Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 135

Hyung, Am I Cute? 135

Kyeongho Ahn said,

“I’d like to ask you to write a game scenario.”

“???”

A very interesting proposal.

But I also felt embarrassed.

“You want me to write a game scenario?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“No. What made you ask me to write a game scenario? Doesn’t the club have a scenario writer?”

“No. We don’t.”

Kyeongho Ahn was firm.

I didn’t know what he was thinking, so I just opened and closed my mouth.

“To be exact, we didn’t need that level. We just had meetings and made it ourselves. But now it’s different. We definitely need a game scenario. One worthy of a writer.”

“Um… As you know, I’m not a writer. I think there are many writers at Kangin University…”

“Those people aren’t interested in games. No, frankly, it won’t work. It’s different from the ideal we want. We want writing that isn’t difficult, but not too light either. We don’t want something like enjoying pure literature.”

“Ah. I understand what you mean. So, you mean writing that even elementary school students can understand?”

Kyeongho Ahn snapped his fingers.

“That’s right. Of course, that’s just one of the many reasons.”

“What are the other reasons?”

“It has to be written in English.”

“Ah…”

Come to think of it, he said they were going to make a big game this year and submit it to a foreign company?

There’s no more certain way to prove your skills than showing something you made yourself.

But I don’t think he’s taking this issue lightly right now.

Even if it gets torn apart and revised when submitted to a game company, they’re going to make it happen.

I wonder how game companies will view that kind of ambition?

I don’t know even more because it’s not Korea, but a foreign country.

“Certainly, there aren’t many Koreans who can write in English. But you can’t hire an English-speaking writer either.”

Where would a college student get the money?

It’s clear they can’t get such a scenario.

Kyeongho Ahn nodded.

“So, we’re asking you with the thought that ‘Maybe Si-hyuk, who even translated martial arts novels, can do it!’ Of course, we’re not in a position to give you any money… But copyright is definitely guaranteed…”

Suddenly, Kyeongho Ahn glanced at me timidly.

He’s proposing it, but he knows he can’t give anything.

That’s because they’re going to pour their passion into making the game…

It’s a really difficult problem.

“Ahem. Ahem. Of course, we can often buy you meals with the club funds!”

“That much cost won’t come out, will it?”

“Ahem.”

I scratched my cheek as if I was troubled.

“Well, you have to write a game scenario that can appeal to the U.S., but how easy is that?”

“If you just write it, we’ll refine it to fit the game. We can plan or discuss some parts together.”

“Hmm.”

I fell into *gomin* [Korean word for deep contemplation or worry].

It’s a job that doesn’t bring any profit.

But what if this game really comes to fruition?

No, what if it’s adopted by a foreign company and made into a project?

There might be a huge reward beyond anything else.

‘And I’m getting a little interested.’

Literally, interest.

I was also a little envious of the passion for challenges that you can only do in college.

Once I finished my senior year, I would have to settle down and work somewhere.

Even translation work has various specialties.

Games, automobiles, hotels, medical, etc.

Eventually, I will be with one professional job.

So, why not take on a new challenge at this time when I can think leisurely?

“Hmm.”

“Are you *gomin* a lot?”

“Well, yes.”

I glanced at Kyeongho Ahn.

I really don’t know why I’m being so flustered like this.

I’m just someone who’s never done this kind of work properly.

“Is it okay to think about it a little more?”

“Yes! I would appreciate it if you could think as positively as possible.”

“I have to do it in parallel with work… and I have to take care of Siha.”

“Of course. I understand. This is a request, not something we’re asking you to do. I know that too. It’s an investment that may not be rewarded. It’s like a fund.”

“That’s right. A fund. One that may not receive dividends…”

The analogy was really interesting.

Okay. It wouldn’t be bad to get advice on this kind of thing.

Let’s not decide now and choose after thinking about it a little more.

“I’ll give you an answer as soon as possible. Within a week?”

“Yes.”

