Chapter 234

Chapter 234

Bamboo Forest Manager.

Episode 234: Owner?

On the way back from the Taekwondo studio.

The evening had darkened.

Following the streetlights ahead like signposts, we engaged in various conversations.

“So, I decided to do it with the instructor. Seeing them unexpectedly looking forward to it made me feel proud.”

Most of the conversation topics revolved around the Taekwondo studio and a kind of business Yu Arin would be involved in.

She said the instructor liked it, but from what I’ve seen being with Yu Arin for a long time,

She, too, seemed uplifted after getting permission.

“It feels like my perspective is widening into a new field.”

Of course, Yu Arin didn’t hide that. It’s not often that one feels they’re improving themselves.

The mood she was in seemed quite good.

Riding the night air, I gently asked,

“Shall we grab dinner?”

“Are you trying to seduce me?”

Yu Arin asked with a chuckle. At times like this, I’m not sure what the right answer is.

But I’ve always lived honestly, and that’s how I’ve gotten this far.

“Yes, I’m trying to seduce you.”

“Heh.”

A peculiar breath escaped.

But seeing the widened smile, it seemed I had the right answer.

“What are we going to eat?”

I could already sense the excitement in her voice.

With a bit more confidence, I continued.

“Well, something nearby? Kimbap or spicy rice cakes sounds good. Or just convenience store ramen is fine too.”

“The menu sounds a bit cheap.”

Mumbling as if her excitement had waned, I gently held Yu Arin’s hand and added,

“I just want to eat quickly and move on to the next thing.”

Yu Arin, who was staring at me, let go of my hand and slyly linked her arm with mine.

“Anyway, at times like this, you seem pretty smart.”

Apparently, it didn’t look too bad.

The flow was good, and our steps became even lighter.

Indeed, the brave win the beauty.

Alright, let’s muster up a bit more courage.

“Arin, did you bring your Taekwondo uniform?”

“Yeah, I brought it.”

I heard she bought a new one because the old one was too worn out. It seems like it’s a fancy performance Taekwondo uniform with a touch of color, not the usual kind.

I asked Yu Arin, who was smiling and looking around the nearby restaurants.

“Can you wear the uniform?”

“This damn guy always has to ruin the mood at the end!”

She immediately released her arm lock and stepped back, delivering a kick to my abdomen.

Later, I heard it’s a technique called a jumping spin kick in Taekwondo.

“Ugh!”

Whatever it was, I got hit in the stomach and fell forward.

Whack!

“Come here, you bastard. There’s a pizza place over there.”

I was dragged to the pizza place by my hair.

“You pay. It’s your punishment for ruining the mood.”

“I can pay!”

Looking at the ground, I mustered up courage again.

“But I want to take off the uniform badge!”

“Shut up! What’s with the uniform badge?! It’s a new uniform that hasn’t even been worn yet, so it needs to be broken in!”

“We can break it in together!”

“What’s so good about the uniform?”

“It’s new!”

Ahn Hyeon-ho said he liked new women, but I’m satisfied with Yu Arin in a new outfit.

“Sigh, my head hurts. Forget it, let’s just go eat pizza.”

“…By the way, when are you going to let go of this?”

With my hair being held, I was led inside. Although I heard the surprised voice of the clerk, I was held by my hair until I sat down.

The place we entered wasn’t just a simple pizza joint. It was a place that served Western dishes, but the prices weren’t particularly high.

Did they considerately choose this place?

“Pizza and…pilaf or risotto? You like dishes with rice, don’t you?”

The problem is that these kids know me too well nowadays.

“Pilaf. Risotto feels too much like porridge, so I’m not fond of it.”

“That was why Yiseo made pilaf last time.”

“……”

As I was left speechless, Yu Arin deftly ordered from the menu and rested her chin on her hand, staring at me intently.

“Has your head cooled down a bit now?”

“Arin, I’ve always been calm.”

“It would have been better if you said it was something you said in excitement.”

What else could I do?

I’ve been thinking about it since I entered the Taekwondo gym earlier.

“But I think you’d look really pretty in a Taekwondo uniform.”

