Bamboo Forest Manager

178 – 173. Landmine

I heard that scars are medals of honor for men.

If I got a scar from something like this, it would be more of a disgrace than a medal.

So it was fortunate that I didn’t have any scars, but once I left the hospital, I wondered if I should get a cast or something.

‘I’m sure I’ll get hit if I run into them again.’

The three of them were still angry.

I was scared of getting hit, but I was also excited to see them again.

Is this how much a person can change when they become honest with themselves?

Growth in many ways.

No, I guess you could say I’ve evolved.

The only problem is that it’s a dark evolution.

‘Oh, where is this?’

When I went outside, I saw a completely unfamiliar landscape.

I thought the hospital was unfamiliar in the first place, but it seemed like they had taken me to a hospital near the pension.

‘Did they just leave me here?’

I panicked and quickly checked my phone.

None of the three had left a message, but Yoonji had left a text.

– Oh Yoonji: Woojin, call me when you wake up.

‘Oh.’

Come to think of it, Yoonji said she would pick me up after the MT.

I declared that we should break up yesterday, but is it okay to contact her today to ask for a ride? It doesn’t seem right as a man or as a human being.

– Kim Woojin: Where is this? I’m scared.

But my fingers were already sending an SOS to Yoonji.

Hmm.

I’m not that great as a human being.

Now that I think about it, telling three people that I love them at the same time wasn’t such a bad confession.

‘I’ve seen harem protagonists in comics and novels do it well.’

I thought reality was really difficult, so I turned on a webtoon for now.

I had seen that even in modern webtoons, there were some that went into harems.

‘I’ve made up my mind.’

Then I should do it seriously, right?

“But it’s not right to apply webtoons to reality.”

Besides, in the case of adult webtoons, there are a lot of contents that make you submit to your body in a strange way.

Of course, using things like hypnosis or superpowers is out of the question.

Before I knew it, I was just watching the webtoon because it was funny.

Bang bang!

“Woojin.”

Yoonji, who was driving a red sports car, was calling me.

I felt a little awkward when I actually saw her face, but I got in the passenger seat and Yoonji stepped on the gas.

“Can you just drop me off at the dorm?”

“……Yeah, thanks.”

I answered, glancing at her.

Yoonji was driving with one hand on the steering wheel and the other on her chin, resting on the window.

There was no other conversation.

I wonder if she knows why I was hospitalized?

Anxious, I carefully opened my mouth.

“Um, aren’t you busy? I thought you would be busy.”

“I’m not busy. But I’m going back to school in the second semester, so I can make time by hiring employees.”

Right.

We were definitely classmates in the first semester of our first year.

It felt strange that Yoonji was now the president of a company, with employees under her.

“Is Pofo doing well?”

“Yeah, he’s doing well. Let’s have dinner together sometime. I’m really grateful to you.”

“Okay, let me know when you’re free.”

I sighed in relief that the three of them didn’t talk about me separately.

I’ve become a bit more malicious after going through the storms of life, but I used to be really bulldozer-like.If you act up now, you might not be able to get out of the car safely.

“When you’re young, they say that if you don’t see someone for a short while, they’ll grow up quickly.”

“Suddenly?”

“I guess that’s why. I haven’t seen you for only half a year, but how did you become so bold?”

The prelude to the conversation.

The flow was strange.

The moment the car stopped at the red light, Yoonji glanced at me and asked.

From Noble mtl dot com

“How do you plan to confess to three women?”

Ah, she said it.

“And that too, the day after you told me to break up? Is this some kind of rebound relationship?”

Look at how her voice is getting louder.

Her old habits are coming out.

It means that she’s getting a little excited.

“Technically, it’s been a while since we broke up, so a rebound relationship is-.”

Bam!

Yoonji slammed her fist on the steering wheel.

Her glaring eyes warn me not to speak carelessly.

“Ah, yes. I’m sorry.”

I’m sure she was vowing to walk everyone around with the dignity of a giant just a moment ago.

“Hoo, you’re such an idiot. Do you know how hard it was for me to accept that you wanted to break up? You jerk.”

The blue light turned on again.

Yoonji, who had been looking ahead, eventually pulled the car over to the side and banged her forehead on the steering wheel as if she was overwhelmed with emotions.

Then, suddenly, her face flushed red and she glared at me.

“If it were the old days, I would have taken you straight to my room.”

I could tell what she meant without her saying more.

Because back then, we were so close that we would tell Seo Yerim to go away.

We didn’t like s*x as much as we liked sharing our love.

The memory of enjoying the exchange of emotions is still vivid.

“Thinking about it now, isn’t it a little funny?”

“What is?”

“No matter what I did wrong, I would go to your room, and no matter what I did right, I would go to your room, and if I was cute, I would go to your room, and if I was annoying, I would go to your room.”

“…….”

“In the end, it seems like it was all the same.”

Of course, depending on the mood that day, there was someone who took the lead, but I remember that the results were similar.

“That’s right.”

Oh Yoonji agreed and laughed softly, as if she found it ridiculous.

“What was it back then? There was a time when you said something like that because I came in late.”

“Was that only once or twice?”

“When my phone battery died and I couldn’t answer your call.”

“Ah.”

Oh Yoonji turned her head away as if she remembered.

