Bamboo Forest Manager

70 – 70. Friendly Competition

“Pretty, pour me a drink.”

Thanks to the arrival of my senior, Min Joo-hee, the atmosphere was noticeably livelier.

She was like the ventilation fan of the barbecue restaurant.

I poured her a generous drink and asked her, “Where have you been? You’re late.”

“Hmm? Are you complaining that I’m late?”

Joo-hee laughed heartily as she drank. The way she drank alone, as if she didn’t need to socialize with us, was refreshing in itself.

“I went to play billiards with my friends.”

“You play billiards?”

To be honest, I was a little surprised when I heard it, but I could easily imagine Joo-hee playing billiards with a cigarette in her mouth among the men.

Of course, there’s a separate smoking room now, so she wouldn’t be able to smoke.

“You play? Do you want to play billiards with me, Woo-jin?”

I smiled and replied to Joo-hee, who seemed like she was about to suggest we play billiards together.

“I’ve only played pocket billiards.”

“Come on, let’s go.”

Isn’t it a bit strange for a woman to say that?

“You’re crazy for s*xual harassment.”

“Pfft!”

Seo Ye-rin, who was next to me, burst out laughing, but I ignored her. She’s at the age where she laughs whenever anything s*xual is mentioned.

“But why pocket billiards? When you usually go play billiards with kids, you play 4-ball.”

“……I played with my ex-girlfriend.”

There was a moment of silence.

The eyes of the three people simultaneously left me and turned elsewhere, as if they thought it was a sensitive subject.

Well, it is a bit like that.

“Then why did you play, senior? Women don’t usually go to billiard halls.”

“Me?”

Joo-hee, who had been looking down at her glass for a moment, reached out and took another drink, pouring it into her mouth.

It was like she was refueling.

“Hmm, well, since you mentioned it.”

I thought there was some special reason.

“When I was in high school, I beat up some kids with a cue, so I went because I liked the way it felt.”

I wish I hadn’t heard that.

“I don’t think I can go to a billiard hall with you, senior.”

“Heh, is it only the billiard hall that you can’t go to?”

Joo-hee said it jokingly, but I was a little creeped out by the thought that she might have similar episodes elsewhere.

If she goes to a PC room, does she hit the keyboard? If she goes to a karaoke room, does she hit the microphone?

She took another sip of her drink and glanced at the two women next to me, shrugging her shoulders.

“But Woo-jin is really good. You have two pretty girls next to you from our department?”

From Noble mtl dot com

At those words, I couldn’t help but glance at the two of them. Thinking about it, that was true.

The seat between Seo Ye-rin and Choi Yi-seo was quite valuable, as the people around us would glance at us and show their envy.

“I’m awesome.”

As soon as I expressed my honest feelings, both of my thighs were pinched. Both of them were giving me a hint without anyone else knowing.

Thanks to both of them being pinched, my back bent and my hands went down to rub the pinched area.

“It’s a good time. It’s a good time. When will I ever date?”

Joo-hee thought our appearance was cute and filled her beer glass with soju.

If we’re not careful, we might end up in a strange drinking game.

“I’m sure someone like you has a person or two you’re interested in, senior.”

Joo-hee shook her head as she looked at Choi Yi-seo, who spoke almost like a proxy for her work life.

“Oh, when I was in high school, the kids were so scared. They would run away if I just made eye contact, so when would I have had time to talk?”

“But it’s not like that now, is it?”

Choi Yi-seo held out her glass to make a toast. The four of us each raised our glasses, clinked them together, and poured them into our mouths.

“Ugh! Hey, what are you doing? I don’t have time to date because I’m studying. I need to get a full scholarship.”

“I can relate to that……”Choi Yiseo glanced at me and nodded in agreement. Her words about waiting until next semester flashed through my mind.

“But wouldn’t it be better to date now?”

“Oh?”

Then, out of the blue, Seo Yerim, who had finished her drink the latest, chimed in, and Joohee sunbae also showed interest.