When I said it in a gloomy tone, Yu Arin bit her lip tightly.

“Sigh, I can’t. If I stay with you like this, I might actually end up wearing it.”

Yu Arin, who lightly slapped her cheeks, took a deep breath and declared firmly.

“No. Absolutely not. Got it?”

It’s a shame, but if she speaks that firmly, there’s nothing I can do.

“Alright, I get it. I won’t do anything you don’t like.”

I hand Yu Arin the glass of water brought by the clerk and pour her some, speaking as I do.

Her expression wasn’t bad as she drank the water, perhaps feeling a bit better.

At that moment.

“No, why did this fail?”

“It’s because the seniors made a slip of the tongue.”

“Ha, this is such a mess. Who’s the idiot who booked this place? How long has it been since we ate, and now we’re here for dinner again? We should be hitting a bar.”

“Oh? That was me.”

Familiar voices coming from the entrance. I turned my head instinctively, and our eyes met unintentionally.

In order: Kang Han-kang, Ahn Hyeon-ho, Pyo Jinho, and Jeong Chan-woo.

“Ah, damn.”

I tried to pretend not to know them, but as soon as they saw me with Arin, they approached.

“Wo-Woojin. Where’s Yerin?”

Han-kang started with a comment that would surely annoy Yu Arin.

“…Weren’t you supposed to be studying?”

Ahn Hyeon-ho, whom I spoke with earlier on the phone.

“Ah, ah, hi Arin.”

Pyo Jinho, still traumatized and fearful of Yu Arin.

“Are you two on a date? I’m jealous.”

Jeong Chan-woo, who seemed completely unfazed now.

I sighed deeply at the coincidence of meeting the four of them here, and Han-kang placed a hand on my shoulder with a smile.

“Hey, it’s a coincidence we met like this. What do you say? Shall we join you?”

“Get lost if you don’t want trouble.”

Even though I gritted my teeth and warned him with a gesture, Han-kang didn’t back down.

He seemed intent on ruining my good time.

“Get lost.”

Yu Arin’s chilling words made Han-kang glance around nervously before cautiously moving to another table.

“I told you, if you don’t want to mess with Yu Arin, you should leave.”

At least I got rid of one.

“This place is good, right? I came here with my girlfriend, and she liked it.”

With Han-kang gone, Chan-woo picked up the conversation with a smile.

“Didn’t you say you had a meeting today? With the dance department from another school?”

He deliberately emphasizes the meeting with the dance department. It was to appeal to Yu Arin that I didn’t go.

“Yeah, but the seniors accidentally mentioned they’re going to the army soon, so it fell apart.”

“Sigh.”

Of course.

I was about to add that nothing would go well with them when Yu Arin interrupted.

“Hey, did you plan to have dinner with the girls you’re meeting today at the place you came with your ex-girlfriend?”

“Yeah, because my ex also said it was delicious here. I was going to recommend what we ate back then.”

“…Kim Woojin, have you been here with other women?”

Yu Arin asked slyly, and I immediately raised both hands to proclaim my innocence.

“No? Absolutely not! You chose this place in the first place.”

“Right? If you had come here with another girl first, you’d be dead.”

A chill ran down my spine.

Jeong Chan-woo still looked clueless about what he did wrong.

“Enjoy your meal. Arin, among the pastas here-”

“I already ordered, so leave.”

He tried to recommend a menu but got kicked out just like that. Pyo Jinho simply followed Jeong Chan-woo and left as if fleeing.

Ahn Hyeon-ho, the last one left, looked back and forth between us and clicked his tongue.

“What do you like about him?”

Ahn Hyeon-ho asked Yu Arin, genuinely curious.

I was about to retort because asking that in front of the person involved was very irritating.

“You guys are like trash, but he’s just dumb.”

Yu Arin replied with a mocking smile, and Ahn Hyeon-ho ended up pouting and grumbling.

“Hey, Kim Woojin. Hand over the summary notes you promised last time. You said you’d show them before the exam.”

“You said you’d bring the exam papers, and we’d trade.”

“Sigh, I really need to at least get a B on this exam.”

