Chapter 42: Slave
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 42: Slave
“Alright, get home safe. You guys worked hard today.”
Choi I-seo saw off her first-year classmates as they left the gopchang restaurant.
“Phew, I-seo, you’re the one who really worked hard.”
“I never knew Kim Woo-jin was such a nutcase. I thought he was just the quiet type?”
“It was pretty cathartic, though.”
Since the day’s events had been quite shocking, the freshmen were busy buzzing about it.
Some said he went too far, and some cursed him out, but the general consensus was that it felt refreshing.
I guess it turned out okay.
Kim Woo-jin’s actions were certainly open to criticism, but they seemed to be viewed as justified.
The fact that the third-year girls couldn't even talk back and practically fled the scene played a big part in that perception.
“Being the class rep is a real struggle.”
“Tell me about it.”
Watching her classmates grumble as they walked away, Choi I-seo let out a sigh and headed back into the restaurant.
She was planning to wrap things up and head home herself, but...
“Hey! You! Delete it right now!”
“Congratulations!”
“Don’t congratulate me! Post a cancellation notice this instant!”
“Omedetou!”
“I’m seriously going to kill you!”
“Hontoni omedetou!”
Another massive commotion was unfolding inside.
Naturally, the protagonist of this quarrel was Kim Woo-jin once again.
Yoo Ah-rin, who had been eating gopchang with him until a moment ago, was lunging at him with her fists flying, while Kim Woo-jin held both her wrists, grinning mischievously.
“Let go! I said let go!”
“Uh, no. You’ll hit me if I let go. Besides, is that any way to talk to your master?”
“Master, my foot?!”
What in the...
While she was out there cleaning up the mess Kim Woo-jin had made, why was he in here playing around so happily with Yoo Ah-rin?
Choi I-seo felt a prickle of annoyance, but she approached them with her usual expressionless face.
“What are you doing?”
However, the words that left her mouth were bone-chilling. It was a level of coldness that made one wonder if the restaurant door had been left wide open.
Kim Woo-jin and Yoo Ah-rin both looked at Choi I-seo at the same time, startled.
“I-seo! This guy—!”
Yoo Ah-rin tried to snitch immediately, but Kim Woo-jin, letting go of her wrists, reached out and muffled her mouth.
It naturally looked like he was hugging her from behind, but the two of them seemed completely unfazed by that level of physical contact.
“Mmph! Mmmph-mmph!”
“Haha! I have no idea what kind of nonsense she’s spouting!”
“Mmph-ba-ba-mmph!”
“Agh! You bit my palm, you psycho!”
With her mouth clamped shut by both his hands, Yoo Ah-rin finally managed to free herself by biting Kim Woo-jin’s palm.
“Pah! Pah! Ugh, gross!”
Yoo Ah-rin dashed toward the restroom, shouting that she needed to rinse her mouth out. Unlike her usual playful self, her face was flushed bright red.
“Wow, she actually bit me.”
Kim Woo-jin showed the teeth marks to Choi I-seo, but...
“Are you having fun?”
Choi I-seo was glaring at him with her arms crossed. Her mood wasn't just bad; it was terrible.
She had handled all the damage control, yet for some reason, she felt excluded, and it left a very bitter taste in her mouth.
“Well? I’m asking you. Are you having fun?”
“...No, I am not.”
“Sigh.”
Seeing Kim Woo-jin immediately tuck his tail, Choi I-seo let out a long sigh. She wondered if he had any idea how much his college life was about to get complicated, but then...
He probably doesn't even care.
Knowing Kim Woo-jin, he’d probably get along just fine on his own, regardless of whether his social life was ruined or not. He was the type who wouldn't show up even if the seniors tried to summon everyone for a "discipline session."
“Sigh, Woo-jin. I really think you need to start exercising. I’m worried you’re going to get beaten up somewhere.”
“Well, I don’t know about fighting, but I guess I should practice running away.”
Kim Woo-jin replied with a grin.
