Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 101

Hyung, Am I Cute? Episode 101

“So, you want to use Siha’s drawing somewhere else and want to sign a contract?”

“Yes. It’s too, too cute to use for zombies. I was hoping to include it in a new app game we’re creating.”

“Hmm.”

“If you’re interested, let’s schedule a meeting. I’ll come to the address you listed on your application. When would be a good time for you?”

I looked at Siha.

Siha was listening, but he tilted his head, not knowing what was going on.

‘Hmm. He must know Siha drew it. If it’s for a game, wouldn’t he need to draw a few more illustrations? No, he couldn’t have overlooked that. Does he want to take the character?’

It wouldn’t hurt to hear him out.

If it seems like it would be detrimental to Siha, I can just not sign the contract.

“Then let’s meet tomorrow or the day after. I’m available then.”

“Is 3 PM tomorrow okay?”

“Yes, that works.”

We set up a time and ended the call.

Baek Donghwan, who had been listening quietly, exclaimed in admiration.

“Wow! Hyung, that’s amazing!”

“What is?”

“I mean, an illustration contract for an award-winning piece that wasn’t even the grand prize. That’s unheard of.”

“Hmm. I don’t really know about that.”

“This is a big deal. It’s good if you can make money. But an app game… Well, if it’s using such a simple character, you might not need many illustrations.”

“Do you think so?”

“Of course. They wouldn’t make a baby work, would they? They’re probably just planning to buy the rights to the drawing.”

“Hmm.”

I nodded slightly.

It would be nice to have more money piling up in Siha’s account.

I need to save all the money in that account without spending it.

“Siha, you’re going to sign a contract with a game company?”

“Ah?”

“So, um… Siha’s drawing will be in a game on phones like this.”

“Siha drawing?”

“Yeah. Isn’t that amazing?”

“Ahhh.”

Siha nodded.

I couldn’t tell if he really understood.

“Hyung! This!”

“Hmm?”

Siha pointed at the Jenga game.

He doesn’t seem to care about the contract and is more interested in the game in front of him.

Well, playing is important right now.

“Donghwan, wasn’t it your turn?”

“Yes, but it’s great that we got a zombie doll and a contract!”

“Yeah. I don’t know what will happen, but it’s good for now. I just hope it’s not a waste of time.”

“No way.”

Baek Donghwan pushed a Jenga block and pulled it out.

It read:

[The time you want to go back to]

Baek Donghwan looked dejected when he saw that.

“I just got a job, but if I go back now…”

It seems like this Jenga game isn’t a good fit for Baek Donghwan.

Siha patted Baek Donghwan to comfort him.

“Baek Dong.”

“Are you comforting me?”

“Hurry~ Do~”

“Ah, I guess not.”

It wasn’t a comforting pat, but a quick urging.

As expected, games should be played quickly. Of course.

Siha is not at fault. Baek Donghwan is at fault.

We played Jenga like that.

***

I thought the contract discussion might take a while, so I was planning to leave Siha with Baek Donghwan for a bit.

Considering that I didn’t pay much attention to Siha when I signed the emoticon [small digital image used to express emotion] contract before, it was right for me to go alone.

But Siha didn’t seem to think so.

He clasped his hands together and looked at me, wanting to go with me, and it was too cute to resist.

He always wants to follow Hyung wherever he goes.

I had no choice but to take Siha to the cafe.

“Hello.”

“Yes, hello. My name is Lee Jeonghun.”

The employee greeted us at the entrance.

He was wearing a suit and had a neat dandy cut [stylish and fashionable haircut for men].

“I’m Lee Sihyuk. This is Siha. You saw him in the video, right?”

“Yes. He’s really cute.”

“Haha. Right?”

“Shall we order something?”

“I’ll have an iced Americano. And a banana juice for Siha.”

Lee Jeonghun was about to order when he looked at me.

“Should I order a dessert that the baby can eat?”

“Siha, is there anything you want to eat?”

“Ahhh.”

Siha pointed to the displayed bagels.

It was the most popular item at this cafe.

He has a good eye.

After ordering a bagel as well, we sat down.

Before the drinks came out, Lee Jeonghun took out the contract.

“Please read it carefully and sign. Ask if you have any questions.”

“What game will Siha’s character be in? Does Siha need to draw more pictures?”