“You better think carefully. If you say you’re interested in dating here, there are more than a few wolf cubs who will come running.”

When the sunbae said that, I felt like the barbecue restaurant suddenly became a little quieter. It was as if everyone was paying attention to Yerim’s every word.

Nevertheless, Yerim did not hesitate and spoke quite boldly.

“There are things that you can only experience at this time. I think it would be a shame to go out into society without ever having dated.”

“Wow! That’s true too. Yerim will probably catch a guy soon.”

Joohee sunbae was excited, saying that Yerim could probably get a boyfriend just by talking to him.

And with that, the topic of conversation naturally shifted to the festival stage.

Joohee sunbae started to ask Yerim if she was interested in him.

“Really? Did you really get a business card?”

“Ah, yes… But I’m sorry, I turned him down.”

“Is it true that Lee Junmin, who came to the festival, asked you for your number?”

“……Th, th, yes.”

Yerim answered while bowing her head and glancing at me. She looked worried about something, and I wondered why.

She quickly typed something on her phone, and then I received a notification.

– Anonymous69: Don’t worry.

“What are you worried about?”

“Wha!? W, what are you talking about all of a sudden!?”

Yerim panicked when I answered while looking at her openly, and she slapped me.

I couldn’t help but feel like I was having a secret meeting, so I couldn’t just sit still.

“……”

In the meantime.

I felt my clothes stretch a little, so I checked beside me and saw that Choi Yiseo was holding onto the hem of my clothes and pulling it very slightly.

‘Oh, I don’t know.’

I pretended not to see it and was drinking when Joohee sunbae’s target turned to me.

“Come to think of it, Woojin-ah, we’re going to be filming the assignment soon, so be aware of that.”

“Are you talking about work at a drinking party?”

“Oh, we’re going to do it. It’s perfect because Yerim is here too.”

The scenario that Yooarin and I made together. Thanks to that, the scenario privilege disappeared, and no one could get out of the assignment and had to participate without fail.

“What happened to the sunbaes who said they wouldn’t do the assignment?”

Didn’t Joohee sunbae curse at them to get out of the karaoke room?

The answer was already evident in the way Joohee sunbae was chewing on the meat.

“What do you mean, what happened? Those guys just close their eyes whenever I pass by. I’m going to exclude them.”

“Are you sure that’s okay? Didn’t you need a girl for the scenario?”

I understand that the story is about a girl student’s courage test.

Our group only has two girls right now, Joohee sunbae and Seo Yerim.

“I’ll have to find someone who can just act……”

Joohee sunbae glanced at Choi Yiseo as she said that.

This person, that’s why she brought up the group assignment now?

I also looked at Choi Yiseo, and she was now holding the tongs again and grilling meat, looking embarrassed.

“Huh? Me, me?”

“Yiseo is pretty, has a good personality, and is responsible because she’s the oldest.”

Joohee sunbae asked me.

I refilled Choi Yiseo’s glass and accepted it.

“Do you think that’s all? Choi Yiseo is also good at sports, has good stamina, knows how to take care of people, and has a deep heart.”

“Wow, really?”

“Oh, of course. Where can you find a girl like this?”

“Hey! If Yiseo is like that, wouldn’t she help us out a little if she just knew about our group’s difficult situation?”

Choi Yiseo sighed as Joohee sunbae smiled broadly and made it clear.

“I’m busy, and I’ve never acted before……”But while he said that, his expression was light. He glanced at me and shook his head as he continued speaking.

“Even though it’s blunt, I’ll do it because it’s nice to hear compliments.”

“Oh yeah, actor secured. For now, the lead will be Yeo-rin Jo. I’ll give Yi-seo as little screen time as possible.”

“Thank you.”

Joo-hee sunbae and Yi-seo Choi started talking about the assignment.

At that moment, Seo Ye-rin was staring at me intently from the side. She was eating samgyeopsal while mumbling, but she had a look of expectation.

“Do you want me to compliment you too?”

When I said that casually, Seo Ye-rin nodded her head vigorously.

“Hmm, you have two eyes?”

