Bamboo Forest Manager - Chapter 101: Exam Time

“……”

Today is Wednesday.

The exam period has already begun, and I’ve already taken three exams. Each lecture has been a tense and exhausting moment.

But this lecture was somewhat relaxing and leisurely.

“Fuck you!”

Yu Arin, on the giant screen in the lecture hall, raises her middle finger and curses.

From the subtitles below to the composition and direction, there wasn’t a single thing that did not have my touch, and I felt a sense of pride.

Senior Ju-hee, who was staring blankly at the screen, leaned slightly towards me.

“It turned out well. It looks a whole lot better on the screen.”

“Yes, it does.”

It was the last day to watch our film project. Because the exam was replaced by the project, today was the last lecture and the time to watch the submitted projects.

There wasn’t enough time to show all the works, so the professor said he would show the ones with good grades.

One of them was ours, so I could say that this lecture was successfully completed.

Seeing Senior Ju-hee’s subtle smile, it seems she thought we did better than the other groups.

“……”

I turned my head slightly to see Seo Yerin’s reaction on the left. She was staring blankly at her own image on the screen.

I wondered if there was a problem, but she seemed more touched than troubled.

She was the main character, so she must have felt a lot watching this.

In the end, the film concluded with the death of Yu Arin, the mastermind, and as the ending credits rolled to extend the video time, applause erupted in the lecture hall.

The professor also clapped and smiled at us behind the microphone.

“I heard this group had several incidents among the members, but they submitted a very impressive project with help from other classmates. This project is among the top three I’ve seen in years.”

The professor’s praise filled me with pride. If I hadn’t missed that one class due to drinking, I might have gotten an A+.

“Alright, next group…”

Of course, there were other groups, so the praise didn’t last long, but it was enough.

I turned my head slightly and smiled at the female seniors who attended, hoping to at least get a D.

“You bastard…”

“What a rude jerk.”

“How dare he act like that to a senior?”

They should have attended and shot the film with us to get good grades.

As a sign of gratitude, I gave a thumbs up.

“…That’s your middle finger.”

“Oops, my mistake.”

Senior Ju-hee laughed at my little mistake.

And so the lecture had ended.

“You worked really hard this time. Since it’s still the exam period, I’ll treat you to a meal once it’s over.”

Senior Ju-hee, wearing glasses because of the exam period, looked a bit different, but I didn’t point that out and just nodded. Seo Yerin, still not fully herself, didn’t respond, but Senior didn’t bother to ask her.

“Oh, Woojin. Did you prepare all the documents for Gold One?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Alright, we’ll leave about a week after the vacation starts, so make sure you prepare everything in advance.”

“Yes, understood!”

Captain Ju, exuding charisma, patted me on the shoulder and left.

“Hey, Seo Yerin. Let’s go.”

We had an Introductory Japanese Conversation class on Wednesdays, which I took with Seo Yerin. It was one of the easier exams, so my steps were light.

“Oh, okay!”

Finally, Seo Yerin snapped out of it.

On our way to the lecture hall, we stopped by a café on campus.

“Woojin.”

She mumbled my name.

“I was once scouted to become an actress, did you know that?”

“Are you bragging? Cause it seems like it.”

Not just an actress.

Idol, singer, model.

And so on.

There must have been countless people trying to bring Seo Yerin to the TV screen.

“At that time, I thought it was absolutely impossible. I thought it was a completely different world from mine. I wasn’t interested at all.”

“……”

“But after this project… I feel a bit regretful.”

“Hm.”

“I kind of wish I had at least tried.”

Well, that’s possible.

No one starts out appearing on a giant movie theater screen. They gradually grow their dreams through short films or club activities.

“It’s not too late yet.”

“……”

“With your looks, I think at least one place would accept you if you approached them. You might need to practice acting a bit, though.”

“Really?”

“I’m not saying you should go right away. Take your time and think about it. We’re still freshmen. We have plenty of time.”

Feeling mildly relieved, Seo Yerin smiled brightly and took the coffee I handed her.

“I paid for it, so transfer the money. You know that, right?”

“Sure, but Woojin. What’s this Gold One thing?”

She asked as we exited the café.

“Hmm? I’m working part-time during winter break. Do you know Gold One Hotel in Gangwon-do?”

“…Money Hotel?”

That’s crazy.

“Casino Hotel.”

“Aren’t they the same, jeez.”

Seo Yerin grumbled while sipping her coffee. I ignored her grumbling and explained simply.

“I heard some students from our school are doing internships there. I joined them for a part-time job. The pay is good, and they provide accommodation and meals.”