“No. You don’t necessarily have to draw anything. We’ll leave that part to our in-house artist.”

“Really?”

“Yes. And what kind of game is it… Should I call it a classic game?”

“A classic game?”

“Yes. It’s a puzzle game, but we’ve also added something like a farm where you can decorate it yourself.”

“So it feels like two genres of games combined?”

“Exactly. At first, only one came out to match the concept, but now we’ve applied other game elements to make it richer.”

It didn’t seem like Siha’s illustrations would be used that much.

It felt like a dot game where you only need the character.

Once it’s made, it’ll probably stay that way.

After all, Siha’s character that he drew this time was simpler than ever.

“The drinks are here.”

“I’ll go get them.”

“No, stay seated. You have to look at the contract too.”

Lee Jeonghun got up and brought the drinks.

Siha looked at the bagel with sparkling eyes.

‘Is this the first time he’s eating a bagel?’

I gently placed it in Siha’s hand and offered him the straw of the banana juice.

Currently, Siha was in pampered mode.

Because he couldn’t hold it all in his hands.

“Here. Drink.”

“Ahhh.”

Sip.

He drank well and took a big bite of the bagel.

His chubby cheeks seemed to pop out.

Lee Jeonghun also watched the scene with a pleased expression.

In the meantime, I quickly skimmed through the contract.

“From what I see, you’re taking it in the form of joint copyright?”

“Yes. We could buy the copyright, but in this case, we’re trying to take it in the form of joint copyright. If it goes well, we can make things like merchandise.”

“So there’s a ratio for secondary works as well.”

“Yes. That part is in line with industry standards.”

In the case of outsourcing, there are usually two ways to take the drawing.

Present a price that includes the copyright.

Or present a price with joint copyright.

There were many contents similar to the form of contracting a novel, so it was easy to grasp the contract at a glance.

And it was a good thing in Korea to take care of the copyright like this.

In Japan, there are many cases where they try to attribute it to the company, and in China, as seen only in novels, the concept of copyright was very weak.

Maybe the illustration would be more so, not less.

‘It’s good?’

I thought I could sign the contract satisfactorily at this level.

“It’s good. Isn’t 1 million won [approximately $750 USD] a lot to pay? It’s a surprisingly simple drawing?”

“Haha. Please think of it as good luck. This is the first time the app game is going in. I’m thinking of announcing it through K Company.”

“Ah…”

It would certainly be easier to get in through there.

NM Game Company is doing well with online games.

Lee Jeonghun sipped his Americano and said.

“Whether it goes well or not, I’m going to try to create servers in China and Japan.”

“App games usually have to be serviced for a year, whether they’re successful or not, right?”

“That’s right. That’s how the contract is.”

“Then isn’t it a loss if it fails?”

“That’s the amount you have to invest. If it’s too much of a loss, there are many cases where they just end the service without filling a year.”

“Ah… I’ve played a failed game before. It closed after 7 months…”

“Ahaha. 7 months is usually when there aren’t many people…”

After saying that, I became a little worried.

“Was that a word I shouldn’t have said?”

“Yes?”

“There are things like that. Words you shouldn’t say in the industry.”

I looked around.

“It feels a little quiet. Like if you say it, people will flock to it.”

“Haha. There are words like that. If you say it’s quiet today, suddenly a bug occurs in the early morning and the app has an emergency check…”

“The programmers are having a hard time. Ah, so I thought it was a word you shouldn’t say about a failed game.”

“It doesn’t matter. Haha.”

At that time, Siha suddenly raised his head.

“Hyung. Failed game?”

“Huh?”

“Moya?”

“Uh… It means a game that doesn’t have many people.”

“Ahhh. Juice.”

“Okay. Here.”

I quickly presented the straw.

After quenching his thirst, he put the bagel in his mouth again.

He eats so well.

“Anyway, the conditions are good. I’ll sign.”

I started writing the contract.

“But there’s a place to write a pen name here?”

“Ah… I brought this when I contracted with illustrators… I forgot to remove that part.”

“No. I have a pen name.”

“Yes? Do you have one?”

“Yes. It’s Sihapepe… I don’t know if you know it. Haha.”

Lee Jeonghun’s eyes widened.

The atmosphere was strange, so I rolled my eyes.

