Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 253

“Hyung, aren’t I cute?”

The day dawned.

I opened my eyes, but Siha, who always slept next to me, was gone.

Usually, he would wake me up in various ways, but today it was strangely quiet.

*He’s probably up to something again.*

I got up with messy hair and heard Siha’s voice.

“Here. Let’s take a walk. Yoi-yo-iya!”

*He’s already named Yoyo?*

The word ‘Yoi-yo-iya’ sounds like nonsense, but it’s kind of cute.

A walk already, so early in the morning.

He’s really diligent.

“Yoi-yo-iya. There’s a TV over there. Go up here.”

I peeked out between the doors and watched what Siha was doing.

Yoyo jumps and sits on the shelf where the TV is placed.

Yoi-yo-iya seemed to understand those words already.

“Let’s go.”

He rides on the shelf and lands on the floor.

“Good job~!”

Pats pats.

I certainly bought it for him to play with, but I never imagined he would treat it like a puppy.

Kids always find new ways to play with things.

That’s so amazing.

“Yoi-yoi. Hyung, let’s wake up.”

Looking at his posture, he’s about to wake me up.

I quickly ducked back and covered myself with the blanket. Siha waking me up every day is my precious routine.

Siha must feel the same way.

Now we are the only family left, so it felt too precious to skip this.

“Yoi-yoi. Siha, it’s hyung’s room. Got it?”

“No. This isn’t the bathroom. Potty is over there.”

I waited a long time, but he made a U-turn to the bathroom.

Three-year-old Lee Siha. He was a man who knew how to play hard to get.

After going to the bathroom, I heard footsteps returning to the room.

Softly, softly.

“Yoi-yo-iya. Go on hyung’s tummy.”

Thud.

I felt Yoi-yo-iya on my stomach.

He comes down again.

Going up and down.

Even though Yoi-yo-iya is on the blanket, I feel a slight tickle.

It feels like rubbing my cheek with a feather.

“Hyung. Wake up. Yoi-yo-iya woke up.”

“…….”

“If you don’t wake up, Yoi-yo-iya will lick you.”

The blanket is pulled back and Yoi-yo-iya comes up to my face.

I don’t know if he’s licking or just rubbing his face against me.

I gently opened my eyes.

“Siha, what are you doing?”

“Yoi-yoi went for a walk. Hyung woke up.”

“Yoyo is Yoi-yo-iya?”

“Ah. Siha named it.”

“You’ve been talking so well these days.”

“Ah?”

Siha tilted his head.

“Siha speaks well. Always.”

“Okay.”

It seems like he thinks he has always spoken well.

Is that because I always understood him well? It’s really amazing.

No. Siha always spoke well. Yes!

“Hyung. Yoi-yoi go walk. Outside.”

“You want to go outside?”

“Ah ah.”

“Shouldn’t we wash up and eat first?”

Isn’t your hair greasy?

***

When I went outside, a cold wind brushed my face.

Of course, there are people who walk their dogs in this weather.

But Yoi-yo-iya is just a Yoyo, so I wonder if we really need to take him for a walk.

It’s colder because it’s morning, but Siha is acting like, ‘I don’t know about that,’ and running ahead.

He’s having a good time with Yoi-yo-iya.

Looking at that, I think I should definitely raise a pet next time.

“Hyung. Hurry.”

“Okay.”

But I can’t raise one at home right now.

Someday, I want to buy a house and raise a dog or cat and watch Siha take care of it diligently.

Well, actually, cleaning up diligently will be my responsibility.

But isn’t that how it is?

Even if the child helps a few times, the adult ends up doing everything.

“Siha, do you like walking Yoi-yo-iya?”

“Ah ah. Like it.”

“Do you want to raise a puppy?”

“No.”

“Huh?”

“Can’t raise at home.”

“Yeah. That’s right. Then shall we go see Chacha?”

“Huh?”

Siha smiled slightly and nodded.

It seems like he likes Chacha.

Well, he had so much affection for him. We almost adopted him.

