Chapter 51: Chocomong
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 51: Chocomong
“So, you’re saying you just went over there to hang out and let him touch your chest just to tease him?”
“Yep.”
“But you didn’t actually… do anything?”
“Exactly.”
“Phew.”
After hearing the whole story from Yoo Ah-rin, Choi I-seo let out a long sigh. She turned to me with a look of pure disbelief.
“What kind of absolute bullshit is this?”
She clearly wanted to say something much harsher but managed to hold back. Even to my ears, Yoo Ah-rin’s explanation sounded ridiculous, but unfortunately, it was the truth.
“Surprisingly, it’s all true,” I replied, spreading my hands like a magician.
Choi I-seo’s eyes twitched. I’d clearly pushed her buttons, and it felt like I was one more smart-aleck comment away from getting smacked, so I cleared my throat and added, “I tried to hide it because I knew you wouldn’t believe it. But really, nothing else happened.”
Technically, there was the whole Administrator and Moderator relationship regarding the Bamboo Forest, but…
I can’t mention that in front of Seo Ye-rin.
Even if Choi I-seo didn’t care about the Bamboo Forest anymore since her ‘Anonymous 287’ account was permanently banned, I couldn’t reveal my identity to Seo Ye-rin, who was still an active user as ‘Anonymous 69.’
Especially since we talked frequently through the 1:1 Inquiry feature.
Just yesterday, Anonymous 69 had messaged me asking for adult video recommendations.
“...This is insane.”
I muttered to myself as I watched Seo Ye-rin, who was blushing and looking away because of the whole breast-touching thing.
I wondered how someone could be so different in person compared to their online persona. Personally, I found her online self much more entertaining.
Anyway.
Yoo Ah-rin, looking fed up with Choi I-seo’s interrogation, shot back.
“But why do I have to talk like I’m being questioned? Are you two dating or something?”
Ah-rin asked point-blank. I perked up my ears, focusing on the conversation.
“We’re not dating,” Choi I-seo answered hesitantly.
At that, Yoo Ah-rin smirked slyly, as if she’d caught her opponent in a trap.
“Right? Then why do I have to explain myself to you? You and Kim Woo-jin are just friends. Whether he touches my chest or we sleep together, what does it matter to you?”
Ah-rin was being annoying, but she wasn’t wrong. Even if we had been all over each other, Choi I-seo didn’t really have a reason to interfere.
“I…”
It looked like Yoo Ah-rin was going to win this round through sheer shamelessness and self-sacrifice. But then—
“Because I might date Woo-jin once my term as class rep is over!”
A statement that sounded like it belonged in a news headline burst out of Choi I-seo’s mouth. Her face was bright red, and since she hadn't had a drop of alcohol, it was purely out of embarrassment.
“What?”
Not just Yoo Ah-rin, but even I—the subject of the statement—and Seo Ye-rin, the bystander, needed a moment to process what we just heard.
However, having already crossed the line, Choi I-seo decided to double down. She crossed her arms and shouted, “We still have the festival this semester, and I’m busy being the class rep, so I’m not dating anyone right now… but who knows about next year?”
“Uh…”
Now it was Yoo Ah-rin’s turn to be struck dumb.
“Woo-jin is the person I’m closest to and most interested in right now, so I’m… I’m calling dibs in advance!”
Choi I-seo screamed, her face practically glowing red.
She continued to press the bewildered Yoo Ah-rin, who clearly hadn't expected such a response.
“That’s why I’m making sure no weird girls hang around him. Are you interested in Woo-jin?!”
I wasn't sure if she was sacrificing the small stuff to win the big picture or vice versa. Honestly, it felt like she was sacrificing everything.
Regardless, thanks to that bombshell, she had firmly seized control of the conversation and established a solid justification for her behavior.
“In him?”
Yoo Ah-rin shot a glare at me. Then, she scowled and shouted, “Are you crazy? What’s there to like about a guy like that!”
“Hey, wait a minute.”
Why was I suddenly the punching bag?
“He has zero manners! His personality is weird! And what kind of charm does a guy have if he touches a girl’s chest but is too chicken to cross the line?!”
“Why are you attacking me all of a sudden?”
I was getting pummeled out of nowhere. What was even happening?
Choi I-seo immediately fired back at Ah-rin’s insults.
“W-well, Woo-jin does have… a lot of weird sides!”
“A lot?”
I looked at her, but she wouldn't even meet my eyes.
