Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 186

Clear weather with white clouds.

There are few times in a busy life when you have the leisure to look at the sky.

Especially, when was the last time I saw white clouds clustered together so intricately?

In the past, when my father saw me looking at the clouds, he asked if I wanted them.

When I said I wanted them, he told me to wait a moment and went somewhere.

He came back sweating, as if he had been running, and handed me a cotton candy, saying it was hard because the clouds were too high.

[Cotton candy resembles clouds in appearance.]

My father gave an embarrassed smile, asking if I knew what it was.

I felt like I shouldn’t have said that, so I took a bite of the cotton candy.

‘It still tastes good,’ I said quietly, and my father smiled brightly.

As if it was worth sweating for.

At that time, I didn’t know why my father was smiling like that.

I just remember that his smile was so dazzling.

My father’s silly lie came to me as a warm comfort, and I playfully tore off a piece of the cotton candy and threw it towards the clouds high in the sky.

When my father asked why I was only throwing a little.

[I thought if it’s a real cloud, it might actually reach the sky.]

I replied.

Seeing my father smile even brighter, thanking me for those words, I thought I had done well.

“Here are three cotton candies.”

The student’s words broke my reverie.

I took the cotton candies and ran.

I had to go deliver the clouds to Siha.

He might know it’s not a cloud, but it didn’t matter.

Because the waiting time now became a time of curiosity.

It would also be fun to watch the line get shorter while eating cotton candy.

“Siha, Hyung [older brother or male friend] has brought clouds.”

“Ah?!”

Perhaps because he is still young, Siha’s eyes widened as if asking if it was real.

People around me are making expressions as if to say, ‘Of course.’

No. People. There’s no way I could bring real clouds.

“Wow! Siha hyung is the best!”

“Siha oppa [term used by younger girls to address older brothers or male friends] is amazing!”

Oh dear. Still pure souls.

It’s truly amazing that they fall for this.

They probably won’t be fooled when they grow up.

“Hyung has brought a cloud that likes sugar among the clouds. It will be very sweet. Try it.”

At my words, Seungjun and Hana tore off a piece with their hands and put it in their mouths.

They ate it deliciously, as if it was good.

“Siha, aren’t you eating?”

“Ah? No. Siha. Grow. Cloud. Grow.”

“Huh? You can’t grow this, can you?”

“Sugar. Sugar. Food. Sugar.”

“Oh? If you have to say it, the food is sugar.”

“Mongshil. Mongshil.”

“You’ve already named it?!”

This isn’t the reaction I was expecting?

I imagined Siha eating it deliciously.

But I never thought he would try to grow it.

“You can’t grow that, you know?”

“No. Siha. Grow.”

Siha gripped the cotton candy stick tightly.

Okay. Let’s let him do as he pleases. If he feeds it sugar diligently, it will grow very well.

The teacher next to him smiled softly, finding Siha cute.

“Mongshil. Mongshil.”

Still, I’m glad he likes it so much.

“Next, please.”

“Siha, it’s our turn now.”

“Aww.”

I sat Siha in front of the student [artist].

I didn’t particularly want a drawing, so I stood next to him.

“Please draw him cutely.”

“Yes. Don’t worry. How old is the child?”

“Thwee [Three].”

“Thwee?”

When I said he was three years old, he nodded as if he understood.

He drew while talking like that, quickly capturing the key features.

This is also hard work.

Whether he was fast or not, he drew it quickly and seemed to color it simply with colored pencils.

Since it’s a caricature, it seems like he’s doing it really simply.

Does it feel like he’s doing it for exactly 3,000 won [a small amount of money]?

“Hyung. Siha too.”

“Huh? Siha wants to see too?”

“Aww.”

“But the model has to be in front.”

“See wanna [want to]!”

I asked the student next to me.

“Excuse me, can we watch you draw after this is done? It seems like he wants to see.”

“Yes. Of course. He must be very curious.”

“It’s probably because he’s never seen so many people drawing like this. He really likes drawing.”

“Wow. He should come to our department later?”

“Haha.”

While we were talking, Seungjun and Hana also took seats next to us.

Funnily enough, the twins stated their requests.

It’s not like they’re drawing portraits.

“I want a soccer ball! Soccer ball!”

“Hana wants to be a princess. As a princess!”

The two students in front burst into laughter and nodded.

It seems like they’re going to draw them.

