Bamboo Forest Manager

“…Are you okay?”

“Uh, yeah. I’m fine.”

Maybe it’s because she saw me getting hit by Yu Arin in real-time, but Gyu-ah’s gaze is a bit warmer.

Or maybe it’s just that I want to feel warmth.

Anyway, Gyu-ah suddenly came to ask for help. Seniors generally want to help when juniors ask.

‘I strangely don’t want to help.’

More than not wanting to help, I don’t even want to have a conversation with her at all.

Part of this thought is due to the three people staring holes into my back.

Their piercing looks, as if saying ‘He’s at it again’, make me instinctively shrink.

It seems I wasn’t the only one feeling burdened by their gazes.

“Ahem, should we go outside to talk? The seniors look busy.”

Perhaps feeling burdened by the stares, Gyu-ah urges us to leave quickly. However, from my perspective, talking outside is more dangerous.

“No, let’s talk here.”

I didn’t want to create any strange misunderstandings by talking separately.

Our relationship was transparent, and there was nothing to hide from the people behind us.

But it seemed Gyu-ah thought differently.

“Ah, please.”

It was probably because of what happened yesterday. She didn’t want to reveal to the seniors that she was a complete trash who juggled three different relationships.

“Just once, please, senior!”

As I watched Gyu-ah start tugging at my collar, I sensed the urgency and immediately grabbed her wrist, ready to apply a wrist lock again.

“Eek!”

Sensing my hostility, Gyu-ah quickly let go in surprise.

“Uh, anyway, please come with me. I’m really in a hurry.”

Gyu-ah, on the verge of tears.

“Sniff, please help me. Please.”

Now, tears welling up in her eyes.

Seeing Gyu-ah, who is relatively pretty, about to cry while asking for help…

“Ugh, hey. Stop crying, it’s off-putting.”

I unintentionally responded with an irritated, cold expression.

“……”

Gyu-ah looked at me in disbelief.

“That’s harsh.”

“Wow, I didn’t expect it to go that far.”

“Woojin…”

And the three people behind me each had something to say.

But what can I do?

It’s obvious that she’s faking those tears.

I figured out Gyu-ah’s personality yesterday, and it seemed like she was just acting, so I just ignored it.

“Just go and listen to her, Woojin.”

In the end, Choi Yiseo, feeling sorry for her, gave me permission.

“Sigh, let’s go.”

“Thank you!”

I thought I should finish quickly and was heading out.

“Woojin.”

Choi Yiseo called me.

“Hmm?”

She didn’t say anything else.

She just held a paper decoration about 1 Woojin long that Seo Yerin had made earlier.

Riiip.

She tore it in half with a smile.

“Come back quickly?”

“…Got it.”

Gyu-ah didn’t know what was going on and just looked back and forth between us, but I pushed her on the back and quickly went out.

“Eek!”

“Kyaaa! Woojin!”

Ignoring the fussing screams of Yu Arin and Seo Yerin over the paper decoration that had become 0.5 Woojin, I walked away.

My lower body ached for no reason.

I was about to start talking right in front of the classroom without going any further.

“…Senior.”

Somehow, Lee Gyu-ah, who had a completely different expression of seriousness from her earlier crying one, looked up at me.

“That, something.”

You were definitely whining for my help just a moment ago.

And now, after picking and choosing your words, you finally say.

“It’s quite different from what I thought?”

“What’s different?”

“You seem…very controlled?”

“Huh? Me?”

What is she talking about?

“No, usually people who are two-timing either take the lead or act reckless, you know?”

“It really hits home when you say it. And I’m not dating anyone.”

“What’s the difference? Anyway, you’re a bit different, aren’t you? You’re two-timing but…you seem controlled?”

Unbelievable.

“What are you talking about? I have them wrapped around my finger.”

It feels like a matter of pride, so I quickly deny it.

“……”

But Gyu-ah keeps her mouth shut and looks at me, as if she doesn’t believe me.

“Then can you link arms with me and walk inside right now?”

“…Why would you do that?”

“See, you can’t do it. You’re just stuck.”

“Lock arms.”

Just as I was about to approach and lock arms.

Clunk.

The classroom door opened, and Choi Yiseo peeked out.

“Shit, get lost!”

I immediately pushed Gyu-ah away, creating distance.

Thanks to that, Gyu-ah fell flat on the floor.

Still lying down, Gyu-ah glared at me, a vein popping on her forehead, conveying a desire to kill me right away.

“…What are you doing?”

Choi Yiseo seemed confused too.

“Ah, no. Just. It just happened.”

“I don’t know what’s going on, but don’t do weird things. And when you come back, get some drinks from the vending machine.”

“Ah, sure. I’ll get Coke Zero.”

Choi Yiseo went back into the classroom.

Watching Gyu-ah slowly get up while dusting off her butt, I awkwardly cleared my throat.

“Did you just see that manly thing? Forcing the menu choice. Saying, ‘Drink Coke Zero’.”

“Are you crazy?”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

“I am a senior, Gyu-ah.”

