Chapter 217

Chapter 217

Bamboo Forest Manager.

Episode 217: Alumni

The living room of the house.

A spacious sofa that feels distant even when sitting together.

I let out a deep sigh and look at my brothers.

“Are you seriously telling me to go on a blind date? I’m only twenty-one.”

When I asked in disbelief, my brothers didn’t seem too enthusiastic about the idea either.

“Yeah, Father is in a bit of a hurry.”

“…It’s true that Father brought it up suddenly.”

After the second brother’s words, the older brother hesitates and then sighs, scolding me.

“But it’s also because you haven’t sorted things out properly.”

“……”

“Just go and meet her tomorrow. If it’s Chairman Choi Gil-seop’s daughter, it must be Choi Jin-ah. She’s been famous as a violin prodigy since childhood.”

A violin prodigy?

No wonder there was a certain elegance in the photo that couldn’t just be attributed to being a rich man’s daughter.

“Sigh, can’t I just refuse? I’ll say I’m sick tomorrow.”

“That excuse is too obvious.”

“Making a flimsy excuse to cancel is actually more disrespectful.”

Both my oldest and second brothers said that that’s not the way. Honestly, I agree.

If she were just a daughter from an ordinary family, I would have brushed it off, but unfortunately, she’s also a chairman’s daughter.

‘How should I explain this to the kids?’

While I was pondering how to explain this to the kids, my sisters-in-law came in with fruit.

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t eat the fruit, honey, you’ll gain weight.”

They naturally sat next to their partners and joined the conversation. At first, it was a bit awkward, but it turned out to be a good thing.

I needed to hear a woman’s perspective.

“If during dating, my brothers suddenly had to meet another woman because of a blind date, how would you react?”

“Haa.”

“Hey, why are you bringing us into this…?”

My brothers each chimed in, but I’m sorry, this is quite an important matter for me too.

When I asked seriously, my sisters-in-law answered with a smile.

“We should kill him.”

“How dare he—”

The ominous replies from my sisters-in-law.

For a moment, I thought maybe I shouldn’t have asked.

“But if it’s because of family issues, I can understand a little. Just a little.”

At least the eldest sister-in-law works with my eldest brother, so she often sees the struggles and burdens people on this side carry, making an effort to understand a little.

“Haa.”

Feeling even heavier, I sighed, and my second brother eventually made a suggestion.

“Just don’t say anything.”

The most reasonable and also the most tempting suggestion.

Honestly, I thought that was right too.

There’s no point in unsettling those who are just minding their own business.

“Yeah…”

Sometimes silence is the wisest solution.

Rather than revealing everything and causing chaos or trouble, keeping it hidden.

That might be the best solution.

People often make mistakes.

That’s why most people try not to repeat them and create a notebook of wrong answers from their actions.

But today, I was different.

Even knowing this was my mistake.

Still, I had no choice but to do it.

– So, you’re going on a blind date today?

“Yep…”

These days, technology has improved.

You can have a video call with three people at the same time on a tablet.

My younger sister-in-law gave it to me since she wasn’t using it for her broadcasts, and it works much better than I expected.

Can’t you see the three faces clearly?

– Are you just telling us this? Don’t people usually keep it a secret?

Yu Arin, baffled, questions me.

Clutching my chest as if acting, I recite my lines.

“I was worried you might misunderstand. I know it might upset you, but if you find out I hid it, it would be even worse.”

– ……

– ……

– ……

The three of them fall silent.

“This kind of cliché appears too often in anime and dramas. That’s why I’m preventing it preemptively.”

Especially since the other person is a famous violinist.

I heard they recently appeared on a variety show, so there’s a high chance people will recognize us and take pictures.

“Since the other person is famous, even if photos spread on SNS, I hope you won’t misunderstand.”

I don’t want to be misunderstood, even for a second.

“I sincerely don’t want to make things difficult for you, even a little bit.”

Last night.

The lines I practiced over and over.

Like I was preparing for a PPT presentation, I put in effort, hoping it meant something.

The girls, though uneasy, said they understood my situation at home and hung up.

‘What’s this.’

I thought there would be more discussion, but it ended so simply.

I was a bit worried, but I’m glad they understood.

“We’ve arrived.”

The car stops at a very famous Korean restaurant, known for its traditional hanok style.

‘It oddly matches my taste.’

Feeling awkward about the unnecessary consideration, I step inside.

