Chapter 211

Chapter 211

Bamboo Forest Manager.

Episode 211: Most Popular (1)

“Woojin, what do you think?”

The lounge on the first floor of the dormitory.

When I saw Choi Yiseo and the freshmen gathered there before, I thought it was a place with no connection to me.

In reality, there’s not much of a connection with anything.

It’s almost as if I was dragged here against my will into it.

“What do I think? You should just do your best.”

I prop my chin up and sip the sweet coffee I bought as a tribute.

I usually only buy iced Americanos, not because I like them, but because there’s no reason to drink anything else.

This was surprisingly good.

What was it, a Dalgona coffee latte?

Even for someone like me who doesn’t care much for sweets, it wasn’t bad at all.

‘Or maybe, I’m just craving sweets because I’m tired.’

Well, that could be it too.

“Please do me a favor. Huh? Min-soo said last time that you’re a total expert.”

“What kind of expert? I can’t even handle my own dating life right now.”

The guy staying in the room next door.

We were both second-year students and started talking a few times since we began living in the dormitory together.

Now, he was asking me what he should do about his girlfriend.

He gave me a cheeky look and nudged me with his shoulder.

“Hey, is there anyone in the dorm who doesn’t know you’re popular? Girls visit you often, and they’re all pretty.”

“Sigh.”

It’s not wrong.

It’s not wrong, but…

After getting beaten up by Yu Arin yesterday and almost losing my manhood, I doubt if I’m really popular among the girls.

“Give me some advice, won’t you? My girlfriend’s been looking at me strangely lately.”

In the end, I listened to his story and gave him the advice I could think of.

He was excited about his supposedly brilliant idea, but whether it would work out well was yet to be seen.

“Recently…the guys have been looking for you a lot?”

On the way to my usual part-time job.

With midterms and the sports festival over, I was enjoying a somewhat relaxed college life.

Unexpectedly, a rather peculiar trial came my way.

“Even the seniors have heard about it?”

Ju-hee, a senior, was also heading to her part-time job, so we were commuting together.

For senior Ju-hee, who usually doesn’t show interest in such matters, to say something like that, the story must have spread quite a bit.

“What was it? They called you a dating expert or something. Some have gotten closer with their partners following your advice, and others have even started dating?”

“Those who got closer just had a brief fight and made up. Those who started dating already liked each other from the start.”

I didn’t feel like I did anything amazing. I just gave a little push of courage.

For example, the first guy.

I gave him the courage to use tools during sexual activity to bring some newness.

In that way.

I told someone to confess because it seemed like it would work out after hearing about it, and I said to apologize because it seemed wrong after judging right and wrong.

That’s all there is to it.

“I just told them things they couldn’t muster the courage to do themselves. Why make such a fuss over it?”

It’s annoying.

It’s really irritating because it’s annoying.

Rumors keep spreading, so now I’m chasing away those who come to ask about it.

It just so happens to be a quiet period with no events inside the school, so there are even more talks about relationships.

‘I’m not even dating any of the girls.’

I confessed to three, so maybe that’s why, but a confession is still a confession, isn’t it?

The current situation itself isn’t all that bad, but.

Still, I was thinking it would be nice if there was some progress.

‘The girls have adapted to everything before I knew it.’

If more time passed, there was a possibility of settling into this vague relationship.

‘Should I be more proactive now?’

Since the Seo Yerin issue, I have decided to take things seriously.

It seems necessary to step up for sure.

While I was pondering about my romantic affairs instead of others, senior Ju-hee, who was walking alongside me, asked slyly.

“Want me to get you some coffee?”

“Sorry? Ah…”

Come to think of it, she did that last time too.

The café where she works isn’t too far away.

But.

“No, it’s okay. I’m not that tired. If I want to drink, I’ll go.”

“You don’t have to feel burdened.”

“It’s quite a burden for a senior to be a coffee runner.”

I scratch my neck and smoothly brush it off.

‘Being close to Senior might not be so good for me.’

I need to restrain actions that might lead to unnecessary misunderstandings with others.

Even when no one is watching, I should be cautious.

“…Alright, I understand.”

Senior Ju-hee looked oddly disappointed.

But I pretended not to notice and headed straight to the store.

Min Ju-hee.

Junior in the English department at Gahyeon University.

Entered college a year late, making her a year older than her peers.

It wasn’t unusual in college, so it wasn’t particularly strange.

If asked why she was late.

It was because she jumped straight into the job market after graduating high school.

Her mother wasn’t around since she was young. Her father was always bedridden due to poor health.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t be hospitalized due to lack of hospital fees, a cliché in dramas, but in reality, it was due to a cruel reason.

The reason Min Ju-hee had been a delinquent student since high school was just one thing.

Because of her twin siblings.

Her father was weak, so Min Ju-hee had to be strong.

Especially given the nature of schools, if there was a strong older sister, the siblings could enjoy a peaceful school life.

Shabby clothes, missed school meals, outdated phone, shabby appearance.

There were kids who looked for reasons to dislike others during school days, and to them, Min Ju-hee’s younger brother and sister were indeed enticing prey, but.