What is it? Something’s wrong?

Does he know Sihapepe?

It could be.

He might be someone who does Pixiv [Japanese online community for artists].

“Wow! Sihapepe!”

“Do you know him?”

“Of course. All the employees at our game company have the emoticons, right? I got them as a gift.”

“Yes?”

Why don’t you get a Pepe emoticon as a gift from a game company?

“I got some investment this time, and they gave me emoticons as a gift.”

“Re, really?”

That’s a strange investment company.

What kind of emoticons are you giving as a gift…

No, wait a minute. Wait a minute.

Where did I hear this offer?

No, wouldn’t it?

“By any chance, a private equity firm?”

“Yes. That’s right. You know? How do you know?”

“Ah… I think I saw it in an article… Don’t you usually get investments from that side?”

“That’s right. Anyway, it’s an honor. To see the Sihapepe artist.”

“Haha…”

“You’re also releasing emoticons at K Company, and this time the game to be released at K Company is also related to the writer. Haha.”

“Haha…”

I could only laugh awkwardly.

Thank you.

All the emoticons you bought will go into Siha’s account.

“I’m just a beginner. What.”

“Hey. That’s how everyone starts. If it explodes later, you’ll be raking in the money. If this game goes well, more money will come in.”

“That’s right.”

I nodded.

“Hyung.”

“Yeah.”

Siha was not interested in anything else and focused only on eating.

Siha. It’s only been 2 hours since you had lunch…

I guess he eats well because he’s growing up.

It was then.

Suddenly the cafe became noisy.

Muttering.

“Hey. Are you fighting with the boss?”

“Isn’t that person Chinese?”

I glanced back.

A person was appealing to injustice in clumsy Korean.

‘Oh? That person is…’

The Chinese man said to the boss.

“This is discrimination!”

“Ha. What’s discrimination? It’s not like that.”

“I’m really tired.”

“What are you saying? It’s been over a year since you came to Korea, and you can’t even do it properly… Ugh.”

“This is discrimination.”

“Look at him repeating the same words. No, I cut you off because things weren’t good. Other people misunderstand.”

The Chinese man made a really unfair expression.

Lee Jeonghun said, watching it.

“Isn’t it not working out?”

“That’s not it. I have to go.”

I got up from my seat.

“Oh? Do you know him?”

“Yes. He taught me a lot of Korean at university.”

“Ah…”

I got up from my seat and went to the boss.

“Excuse me, boss.”

“Huh? Who are you again?”

The boss looked at me with a wary expression.

“First of all, the reason why this friend says it’s hard is because the influence of Northern Chinese is greater than not being able to speak Korean.”

In Northern Chinese, the ‘ㅎ’ [h sound in Korean] sound meets the ‘ㅣ’ [i vowel in Korean] vowel and is spoken as ‘si’.

I don’t know where this knowledge came from again.

It was now a familiar feast of knowledge.

“And… I’m not you, but a cafe customer. Anyway, there are eyes watching, so it would be better to do this. There’s a baby over there. Then I’ll take this person.”

Only then did the boss look around.

Even if there weren’t many people in the cafe, there were one or two people.

The boss coughed and nodded.

“Anyway, I’m not wrong. It was a situation where I had to reduce the number of people.”

“Yes. I understand. Let’s go now. Lee Hwi.”

Lee Hwi looked at me.

“Si Hyuk… It’s unfair. It’s discrimination.”

Clearly, the boss says it’s a reduction in staff, but there must be a reason why Lee Hwi says it’s discrimination.

That’s right.

Because he’s not the kind of person who says he’s been discriminated against because he’s been fired.

How can you live in another country without that common sense?

And if you’re going to study here in Korea, you’re from a pretty wealthy family in your home country.

I smiled and said to Lee Hwi.

“Let’s talk to me first. Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Hyung!”

Siha had already followed me.

“Huh? Siha, when did you get here?”

I looked around and saw the boss.

The boss coughed and was embarrassed.

“Ahhh. Hyung. Failed game!”

“Huh?”

“People. Upseo [Korean word for ‘not there’]. Here failed game?”

“Uh…”

The boss’s coughing sound was very loud from behind.

“Keheom!”

I smiled softly, took Siha’s hand, and returned to my seat.