“…How long are you going for?”

Seo Yerin looked at me with a worried expression.

“Two months? I’ll be there almost the entire vacation.”

At most, I might have a week when it starts and another week when it ends to rest.

Seo Yerin suddenly jumped and shouted.

“What?! What about me?!”

“What about you?”

“I was planning to stay at your place during the vacation?!”

I didn’t bother to ask what she intended to do while staying. Luckily, there was no one around.

“Take it easy.”

“Take it easy! We’ve only done it once! Do you even realize what our relationship is?”

I don’t.

Seriously, what is that anyway?

“Make some time before you go.”

“No.”

“Fine, don’t!”

Grumbling, Seo Yerin stormed off ahead with quick steps.

I watched her blankly, wondering why she was acting like that, and suddenly remembered something I had forgotten.

“Hey! Send me the coffee money!”

“Jeez!”

Seo Yerin ran away with a straw in her mouth.

“Hey! Send it!”

“Free coffeeee!”

“Hey, look at this.”

Do you know that some people go crazy during exam periods?

I know it well because I feel like I might go crazy.

For some reason, Yu Arin, who came to my place to study, tapped my shoulder and stood up.

She started stretching, moving her body this way and that, and I wondered what she was doing.

Suddenly, she put one hand on the wall and slowly raised one leg.

Eventually, she did a full split and showed a relaxed smile.

“Isn’t this awesome?”

“So what?”

I didn’t know how to react to that. It was impressive, but it also felt a bit risqué, so I deliberately kept a nonchalant expression.

But Yu Arin, seemingly unsatisfied with my reaction, kept her position with a frown.

“You’re not impressed? This is awesome.”

“Yeah, it’s awesome how you’re wasting time doing this during the exam period. Didn’t you say you needed to do well on this exam?”

“Ha, look at this guy.”

Seemingly even more determined, Yu Arin lowered her leg and moved my mattress aside.

“Hey, what are you doing!”

“Just watch.”

Then she struck a hero landing pose and said,

“Cyclone!”

She suddenly shouted out a bizarre move name you’d hear in a superhero show and started doing a windmill!

‘Am I dreaming?’

How do you process the sight of a female classmate spinning like a windmill in your room?

Yu Arin spun around like a real windmill. I thought she had finally gone mad from studying for the exam.

‘Tsk.’

But watching her, I couldn’t help but think it was really cool.

“How about it? Awesome, right?”

“It is awesome.”

Only after hearing my response did Yu Arin stop windmilling. She stood up and staggered, complaining of dizziness.

Then she put her hand on a cabinet to steady herself and saw the Tengas lined up there, looking dumbfounded.

“Did you put these on display?”

“I forgot to give them to the guys, so I left them out.”

“Sigh.”

Then she stared intently at the Tengas.

“Weren’t there four last time?”

“There were three.”

“No, there were red, blue, black, and white. The blue one is missing now.”

She has a ridiculously good memory.

Why does she remember that?

“Let’s study.”

As I tried to change the subject, Yu Arin stared blankly at the Tengas, realized something, and shouted.

“You crazy bastard! You used one, didn’t you?!”

“Let’s study.”

“Study my ass! Where is it?! Where did you hide it?!”

“…Let’s study!”

“Sigh.”

Clicking her tongue, Yu Arin grabbed her bag. I thought she was leaving, but she pulled something out from her bag.

“…I came to return these.”

A thick, majestic purple dildo and a box full of condoms.

“Why do you even have those?”

Those were the things I bought at the adult store when I was drunk.

Blushing, Yu Arin awkwardly explained.

“L-last time we drank, Yerin and Yiseo took them.”

Oh, I heard about that.

The three of them were drinking, with Seo Yerin calling me with a dildo, and Choi Yiseo counting the condoms. Those girls are trouble when they drink.

‘…There was a big incident with Seo Yerin, it wasn’t there.’

Well, let’s move on.

“So I told them not to mess around and put them in my bag, but I forgot and took them home.”

“Huh.”

Words I wanted to joke about rose to my throat, but I held back, thinking it would cross the line.

“I didn’t use it!”

Yu Arin, holding the dildo, yelled at me.

“I didn’t ask.”

“Geez!”

I didn’t know if Yu Arin actually used it or not, and I didn’t care.

Suddenly, Yu Arin grabbed a Tenga, looking like a bright idea just struck her.

“Hey, don’t.”

“They found each other.”

She inserted the dildo into the Tenga and smiled satisfactorily, making me feel dizzy.

It was the exam period.