Chapter 218

Chapter 218

Bamboo Forest Manager.

Episode 218: Hashtag

Surprisingly, it wasn’t bad.

It was a time when such thoughts came to my mind.

We had lunch, stopped by a café for coffee, and tried some games at an arcade she’d never visited.

Jin-ah’s actions were full of consideration, so natural that you wouldn’t notice unless you looked closely.

These considerations accumulated to form elegance.

Her appearance was beautiful, and her disposition was kind.

“Look at this, it’s inevitable to get calluses on your hands.”

A park we stopped by while walking.

Choi Jin-ah, sitting on a bench, showed me her fingers.

The calluses on her fingers, fitting for a violinist, indirectly told me how hard she had worked.

“I see.”

Elementary school friend.

We were the same age, spent the same time, but at some point, she became a famous violinist.

I was just an ordinary college student.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Normally, I might have fallen into self-loathing, wondering what I’ve been doing all this time.

But I wasn’t that kind of person.

Choi Jin-ah, who was staring at me in response to my answer, gently smiled.

“You’re not particularly interested, are you?”

“……”

How did she know?

Yes, to be honest, I’m not particularly interested.

Jin-ah is a good person, a kind, charming individual.

I can’t deny she’s a beautiful person.

But I wasn’t interested in her.

“Hmm, Woojin, do you perhaps not like me?”

She asks quite directly.

Was she like this when we were young?

Probably not, I don’t think so.

If she were, I would have remembered.

Receiving Jin-ah’s gaze asking for an honest answer, I take a deep breath and choose my words carefully.

Choosing, and choosing.

She might not feel bad about it-

“Actually, there are people I like.”

Nonsense.

How can you say on a blind date that you actually like someone else without making them feel bad?

Let’s accept what needs to be accepted.

It was very simple to say flattering words to ease the other’s feelings, and even simpler to deceive them.

But I didn’t want to lessen the weight of what I was doing in that way.

“Jin-ah, you are a very charming woman. I wonder why I didn’t notice back in elementary school.”

A genius violinist recognized by the world.

A childhood friend who had secretly held feelings for me since we were young.

A graceful and dignified woman who seemed to have stepped out of a museum frame.

She was undeniably a woman of irresistible charm, no matter who she was compared to.

But a brief meeting didn’t rattle my emotions, not in the slightest.

In fact, it was the opposite.

I wanted to see them.

Even with Choi Jin-ah, who came with many accolades, in front of me, I wanted to hear Seo Yerin’s cheeky jokes with a grin.

I wanted to see Choi Yiseo grumbling and coaxing me to go exercise.

I wanted to playfully counter Yu Arin’s teasing insults.

“People…that you like?”

“It might sound strange, but yes. I like several women, so I have no intention of dating anyone. In fact, this blind date was arranged by my father against my will.”

I stood up from the bench and faced her.

“I’m sorry, Jin-ah.”

I bowed my head and apologized honestly.

I thought I might get slapped.

“Heh.”

A slight chuckle escaped.

Slowly lifting my head, I see Choi Jin-ah barely holding back her laughter with both hands covering her mouth.

Tears welling up in her eyes, I wondered if it was because she was hurt by me.

“Puhuhuh!”

It wasn’t that.

“Ah, geez- really. Sorry, hahahah!”

In the end.

Choi Jin-ah burst into laughter, covering her face with both hands and quickly lowering her head.

Watching her chuckle, I felt a mix of emotions.

‘What’s this.’

Scratching my cheek, I pondered the current situation.

“Ah, ha! My stomach hurts. Ah, it really hurts!”

Choi Jin-ah was trying to calm herself by taking deep breaths. At this point, I wondered if this was some hidden camera prank, but I looked around.

‘There’s nothing in particular.’

There was nothing special.

Since it was a park, people were walking around, but it was such a vast place that no one stood out.

Occasionally, people recognized Choi Jin-ah and took pictures, but that was the extent of it.

“Ah, I haven’t laughed like this in ages.”

Choi Jin-ah finally straightened her back, wiping away the tears from her eyes, with her expression rather different from before.

Once exuding the elegance of a rich daughter and violinist, she now seemed to have let everything go, her shoulders relaxed.

Her legs, once neatly gathered, were now freely sprawled.

Not that her inherent grace had vanished completely, turning her into a wild child like Yu Arin.

Anyway.

It was true that she seemed much more at ease than before.

“Do you know why I liked you back in elementary school?”

“I don’t.”

I didn’t even know she existed back then, so how could I know?

“When we’re together, it’s really fun. You let me experience things I never imagined…”

“Are you saying I tricked you?”

“Who would trick me?”

That’s true.

“You were always like that, Woojin. So at some point, I started following you with my eyes. And…”

Jin-ah forced back a laugh rising in her throat and smiled like a child.

“You’re still living like that now.”

“Ah.”

I remembered.

Seeing that smile, it all came back to me.

“Dear Jin-ah.”

When I called her by the nickname I used back then, Choi Jin-ah’s lips curved into a bright smile.

“Yes, Woojin.”

“Right, right. I called you dear Jin-ah! You always went along with everything I did, and I called you ‘Dear Jin-ah’ because I loved how you just gave in to everything like a pushover!”

“That’s right.”

“…It’s not as good a nickname as I thought. Let’s just pretend I didn’t remember it.”

I awkwardly suggested we move on by coughing.

“Do as you please, Woojin.”

Look at her just accepting even this.

“Ahem, I feel unnecessarily sorry.”

“No, no. I’m glad you remembered. I’m not joking, those memories were some of my happiest times.”