Seeing that bright expression, Choi I-seo felt her heart melting again.
“I’m not telling you to walk on eggshells around others, but you’ve got three years of college left. Will you be okay?”
“You’re the class rep anyway, so you’ll give me the heads-up on important announcements separately.”
“...Well, that’s true.”
“Then it’s fine. As long as you’re on my side, that’s all that matters.”
How could he say something like that so casually? Choi I-seo pouted, feeling a strange sense of resentment at how he spoke as if she were his captive.
“Don’t assume I’ll be on your side forever. My mind could change, you know.”
“Hmm?”
At that, Kim Woo-jin tilted his head and replied.
“That would only happen if I did something wrong.”
“...”
“Because you’re the type who tries to think rationally rather than emotionally.”
Her standards were strict.
But they were the same for everyone.
Kim Woo-jin was certain that as long as he didn't do anything specifically wrong, a woman like Choi I-seo wouldn't be swept up by the crowd and hate him for no reason.
“Hmph.”
Why was it?
Feeling validated, Choi I-seo’s face turned red despite herself.
She turned her gaze away, covering her mouth with a curled fist as if faking a cough.
She desperately made the excuse to herself that the heat was just from the few drinks she’d had.
“Let’s head back once Ah-rin comes out.”
At Choi I-seo’s suggestion to call it a night since everyone else had left, Kim Woo-jin stretched and replied.
“Yeah, man, I’m beat.”
*
Saturday.
When the weekend arrived, the lethargy felt good. After everything that had happened yesterday, just lying on his soft mattress filled him with a sense of happiness.
Maybe I’ll watch a movie on my laptop.
He rarely used his laptop except for gaming. He pulled it over and turned it on while lying down.
Immediately, a flood of notifications popped up from the messenger synced with his phone.
“Oh, right.”
He had forgotten that he’d turned his phone off because Yoo Ah-rin was being too noisy.
He hadn't bothered to check because he figured the Bamboo Forest would be quiet over the weekend.
But when he entered the board, posts were being uploaded in real-time, just as frequently as on a weekday.
Naturally.
It was because of the Moderator announcement from yesterday.
“Oh?”
Yoo Ah-rin had appeared in the middle of the heated Bamboo Forest.
Naturally, the board immediately began to explode.
“Pfft.”
She’d grumbled so much about not wanting to do it, but she was actually doing a good job now that she was tasked with it.
To be honest, he’d made her do it, but he hadn't been sure if she actually would. Surprisingly, she was working hard.
She had even written a post herself.
Setting strict rules like that was quite bold of her.
“This is convenient.”
He should have picked someone sooner.
He spent some time watching Yoo Ah-rin work.
The Sex Master suddenly made an appearance.
Everyone agreed with Anonymous 69, curious as to how Yoo Ah-rin had become a Moderator of the Bamboo Forest.
It made sense.
Anonymous 59 had been an inconspicuous user who mostly just posted about being bored until now.
Well, she won't say anything.
Or so he thought.
This girl had just dropped a bombshell.
Naturally, he deleted the post immediately, but since the board was so active...
“This girl...”
It was the first time he’d seen Bamboo Forest posts go up this fast on a weekend.
He hurriedly found his phone and turned it on, only to find 20 missed calls.
All of them were from Yoo Ah-rin.
Not only that, but countless messages had piled up. He called her back without even checking them.
Click.
She hung up on him.
“So that’s how it’s gonna be?”
He tried calling several more times, but she wouldn't pick up. Gritting his teeth, he put on a jacket and a hat to head out.
He planned to ask Seo Ye-rin or Jeong Chan-woo where Yoo Ah-rin lived and go there immediately. He stepped outside, but...
“Whew.”
A blonde woman was standing right in front of his door. Smelling of fresh fruit, wearing an oversized sweatshirt and a white snapback, Yoo Ah-rin saw him and...
“Uryaaa!”
She slammed a headbutt straight into his solar plexus.