Chapter 222

Chapter 222

Bamboo Forest Manager.

Episode 222: Anonymous7

“Are you really just going to leave it like that?”

Yu Arin lets out a deep sigh and asks again.

I replied without much thought, sipping the chocolate milk I just bought from the convenience store.

“Well, what can I do? They say they’re going to fight.”

“Ugh, fighting in college is a bit much, isn’t it?”

“…Are you the one to say that?”

I recall that it was Yu Arin who used to hit me relentlessly, claiming it was because she learned Taekwondo.

“With you, it was just play. Besides, if they really fight, wouldn’t it be troublesome for the Bamboo Forest too?”

“Chop, what’s the trouble? It’s just them fighting among themselves. Honestly, I kind of want to see 407’s face.”

I take another sip of chocolate milk and click my tongue.

While Yu Arin seems quite worried, I’m honestly very skeptical about the idea of a real-life confrontation.

“Do you really think they’ll fight? Anonymous7 is still just asking for an apology. There’s no talk of meeting up to do anything.”

“Well…but.”

Surprisingly, even in this situation, Anonymous7 maintained the same stance, regardless of what others on the forum said.

An apology.

If an apology is made, they would let it go.

If they need to meet in person to apologize, they will meet to receive the apology.

“It seems like they’ve been deeply offended. It’s probably because of the harsh words, right?”

I agreed with Yu Arin. Anonymous7 wasn’t the type to post often, but things escalated when Anonymous407 crossed the line with harsh words.

“Ugh, why bring up someone’s parents?”

There are lines that shouldn’t be crossed, no matter what. At 20 years old, it’s a bit late to blame upbringing.

“Ugh, I’m worried they might actually fight.”

“You’re surprisingly worried? I thought you’d just let them fight it out? Or are you seriously considering wearing a ring girl outfit?”

“Are you crazy? It’s just that if it escalates to a fight in the Bamboo Forest, it won’t end well.”

Side-Admin No. 1 is working hard. It’s about time to recruit No. 2, but where can I find one?

Actually, the best option would be to unblock Choi Yiseo’s Anonymous287 and ask for help.

But Choi Yiseo is too busy to handle caretaker duties.

‘Seo Yerin would…find it difficult.’

The moment I give caretaker No. 2 to Anonymous69, the Bamboo Forest would be turned upside down.

People would complain about using someone who just spams nonsense.

“Sigh, I don’t know. Let’s just let them fight it out. They probably won’t reveal names in the Bamboo Forest, so they might ask you for help.”

They’ll probably request personal information or arrange a meeting place through me, the Administrator.

If they actually meet, that is.

“I’m betting they won’t meet.”

“That would be nice.”

Yu Arin, who was pouting at my words, stuck a straw into the Chocomong she was holding.

Dinner time.

Since it was a weekday, I was at my part-time job, unable to resist the boredom, and looking at my phone.

The Bamboo Forest was still buzzing with new posts; it seemed like there were quite a few idle college students.

Some were already preparing for finals, which seemed early.

– Anonymous69: I want to have sex!

– Anonymous149: But if they actually meet, wouldn’t it be hilarious?

– Anonymous62: It’d be great if Popo broadcasted it. Are they really meeting tomorrow?

– Anonymous332: Haven’t heard anything from 407 or 7, right? I think 407 chickened out.

Neither of the two anonymous users at the center of the buzz had posted anything yet.

Well, I can’t hold on to the Bamboo Forest forever.

If they didn’t run away, it seemed like Anonymous407 should step up soon.

Since Anonymous7 has been consistently reacting the same way.

Even if they meet in person, they probably won’t back out.

The door opens, letting in a cold breeze.

“Welcome.”

I greeted the visiting customer with a smile, but they just gave an awkward smile and slightly raised their hand.

“Oh, hi.”

“…Senior Ju-hee?”

We came together because I was working at the café today, but what’s the reason this time?

It’s probably past the time for the senior to have left work.

Senior Ju-hee, glancing around, approached the counter and whispered quietly.

“Um, could you recommend just one thing?”

“Anything you buy should be fine… I’m not an expert or anything.”

As I scratched the back of my head and answered, senior Ju-hee clenched her fist and quickly continued.

“I heard you give a lot of relationship advice to the kids. So I thought you’d know a lot about this stuff, so I asked. It’s not for any weird reason or anything-”

“I know. I know. And there’s no need to be awkward. We’re all adults here, it’s only natural.”

