Bamboo Forest Manager

Chapter 167: A Misunderstanding?

Kim Woojin probably has no idea how much effort Min Ju-hee put into dressing up so femininely.

“Hmm, I think this might look better on you.”

Before having lunch with Kim Woojin, Min Ju-hee was choosing clothes with Seo Yerin, who had come to her room.

“R-really?”

Min Ju-hee was someone who had never dressed up like this before.

That’s why she asked Seo Yerin, whom she considered the prettiest person she knew, for help.

Of course, she kept it a secret that she was meeting Kim Woojin.

‘Ah, my conscience is pricking me a bit.’

“Senior, you look good in these clothes too? You should stop wearing that jumper and dress brightly; it’ll look prettier on you!”

“Cough, well, that’s a bit.”

It was unintentional, but since she ended up having an appointment with Kim Woojin, she dressed up like this.

She didn’t really want to show this girlish side of herself to others.

“Uh-huh, I see. You have someone special you want to show this to!”

“......”

Min Ju-hee, with nothing to say, kept her mouth shut.

Seo Yerin, humming a tune, began to set Min Ju-hee’s hair, mentioning that even Min Ju-hee had such a side.

Surprised by Seo Yerin’s skillful touch, Min Ju-hee said.

“Yerin, you are quite good at this.”

“Yes?”

“No, I just thought you wouldn’t be interested in makeup or anything because you’re already pretty.”

“Ah.”

Seo Yerin, straightening Min Ju-hee’s hair with a curling iron, honestly revealed.

“That’s right, I wasn’t particularly interested.”

After all, everyone says she’s pretty as she is, so why bother with makeup?

“But when there’s someone you want to show it to, you naturally learn.”

“......”

Min Ju-hee, continued keeping her mouth shut.

Otherwise, it felt like she might end up apologizing.

Because it seemed like a big deal if she mentioned that the person she was about to meet was actually Kim Woojin.

“Ta-da, all done!”

She had changed clothes, done her hair, and finished her makeup.

“Tada!”

Looking at herself in the full-length mirror, Min Ju-hee was surprised at her own pure femininity.

“With this, senior Ju-hee’s date will definitely be smitten!”

“...Thank you.”

“You’re welcome! Make sure to win! I should call this guy who’s been out of touch lately.”

“Ahem.”

Inside the restaurant, it was bustling as people chatted and sliced their steaks.

Since we were at an expensive restaurant, it was only natural that people around were in a good mood.

On the contrary.

Our table was enveloped in silence.

‘What is this situation.’

Senior Ju-hee was dressed up.

And very prettily at that.

Honestly, when I first saw her, I didn’t even recognize it was senior Ju-hee.

The important thing was that the senior seemed embarrassed and was focused on eating.

I try to draw the most plausible conclusion through some rational deduction.

“Perhaps...”

“Uh, yes?! Why?”

“Did you plan to meet your boyfriend after lunch?”

“......”

Oh.

It felt like she would have hit me right away if there was a bat next to her, such was the ominous atmosphere.

I thought something might break if I spoke further, so I stuffed another piece of meat into my mouth.

I thought I had read the atmosphere correctly, but was I wrong?

Senior Ju-hee said she wasn’t interested in dating, but aren’t people’s minds like reeds?

Even if you didn’t want to date yesterday, you might want to today.

‘Got it.’

Asking too many questions unnecessarily doesn’t look good, and it also ruins the mood.

I muster up the courage again with senior Ju-hee, who seems to be in a very bad mood, chewing on her meat with a grinding noise.

“Senior, I really appreciate your help this time.”

“......”

“If you hadn’t helped, I would have been in big trouble with President Hwang.”

If senior Ju-hee hadn’t appeared dramatically at that moment, I would have been severely beaten by the enraged President Hwang.

As I sincerely express my gratitude, senior Ju-hee, with a fork in her mouth, hesitates for a moment.

“Then.”

She makes another suggestion.

“How about watching a movie after this?”

“A movie?”

I wondered what kind of movie she was talking about so suddenly.

‘Oh, come to think of it.’

I remembered seeing a trailer for a movie made by a director famous for martial arts and action, which was coming out this time.

It seemed like she wanted to watch that.

“Yes, of course. Let’s go right after eating this.”