I was truly grateful.

“It’s done.”

Siha got off the chair and received the drawing.

Whether it was because he drew the features or because he put rouge on his cheeks.

Honestly, it wasn’t my taste in drawing.

“Hyung. Siha?”

“Yeah. It’s Siha?”

“No. Not Siha.”

“Pfft. Caricatures are supposed to emphasize features.”

“Hyung. Hyung too.”

Siha pointed to the chair, and I shook my head.

Because I didn’t particularly want to be drawn.

“Hyung won’t do it.”

“Why?”

“Hyung is going to wait for Seungjun and Hana and go to a more fun place together.”

“Do it. Hyung. Do it.”

“Huh?”

When Siha pointed, I saw Teacher Yoo Dahee sitting with a bright smile.

Excuse me? Teacher? When did you sit down?

I was dumbfounded and let out a hollow laugh.

While waiting for the three of them, Siha and I watched the students drawing.

Looking at it like this, everyone’s characteristics come out.

It’s like a lucky dip; sometimes you like it, sometimes you don’t.

That’s when it happened.

Siha pulled on my pants.

“Hyung. Siha too. Draw Hyung.”

“Huh?”

“This.”

Siha handed me Mongshil and took out a pad from his bag.

It seems like he’s going to draw a caricature of me.

“Then you have to sit in a chair and draw.”

Park Kyungjun, from the next booth attached to the Western Painting Department, tapped the chair.

When were you next to us?

Then he winked and took Siha to the game development booth and sat him down.

It was only one step away from calling it taking him.

I sat down in front of him as well.

“Hyung. Handsum [Handsome]. Draw.”

“You’re going to draw me handsomely?”

“Aww.”

Park Kyungjun whistled, saying it was great.

He took a seat behind to watch Siha draw.

Looking at the situation, it seemed like he had slipped out to rest.

If he gets caught later, he might get his ear pulled and dragged away?

Well, it doesn’t seem like there’s much to do, so they might not notice if one person is missing.

“Hyung. Face.”

“Ah. Okay. I’ll look forward.”

Siha moves his hands quickly.

Park Kyungjun, who was behind him, makes a surprised expression.

As if he didn’t know he could draw this well.

Well, I’ve never actually seen him drawing.

I’ve bought books or seen posters that were sold.

This is the first time I’ve seen him drawing using a program.

But is it okay to show this?

I glanced around with slight anxiety, but there were just a lot of people and no one was paying attention to us.

‘Ah, well. They’ll just think a baby is drawing something with a pad.’

Siha’s hands are getting faster and faster.

Looking at the movement of his hands, it seems like he’s finished drawing and is coloring it.

Park Kyungjun’s mouth is widening as he watches him use the program.

Is this such a surprising thing?

“No. Is this even possible? Wow. You’re really good? Siha, you’re a genius?”

“No. Sparkle togeda [together].”

“What are you saying? The colors are sparkling?”

“Shhh!”

Siha doesn’t answer and diligently colors.

Okay. Who is disturbing Siha-sensei [term of respect for a teacher or expert] while he’s working!

“Hyung. All done.”

“Wow. You did it really fast?”

“Aww.”

“Then shall we take a look?”

A drawing of only the upper body.

The bangs are well-preserved like a lump, and the eyes are made sparkling.

The only difference is that it’s different from the clothes I’m wearing now.

“Siha, why am I wearing Pepe [likely referring to Pepe the Frog, a popular internet meme] clothes?”

“Aww. Pepe good. Hyung good.”

“Ah, I see.”

If it’s a combination of things you like, I acknowledge it.

But it’s a little embarrassing to wear Pepe pajamas when you’re all grown up. Ahem.

It’s a part that can be overlooked because it’s a drawing.

Park Kyungjun said.

“Wow. Really. Awesome. I’ve only heard about it, but it’s amazing to see it in person. I’ve never seen a genius in art before.”

“Yes. Me neither.”

“So there really is such a thing as talent when you’re young. It’s amazing.”

Perhaps because Park Kyungjun was making such a fuss, people were peeking.

I need to get out of here before more people gather.

Looking at it, it seems like the twins’ and the teacher’s drawings are all done.

I was about to leave when someone grabbed me.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

“Yes?”

“I saw it from a distance earlier, and the child’s drawing skills are amazing.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you. Then, goodbye.”