Behind them always stood Min Ju-hee, like a lurking demon.

No one could touch them.

Ironically.

At that time, Min Ju-hee thought she was taking on her father’s role, brimming with confidence.

As a strong sister instead of their weak father.

She thought she could live like that.

That’s what she thought.

But after graduating high school, she realized she was just a crooked woman without any strength or ability.

Society wasn’t as kind or straightforward as school to the extent that she could protect her siblings with her fists.

– Unnie?

“Ah, yes?”

During a break at her part-time job, Min Ju-hee, who was on a call with her siblings, regained her focus.

Why did such thoughts suddenly come to her mind?

Whatever it was, Min Ju-hee continued her conversation with her siblings.

Her siblings had all graduated from high school.

Those who worked in factories were earning their own money to enter college.

Just like Min Ju-hee had done.

And because she wanted to support them as much as possible, Min Ju-hee had forcibly started a part-time job.

– Are you at work? You said studying was tough for you, unnie.

– What? Are you still working, noona? I told you to quit it! We’re here to look after you!

“Since I’m in my third year, I have fewer classes to attend now, so it’s fine. The midterms just ended, so I’m doing it in my spare time.”

Hearing the concerned voices of her younger siblings, Min Ju-hee unknowingly smiled.

These kids were the driving force of her life.

– Unnie, at times like this, just relax. Enjoy your college life a bit.

– Yeah, seeing that, why would we want to go to college? Seeing as noona only studies and works…

“……”

Is that so?

Maybe it’s not motivating for them.

Min Ju-hee tilted her head, putting a cigarette to her lips.

“But everyone lives like this at university.”

– Don’t lie! Do you have someone you like?

– Right. If you have a partner, you can endure even when situations get tough.

– Look at you acting like you know everything just because you’ve got a partner at work.

– Hey, it was worse during your time!

“You, you have a partner?”

What is this all about?

Do the younger ones already have dating experience?

Min Ju-hee was so taken aback that she forgot to light her cigarette and opened her mouth, dropping the cigarette.

– Love blooms regardless of money or circumstances.

– That person liked me even with all my flaws and was so eager to date me-!

“……”

Hearing about her younger siblings getting along always felt good.

But.

“It’s time for me to work. I’ll hang up.”

For Min Ju-hee, who could only think of one person when it came to partners or relationships, it wasn’t a particularly pleasant topic.

“Whew.”

The three siblings are working.

There is also the life insurance money from their deceased father.

It wasn’t as dire as when Min Ju-hee was working at the factory.

Still, an uneasy feeling continued to follow her.

“Dating, huh.”

Thinking about dating in this situation…

In retrospect, it made no sense.

Seeing them being involved and then getting interested in that person.

Interest turned into affection, and affection into love before she knew it.

Though the path wasn’t normal, that was the result nonetheless.

But Min Ju-hee set those feelings aside.

Kim Woojin already had many women around him, and he was busy paying attention to them.

‘Even today, it was like that.’

Even just bringing him a cup of coffee, Kim Woojin refused her.

He was drawing a clear line with her to that extent.

The fact that they could commute together since it was nearby, but personally didn’t want to spend extra time meeting up.

‘Bitter.’

The coffee aroma in the café felt unusually bitter today.

Is that why?

As she kept working aimlessly, time flew by.

And before she knew it, Min Ju-hee was walking toward the shop where Kim Woojin worked.

Does she want to see him?

Does she want to say something?

Is there a lingering feeling in her heart?

It seemed like it was all three.

She wanted to question why they were drawing a line when they were technically just seniors and juniors.

She wanted to say that keeping a distance felt hurtful to her.

At that moment.

The shop door opened.

A woman with a mature, middle-aged aura, yet youthful appearance, stepped out shyly.

“Take care, Mother!”

Mother?

Hearing it like that, she seemed familiar somehow.

The important thing was.

“What?”

Kim Woojin, who had stepped outside to see off someone he referred to as “mother”, made eye contact with her.

A moment of silence.

What excuse should she make?

Claiming she was on her way back to the dormitory wouldn’t work since she was heading in the opposite direction from the school.

She should have grabbed a cup of coffee or something if she knew this would happen.

“Oh, Senior. Haha. You must be passing by.”

Kim Woojin awkwardly laughed and took a step back. As he was about to close the door—

Alright, let’s be honest.

A surge of irritation hit her right then.

“No.”

Thud!

Min Ju-hee caught the closing door and stepped inside, speaking.

“Just came to buy something?”

A lame excuse, but it wasn’t too bad.

“…In here?”

The problem was that the place Kim Woojin worked at was an adult store.

“Oh.”

Min Ju-hee’s eyes took in the colorful array of obscene items inside.

The moment she saw them, Min Ju-hee’s face turned as red as if it were under a red spotlight.

However, having come this far, couldn’t she give up now.

“Mo-most…”

Back in high school, Min Ju-hee, who used to beat up guys with guts and fists, mustered up her courage once more.

“Which is the most popular one.”