“His jokes are always on the edge! He says weird things all the time! But!”
“...Can I go home now?”
This was starting to hurt.
“Anyway, he’s a good guy!”
So, she beats me to a pulp and then tries to fix it with a 'good guy' band-aid? I’m so touched I could cry.
“Am I really that weird?”
I whispered to Seo Ye-rin next to me. She just scratched her cheek and gave a small nod.
Coming from the 'Sex Master' of the Bamboo Forest, that was rich. I suppressed the urge to ask her what she did with the recommendations I gave her yesterday and just sighed.
* * *
“Sigh.”
On the way home after the chaotic series of events, Choi I-seo’s face still hadn't cooled down.
“I must be crazy…”
She desperately wanted to take back what she’d said.
‘Because I might date Woo-jin once my term as class rep is over!’
The words echoed in her mind.
It was practically a confession. She’d blurted it out just to avoid losing to Yoo Ah-rin, but now she could only think of how stupid it was.
“Aaaagh! Choi I-seo, you’re insane! Insane! What were you thinking?!”
She reached the front of her house but crouched down, unable to go inside out of sheer embarrassment. She wanted to run away and hide.
The fact that she’d confessed was embarrassing enough, but the context and the way it happened were the absolute worst.
‘Who the hell confesses in the middle of a fight?!’
At the time, the urge to stop Yoo Ah-rin from getting closer to Kim Woo-jin had overridden everything else. Ah-rin was being so aggressive she’d even let him touch her.
‘She says she’s not interested, but…’
What kind of woman lets a guy she’s not interested in touch her chest?
‘Kim Woo-jin is strangely dense sometimes. I was afraid he’d just get dragged along and end up dating her or something.’
The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed, which had terrified her.
“Haaa.”
To be honest, until that very moment, Choi I-seo hadn't clearly defined her feelings for Kim Woo-jin.
He was comfortable and they were close, but hearing that he’d hung out with another girl made her feel uneasy. Through her argument with Yoo Ah-rin, she realized that feeling was jealousy, and she’d finally let it all out.
If there was a silver lining, it was that the threat of Yoo Ah-rin had forced her to confront her own feelings.
‘But since when?’
Starting from the incident with Min-ji, she’d spent so much time with him. Her feelings had grown in a surprisingly quiet way.
There were no dramatic lines or cinematic moments like in movies or dramas. Instead, she’d slowly opened her heart to him through their daily lives. It felt like she liked him for who he was, rather than for a specific event or word, which wasn't a bad feeling at all.
“Ugh.”
How was she supposed to look at him now?
Luckily, they didn't have any overlapping classes on Monday, so she could avoid him then. But they had the same class early Tuesday morning.
She felt a mix of nervousness and anxiety, but then she remembered how Kim Woo-jin had acted afterward—like nothing had happened. That thought made her clench her fists in annoyance.
If he greeted her on Tuesday like everything was normal…
“You’re dead meat, Kim Woo-jin.”
* * *
“Yeah, get home safe.”
“You too, Ah-rin.”
After dropping off a conflicted-looking Seo Ye-rin, Yoo Ah-rin stretched.
‘Things got weird.’
The situation with Kim Woo-jin had become complicated—complicated enough that even she needed to sort through her thoughts.
‘I only approached him because of Ye-rin.’
Since high school, Seo Ye-rin had shown zero interest in men; in fact, she’d actively avoided them. But for the first time, she’d shown interest in a guy.
Ah-rin couldn't deny that she’d approached him with a bit of malice, wanting to see if she could make Ye-rin feel even a spark of the jealousy others felt toward her.
It started with a negative motive, but she hadn't planned on taking it all the way. She had no intention of actually dating Kim Woo-jin. She figured once he realized Ye-rin liked him, he’d choose her anyway.
Her main goal was Ye-rin’s jealousy—a small bit of entertainment for her boring college life and a petty, dark revenge against her friend.
‘But why did the wrong person get triggered?’
Instead of Ye-rin, it was Choi I-seo who had been provoked by Ah-rin’s actions and ended up blurting out a confession. She hadn't expected that, but on the flip side, it meant she’d successfully created a sense of crisis.
‘Ah, what now?’
Even if Ah-rin didn't do anything, Choi I-seo would pursue Kim Woo-jin. She was curious to see how Seo Ye-rin would react now that a much more threatening rival had appeared.
‘What’s so great about a guy like him?’