“Actually, I came in on time, but you turned the clock in your room back on purpose, so I thought I was an hour late.”

And so, I remember that I had to apologize and do a lot of embarrassing things.

It was dizzying at the time, but now that I think about it, it’s just a memory that I can laugh at.

“……Back then, I guess I just needed an excuse.”

Yoonji slowly muttered, the corners of her mouth slightly raised.

“Just. I just needed an excuse to be with you.”

It was the same for me.

I made up excuses to spend time together.

Seeing that we can laugh while reminiscing about the past.

My time with Yoonji was a good memory.

I wonder if she had the same thought as me, because she slowly took hold of the steering wheel again and we were able to return to the dormitory, talking about old times for the first time in a long time.

We arrived at the dormitory before we knew it.

“Woojin-ah.”

It was a little past lunchtime, but Yoonji had to go because she was busy.

She called out to me while still sitting in the driver’s seat.”Okay. It reminds me of the old days.”

Yoonji smiled contentedly.

I hesitated for a moment, then nodded slightly and went into the dormitory.

* * *

After parting with Yoonji, I entered the dormitory.

My room was filled with the luggage I had taken to the MT, which must have been brought by the freshmen living in the dormitory.

I thought I’d contact one of the three for now.

At first, I decided to call Seo Yerim.

There was only one reason I chose Seo Yerim.

‘She’s the one who hurts the least.’

Seo Yerim’s punches hurt less than the other two.

When I called, Seo Yerim answered right away.

– Hello.

A low, hushed voice.

It was an awkward act that was clearly trying to scare me.

“Ahem, hello? What are you doing now?”

For now, I pretended to be fooled.

I wonder if it’s okay for someone who claims to be an actor to act so crudely.

– You?

“I’m in the dormitory. Are you home? Can I see you for a minute?”

– …….

“Why aren’t you answering?”

I asked, wondering what was going on.

Seo Yerim’s real voice came through the phone.

– Oh, Mom! Why are you answering someone else’s phone!

Mom?

Seo Yerim’s mother?

‘Oh, sh*t.’

At that time, after the festival, I talked to my mother and told her that I would end my relationship with Seo Yerim.

I thought it might seem strange that I was calling her now.

“Can I see you for a minute? The kids who went to the MT are all getting together for a follow-up.”

I pretended not to hear Seo Yerim’s voice and went straight to a natural topic.

– You stay put. When I hear your voice, it’s Woojin, right?

Only now did I realize the meaning of the awkward acting tone in the low voice.

“Yes, Yerim’s mother? Hello.”

Let’s go out there confidently.

No, it’s not a position where I should be confident, but I need to be confident for now.

– Yes, Woojin. Do you guys have an MT follow-up these days?

“Oh, yes. The kids like to get together so much. Seo Yerim is also very popular.”

– ……Woojin, would you be able to meet me separately later if you have time?

“Yes? Suddenly?”

I wondered what she was talking about out of the blue, but my mother didn’t back down.

– Yes, I’ll ask you a favor. I’ll text you later when it’s a good time.

“I, I will.”

* * *

I didn’t intend to, but I ended up having an MT follow-up.

I didn’t call anyone in particular and just came out to create an alibi for Seo Yerim.

‘What’s going on all of a sudden?’

It’s not yet confirmed when we’ll meet, so I have some time.

Still, I’d like to know in advance why my mother wants to see me.

Seo Yerim, who will be here soon, probably knows.

I couldn’t drink alcohol or eat meat, so the compromise was a PC room.

I could have taken a seat in the PC room first, but just in case, I was waiting outside and continuing to read the webtoon I was reading earlier.

‘It’s no joke.’

I’m watching it because it’s a realistic harem work, but it’s creepy.

This isn’t romance, it’s just an affair and a love affair.

To the end where the woman stabs the man with a knife.Normally, I would have been crying my eyes out, saying that he died well, but now I strangely empathize with him, which sends chills down my spine.

– Yoo Ah-rin: Are you not going to contact me?

Just then, a text message came.

I replied with a slight smile.

– Kim Woo-jin: I was out of my mind. It hasn’t been long since I arrived at the dormitory.

– Yoo Ah-rin: Get lost. Don’t talk to me.

– Kim Woo-jin: ……You’re the one who texted me first.

– Yoo Ah-rin: I was just checking if you were alive. I didn’t want to go to the police station for nothing.

– Kim Woo-jin: I was beaten to the point of death.

I ended up fainting.

– Yoo Ah-rin: You should be grateful to me. You would have been dead if it weren’t for me.

Hmm?

– Kim Woo-jin: What do you mean dead?

– Yoo Ah-rin: Don’t be ridiculous. At that time, Ye-rin’s eyes rolled back in her head. She was making a huge fuss, saying that she would bring scissors and cut your throat.

– Kim Woo-jin: ……Seo Ye-rin?

– Yoo Ah-rin: Yeah. Don’t meet Ye-rin for a while. You’ll die.

I’ve often heard that life is more fictional than drama.

“Woo-jin!”

The moment I saw Seo Ye-rin waving her hand and approaching me.

I immediately turned my body and started running away.

It was such a common cliché that the one I thought was the most harmless turned out to be the biggest landmine.