“I want to do it too, in my heart. I’m quite interested. If I wasn’t facing reality, I would have accepted the proposal on the spot.”

“Haha. Right?”

“Yes.”

So we shook hands and parted ways.

I don’t know if these hands will be connected again.

***

I looked back.

It is said that you can know your current life by looking at the past.

Now I look at the point when I recently started working, not that distant past.

Will I be able to earn this much while continuing to work in the future?

Honestly, I think I earned an unbelievable amount.

I didn’t earn like 100 million won [approximately $75,000 USD] or anything.

I think I earned several months’ worth in advance while translating martial arts novels.

Plus the cost of doing translation work quietly(?).

‘It’s just that a good opportunity came.’

The income of a freelancer is always unstable.

If there is no work, money does not come in.

I don’t know how much will come in the future, but I think I can make a living because I have something saved up.

Of course, I shouldn’t stop at that level.

I have to go further and earn more.

‘Really?’

No. It’s not.

There is something that should be prioritized over money.

That is Siha.

There are many times when I think about money before Siha before I know it.

If I make an excuse, it’s because it’s very closely related to my livelihood.

‘I want to try various challenges too.’

Yes. This is my honest feeling.

It’s already excessive to have gained this ability, but strangely, I’m being greedy.

I want to raise Siha well, do what I want to do, and earn a lot of money.

Can I do all of this?

Can I do it by using up the given day?

Do humans have that much potential?

‘Should I kill my emotions?’

How can a person do everything they want to do?

Sometimes you have to give up.

Just like my father gave up being a translator and became a translator.

Like giving up Lee Jang-hyuk and becoming ‘Father’.

Shouldn’t I make the same choice?

‘What would my father have said?’

I don’t know.

No. I know. He would have told me to do everything I wanted to do.

Because he always supported what I wanted to do.

Instead of resenting what he couldn’t do, he wanted his son to feel more freedom.

‘I’m the same way…’

If Siha gains more freedom in my unfreedom.

I will make that choice.

“Hoo.”

“Why the sigh?”

“Oh? Hyung?”

Mundo-hwan came and sat next to me.

“Hyung. What brings you here?”

“This is the *hwiksil* [rest area] in the school library here. Did I come to a place I couldn’t come to?”

“No. It’s not like that.”

“I came here for work, but I saw a face that had all the worries in the world.”

“Did I?”

“Yeah. You did. What’s wrong? What’s the problem this time?”

Mundo-hwan asked and handed me a drink.

I felt the coldness of the drink can and stroked the smooth surface.

“I’m just thinking that I’m not an ordinary college student anymore.”

“You’re not ordinary. What college student is working as a translator?”

“Ahaha. Right?”

“Yeah. Come on. Straighten your shoulders. Your shoulders are about to bend like at the beginning of the semester.”

“It’s not that my shoulders are bending, it’s that my back is bending.”

“Isn’t that because you sit a lot? Where are you looking? Let’s see if you have a turtle neck.”

Mundo-hwan grabbed my neck and shook it.

I was *geudaero danghamyeo* [passively accepting it] and made a strange noise saying ‘Uh-uh-uh’.

“There’s nothing wrong?”

“Are you a doctor, hyung? Do you know all that?”

“I’m not a doctor, but I know you well.”

“Tch.”

I snorted.

But maybe that’s really the case.

Because Dohan hyung always understands me well.

My only friend and hyung who doesn’t have many friends.

He’s one of the few people who give me advice.

“I was going to visit hyung anyway.”

“Really? Then that’s good. Tell me. What’s going on?”

“If I have something to *dojeon* [challenge], but it’s not a money-making thing, should I do it? I have to take care of Siha and make money.”

“You little punk. You always bring difficult problems to me.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t think hyung will solve it anyway.”

“Hey. Who am I? I’m Mundo.”

“Not Mundo-hwan?”

“Ah, *ssi* [a mild curse word]. I’m called Mundo these days because of Siha…”

I chuckled.

This was a little funny. Anyway.

“Well, it’s obvious, but I hope you make a choice that you won’t regret.”