Ah-rin clicked her tongue, thinking of Kim Woo-jin.
Both Seo Ye-rin and Choi I-seo were among the most popular girls in the department. She couldn't understand why they were both interested in him. Even if it wasn't full-blown love yet, they clearly had feelings.
‘He’s not my type visually, his personality is meh, he’s not a bad kid but he doesn't have many friends.’
Come to think of it, why hadn't she noticed such a quirky guy during the first semester? He was a bit eccentric, but he had a certain charm…
“Hey! I’m calling you!”
Suddenly, a hand chopped down onto the top of Ah-rin’s head. Startled, she spun around to find a very annoyed Kim Woo-jin standing there.
“Kim Woo-jin?”
“Geez! What are you thinking about that you don't even answer when someone calls you?”
“Just…”
“Don't give me that. You were probably thinking of something wicked again.”
How did he know?
“What are you doing here?”
When they’d parted ways earlier, he’d walked off looking like his feelings were hurt.
“I came because I have something to tell you.”
“To tell me?”
She wondered what it could be, but he just started rambling without any sense of timing.
“On Sundays, the religious clubs usually spam the board. If you mess with them, it’s like poking a hornet’s nest.”
“Ah.”
She realized he was talking about the Bamboo Forest.
‘His timing is incredible.’
Ah-rin sighed, looking at the man who was simultaneously perceptive and completely clueless. Honestly, her head was too full right now to listen to this.
“And if anyone insults you, just block them immediately. All the inquiries come to me anyway, so don't worry about it.”
“Okay.”
“Maintain your dignity as a Moderator. If my subordinate gets pushed around, it makes me look bad too.”
“Sure.”
“Usually, I give a one-day ban, but if they’re repeat offenders, give them three days.”
“Got it.”
“And don't try to make me the victim by taking the fall like you did earlier.”
“Got i—”
Ah-rin turned her head, wondering if she’d heard him correctly. As their eyes met, Kim Woo-jin pulled a Chocomong out of his jacket pocket.
“You worked hard today. Drink this.”
“...”
Then, from his other pocket, he pulled out a Hershey Choco Milk for himself.
He’d bought two different brands. He must have remembered that she was drinking a Chocomong last time.
As Ah-rin took the drink, Woo-jin sighed.
“Don't fight with the others over stupid stuff. They’re good kids.”
“What about me?”
Why did she ask that? She wasn't sure, but the question just slipped out.
“You’re a bad kid. You’re always plotting something and trying to provoke people.”
The answer was exactly what she expected. The atmosphere cooled instantly. Ah-rin felt a sudden urge to hurl the Chocomong at him, but then—
“But it seems like you have your reasons.”
She wasn't sure what he meant by that.
“You, Seo Ye-rin, and Jeong Chan-woo. Something must have happened between the three of you in high school. And that’s probably why you’re a bit twisted now.”
He was right. But he only knew that much; he didn't know the details.
“Does having a reason change anything?”
I’m still a bitch.
When she asked that bluntly, Kim Woo-jin chuckled, poked a straw into his milk, and took a sip.
“If someone became a bad person for a reason, doesn't that mean they were originally a good person?”
He was simple. Too simple. It was almost impressive that someone could view the world in such binary terms.
“You simpleton.”
Ah-rin snapped, but Kim Woo-jin just gave a playful grin and kept drinking.
“You’re the one who’s complicated.”
Looking at him, Ah-rin felt the fog in her head clear just a little. Nothing had actually changed, but talking to him felt like a breath of fresh air.
“Earlier, when I told the others I was going to your room.”
“Yeah?”
“You told them to come along on purpose, didn't you? To break the weird atmosphere and turn the attention toward yourself.”
“Dunno. Don't remember.”
He made a slurping sound as he finished his Hershey’s, signaling the end of that conversation.
Ah-rin sighed, feeling a strange sensation, and then she realized he was still walking beside her.
‘Wait.’
Their paths home didn't overlap. Yet, he was walking right next to her.
The moment she realized he was seeing her home, she also noticed he was doing it without saying a word, a quiet sort of consideration.
“...”
Ah-rin poked her straw into the Chocomong and kept walking. She didn't need to adjust her stride.
He was already matching hers.
Slurp.
The Chocomong tasted sweeter than usual.
“Ugh! It’s too sweet!”
To stop herself from feeling any weirder, Ah-rin had no choice but to land a roundhouse kick right on Kim Woo-jin’s butt.