Bamboo Forest Manager

“Aaaaargh!”

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Kicking the desk and throwing the chairs around, but Minji’s anger didn’t die down.

Just yesterday, she had to watch as the lengthy post she spent nights writing disappear in just two seconds and that made her feel frustrated.

Moreover, the fact that the admin kept deleting the posts and even provoking her made it impossible for her not to be angry.

“That fucking son of a bitch! Son of a bitch!”

As if having a fit, she was throwing things around and punching things down in rage.

“Aaaaargh!”

It wasn’t just because of what happened, she was angry because she had received messages from close seniors and they had all exploded together.

-I haven’t mentioned your name or anything, but I think it is time to stop bothering him.

-This guy is crazy.

When they left they looked so confident, but now seeing them run away with tails between their legs, it was suffocating.

“Dick Woojin, that bastard!”

Was it right for a sex offender to be using the police?

Is this the level of public safety that South Korea offers?

Minji was gritting her teeth and trying to find other ways.

Woong.

Her phone vibrated.

She had been scared because the seniors said they were at the police station, but when she checked the phone.

‘My friend Yoon-ji.’

Oh Yoon-ji, who hadn’t been in contact for a while, had called her.

“…!”

She felt somewhat stuck in her thoughts but with trembling hands, she carefully answered.

“H-hello?”

-Hello? Sorry, Minji. I couldn’t answer your calls because I was a bit busy recently.

“Ah, no, no.”

-But why did you call so many times? Same goes for Yiseo. Others have called many times too.

She wanted to ask what on earth she had been up to to not even notice a call?

Minji gritted her teeth.

“That, you know. Your ex-boyfriend.”

-…What?

The cold voice.

It felt as if she came across a snarling beast, asking why she stepped into an area which she wasn’t permitted to cross.

“H-he talks a lot these days! You broke up crying too, right?!”

-Yes.

She is on the phone dripping with bitter emotions. But she soon smiled and answered.

-But it’s alright. Because I’ll be there soon.

“…Uh?”

-We broke up, but it wasn’t really a problem between us. There were other external issues for it.

“……”

Minji clamped her lips tightly.

She felt as if the fog in her mind, cluttered with many thoughts, had lifted away.

-So? What about Woojin? Did something happen?

“Th-that…”

Minji rolled her eyes thinking about saying something but found herself lost for words.

Tap.

She hung up the phone and threw it away.

Crash!

The phone shattered upon hitting the ground.

“Huff! Huff!”

Oh Yoon-ji was always like that.

Even their names suggested that they were as close as sisters, Yoon-ji and Minji.

But in reality their lives were so different.

“I-I…”

Memories of being coerced by her boyfriend.

Memories of bringing in other people to share the bed.

Memories of leaving her for another girl, declaring her useless in the end. Memories of being hit and mocked when she finally tried to endure.

All of that.

Wasn’t Oh Yoon-ji.

But her own.

She began to spiral into unbearable self loathing.

Before I knew it, it was dark.

The cold autumn wind and the rising stars made the mood better.

It was Sunday and though I was bored, I felt a wee bit happy with how the day went.

Of course, I dreaded having to go back to university the next day.

“That day was quite fulfilling.”

“…What was?”

As I said this while leaving the hospital, Choi Yiseo, who was beside me, glanced at me and asked.

“I’ve been to the police station, hospital, exercised, and seen the bad guys kneel and beg, and even smelled Choi Yiseo’s sweat…”

Puaak!

“Ugh!”

A sudden low kick caused me to stagger momentarily. It didn’t seem like she had learned it, but judging from how she did it, she must have a natural talent for hitting.

“Haa, seriously. It’s a good thing you have a strong mentality. I’ve been nervous all day.”

“Ugh, I think I need to go to the hospital again?”

“Like you said… without showering.”

Ignoring the grumble, Choi Yiseo sniffed her own sweat.

The sweat had dried but we hadn’t been able to shower because we were dragged here and there. Of course, the same was true for me.

“Just go.”

“How can I do that, it’s because of my friend that this happened.”

Choi Yiseo sighed as she spoke. It seemed like she was tired because she will have to meet the friend once she headed home.

“Did senior Ju-hee get home?”

“Yes, she contacted me and said we should meet in the lecture hall later.”

I replied in response to the message I received from senior Min Ju-hee earlier.

For your information, Captain Ju,

Senior Min Ju-hee came to the police station with us to watch what would happen to those people.

It seemed like they were once her close buddies but she didn’t ask for any leniency or take their side either.

She just watched over them with arms crossed as if it was her last act of loyalty.