I laughed and told her how the guys in the dorm rate the ona-holes they use and bring them to me as if they were reviews.

“Not only that, but the girls come by sometimes too. One even asked me if I knew the size of a guy she had a crush on who lived in the dorm.”

“…Why would she ask that?”

“She wanted to buy something similar in size.”

But how would I know that?

Of course, I told her I didn’t know.

“I see, that’s how it is.”

“It’s normal. It’s just normal. Everyone has sexual desires, naturally.”

Feeling a bit more at ease now, senior Ju-hee took a deep breath and nodded. After recommending one of the popular items among the girls, I smiled and rang up her purchase.

I assumed she would leave right after, but she hesitated and asked me quietly.

“When do you get off work? I have something… I want to consult about.”

“……”

I got the feeling this was the real reason she came from the start. It’s best to keep some distance with senior Ju-hee.

“I’ll be done soon. Will it take long?”

Still, it’s rare for senior Ju-hee to need my help.

If it’s something that might take a while, I thought of calling someone else.

Being alone together for too long wouldn’t be ideal in our current situation.

“No, it won’t take long. We can talk on the way back to the dorms.”

“Then please wait a little. I’m about to finish my shift.”

A few minutes later.

The boss arrived, and we left after saying our goodbyes.

Waiting outside, Senior handed me a warm soy milk she was holding.

“Here, take this. Coffee didn’t seem right for the night.”

“Thank you.”

Though soy milk was an unexpected choice, it oddly suited senior Ju-hee.

“Didn’t you bring your bike?”

“Oh, there’s no good place to lock it up here. Last time, someone stole it, and I barely got it back.”

“I see…hmm?”

Senior Ju-hee tilted her head curiously.

While she seemed to be recalling something, I spoke up.

“What brings you here today?”

While waiting, I briefly thought it might be about a relationship issue.

There was a time when many people came to me for relationship advice, though it’s less frequent now.

However, the senior continued with a rather unexpected topic.

“My parents are both gone.”

“Oh…”

That came out of nowhere and almost gave me indigestion.

Seeing my awkward expression, senior Ju-hee nonchalantly responded as if it was no big deal.

“I have twin siblings. One’s a boy and the other’s a girl. They’re preparing to enter college too. Not Gahyeon University, though.”

“I see.”

I try to act as unaffected as possible.

I personally don’t like to pity or console someone after hearing about their family affairs.

Perhaps it was the right reaction, as senior Ju-hee continued speaking more comfortably.

“My mother was never around, but my father passed away while I was working in a factory after high school.”

“Hmm.”

Now I somewhat understand why senior Ju-hee is working so hard for the scholarship.

I had assumed there might be a story behind it.

“With my father’s insurance money and the money I saved while working, I got the chance to attend college.”

I thought it was a relationship story, but it turned out to be a much heavier topic.

I felt slightly deceived by senior Ju-hee, who said it would end quickly, but surprisingly, the main point came out soon enough.

“Recently, someone wrote something insulting about my parents.”

They wrote something insulting about her parents?

A similar story popped into my head and I shivered involuntarily.

“I personally want an apology from that person. But I don’t know how to go about it.”

“Oh, I see. Do you, by any chance, know where such a post was made?”

“That… I don’t think I can tell you.”

I see.

Sweat began to form on my hands.

Isn’t this situation very similar to someone I know?

‘Come to think of it, Anonymous 7 wrote something about being a top student or something.’

I could understand why senior Ju-hee was too embarrassed to speak because of those posts.

‘Oh, I’m screwed.’

If this goes wrong, there might be a big problem. And it would most likely be Anonymous407.

“Well, if a post was made, isn’t it like some kind of community? Like our school’s Bamboo Forest?”

“Y-yeah, right?”

Am I supposed to play along now?

When it’s so obvious, what am I supposed to do?

“Of course! I don’t use the Bamboo Forest, so I’m not sure! There used to be a lot of posts targeting me.”

Laughing awkwardly, I added an explanation, and only then did relief appear on senior Ju-hee’s face.

“I only started using it recently. There was something I wanted to ask without others knowing.”

I remember Anonymous7 asking something persistently. I didn’t memorize all the content, though.

“Anyway. If it’s that kind of community, there should be someone managing it. If you ask them, you might find something out, right?”

“Oh, I see! I just need to ask the administrator!”

