Bamboo Forest Manager

52 – 52. Visiting the Sick

After the mid-term exam period ended.

There was no time to rest, as it immediately became festival season, but unlike the exam period, there was a lively, bustling atmosphere.

Usually, on Mondays, people would walk around sluggishly with tired expressions, but not today.

When I saw the festival banners being hung up and tents being set up on the field, I thought, “Ah, the festival is starting.”

There were rumors going around that some rapper or singer would be coming.

“It must be bothersome.”

I had a somewhat skeptical stance towards the festival.

Especially for first-year students, I heard that they had to participate in the festival forcefully, so there was that aspect as well.

Anyway, since today was Monday, I thought I would just attend lectures alone and go back home without meeting anyone.

But then, a notice was posted in the English Department group chat.

– Choi Yiseo: There is a festival-related notice today, please gather in Classroom 1 at 5 pm.

– Choi Yiseo: If you can’t come, please let me know through private message.

Even though it was right after the last lecture, I didn’t want to go, so I immediately sent a separate message to Choi Yiseo.

– Kim Woojin: Chief, I don’t think I can go today.

– Choi Yiseo: Why?

– Kim Woojin: It’s for personal reasons.

– Choi Yiseo: Do you want to die?

– Kim Woojin: Actually, I’m not feeling well.

– Choi Yiseo: Do you really want to be in pain?

– Kim Woo-jin: It’s fierce.

– Choi Yi-seo: If you don’t want to come, it’s okay.

– Kim Woo-jin: Really?

– Choi Yi-seo: I told you not to answer only with initials.

– Kim Woo-jin: I won’t go because I’m sick.

“Wow, what’s this?”

Honestly, I just sent a text to Choi Yi-seo as a joke, but I didn’t know I really didn’t have to go.

We’re close with each other since we’re in the same major.

There’s no need to waste time and effort, so I hummed as I headed to attend the lecture.

* * *

“Oh, why did I do that?”

Lecture room 1.

Choi Yi-seo was sitting in the front row, sighing for no reason.

Except for those who have unavoidable circumstances, all the freshman students attending the English Literature and Language festival were present.

Since it was their first festival experience in college, everyone had high expectations, resulting in a high attendance rate.

One of the professors in charge of the sophomore major now came to speak to them.

“I should have just asked them to come.”

Choi Yi-seo now regretted sending away Kim Woo-jin just like that.

Though the reason on the surface was that there could be an accident because of Kim Woo-jin’s constant low evaluation in the major.

“But, ah…”

They had confessed to each other yesterday, so it was nice to see each other’s faces, but it was also difficult.

So when Kim Woo-jin sent the text, Choi Yi-seo chose the easy way out to feel relieved immediately.

But now, not being able to see each other made them feel disappointed and annoyed by the fact that Kim Woo-jin sent the text so casually.

“Is it nothing to them?”

They had definitely confessed their feelings to each other, so why did Kim Woo-jin send the text like nothing had happened?

In the midst of various worries, Choi Yi-seo’s head was filled with confusion, and An Hyun-ho, who was sitting next to them because they were assigned to the same major, called out to them.

“Yiseo, when will the professor come?”

“They’ll come soon.”

“….Do you have any concerns by any chance?”

Choi Yi-seo glanced at An Hyun-ho. Now that they think about it, An Hyun-ho had also shown obvious signs of liking them, but recently, it seemed like he was holding back a bit.

Since the time when Kim Woojin made a false confession at the Tonkatsu restaurant and Choi Iseo said she had no intention of dating anyone.

“Have you closed your heart? Or are you hiding something?”

If you’ve closed it, I’m grateful. If you’re hiding something, I want to learn.

“No, it’s just because of the festival.”

“Did you hear which celebrity is coming to this festival?”

“I don’t really know about that.”

While casually answering the various questions posed by Ahn Hyunho, suddenly Seo Yerin approached.

She had been mingling with a different group of friends, so I wondered why she came.

After glancing around, Seo Yerin asked in a small voice.

“What about Woojin?”

“Oh, he couldn’t come today.”

“I see.”

I thought she would say something more, but she quickly walked away. As I watched her with a worried expression, someone from that group of friends emerged and approached.

Yoo Arin, with an expression of discontent.

“Why isn’t he here?”