Ahn Hyeon-ho, grumbling as he left. Watching his back, I suddenly felt a weight of worry settle in my chest.

That’s true.

“I should be studying.”

Eating this and spending the day with Arin, won’t time be a bit tight?

Just as that thought crossed my mind, the food arrived.

Yu Arin placed a slice of pizza on my plate. Then, after observing my expression, she said,

“Should we go study?”

“Huh? Why?”

“It’s the exam period. Now that I think about it, it feels like I’ve taken up too much of your time.”

“No, but…”

I want to go to the hotel with Arin also.

As if she sensed what I was thinking, Yu Arin smiled gently and replied,

“We can do it anytime.”

Hearing that made me feel quite peculiar. How nice it is to know that she would agree whenever I ask.

“Yeah, let’s go study.”

A night of pleasure would be nice, but it’s probably better to study for the exams considering the future.

Sex can wait until next time.

Dinner ended quickly.

After saying I was going to the restroom, I paid the bill and returned to my seat.

“…Huh?”

To my surprise, Pyo Jinho and Yu Arin were talking together.

Even more surprising, Yu Arin had gone over to his table to initiate the conversation.

‘What’s this?’

What’s going on?

They shouldn’t have any reason to talk separately.

I blankly watched while finishing my cola.

It left me feeling strangely dirty.

“Huh? You’re back already?”

Yu Arin, who had returned from the conversation, looked slightly surprised as she sat across from me.

“Shall we go? Let’s split the bill.”

Watching her awkwardly gather her things, I replied bluntly.

“I’ve already paid.”

“What? You actually did it? You said you were going to the bathroom.”

“Not much came out.”

Yu Arin, who was staring at me giving short answers, sighed deeply and explained before I even asked.

“This time, we’re doing a Taekwondo performance team. We’re gathering team members and asked if he could join us until he goes to the military. That guy has quite a good network with the guys. That’s all.”

“Jinho hyung?”

“Even if he can’t spar properly, he’s not bad at forms and pattern. And because he’s big and strong, he can do roles like supporting from below or lifting and tossing.”

Pyo Jinho tossing Arin?

“I’m feeling even worse now.”

When I bit my lip in annoyance, Yu Arin, who was staring blankly at me, let out a hollow laugh.

“Hey, you have two other girls, so why…?”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t love you. I’m jealous. I’m really jealous right now.”

When I spoke honestly, Yu Arin looked dumbfounded. Then she cautiously looked around and took something out of her bag.

It was a belt.

Yu Arin’s Taekwondo black belt.

I wondered why she suddenly took it out, but Yu Arin grabbed the ends and wrapped it around her neck, handing the other end to me.

It was like a leash.

“It’s yours.”

Look at her smiling cunningly and tempting me. Under the table, she was touching my calf with her toe, craving affection.

A Taekwondo belt leash.

This is quite novel.

My heart softened, and I almost pounced on her without realizing it.

“I’m feeling better, let’s go.”

“Should I like you because you’re simple?”

Yu Arin, looking exasperated, retrieved the belt.

We left without saying goodbye to the fools, and having had a good dinner, it was time to head back.

“Should I call a taxi for you? Is there a bus from here?”

“What?”

I asked with a smile, and Yu Arin made a flustered sound.

“Why? Is the taxi fare a bit expensive? Should I cover it?”

“Oh, no…that’s not it.”

She hesitated, then tied the black belt around her neck and handed me the end.

Her pleading expression made me smile again.

“Hey, I said I’m not mad anymore, right?”

Even though I was holding the belt.

“You’re always like this. Such a jerk at the end!”

Yu Arin grabbed my hair again and started dragging me somewhere.

“Ouch! It hurts! It hurts!”

“Shut up and find the nearest hotel!”

“You said we weren’t doing anything today?!”

“If you put a leash on a woman, shouldn’t you be ready for it?”

“You put the leash on yourself?!”

“I’ll wear a Taekwondo uniform or whatever, so let’s go!”

Anyway.

Even though I was holding the leash, I was being dragged by Yu Arin by the hair.

In this bizarre manner, we entered the hotel.