‘Freaking cool.’

Anyway, Captain Ju was a cool person in numerous ways.

I had to go home but Choi Yiseo wouldn’t walk faster.

At some point, she slowed and then stopped.

“You know….”

She called to me cautiously. Hesitating with this odd attitude and her slightly red face conveyed a hint of shame.

“Can I stay at your place just for this one night?”

This meant she didn’t want to stay with her friend Minji for now. For some reason, she wasn’t answering calls or texts, so it seemed like she was reluctant to meet her.

I sighed and said,

“Of course not.”

“……”

“How do you dare enter a stranger’s house so recklessly? Is that all? Are you after my body?”

“Have you lost it?!”

Choi Yiseo’s face turned red as she screamed back. This drew a lot of attention to us and she walked past me quickly.

“Fine, I was a fool for asking.”

“Yes, fool.”

I naturally moved closer to her side and pointed my hand at a tall building.

“Let us go there instead.”

“…Spa?”

A 24-hour spa.

One can wash up, relieve fatigue, and even stay overnight while enjoying the hot rooms.

While Choi Yiseo was blankly staring at the spa, I grabbed her hand and headed straight there.

After receiving our spa clothes for the stay, I got off the elevator first since men were on the third floor and women on the fifth.

“Contact me once you’re done washing up. Let’s have dinner then.”

“Ah, yes.”

Perhaps because everything was happening so quickly, Choi Yiseo was still nodding as if she was under some spell.

‘I wonder if she can even wash up properly.’

Well, a dip in cold water should snap her out of her thoughts.

It has been a while, but soaking my body in the hot water at the bathhouse made me relax.

I had a gauze applied for the slap I received, but I found it bothersome and just removed it and washed myself.

After a quick wash, I entered the sauna and perhaps because it was the weekend, there were still many people around.

There were many people in the sauna and it was spacious too.

Even if Choi Yiseo were to come, it would be hard for her to find me.

Normally, I would prefer a secluded spot, but to avoid any strange misunderstandings, I just chose a spot right in front of the huge TV.

-Kim Woojin: I am in front of the TV

I sent a simple message and lay down on the mat. Was I more exhausted than I thought?

Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.

“What? Are you sleeping?”

I heard Choi Yiseo’s voice.

As I slowly got up, feeling a little refreshed, I noticed that many of the people around had already left.

Even though it was the weekend, it seemed like no one was planning to stay overnight since tomorrow was a Monday.

“What now, how long did you wash?”

“About two hours? It has been a while since I visited a bathhouse.”

“You’ll turn into boiled pork? You were cooking yourself.”

“Enough of that, let’s eat. Aren’t you hungry?”

Hearing that, I suddenly felt a pang of hunger. Although the food at the spa is somewhat expensive, there was a charm to having it there.

Despite the late hour, fortunately, the restaurant inside was still open.

Choi Yiseo ordered a soft tofu stew, and I ordered a spicy beef soup.

“Is it alright for you to eat stew?”

“It’s fine for today.”

Well, if she is okay with it, I had no problem.

While waiting for the food, I checked the university’s anonymous site.

I was wondering if there had been any new posts, and fortunately it was peaceful.

-Anonymous57: Who was the bastard that told us to buy BRA stocks? I am down by 60 now.

-Anonymous69: I wanna have sex so bad!

-Anonymous86: Stop feeding the cats near the university.

-Anonymous11: Does anyone know what happened on the walking path in front of the uni today? The police were there and it was chaotic.

-Anonymous77: JLY! The Lord loves you. Immediate membership is available if you come to the East Wing. Cross pendant as a gift too.

-Anonymous111: Yes, since tomorrow is Monday and I have no classes, I am planning to do a 24-hour broadcast! Everyone is welcome to join!

“Uh, there is something about us in the Bamboo Forest.”

If it is about the police coming, it must be about us. Then Choi Yiseo turned her phone on.

“Ah, right.”

“Hm?”

She remained silent.

An unbelievable statement popped out next.

“I have been banned from the Bamboo Forest.”

“…You’ve been banned?”

Banned from the Bamboo Forest?

“Yes, I don’t know much, but I have been suspended.”

At her words, I unwittingly entered the Bamboo Forest settings.

From what she is saying it seems like she’s been banned, and there is just one person I did that to as an admin.

Anonymous287.

The one who targeted me and was writing things up about me and Choi Yiseo.

The user that I thought was Ahn Hyeon-ho.

‘What is happening?’

My head began to hurt.

I blocked Anonymous287 alone.

There is no one else who has been blocked.

“Woah, that looks cool.”