“The puppies Chacha gave birth to must be big now, right?”

“Many puppies.”

I remember Siha following behind me when we visited before.

We went up to Grandpa’s house after a long time.

It was a bonus that Yoi-yo-iya, who followed behind, got dirty with dirt.

“Grandpa!”

“Hmm?”

Grandpa opens the door at Siha’s voice and comes out.

He opens his eyes wide when he sees us, then makes a happy face.

“Oh my. Who is this? It’s Si-hyeok and Siha.”

“Hello, Grandpa.”

“Hello, Grandpa~”

Grandpa nods.

“Yes. Yes. What brings you here? Aren’t you busy? Well, I like it.”

“I enjoyed your performance last time. I came to say hello and see the puppies.”

“Hahaha. I was feeling lonely, but it will be lively today.”

“Weren’t you quite energetic during the magic show?”

“That’s because I received the energy of the children. Active life affects those around you. Si-hyeok, you’ve been influenced by Siha a lot, haven’t you?”

“Ah…….”

Certainly, taking care of Siha is difficult, but I seem to receive energy from it.

Waking up early in the morning. Or going to bed a little earlier than usual.

The time I spent sitting in front of my laptop until dawn has decreased these days.

I had to cook in the kitchen and do this and that.

My body is definitely tired, but the happiness that comes from it is great.

“Is raising a child difficult?”

“No.”

Grandpa smiles.

He turns his head and looks at Siha. He is saying hello to the puppy, ‘Hello. Do you remember Siha?’

Looking back at me.

“I really like that you’re so reliable. I wish my children would learn from you.”

“What?”

“When I say that, they say it’s hard and blah blah blah.”

“I guess they have nowhere to vent.”

“No. I guess they have a lot? But I don’t say much about it. Because I understand. But I tell them they’re doing well.”

“Why? Does praise make whales dance?”

“No. Criticism is too bitter.”

*Criticism is too bitter.*

“Usually, they say, ‘Back in my day,’ and say that era was difficult, but they overcame it and live comfortably without debt. Something like that.”

“Pfft. Ah, I’m sorry. Do you even know the word ‘latte’ [slang for ‘old-fashioned’]?”

“Of course. I’m a new generation grandpa. Hahaha.”

“But I think it’s good. Sometimes, overcoming it with resilience can be comforting. Although ‘kkondae’ [Korean slang for a꼰대 is a person who is condescending and always thinks they are right; often an older person] is used in a negative sense.”

“That’s right. But isn’t latte sweet? Sweet is better than bitter.”

I knew what Grandpa was saying.

Certainly, what a child wants to hear is not criticism.

Maybe it’s what people in the world want to hear.

I was like that in those days, but you are much better than me at that time.

Even if it’s a lie, isn’t it what you want to hear, that you’re doing well?

“Sweet kkondaes are loved. Hahaha.”

“Pfft. That’s a good saying.”

Maybe it’s because he’s a magician grandpa, he knows what words kids like.

Grandpa made a finger palm movement with his hand.

“Just because I’m doing sleight of hand doesn’t mean I can’t predict what will pop out of there. It’s just that you don’t know the process.”

“Then did you predict this too?”

“Huh?”

I took out a box of apple juice from the bag I was carrying on my back.

I bought one because I felt bad coming empty-handed.

“No. You don’t have to give me this.”

“How can I do that? I came to say hello.”

“Hahaha.”

“It’s almost New Year’s. Happy New Year.”

“Wait a minute.”

Grandpa took the apple juice box and went into the room.

I watched Siha until he came back.

“Chacha. Go walk? Here Yoi-yo-iya. Go walk. Later go together?”

He is introducing Yoi-yo-iya to Chacha.

Other puppies are sniffing, wondering what Yoi-yo-iya is.

Chacha sticks to Siha.

It’s like watching a long, never-tiring growth drama.

Taking care of Siha and working at the same time is no longer difficult.

It has become a familiar thing.

The saying that I receive energy is also correct. Of course, it takes away as much as it gives.