There was no need to ask who she was referring to, so I replied curtly.

“You should try calling him.”

“He doesn’t answer, so what can I do?”

“I heard he’s sick.”

That remark made her frown.

“How can you tell if it’s a lie or not?”

“Sigh, even I know it’s a lie.”

“….”

“You said he didn’t have to come because of yesterday’s incident.”

“Did you come here to argue with me?”

The two of them glared at each other.

There was a brief standoff, but the professor and the second-year class representative walked in, so Yoo Arin bit her tongue and returned to her seat.

“Did you just mention Kim Woo-jin?”

An Hyun-ho, who had been observing the situation from the side, asked in surprise. Choi I-seo pretended not to hear and turned her eyes away.

* * *

“Hoo!”

Recently, I picked up a new hobby.

– Going down! Slowly! Hold your breath!

“Hoo!”

Exercising while watching YouTube videos. It was a hobby that Choi I-seo would praise if she saw it, and she had developed this hobby because of her inflated ball.

During our last meal together, I recommended a fitness YouTuber, and she seemed to like it.

The person made the exercises interesting and taught a variety of workout routines, leaving no room for boredom.

Moreover, it added energy to my otherwise mundane life of lazing around at home if not playing games.

Ding-dong!

I was in the midst of sweating and focusing, when the doorbell rang. I wondered who could have come, but I opened the door anyway.

“Hello…”

There stood Choi I-seo, ashamed with her hands deeply tucked into her pockets.

“Huh?”

I thought it was an unexpected appearance, but inside the white envelope in her hand were food ingredients and medicine she bought from the pharmacy.

“She said she was sick.”

“…You believed her?”

“Forget it! Come in quickly! What if someone sees you!”

Pushing me with her hand, Choi I-seo invaded my apartment. It was quite a surprise because I never imagined her begging like this, not even as a child.

“Smell of sweat.”

She glanced around the room and looked at me with curiosity. It seemed that the smell of sweat from my workout had permeated the room.

“Oh, I was exercising just now.”

I scratched the back of my head, feeling embarrassed because of the sweat smell. Choi I-seo looked at me with surprised eyes and then smiled mischievously.

“I like your smell of sweat.”

“…?!”

What is she suddenly saying?

But seeing that Choi I-seo doesn’t feel embarrassed, she must think that I enjoy exercising.

“If you want to do more, do more. I’ll make you dinner.”

“Do you want me to cook?”

Out of the blue, I wondered why she was acting like this, but Choe Iseo slowly raised the bag she had brought.

“We decided to have a bar at our festival. I’ll show you the rough version of what I’m going to make then.”

“Why would you…?”

“Because you have to make it.”

“Me, in the kitchen?!”

Since I was not in the running, it seemed like I had ended up in the kitchen of the bar. I wanted to say something, but Choe Iseo sighed and replied,

“Of course. Were you planning on serving?”

“Not really.”

Pouring a can or opening one in the kitchen seems much more suited to me than serving customers.

“I think our sales will be pretty good this time, so you should be prepared. It’s going to be busy.”

Sales will be pretty good?

I pondered the meaning for a moment before understanding and nodded.

“Ah, because of Seo Yerin?”

“…Not me.”

Seo Yerin, the famous goddess at our university, naturally attracts attention when she serves. Since the spotlight is mainly on her, Choe Iseo is relatively unknown, but if people are coming because of Seo Yerin, the attention will naturally shift to Choe Iseo as well.

“Anyway, look at the bar menu. It’s not confirmed yet, but as part of the kitchen team, you should participate in the meeting.”

“Ugh, it’s such a hassle.”

I really don’t want to do it.

At my genuine reaction, Choe Iseo smirked and immediately headed towards the kitchen.

Although it was technically the same space since it was a one-room, it was called the kitchen.

“Should I use a pan and oil?”

“Do as you please. Can I clean up a bit?”

“Of course.”

I quickly grabbed some underwear and a change of clothes and went to the bathroom. Then, I casually glanced over at Choe Iseo.

Seeing her putting on an apron and taking out various ingredients to prepare the food made me feel strange.

“Sigh.”

Thinking of myself as pitiful, I went to wash. The reason I thought I was pitiful was because I felt that Choe Iseo’s appearance and the current time were not bad.