Senior really hasn’t used a community like this before.

The Bamboo Forest would have been a harsh place for someone so innocent.

“Yes, give it a try. I’m sure the administrator will explain it kindly.”

With that, Senior said she’d contact the administrator immediately.

Watching her, a subtle smile appeared on my face.

Thank you for using the Bamboo Forest today, Senior.

Good things and bad things.

There were two.

The good news is that I found out who Anonymous7 is.

I never expected it to be senior Ju-hee, but anyway, after receiving an inquiry from her, I contacted Anonymous407 separately through a one-to-one inquiry.

The bad news is that when senior Ju-hee goes on a rampage, I absolutely cannot stop her.

The moment she said she didn’t want to apologize, it was as if the death of Anonymous407 was confirmed.

‘Honestly, the chances of not responding are the highest.’

Even though the Bamboo Forest has been abuzz with the Anonymous7 and 407 showdown recently.

Anonymous407 hadn’t posted a single thing.

Most people believed they had run away out of fear, declaring it a victory for Anonymous7.

But that’s not what senior Ju-hee wants.

She’s determined to get an apology no matter what.

Because that’s the kind of person she is.

“Phew, just reply already.”

While waiting in the lecture hall for the next class, I was looking at the 1:1 inquiry chat with Anonymous407.

– Administrator: Hello, Anonymous407. Recently, there have been many posts about you in the Bamboo Forest.

– Administrator: Anonymous7, with whom you had a dispute, met me directly and insisted on receiving an apology.

– Administrator: They said you just need to meet and apologize without any conflict.

Administrator: Please reply.

My own attempt at a polite expression, drawn out.

‘I’m trying to save you, so just reply.’

“Woojin, do you have little armpit hair?”

Seo Yerin, leaning against me, asked out of the blue.

When I stared at her, wondering why she was asking that, Seo Yerin smiled back at me.

“Come to think of it… I don’t think I’ve ever seen it either.”

Choi Yiseo, sitting across and resting her legs on my lap, chimed in.

I thought she didn’t usually join in these conversations. Did something change since last time?

“Why do I have to explain that?”

“I heard that if you don’t have armpit hair, it smells less.”

“…I don’t smell, okay?”

I almost sniffed myself without realizing it.

“You know, like an armpit fetish. I wanted to check if I have something like that.”

I don’t ask Seo Yerin why she’s checking my armpit hair as she says it so confidently.

“Ugh, Kim Woojin.”

Choi Yiseo grumbles, tapping her forehead.

Maybe she remembered licking my armpit while cuddling last night and felt creeped out, as she lifted her leg and lightly kicked my thigh.

“I thought you liked it.”

“It was just ticklish, okay?”

Was it?

I don’t think so.

Let’s try again later.

Then Yu Arin came into the classroom, carrying a bunch of coffee.

“Ugh, it’s summer now. It’s so damn hot.”

Pointing at Yu Arin, who lost at rock-paper-scissors and went to the café.

“She feels it with her armpits. I say it’s spring.”

“How do you say something that makes me want to pour coffee on your face the moment I walk in?”

And then she hands me a ginseng latte.

“…Do you want to die?”

I said it seriously, but Yu Arin replied nonchalantly while handing out coffee to others.

“You said to bring anything.”

“I didn’t know it would be just anything like this.”

“Just drink it! It’s good for you!”

I took a sip, and it’s really awful. I wondered why they even sell this at a café on campus.

Buzz!

My phone vibrated.

“What?”

A reply came up in the 1:1 inquiry chat room with Anonymous407.

– Anonymous407: I read the message you sent, Administrator. I didn’t expect there to be so much talk about me in the Bamboo Forest.

This is an interesting fellow.

He picks fights in the Bamboo Forest, but look at him being polite to me.

– Anonymous407: But I have some circumstances. You are a student at Gahyeon University, right?

– Administrator: That’s correct.

– Anonymous407: I absolutely want to keep my identity hidden. I don’t want anyone to find out.

I knew it.

These kinds of people always hide outside the internet.

– Administrator: That’s possible. I will never reveal Anonymous407’s identity to anyone else.

– Anonymous407: …You’ll know that you can’t say anything when you meet me.

“Hmm?”

What is this now?

– Anonymous407: Today at 6 PM.

After that, I couldn’t help but be surprised by the meeting place Anonymous407 suggested.

– Anonymous407: Please come to the president’s office.