Is it because I don’t say it’s hard, even if it’s just words, that I look reliable in Grandpa’s eyes?

Or is it because he praises me for doing well?

Looking at what he said earlier, it seems like it’s praise.

I felt a lump in my chest when I heard these words from someone. Maybe I was waiting for these words too.

You’re doing well. Yes, you’re clumsy, but you’re much better than me.

How many times have I asked my father if I wanted to hear these words?

-Am I doing well? Is this right? What should I have done? What would Father do?

Getting confirmation from someone doesn’t make it a perfect test paper, but it’s still comforting.

“Hyung!”

“Yeah.”

“Go walk?”

“Pfft. Okay. Let’s ask Grandpa when he comes.”

Just in time, Grandpa came out.

“Did you wait long?”

“No. Not at all.”

“Here, here’s some warm coffee.”

“Ah! Thank you.”

He handed me the tumbler.

Steam rose as I opened the lid.

“Grandpa. Chacha walk.”

“Hahaha. Walking is really work.”

Well, how many puppies are there?

“But there aren’t many?”

“I sold them.”

Including Chacha, there are a total of 3.

I think everyone has found a good owner.

“Then shall we take a walk?”

Grandpa gave Chacha’s leash to Siha, and I grabbed a puppy.

“Siha. Should hyung help you?”

“No. Siha can do it. Yoi-yo-iya too.”

Yoi-yo-iya is already wrapped around the string and sticking out in Siha’s pocket.

He tapped that part.

He puts Yoi-yo-iya in when he really goes for a walk. *That Siha.*

“Chacha. Let’s go.”

“Woof woof!”

I was a little worried, so I stuck close to the side.

I was worried that he might fall because he couldn’t overcome Chacha’s tremendous strength.

But Chacha just walked away with short legs, as if mocking that thought.

Rather, the puppy I was holding was full of energy and dragged me along, panting.

“Hyung. If you run, you fall!”

That’s the line I wanted to say!

Didn’t something change, Siha?

Siha shrugged his shoulders and made a proud face, as if he thought he had told me off from behind.

Chacha, who is walking proudly, also has a proud face.

What is it? What is it that you’re shrugging your shoulders with a dog?

Anyway, I have to take a picture of that.

Click.

“Hey. Hey. You, you have too much energy.”

“Haha. He’s the most energetic of the litter.”

Grandpa?! You should have given me that information sooner.

They were born from the same womb, but their tendencies are different, and they seem to be full of energy.

Oh my. I should rethink raising a dog later.

“Hyung. Go together. Go slowly.”

“Hyung wants to too!”

Still, I thought I could control it to some extent if I gave it strength, but I didn’t want to do that at first.

A feeling that I want to let him run as much as he wants?

But this kid doesn’t get tired.

“Okay. Let’s go a little slower now. Huff huff.”

“Huff huff huff!”

Only when we stopped did we finally match our pace.

Other puppies are also enjoying the walk, sniffing the ground.

Siha points to the scene with his finger.

“Hyung. Mole cricket. Mole cricket.”

“Hehe.”

It seems that the image of Yoyo rolling on the ground overlaps with the puppy.

“But Siha. Mole crickets are actually insects, not dogs.”

“Huh?”

Grandpa says from behind.

“Strictly speaking, it’s not dirt, it’s poop. Poop puppy. Our poop puppy.”

“Poop?!”

Oh no. He used the magic word poop on a child.

He is a magician after all.

Look at Siha’s eyes sparkling.

“Poop puppy?”

“Hmm. We call cute kids our poop puppies.”

“Ah ah!”

Strictly speaking, it is used in that sense, but ironically, it is also a word with a negative meaning.

“Our poop puppy. Chacha.”

“Woof woof!”

“Don’t poop here.”

“Woof woof!”

I opened the tumbler lid and sipped the coffee.

Then I got a call on my phone.

[Section Chief Hong Jin-soo]

“Hello.”

「Hehe. Mr. Si-hyeok. Aren’t you curious?」

“Yes?”

「Sales. Sales. Pop-up book sales!」