bus stop.

“Did you really study and get into this school?”

“You’ve been talking really harshly since earlier.”

Sitting at the outdoor table used for lunch, two familiar people were studying.

Choi Iseo and Kim Woojin.

“Hey.”

Seo Yerin, who was worried about the recent distance between the two, smiled when she saw that they were being friendly again, just like usual.

And then, without realizing it, she turned her steps towards the bus stop and headed towards the two.

“Are you two studying?”

* * *

It can be understood that they are studying even though the lecture has ended because she asked Choi Iseo about the scope of the exam.

It can also be understood why Seo Yerin came looking for a place to study in the middle.

Anyway, she is studying to prepare for the midterm.

“Sigh, can’t you interpret this?”

“Woojin, I need to memorize more words.”

But it seemed like I couldn’t stand the pressure from both the front and the side about my English skills.

“I’m sorry, but could you both do your own work?”

When I looked at them while covering my notebook with both hands, Seo Yerin looked puzzled and scratched the back of her head, while Choi Iseo stuck out her tongue.

“You guys really care about your pride.”

“Did you have good grades in the first semester? Mine weren’t bad either. I had an A too, you know?!”

Feeling annoyed, I retorted at Choi Iseo and poked her forehead.

“I had an A too.”

“You….”

“The rest were all A+.”

“….”

“Ugh, don’t just cling to your strange pride, if you have something to ask, ask. It’s already obvious that you will ruin your grades and end up going to the military.”

“Pffft.”

“What is it?”

Choi Iseo, sitting next to me, looks at me with a smile and presses my head with his hand, making me look at his notes.

“Study.”

“Geez.”

Even the notes felt different in standard.

I use a notebook that I can buy at a stationery store, while these looked like real college students studying with a laptop or a tablet.

But I’m not that passionate about my studies to use such things.

Anyway, I tried to focus on studying again.

From Noble mtl dot com

“Hey! You loser! What are you doing?”

A unique voice and a distinct fruity scent overwhelm my nose, adding weight to my shoulders.

When I turn my head, Yoo Arin, who seemed to be passing by, is smiling and pressing my shoulder with both hands.

“Oh, Iseo is here too? Hi!”

“Hello.”

“Yerin said she was going to the library, but she failed?”

“Yeah, it was full.”

As soon as she appeared, the atmosphere shifted towards Yoo Arin.

It bothered me that she kept her hands on my shoulder, but I started to concentrate on my studies.

“You loser, studying?”

“If you don’t want to get beaten up, get lost.”

“If your face is ugly, you should at least study well.”

Saying that, she quickly removed her hands and held her own phone in front of my face.

“…!”

There was a photo taken last time when I drank with Yoo Arin and Senior Min Joohee.

It was a hilarious picture of the two heavily intoxicated people stuffing chopsticks into my nostrils.

“You…! When did you take this?”

I tried to grab the phone, but Yoo Arin had already slipped away.

“Heehee.”

Covering her mouth with her phone, she gives a sinister smile and starts running away.

“If you don’t want this to be spread on the group chat, go buy me some Pepero from the convenience store within 5 minutes! You loser!”

“You’re ridiculous! In 5 minutes, I’ll smash your phone and tear off your limbs and scatter them across Gangyeon-dae!”

As I quickly stood up and rushed towards Yuarin, he began running around the table, trying to escape.

But I was someone.

I was Choi Iseo, a man who tinkered with human weapons.

“heheheh! It tickles!”

I was able to catch Yuarin quickly. Just as I was about to forcibly snatch away his struggling phone.

“…….”

“…….”

The cold gazes of the two women sitting at the table were directed towards me.