“No matter what, how can you suddenly push me? What if I got hurt?”

“Sorry about that. But!”

I clutch my chest and offer a deeply heartfelt excuse.

“Isn’t it better for you to get hurt than for me to get hurt by those guys?”

“At this point, I’m starting to think you have a problem.”

Gyu-ah clicks her tongue and crosses her arms.

Since the conversation veered off track, I bring it back to the original topic.

“Sigh, I shouldn’t have asked. Damn it. Anyway, senior, please write something on the Bamboo Forest.”

“On the Bamboo Forest?”

I had a feeling it was about the Bamboo Forest when she asked me to write something earlier, but I didn’t expect it to be really about that.

It didn’t seem like she knew I was the Administrator.

It just seemed like a simple request to write something.

I got a feeling.

“Did the guy write something about you in the Bamboo Forest yesterday?”

“Yes! That’s right! As expected from someone experienced!”

Not exactly a pleasant thing.

Anyway, the story was simple.

Her boyfriend posted an anonymous sniping comment in the Bamboo Forest yesterday.

Of course, no real names were mentioned, but it said that a reptile in the English department had many lovers besides himself.

I also opened the Bamboo Forest and skimmed through it, but aside from mentioning the English department, there was nothing specific.

“Judging by the reptile comment, it’s because he called you an iguana. It’s about you.”

“Oh, that’s what I’m saying! Can you refute it, senior? Please?!”

“Is this really necessary?”

There’s no specificity anyway, and no names were revealed.

It just said someone in the English department, so is this really a big deal?

“You’re making such a fuss…”

Clunk!

As the classroom door opens, Seo Yerin and Yu Arin urgently call out to me.

“W-Woojin! You’ve been targeted!”

“Hey, you idiot! Check the Bamboo Forest more often!”

“Hmm?”

I tried refreshing the page to see what they were talking about, but there was no new post.

Yu Arin showed me her phone screen.

There was the post targeting Gyu-ah.

“This isn’t me, you idiots.”

“Huh? It wasn’t you? I was a hundred percent sure it was you.”

“So there’s another guy in the English department who looks like Kim Woojin? The world sure is funny.”

The post targeting Gyu-ah didn’t specify the gender and only mentioned that they were in a relationship.

It seems they mistook it for me.

“Sigh, just go inside.”

“Get me a Melona on your way back!”

“Doesn’t Melona mean 1 Woojin?”

“Isn’t it smaller than 1 Woojin? Just put it in your mouth and you’ll see-!”

The two of them enter, chatting about this and that.

Click.

The door closes.

“You saw it, right? I told you they wouldn’t know it’s you. You must have been confused because it’s your first time being targeted. It’s not a problem at all.”

“As expected from a sniping specialist.”

Just as Gyu-ah nodded in agreement.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

- Oh Yoon-ji -

An incoming call from Yoon-ji.

Could it be related to the drinking session with the kids yesterday?

I still don’t know how to deal with Yoon-ji, but I won’t avoid the call.

“Hold on a second.”

Leaving Gyu-ah, who nodded in understanding with a “ho ho”, I answered the call.

“Hello?”

- Woojin! Are you okay?!

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Yoon-ji’s urgent voice made me wonder what she was talking about.

- There’s a post targeting you in the Bamboo Forest! They’re calling you a reptile and insulting you-!

“That’s not me.”

- Oh? When I saw the rumor about someone from the English department dating around, I immediately thought it was you.

“It’s not me. Do you also check the Bamboo Forest?”

- I installed it to get some information since I’m returning to school.

Yoon-ji knows that I’m the Administrator.

I became the Administrator in the first semester, and I never hid anything from Yoon-ji.

“Anyway, it’s not me.”

- That’s a relief.

With that, Yoon-ji replied with a slight smile.

- I like talking to you on the phone.

“Don’t suddenly get emotional.”

- Last time when you were drunk and called me, I recorded it.

“…Please delete it.”

- Anyway, it’s a relief that it’s not you. I’ll drop by the dormitory later. I have something to discuss with you.

“Okay, got it.”

Even if it’s uncomfortable, I don’t avoid it.

That’s the feeling I currently have towards Oh Yoon-ji.

Actually, it felt more like guilt than discomfort.

- See you later.

Click.

I hung up and looked back at Gyu-ah.

She was already engrossed in reading the Bamboo Forest posts, grinning widely.

“Aha, right? There’s nothing that specifically identifies me. They didn’t even make it clear if it’s a guy or a girl.”

“They did that on purpose. In case things blow up, they can deny it-”

Thump, thump, thump, thump!

Heavy footsteps echoed from the end of the hallway.

Senior Ju-hee, with her hair tied back and wearing a jumper, came running frantically.

“Woo, Woojin! Did you see this post?!”

She showed me the Bamboo Forest post from earlier.

“Phew.”

I took a deep breath and then spoke to Gyu-ah, who was struggling to contain her laughter.

“Give me your ex-boyfriend’s number.”

“Why?”

“To tell him to aim properly.”

“No way!”