Even though I didn’t want any women to come to my house anymore because of my ex-girlfriend Oh Yoonji.

But seeing her like that made me feel strangely good.

“I should wash with cold water.”

I washed with cold water in hopes of sobering up, and when I came out, I quickly got dressed.

There were only appetizers like sausage stir-fry and corn cheese, which was a bit disappointing.

But it was a menu that needed to be prepared quickly, so everything was ready by the time I finished washing.

“Try it. You need to know the taste in order to give your opinion at the kitchen team meeting.”

“I don’t really have any opinions to give.”

“Hurry up.”

I sat in front of the table and started eating one by one. I wanted to say that it was incredibly delicious, but it was just ordinary.

“It’s ordinary.”

As soon as I said that, Choi I-seo puffed up her cheeks and lightly hit my shoulder.

Even these small actions felt cute, and I realized that I had allowed myself to be more openhearted to Choi I-seo than I had thought.

“Iseo.”

I put down my chopsticks and took a deep breath. I had planned to tell her when we meet tomorrow, but since she came here like this, the timing wasn’t bad.

“I don’t want to continue the casual relationship anymore.”

I am grateful in my heart, and I will meet a good person. Saying such things won’t have any meaning, but it will only prolong the pain.

Just keep it quick and concise.

I tell her my true feelings.

“Back when Oh Yoonji and I were together, I got burned too much. So I don’t want to meet anyone or do anything on purpose.”

Choi I-seo stares at me intently after hearing my words. Maybe she had expected this kind of answer to some extent, so she wasn’t greatly surprised.

Instead, she leans her chin on the table and asks.

“If I ask you to touch my heart right now, will you do it?”

“Huh?”

“….”

Was that too crude?

No, but if she offers to let me touch it, isn’t it just rude to refuse as a man?

From Noble mtl dot com

“Just a moment! It’s like some kind of instinct! Who would refuse when someone offers to let you touch their heart in the first place!”

“Sigh.”

Choi I-seo lets out a deep sigh.

And then, with a small smile, she replies.

“I don’t plan on dating right away either. It’ll be next year before I meet and date someone.”

“That, really?”

Well, I did say that yesterday as well.

“Maybe it’s time for that. My feelings towards you might have cooled down, don’t you think?”

“Right. People don’t understand the human heart.”

I never thought that I would start thinking like this about Oh Yoon-ji, whom I liked so much in the first semester, in the second semester.

“So let’s just be friends for now. Let’s be friends and get to know each other, think about it. We became close too quickly to start dating.”

“Yeah, that’s wise.”

My heart felt a little lighter.

Anyway, it meant that my relationship with Choi I-seo hadn’t changed much since now.

She was one of the few friends in my department, so I couldn’t afford to lose her like this.

“But what about your heart?”

Since the atmosphere had lightened a bit, Choi I-seo playfully asked as she moved to the seat next to me.

Then she slightly revealed her chest.

“Here.”

“……?!”

Curves laid before me.

A woman’s chest that was firm and elastic from exercise, shaped beautifully.

Meanwhile, my mind quickly turned.

“I didn’t say to grab it with one hand.”

Maybe because of Choi I-seo’s personality, she would probably tell me to let go as soon as I held it.

I thought I would hold it with both hands after grabbing it for the 2X event, and then let go.

Tightly.

Choi I-seo didn’t push her fingers into my extended hand, did she?

Seeing my disappointed expression, Choi I-seo chuckled.

“Not yet.”

Not yet?

Does that mean it will happen later?

A moment of hope surged within me.

Choi I-seo’s face approached me.

I didn’t even have time to react.

Bang bang bang.

“Hey, you little brat! Are you trying to annoy us?!”

Our movements came to a halt at the sound of Yu Arin’s voice banging on the door.

Our breaths brushed against each other, the distance feeling as if our noses were about to touch.

A moment of silence passed.

“What the hell are you chewing? Come out already!”

As Yu Arin continued to call, I awkwardly laughed and pretended it didn’t happen, slipping my body back a little.

“I’ll go and open the door, I’ll be right back.”

As I loosened my clenched fist and tried to stand up from my seat.

Both of my shoulders were grabbed, and I was forced back to my seat. With my body’s center of gravity shifted back, I momentarily lost my balance.

Choi Iseo, who climbed on top of me, kissed me right then and there.