Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 119

Hyung, Am I Cute? Episode 119

Alisa naturally dropped her phone.

From an observer’s perspective, nothing could have looked more unnatural.

But the person on the other end of the call couldn’t know that.

“Oops. I dropped my phone. Sorry.”

She picked it up while switching to speaker mode.

So everyone could hear.

「It’s okay. I drop mine sometimes too. Is the screen okay?」

“Ah. It’s got a few scratches.”

「Oh dear.」

“Well, it’s not like I can’t see. Everyone uses them just fine even with scratches like this. Like the contents are completely unaffected.”

「That’s right.」

The conversation felt strange.

It was like saying that no matter how much you scratch us, we’ll keep running just fine.

A high-level linguistic trick?

Surely she didn’t calculate all that before speaking.

She probably just dropped it to switch to speaker mode naturally.

Or was it? Did she drop it to say these things on purpose?

If so, that’s a bit scary.

“By the way, how did you get my phone number?”

「Ah! I heard some not-so-good news, so I asked around through someone I know. I wanted to help.」

“Ah. I see…….”

「Did I make you uncomfortable?」

“No. Not at all. Who would be upset when someone offers to help?”

「Haha. I’m glad you feel that way.」

If you saw Alisa’s expression, you wouldn’t say that.

Of course, she’s upset.

The audacity.

Alisa’s expression was colder than winter ice.

But her voice was so gentle, it was even scarier.

Hyena, who was next to her, wrapped her arms around herself as if feeling a chill.

The man who designed the logo didn’t notice and turned up the air conditioner.

That’s not why she’s hugging herself.

“So, you’re saying you’ll help?”

「Yes. I think I can help with this kind of thing. From how to handle and pass it on, to even selling it well.」

Alisa said in a bright voice.

“Wow! Really? There’s a way to do that?”

「Haha. Yes. As a senior in the same industry, it feels like it’s not just someone else’s problem.」

“What kind of method is that?”

「From legal advice to how to survive in the industry. There’s so much, it’s hard to say over the phone. How about we have a meal together and you listen to the story?」

“Ah…. A meal?”

「Yes. It seems like it will be a long story.」

I was so dumbfounded that I let out a hollow laugh.

Hyena next to me narrowed her eyes and clenched her fist.

Isn’t it too obvious?

Did she really do all this for that?

I couldn’t understand it no matter how much I thought about it.

“The situation is such that I can’t comfortably have a meal.”

「Ah! Is that so? Then shall we meet at a cafe?」

“I’ve got stress-induced gastritis these days, so I don’t think I can eat anything.”

「Ah…. Then how about we meet at my office? It’s a new building, so it’s clean, and we can talk comfortably there.」

“Ah…. I have sick building syndrome…….”

I almost burst out laughing.

She’s avoiding it with sick building syndrome?

「Huh? Sick building syndrome?」

“Yes…. I’m really sorry. Ah! I just got an urgent call…. Sorry, I have to hang up.”

「Huh? No. What call could be more urgent than this…….」

“Actually, it’s a call from someone who was going to help me.”

「No. Who…….」

“An acquaintance. A pretty handsome one.”

Alisa looked at my face as she said that.

Everyone followed Alisa’s gaze and stared at me.

I glanced back.

Was there someone behind me?

「Ahem. I, I see.」

“Yes. I’ll contact you first when I have time.”

「Yes…. Then.」

As soon as the call ended, we finally took a deep breath.

It felt like we listened more intently than during an English listening test.

I couldn’t even breathe properly.

Hyena was the first to speak.

“Crazy bi… Ugh. What a psycho, right?”

I agreed.

Creating a situation and then calling to offer help.

It was chilling.

“She’s a truly remarkable person in some ways. But that’s about to end.”

“We have to end it. We still need more time, though.”

“Right. You haven’t deleted the malicious comments yet, have you?”

“No.”

I nodded.

The CEO of AruAru will pay the price for what he did.

That’s right. The game has just begun.

But as you know, we’re jumping in knowing the outcome of this start.

To take him down on equal footing.

***

-AruAru CEO’s office.

Byun Deok-gyu, the CEO of AruAru, who had ended the call, threw his phone onto the desk.

He frowned and crossed his arms.

“Who the hell is helping her?”

“Why? Is it not going well?”

Byun Deok-gyu’s friend sat on the sofa and sipped his coffee.

He was smirking, as if amused by Byun Deok-gyu’s struggles.

That got on his nerves.

“Hey. Did you come here to drink coffee?”

“What’s wrong? A friend can visit sometimes. Is that her you were talking to? The girl you mentioned before.”

“Haa. This isn’t how it’s supposed to go. This isn’t a problem that can be solved so easily…….”

“I saw her Instagram photos before, and she looked good. Wouldn’t there be people lining up to help her? Even someone like you exists.”

“What?!”

Byun Deok-gyu twitched his eyebrows.

It felt like things were getting tangled before he could even try anything properly.

That’s what he hated the most.

He would get annoyed if his plans went awry or didn’t go in order.

His friend knew his feelings and was deliberately provoking him.

Walking a fine line.

“Isn’t that right? If someone with that kind of looks asked for help, you or I would help, right?”

“Hmm. Still, it won’t be easy to resolve. At best, they’ll just delete the reviews.”

“That’s still something. They just started.”

“Can their mentality and money handle it if that lasts long? The money going out each month is significant.”

“Unless they do something big, their initial capital isn’t small, is it?”

Byun Deok-gyu scoffed.

A sneer at his friend who didn’t know much.

Strangely, they got along well while saying hurtful things to each other.

It was a strange relationship to others, but it was normal for them.

As if it were a natural rule.

They would fight fiercely if that fixed rule was broken, but they both kept the line well.