“……”

“You have two ears too, compliment.”

“……”

“You’re flaring your nostrils, compliment.”

“……”

“You keep eating meat, compliment. You’re going to become a pig.”

“Three.”

“You’re good at counting. Compliment.”

“Two.”

“You’re counting backwards, but compliment.”

“One.”

“You’re clenching your fists because you’re angry, but you’re not scary at all, compliment.”

“This jerk!”

Seo Ye-rin started punching me while grumbling at me.

“You’re slow.”

When I blocked Seo Ye-rin’s fist and laughed at her, her punches became faster.

I was having a hard time holding on, so I got up and ran away, saying I was going to the bathroom. The store didn’t have a bathroom, so I had to use the public bathroom in the stairwell and went outside.

When I came out of the bathroom after doing my business, there was someone standing there.

It was Han-kang sunbae, out of the blue.

“Woo-jin-ah.”

He had a serious expression.

But the way he didn’t back down was so dignified and intimidating.

“I heard everything just now. About Ye-rin.”

“……Seo Ye-rin said she was interested in dating?”

Sunbae nodded at my words.

“Your ears are very sharp.”

“Don’t joke around.”

I thought I might get hit if I kept this up, so I backed down for now. I felt like I would lose if we fought.

“I told you last time. I really like Ye-rin, and I’m after her.”

“You did.”

“I’m not going to hold back anymore. I’m going to tell her I’m seriously interested, and I’m going to confess after taking the time to build a relationship.”

“……”

“I’m not asking you to give up. I’m asking you to compete. A friendly competition.”

My conscience pricked me.

How on earth could I tell someone who was talking like this that I had slept with her while drunk?

My heart sank, and I felt like I was a bad person.

“Th, um… sunbae.”

“What is it, Woo-jin-ah.”

I took a deep breath, but what could I say? I just thought about this and that, and finally.

“Fi, fight each other!”

When I offered a handshake, Han-kang sunbae exhaled and shook my hand firmly.

“Yes, let’s do our best.”

I’m sorry.

I’m really sorry.

“I’ll go get some fresh air. You go in first.”

As I said that and went downstairs, sunbae added a word while looking at me.

“I think I misunderstood you a bit. Whoever you end up dating, or if you both fail. Let’s have a drink together later.”

“Th, then!”

I said that and went outside.

A strange sense of guilt.

I don’t know why I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve become a trashy man who should be in a comic book.

“You were here!”

At that moment, Yoo-ah-rin came running down the stairs. She was grinning and clenching her fists.

“Did you really bring Jung Chan-woo? And you sat him at our table? And you’re having a great time with three girls?”

“You came at a good time. Can you hit me a few times?”

“You’re done for…! Huh? What did you say?”

“Hit me.”I don’t think you’ll forgive me right now without a beating.

“Are you serious?”

“Don’t ask and just hit me. I hate myself.”

He slowly closes his eyes as he says so.

Yeah, I guess I should feel this much pain for now…

Smack!

“Ugh! You’re crazy! Wait a minute! It really hurts!”

Don’t hit me!

* * *

The day after the aftermath.

I don’t have any classes where I meet anyone in particular on Mondays, so I just go to school quietly by myself and come back.

While I was having lunch with ramen and convenience store kimbap, I was playing a mobile game, Black Academy, when I got a sudden message from someone.

– Han Kang senior: Have you heard the news?

“Hmm?”

I put a piece of kimbap in my mouth and wondered what this was about.

Right after that, another message came from someone else.

– Joo Dae-jang: Ah, damn it.

– Joo Dae-jang: Why is the world so cruel to me?

“Hmm?”

I was about to reply to ask what was going on, but another message came from Han Kang senior.

– Han Kang senior: Please take good care of Ye-rin.

And then the next message arrived almost at the same time.

– Joo Dae-jang: That bastard Han Kang.

– Joo Dae-jang: I got a warrant and I’m going to drop out of school for a semester and join the military.

“…Huh?”

What kind of joke are these two playing?