When I nodded with a bright smile, senior Ju-hee’s lips curled slightly, and she started eating the steak a bit faster.

Just like that.

After lunch, we headed to the movie theater together.

Since we just ate, we decided to only buy drinks and were booking tickets at the kiosk.

“...You want to watch that?”

“Pardon? Wasn’t this the one you wanted to see?”

When I chose a work by a director famous for action, senior Ju-hee frowned and shook her head.

- See? Ugh, Kim Woojin. Why do people like someone like this?

“You’re asking me that?

- If you drink wine today, you’re dead. Yerin, say something too.

“......”

- The moment you stay out tonight, your balls-!

It was such a brutal threat that I decided to pretend I didn’t hear the rest.

Even Yu Arin was so shocked that she hurriedly snatched the phone away.

- Anyway. Be careful. We know you’re confused and haven’t made up your mind yet, so don’t play with our feelings.

- If you mess around with us, then just-!

Click.

The call ended just like that.

Staring blankly at my phone, I felt like I’d been hit on the back of the head.

Senior Ju-hee, with me?

Then the memories from the last time at Gold One came vividly back to me.

Senior Ju-hee, who had somehow ended up in my arms.

It wasn’t a dream, but it was an incident that passed by like one.

“......”

As I stepped out of the bathroom, my lips were tightly sealed.

Senior Ju-hee seemed to have freshened up as well after using the restroom, waiting for me with a neat appearance.

“Going back to the dorm is a bit of a hassle, should we grab dinner before heading back?”

The senior naturally suggested moving on to the next step as if it was rehearsed.

I should have kept quiet.

“Is this a date?”

In the end, I couldn’t hold back my curiosity and asked bluntly.

The senior was flustered, perhaps not expecting such directness.

Since I had already spoken, I decided to be straightforward.

“Senior, do you like me?”

“Huh?!”

With a peculiar exclamation, the senior blushed and took a step back.

I pursued the senior by stepping forward and continued my questioning.

“Why did you dress up today?”

“Ah, well...”

“Why did you suggest watching a romance movie?”

“Guh!”

“Did you practice asking me to dinner when you went to the bathroom just now?”

“W-wait a minute!”

“Last time.”

Squeeze.

Before I knew it, I had grabbed both shoulders of senior Ju-hee and met her eyes.

Did she really beat up thugs with a baseball bat with a body that looks like it would fit perfectly in an embrace?

It was hard to believe.

“Why were you holding on to me at Gold One?”

“...!”

Bang!

I heard something explode.

In anime, don’t emotions usually explode with steam coming out of the head at times like this?

But that wasn’t it.

“Ugh!”

It was the sound of my head exploding from senior Ju-hee’s uppercut.

My body seemed to lift slightly.

Now that I’ve experienced firsthand how the senior dealt with the thugs, I shouldn’t question it.

“Ouch, that really hurts.”

When I rubbed my chin and looked at the senior, she was taking deep breaths, trying to forcibly calm her emotions.

Then, it raises a question.

“Se-senior. But there’s not really a reason for you to like me.”

Isn’t there not much reason to like?

Of course, sometimes you just end up liking someone after seeing them, and they naturally catch your interest.

But it’s senior Ju-hee?

Would Captain Ju really have their heart stolen in that manner?

In the first place, wasn’t she someone who rejected relationships themselves?

So I thought there might be some sort of trigger.

“Well, you see.”

Senior Ju-hee began to explain, braving her embarrassment.

“At Gold One, you...had, had, had, se-x with Yerin and Arin.”

Her stammering was admittedly cute.

“So, you saw that.”

Even trying to pretend to be calm, I felt sweat pooling on my head.

My mind was screaming an alarm for something that should never have been discovered.

Since the senior’s story wasn’t over yet, I listened to senior Ju-hee’s words as nonchalantly as possible.

“Ever since I saw you then, I’ve been somewhat interested...”

“...Pardon?”

Did I hear that right?

“Just, since then, I’ve oddly taken an interest in you.”

Hmm.

On the contrary, I felt my mind calming down.

Like solving a difficult math problem and feeling a refreshing relief.

“To summarize briefly.”

I clenched my fist and neatly summed up the situation.

“You’re mistaking lust for love because you’re hor-ouch!?”

Senior Ju-hee’s fist struck my solar plexus, stopping my words.