If she says being taken advantage of was fun, what am I supposed to say?

Well, anyway.

Since it’s a matchmaking meeting and I have no intention, I thought I should end it, so I was about to start.

“Who is it?”

Jin-ah still asked with a smile, showing interest in me.

Her face, much more relaxed than before, seemed to compel an answer.

“No, who are they?”

At her question, I sat back down and slowly opened my mouth.

“They are friends from the same department at Gahyeon University.”

Though her mother scolded her for sitting upside down on the sofa at her age, Yu Arin had no intention of changing her position.

“I’m fine.”

Lying on the sofa as if doing a handstand, with her hair touching the floor.

“I’m fiiine.”

Humming a tune while looking at her phone might seem relaxed at a glance.

Wiggling her toes or anxiously flicking back and forth on the same screen on her phone.

Looking closely, it was clear she was quite anxious.

“I’m really fiiine.”

Even though it was late at night, the son from the wealthy family that went on a blind date hadn’t contacted her once.

He said he was having lunch, but by now, it wouldn’t be strange if he had dinner, finished, and gone to a hotel for dessert.

“Damn it, I’m fiiine!”

“Yu Arin!”

“…Sorry, mom.”

Eventually getting up at her mother’s thunderous scolding, Yu Arin quickly went into her room.

‘No way, it can’t be.’

No matter how much Kim Woojin thinks and acts with his lower half, he wouldn’t do that.

‘Did he contact the others?’

Maybe he reached out to Choi Yiseo or Seo Yerin separately?

Flopping onto the bed, she kicked the blanket as if swimming and idly browsed the Bamboo Forest.

She wondered if Kim Woojin might be managing it, but the Bamboo Forest was as usual.

One thing was different.

– Anonymous69: I want to have s*x.

– Anonymous69: I want to have s*x.

– Anonymous69: I want to have s*x.

– Anonymous69: I want to have s*x.

↳ Anonymous11: When is this guy getting permanently banned?

Cute dear Yerin must be feeling withdrawal symptoms or something, plastering messages everywhere.

‘So he didn’t get in touch with her either.’

Only then did Yu Arin feel a bit relieved and let out a deep sigh.

She wondered if he contacted Choi Yiseo?

Now another worry started to surface.

‘He can’t say no to Choi Yiseo.’

Though she’s supposed to rein in the rampaging one, Yu Arin often found it bothersome.

At that moment.

Vrrr! Vrrr! Vrrr!

– Ownership 33.3% –

Speak of the devil, and she shall appear.

Choi Yiseo was calling.

“Ahem, ahem. Hello?”

She cleared her throat once and answered the call nonchalantly, as if nothing was amiss.

– Uh, Arin, are you doing anything right now?

A cautious voice, as if probing.

But even that was enough for Yu Arin to see through her intentions.

“Sigh, I didn’t get a call either.”

– I see…

Was she relieved or worried? Her tone was ambiguous.

“It’s fine, don’t worry too much. Even though Kim Woojin can be swayed easily, he surprisingly knows his limits.”

– That’s true.

“The fact that he even told us he was going to a matchmaking meeting means he doesn’t intend to do anything with that woman, right?”

– That’s also true.

While talking, Yu Arin realized she wasn’t speaking to Choi Yiseo but to herself.

Listing various reasons, trying hard to reassure herself.

In truth, she felt similar emotions to Choi Yiseo.

“Hey, why do we even like that guy so much? Doesn’t it make you wonder?”

– …You’re right.

Perhaps because they shared the same feelings.

With a slight smile, the two continued their conversation.

Most of it was about Kim Woojin, and it was undeniable that much of it was filled with curses directed at him.

But still.

– You liked him enough to feel this way.

At Choi Yiseo’s gentle words, Yu Arin clicked her tongue bitterly. It was hard to deny that she had similar thoughts.

“It’s just, it’s fun being with him.”

There was a reason for developing feelings, but honestly, how can a person hold on to those initial feelings forever?

As time passes, even emotions become dull.

However, the reason relationships continue is that new memories keep piling up on top of those dulled emotions.

– Right. And honestly… It’s fun hanging out with you guys too.

“Us? Yerin and me?”

– Yeah. Oh, should we invite Yerin too?

“She’s busy plastering stuff on Bamboo Forest right now. Or should we take this opportunity to grab a drink? Let’s get hunted and make Kim Woojin cry tears of blood.”

– Haha, sounds good.

“I’ll invite Yerin too. Do you know a good place to drink?”

– Anything you want to eat?

“Not really.”

– Alright. Let’s just have a simple drink at a bar. I’ll pick a place, so come over there.

The call ended.

Since Choi Yiseo has been the class president and attended many gatherings, she knew the nearby places like the back of her hand.

“Well then…”

Just as she was about to call the busy Yerin, who was occupied with Bamboo Forest.

Bzz! Bzz! Bzz!

– Pretty Psycho –

“Oh, I was just about to call-”

– Arin! I just sent you a link! Check it out!

“Hmm?”

In a hurry, Yu Arin switched to speakerphone and clicked the link that Seo Yerin had just sent.

It was the SNS of a famous violinist.

Recently, she even appeared on a variety show, and Yu Arin watched that show too.

The important thing is that a man’s familiar face was in her recent post.

A scene that looks like a park.

Two people sitting together on a bench taking a selfie.

And the hashtags below.

“#Classmate, #Dear Woojin, #Dear Jin-ah, #Fateful Meeting…”

– #BopDoobyDoo! DoobyDooAaah!

Seo Yerin was shouting something tearfully.

Yu Arin could only stare blankly at the photo of the two, as if she had been struck on the head.