Bamboo Forest Manager

Chapter 129: The Promise

“Oh, I’m so tired.”

Having fallen asleep around 4 or 5 in the morning, the fatigue was still there.

I was already on my third cup of coffee.

It felt like coffee grounds were about to come out of my mouth.

“Did you sleep late last night?”

Even the deputy managers could see how tired I was, telling me frequently to go rest today.

This kind of consideration is probably a reward for working hard usually.

Thanks to that, I was able to catch a quick nap in the staff lounge.

Of course, I couldn’t really sleep, just sat in the massage chair while getting a massage.

“Hmm?”

I opened my eyes at a familiar voice and glanced ahead.

There was Seo Yerin, grabbing a handful of snacks from the lounge and even holding a lollipop in her mouth.

‘Oh, crap.’

After what happened yesterday, she was the number one person I didn’t want to encounter.

Since she probably knows what happened with Yu Arin, I was going to pretend not to see her because meeting her feels a bit awkward.

“Woojin!”

On the contrary, she welcomed me and approached as if she had been waiting.

“Are you the snack thief from the break room?”

I asked playfully, trying to ease the awkwardness. Seo Yerin looked down at the snacks she was holding and shouted in embarrassment.

“N-no! I was going to eat them all here!”

“Haa...never mind.”

“I’m not gaining weight! I’m eating while controlling myself!”

Seeing what she was holding, I wondered if that was really considered controlling, but if she says so, then it must be.

Anyway, the atmosphere wasn’t bad. I thought Seo Yerin would be mad because of yesterday, but that wasn’t the case.

‘She can’t possibly think of it as just a casual fling.’

Since I received Yu Arin’s passionate confession last night, it’s not easy to just let it go.

I tried to close my eyes and pretend to sleep again, but Seo Yerin took a seat next to the massage chair and handed me some snacks.

“Let’s eat together.”

“...I haven’t digested lunch yet.”

“Still, let’s eat together. Everything tastes better when you’re eating it with someone.”

Because she kept offering me the snacks, I had no choice but to sigh and accept them.

But then, as I started eating, they were so tasty that I couldn’t stop.

“Hmm.”

Seeing me like that, she smiled contentedly. I thought about asking why, but decided not to.

It seemed like it would be a hassle to hear the answer.

“Do you know we have less than a month left?”

“Yeah, I know. Time flies faster than I thought.”

The end of the year is approaching.

Since coming to Gold One, a lot has happened, so time flew by quickly.

“We’re going to be second-years soon?”

“What difference does it make.”

“Did you not go to the MT in our first year?”

Crunch.

I nodded while eating a chocolate snack. Back then, I only hung out with Yoon-ji, so I skipped all the department events and didn’t mingle with others.

“Not just the MT, but you didn’t participate in most events.”

Then Seo Yerin turned to look at me and smiled brightly.

“This time, let’s go together. Let’s have fun at the MT.”

“...Can second-year students go?”

I thought MTs were mostly for freshmen.

“Hey, second-year students can go if they want to, right? Just don’t bother the freshmen and let’s have fun among ourselves.”

I’m a bit afraid, not knowing exactly who is included in that ‘ourselves’.

“Uh? What do you think? What do you think? Isn’t it fine?”

“...I’ll think about it.”

“I’m so excited!”

I thought the second-years might dislike the idea of a first-year joining the MT, but seeing Seo Yerin eagerly anticipating it, those thoughts vanished.

If it’s Seo Yerin, they might not just welcome her; they would even be begging her to come.

“Oh, Woojin! Did you hear they’re filming a movie here this time? They’re using a casino as the backdrop, and a bunch of actors are coming.”

“Yeah, I heard. But they can’t actually film inside the casino, so they’re only shooting at the entrance.”

“Sigh, Yerin, you said you’d leave work early.”

The sigh was directed at me, but calling Seo Yerin made me feel like she’d given up talking to me.

“I did leave. I was waiting for you to finish.”

“......”

Yu Arin pressed her lips together for a moment.

She glanced at me, seemingly embarrassed, and hesitated, creating an odd atmosphere.

“Okay... I’ll be off in an hour, so just wait a bit longer.”

“Okay, got it.”

Seo Yerin smiled brightly.

It seems they had plans, and I suddenly felt out of place.

“What is it?”

Curious about what they were up to, I asked, and both their gazes shot towards me simultaneously.

Seo Yerin, catching her breath with a strange look, and Yu Arin, crossing her arms and glaring with a flushed face.

“Do you want to join too, Woojin?”

“Wh-what are you talking about! No way! Get back to work!”

“What? Are you guys going to eat something delicious?”

“I said get back to work!”

In the end, I was pushed out by Yu Arin and left the break room. I could hear the two of them talking about something inside, but it didn’t seem like I should interrupt, so I just stepped aside.

‘They really left.’

Yu Arin left early with Seo Yerin. Honestly, after what happened yesterday, I thought she might spend some time with me, but they looked quite urgent, so I didn’t stop them.

‘What’s this.’

Feeling awkward about my forlorn state like an abandoned dog as I was leaving work.

“Woojin!”

Yeon-young and Lee Se-ah ran towards me urgently.

Usually, when this girl looked for me, it was never for anything good, and it was exactly as I expected.

“Do you have time at the end of the year?”

“What, are you asking me to switch shifts?”

I thought it must be that kind of request since she has a boyfriend and all.

“No, let’s go see a play together.”

“A play?”

“Yeah, I was supposed to go with my boyfriend, but that jerk can’t make it.”

“......”

“Huh? Please. Let’s go together. Just take one picture with me.”

Sigh.

“I’ve told you before, don’t drag me into your fights with your boyfriend.”

“But...!”

“I remember Yerin saying something about this too. Does Yerin know about this?”

“......”

Lee Se-ah pursed her lips and remained silent.

No matter how bad the atmosphere is with your boyfriend, trying to provoke jealousy like that is not a good direction for a relationship.

“My boyfriend said he can’t come because of a club meeting.”

With a deep sigh, Lee Se-ah pleaded with me as if begging.

“Huh? Please. I heard most of the club members are girls! I’m really too anxious to handle this!”

“......”

Seeing how much she liked her boyfriend made her look a bit pitiful.

It occurred to me that maybe he was acting out because he thought he already had her in the bag.

“Sigh.”

Even while looking at her about to cry, I didn’t feel soft-hearted and wondered how to refuse her.

“He has plans.”

An all-too-familiar voice came from behind.

I turned my head, wondering if I’d heard correctly.

“He has plans with me.”

A beige coat and a white sweater.

The scarf wrapped around my neck carried a unique coziness that could only be felt in winter.

The deep blue hair and graceful smile I hadn’t seen in a long time.

“Choi Yiseo...?”

Unintentionally, I called out to her, and Choi Yiseo raised her hand slightly in greeting.

“We’re supposed to go to a concert.”