Choi Yiseo smiled at the sight of the soft tofu stew.

On the contrary my beef was being stirred and I continued to think.

There are two possibilities.

Either Choi Yiseo was lying about being blocked in the Bamboo Forest… or she is implying that she is Anonymous287.

If she had no reason to lie… Then it will be the latter.

‘What?’

Does this mean that the person I thought was Ahn Hyeon-ho was actually Choi Yiseo?

I checked the post history of Anonymous287.

“Just eat and use your phone later.”

Choi Yiseo mumbled something, but I had no patience to care. The trail of posts of Anonymous287.

[Recent records of Anonymous287]

-Anonymous287: There is this guy in the same dept I really cannot stand. What should I do?

Anonymous287: Honestly, it is so annoying to see him hitting on the girl who’s not even interested in him.

-Anonymous287: It is ridiculous. If this was high school, we would have just ganged up and beat him up. And that would be the end of it.

Anonymous287: Not a social butterfly, just a loner in the department. Laughed my ass off seeing him trying to act cool by taking someone out for pork cutlet as if it was a date.

-Anonymous287: Sigh, if I get a chance, I will beat him up.

Anonymous287: How about just bumping shoulders when we pass? If I don’t apologize and smirk walking past, he will get pissed off right?

-Anonymous287: Sigh, I just wish he would throw the first punch. I am confident I can beat him up with a smile on my face, my self-defense is good.

-Anonymous287: Plus, it seems like he is dating a senior from our dpt. Damn, why is he eyeing someone else’s girl?

-Anonymous287: ….

-Anonymous287: Please delete the posts targeting the English Literature Department.

-Anonymous287: A man worse than a beast. Targeting a fellow English department student who used to date On Yoon-ji, who is now on a leave of absence.

Although it was a bit dizzying to see all the things she posted. Looking at the content, it was as if Ahn Hyeon-ho wrote it.

But the last one.

The post of me as a sex offender, upon seeing it, it couldn’t be written by Ahn Hyeon-ho.

If only students of the university could post on the anonymous forum, then Minji must have borrowed Choi Yiseo’s phone, who lived in the same house, rather than Ahn Hyeon-ho’s.

So, the conclusion is…

Minji wrote only the last targeting post, and all the other posts were written by Choi Yiseo.

Otherwise, there is no way she could have known the details of what was happening between the three of us.

‘Why?’

Just why?

Why did Choi Yiseo have to do such things?

Why pretend to be Ahn Hyeon-ho and write such things on the forum?

I could feel a chill run down my spine.

What do I do then?

It felt like the trust I placed in the person in front of me was shattering.

‘Do you know Anonymous287?’

I remembered what she asked me at the karaoke bar.

When I mentioned I was looking at the Bamboo Forest, Choi Yiseo herself mentioned about Anonymous287.

And subtly let me know that it was Ahn Hyeon-ho.

‘Be careful of Hyeon-ho. He was known to be a bully in high school… he seemed to have a bad impression of you.’

It was also Choi Yiseo who warned me to be careful since Ahn Hyeon-ho was a bully in high school.

Anonymous287.

Targeted me directly.

Openly let it be known that it was Ahn Hyeon-ho.

So, what do I do now?

I turned wary of Ahn Hyeon-ho.

I was cautious, careful and took actions lightly.

Thinking about it, if someone wanted to target me, they wouldn’t post something on an anonymous board like this.

If Choi Yiseo and I saw it, we would know it was about us, so they wouldn’t have written it so blatantly.

“You…”

“Hm?”

When I called for her, she stopped eating and turned to me, wondering what was up.

“You kept telling me to look at the Bamboo Forest.”

I said it because of the sniping, but there was another reason.

“I did?”

Choi Yiseo, through a façade of pretending to be Anonymous287, did it to pretend to be Ahn Hyeon-ho.

Being this close to Ahn Hyeon-ho, it wouldn’t have been hard to hear his plans or words.

The reason for her doing it.

Was to protect me.

She was worried about Ahn Hyeon-ho being jealous of me and might try to harm me.

There was some concern.

“Uh.”

I let out a low chuckle, feeling foolish for doubting Choi Yiseo like an idiot a moment ago.

“What now, why are you laughing? You were just looking at your phone.”

She pouted and grumbled. Choi Yiseo made me shake my head without realizing it.

Should I pretend I know this? I had this thought run through me.

“Do you want a drink?”

I just smiled and changed the topic. If she tried to help me without me knowing.

“Hmm? Suddenly?”

“It’s not really sudden.”

Without her knowing.

“Out of gratitude.”

I expressed my thanks.