“It would be if it were just an online shopping mall. But they make their own designed clothes. The unit price is high.”

“Then it’ll be a bit tough?”

“Exactly. People get mentally exhausted if they don’t sell for just a month. What if that continues for two or three months? They can’t handle it. They’ll close up shop and look for something else.”

“That’s true. Loss of time. Waste of money.”

“So, they’ll eagerly rely on me, but I don’t know what they’re holding onto to endure.”

“Crazy.”

He shook his head.

What he always wondered about while being close friends was how such a psycho could pretend to be normal.

Byun Deok-gyu muttered.

“There’s something. I don’t know what it is, but there’s a reliable helper.”

“How do you know?”

“If she was desperate, she would have met me. She wouldn’t have said such strange things.”

“What did she say?”

“You heard it. Sick building syndrome.”

“Hehe. That’s funny no matter how many times I hear it! You got properly rejected.”

“Hey! You heard everything and you’re making me say it on purpose?!”

“Hey! These days, people rewatch broadcasts, so you have to listen to the funny parts again.”

“Ugh. And I call him a friend.”

Byun Deok-gyu didn’t want to talk anymore and lowered his head, opening a drawer with a key.

Inside were several white envelopes that he used whenever he needed them.

There are times when cash transactions are necessary.

Accounts leave evidence, so this cash can be used effectively.

He also gave this cash envelope to the person who was stirring up the reviews last time.

“Hey. Can you find out who’s helping her?”

“That’s what I do. Well, I can find out who she’s meeting.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I can’t do anything too deep.”

“Well, I’m not expecting that far. Just bring me a profile of the guy she’s meeting.”

“I’m a person finder, so I’ll do that perfectly. Hoo!”

He frowned at the money in the white envelope.

“It’s small.”

“It’s an advance, you idiot.”

“Then that’s a different story. I’ll investigate and bring it to you.”

“Two days.”

“Ehey. You have to give me three days.”

“Okay. Three days.”

“It could be two days if it’s fast.”

“I’m counting on you.”

“I’m the kind of guy who works exactly as much as I get paid.”

The friend got up and left the CEO’s office.

Byun Deok-gyu crossed his arms and sat down.

He thought he could handle whoever it was in his usual way.

Because he thought he had risen to a position where he could spend that much money now.

***

On the way to take Siha.

Siha was chattering about what happened today.

“Hyung [older brother/male friend]. Cup. Crack!”

“Yeah. The cup broke like that?”

“Ah ah. Jaehwi. Crack.”

“Yeah. Jaehwi did that?”

“Teacher. Crack. Culprit.”

“Ms. Dahui was the culprit?”

“Ah ah.”

I didn’t understand everything, but the supplementary explanation would be written in the communication book.

I was grateful because she wrote it in detail.

“Oh. Right. Siha, Hyung had a very dynamic day today.”

“Dyna?”

“It means a lot of amazing things happened.”

“Why?”

“I wonder why? It seems like people are very diverse. Jaehwi is different from Siha. Seungjun and Hana are also different from Siha.”

“Ah ah.”

“But being different isn’t always bad. It’s not wrong, it’s just different.”

“Different? Four dollars?”

“Huh?”

Suddenly, I remembered meeting Alisa and Siha at night.

You can’t really predict a child’s stream of consciousness.

“That’s right. Four dollars is also different from Korean money. That’s why it’s amazing.”

“Ah ah.”

Did Siha understand?

Recognizing differences is the starting point, no matter what country you meet.

Not ‘wrong,’ but just ‘different.’

If you don’t know that, you can’t understand the culture and customs of that country.

It was the same even if it wasn’t a country but the same nation.

You have to acknowledge that others and I are different.

That person does what only they can do, and I do what I can do.

It’s not being pessimistic.

Even if you reach the same success, the process and agony are different.

Let’s move forward in a way that suits us.

We will never find the answer.

We will know that it is the answer only after looking back.

“Siha, Hyung wants you to become a good Siha.”

“Ah? Hyung like.”

“What? Hahaha. Yeah. Hyung likes Siha so much too~”

“Ah ah! Hyung!”

I hope you believe that it is the answer and move forward without looking back.

Even if I can’t remove all the additional obstacles in the way.

I want to remove even big stumbling blocks.

If strange people like Alisa appear.

As a brother, I want to prevent that.

So that even if a big force presses down on a small force, you can endure it.

So that you can make it an even bigger force.

As a brother, I want to support you.

“You don’t have to do everything well.”

“Ah?”

“Hyung will help you.”

“Ah ah. Siha too! Hyung help!”

“Hahaha. Yeah.”

I want to be a background where it’s okay for you to fail.

This won’t be just my selfish desire.

In fact, I felt it today.

That it’s not very easy to be even a small resting place in the storms of the world.

Today was the day I desperately felt that my father, who created that resting place, was really amazing and amazing again.

Father.

Am I doing well?

Can I protect Siha well?

Can I support Siha so that he can walk towards a more wonderful future?

Yeah. There is no answer here.

But I can tell by looking at Siha.

“Hyung. Like!”

“Hyung likes Siha so much too!”

That Siha, who likes me so much, is doing well.

“Hyung!”

“Yeah.”

“Tomorrow!”

“Yeah? Tomorrow?”

“Seungjun! Hana! Siha house!”

“Uh uh?? Did you invite them again?”

“Ah ah.”

If you like me, wouldn’t it be okay to see your friends once a month by invitation?

Surely that ‘like’ from earlier wasn’t a business ‘like,’ was it?

Father. I suddenly don’t know anymore.

Am I really doing well?

“Hyung. Sparkle!”

“Yeah. It’s sparkling.”

Siha waved his hands up and down, shouting sparkle sparkle.

I don’t know how he knew that my eyes were sparkling when I thought about tomorrow.