“Ahem. I’m not a strange person, I’m a professor at the school. Western Painting Department.”

“Ah. You’re a professor? You should have said so sooner. I thought you were a strange person.”

“Haha. You have a very decisive side.”

“Well. If you make a strange suggestion about Siha, I want to cut it off like a knife…….”

“Good thinking. It’s best to raise children as they are.”

Seeing him say these words, I thought the professor wouldn’t say anything strange.

“It’s not that, but I was wondering if you’re interested in advertising. Like advertising art.”

“Suddenly advertising art?”

“Yes. I’m quite famous in that field. Like school violence campaigns or environmental campaigns.”

“Wow! You’re doing good things.”

“Right?”

“But it’s still a bit much for Siha to do something like that.”

“I was thinking it would be good to participate in a campaign on the theme of water scarcity this time. There is no age limit for participation.”

“Ah…….”

“The grand prize winner will receive an award from the Superintendent of Education. And they say they’re opening a gallery at our school, so it will be fun to see various paintings. There’s also a youth division separately. Of course, there’s also a general division.”

Thinking about it, it might be good for Siha’s education.

If they select several winning works, they will open a gallery.

Even if he doesn’t win, he can see which works have won.

“Thank you for your kind words. I’ll try it sometime if I have time.”

“There’s still quite a bit of time left before we start. It’s just a plan for now. I’ll give you the link when it comes out, so can I have your number?”

“Ah, yes. Of course.”

We exchanged contact information.

Professor Jang Hajin.

He seemed like a nice person, both in impression and personality.

“Haha. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me anytime.”

“Are you doing this because you’re interested in Siha’s talent?”

“Honestly, yes. But it’s not like I want to guide him or anything.”

“Huh? Then?”

“Usually, when such talent sprouts, it gets ruined if someone tries to interfere. Children’s brains are soft, aren’t they? I’ve seen many cases like that, so I’m just being nosy.”

“Ah…….”

“Especially, don’t do it if you get a broadcast offer. Broadcasting is…….”

“Ah, yes! Thank you.”

I said goodbye to Professor Jang Hajin and parted ways.

He was a kind person, so I remember him.

***

Seungjun is a drawing of him holding a soccer ball.

Hana is a drawing of her with a crown on her head.

Both of them enjoyed the festival with satisfied expressions.

Then the kids said they were tired and wanted to go home.

Hana wanted to see the stage, but we promised for tomorrow and parted ways.

They say idols are coming from the second day, so they just have to see that.

Anyway, that’s not the problem.

The problem was the cotton candy in Siha’s hand.

“Mongshil…….”

He looks at the cotton candy with a shocked expression.

Because Mongshil has already shrunk.

Who would have thought that a hole would be made if someone blew on it?

The cotton candy had already melted and shrunk at room temperature.

It was the moment Mongshil became sticky.

“Hyung. Mongshil small.”

There’s no choice.

I have no choice but to tell Siha the sad truth.

“Siha. Mongshil is a cloud.”

“Cloud.”

“So, if you leave it like this without eating it, it goes up to the sky and becomes a cloud.”

“Ah?”

Siha looked up at the sky.

It’s dark now, so you can’t see the clouds well.

“Mongshil?”

Yeah. Mongshil has gone to heaven. Sniff.

“Mongshil must want to meet and play with his cloud friends again. It’s fun for Siha to play with Seungjun and Hana, right?”

“Aww. Fun!”

“That’s right. So, Mongshil has gone to heaven now.”

“This Mongshil?”

Siha pointed to the cotton candy in his hand.

“That’s not Mongshil. It’s Mongshil’s shell. He must have left it for Siha to eat.”

“Ah? Eat?”

“Yeah. Shall we eat it together?”

“Aww. Yum.”

Siha ate it and shouted, ‘Delicious!’

I also lowered my head and took a bite of the cotton candy in Siha’s hand.

It wasn’t a particularly good texture because it was melted.

“Mongshil thank you. Bye-bye.”

Siha waved his hand towards the sky.

Unfortunately, Mongshil couldn’t be raised, but the first day of the festival today was very sweet.

Was today’s memory as fluffy as cotton candy for Siha?

I hope he remembers even a single piece of this moment someday.

Maybe he’ll remember Mongshil rather than me.

“Siha. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”

“Aww!”

And so, the next day.
The kindergarten kids’ dance began.