There wasn’t a single person inside.

I know it’s usually hard to get a reservation at such a restaurant, so being empty at lunchtime means they rented it out entirely.

‘What a scale.’

It’s just a meal, so I wondered why they went to such lengths.

A woman with long wavy hair was already seated.

The platinum blonde had her hands neatly placed on her lap, waiting for me.

‘I thought she was pretty in the photos.’

Surprisingly, the photos didn’t do her justice. She was much prettier in person.

“Hello, I’m Kim Woojin. Sorry for being late.”

I’m not late.

She just arrived early.

Still, I should formally greet her.

“I’m Choi Jin-ah. It’s okay, I came early.”

Choi Jin-ah greeted me with a smile.

Her gentle voice exuded a sense of calm and leisure.

Though I’m the chairman’s son, I grew up rather freely.

In contrast, Choi Jin-ah seemed like the ideal image of a chairman’s daughter.

There was no need to ask detailed questions about each other.

We already knew most of it anyway.

Same age, hobbies include playing and listening to music, specialty is the violin, and she studied abroad in Germany since middle school.

As we waited for the pre-arranged meal to arrive, I stared at Choi Jin-ah intently.

Was she really here with the intention of marrying me?

She simply smiled without saying a word, making it hard to guess her thoughts.

Then Choi Jin-ah smiled softly and spoke.

“I heard you went to Irum Elementary School.”

“Hmm? Yes, that’s correct.”

“I attended the same school too.”

Oh, did she?

I hadn’t checked her elementary school information, so I didn’t know that.

“We were in the same class back then, do you remember?”

“Uh, I…didn’t know that?”

We were in the same class?

I wondered how she could remember such a thing, but Jin-ah smiled as if reminiscing about those days.

“Do you remember? Woojin you brought Spam and you ate it all with a spoon without even cooking it.”

“Oh?”

That’s right.

I remember.

“Back then, you told me to put the leftover Spam in the cup noodles and we will eat it together.”

“Oh, right. I think that’s how it went.”

I secretly went to the convenience store to buy cup noodles, and we shared them with the others.

“Yes, yes. I used to buy ramen for the kids. Ah, those were the days.”

“Yes, when the cafeteria menu wasn’t good, you’d gather those who wanted to go to the convenience store and go in their stead.”

In truth, wasn’t I the one responsible for going to the convenience store and getting the kids something tasty?

Even from a young age, I was-

“Ramen was a thousand won, but you’d take two thousand won saying it was for the errand.”

“…Did I?”

I doubled the price without hesitation.

“Plus, you’d buy more snacks or ramen, sell them for twice the price again.”

This girl is clever…

Jin-ah continues her sort of revelation with a smile.

“Do you remember the kids playing card games back then? You even sold cards for them.”

“Oh, right.”

“I heard you could buy fake cards in bulk, but you sold them as if they were real, causing a commotion at school.”

“……”

So-called fake cards.

I sold them as if they were real.

You could buy dozens of cards for 500 won.

Claiming they were rare, didn’t you see them in cartoons, I remember selling them for ten thousand, twenty thousand won.

The kids had wealthy parents, so paying ten thousand won wasn’t difficult.

I got scolded badly by my mom back then.

“You remember it all in such detail?”

I had forgotten all about my elementary school days until now.

Jin-ah surprisingly remembered everything, which made me a bit flustered.

“I was a victim back then.”

Jin-ah confessed the truth with a smile.

“I was the one who asked for more ramen, and I bought the fake cards at an expensive price.”

Oh dear.

“You were such a pushover.”

Oh my, damn.

I was embarrassed by the very rude words that slipped out unconsciously.

Jin-ah brushed back the hair tucked behind her ear and smiled.

“Right. Being with Woojin was fun, so naturally I got involved in all sorts of things.”

“Ahem.”

I’m glad you had a good school life.

As I awkwardly averted my gaze, Jin-ah leaned forward slightly and whispered.

“Actually.”

Though it was just us, she seemed to hope no one else would hear.

“I’ve never once left any school meal unfinished.”

Choi Jin-ah smiled brightly.

Her cheeks flushed as she revealed a confession she hadn’t shared in years.

“I don’t even know the rules of the card games the boys played.”

“Then why…?”

I was about to ask why she asked me to buy cup noodles and cards.

But the shy smile on Jin-ah’s lips was answer enough.