“That’s really obvious. Aren’t you saying to do the one you’ll regret less?”

“I know it’s irresponsible? In that sense, I’ll say one more irresponsible thing. *Dojeon* [Challenge]. If it doesn’t work, throw it away. You can try it and throw it away if it doesn’t work. What’s so difficult about that?”

“What if I get *yongmeogeumyeon* [cursed at/criticized]?”

“Eat it. Eat it and throw it away. You have to be that *jeongdo* [level] to do something. Or how else would you *dojeon* [challenge]? Honestly, how can you tell someone to do what they want while raising a child?”

“That’s really irresponsible.”

Still, I feel a lot lighter after hearing those words.

No matter what, I don’t think I can act like that.

Mundo-hwan drank his drink.

“I think you’re more important than Siha.”

“What do you mean?”

“You want Siha to do well, but I want you to do well. Do you understand this difference?”

I quietly stroked the can and poured the contents into my mouth.

The sweet drink lingered in my mouth and disappeared.

Mundo-hwan’s words are so sweet.

It’s not a sweetness that disappears in the throat, but a taste that lingers on the tip of the tongue until the end.

So I was more grateful.

“Thank you. You’re the only one who would say this.”

“Siha’s joy is your joy, but I hope you have joyful things sometimes. There’s still time. Can’t you enjoy college life a little? It’s a year and a half.”

“Yeah. A year and a half.”

“No one can say anything to you during that year and a half. You’ve been running hard so far. Right? Then there should be time to use for yourself sometimes.”

I drank all the remaining drink.

The moisture *mudeonaoneun* [coming out] on the surface dried up and *jeongrihae jueotda* [organized] my thoughts.

“Don’t listen to everything I say. It’s a very *pyeompajeogin* [biased] thought. Ask someone older than me.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

“Did your *gomin* [worries] go away a little?”

“Yes. My heart is leaning a little. I think I can choose after checking one more thing.”

“Oh. To whom?”

“To the doctor?”

Mundo-hwan’s face became *ayeonhan* [dumbfounded].

His face hardens.

“You don’t tell me? Not?”

“Why are you doing that?”

“What you’re *dojeonhandaneuni* [challenging], *Siha-reul dolbwaya handaneuni* [having to take care of Siha]. Isn’t this all a situation where you have to have surgery?”

“What are you talking about? It’s not like that?”

“Oh, I was surprised.”

I looked at Mundo-hwan with an *eoieomneun* [absurd] expression.

He imagined a lot in that short time.

Well, I didn’t say specifically what I was *dojeonhaneunji* [challenging] even if I thought about it.

Still, I think the surgery decision went too far.

This hyung sometimes *jipneunda heotdarireul* [makes wild guesses].

***

Another piece of advice arrived.

To Jason, a doctor and writer who does two jobs.

[To Si-hyuk.

I am contacting you after a long time.

Thank you for *mat-ajusyeoseo* [entrusting me with] Si-hyuk’s translation again.

This email is a bit special.

In response to the question of whether it is difficult to do both doctor’s work and writing, I could roughly understand Si-hyuk’s *gomin* [worries].

Are you *gomin* [worrying] with two or three things?

I hope my answer helps you.

I’ll tell you my story.

I was able to write after I got used to being a doctor.

Why did I want to write? Because it was my dream.

You can think of it as a kind of hobby.

Isn’t it common for people with jobs to do what they really want to do as a hobby?

That was writing for me.

I wanted people to read my writing.

Even if my eyes were *ppeokppeokhae* [dry and strained] and I couldn’t sit in front of the computer, I recorded it while lying down.

The things that *ssahigo* [piled up] and *ssahin* [accumulated] in that way are the writings of now.

It was not a serial format, but a book format, so I *toe-go* [revised] a lot.

The reason I was able to do this was because I liked it, but I also felt a sense of responsibility.

Because publishing a book is a kind of promise between people.

That’s how I was able to publish a book and start this series.

Did my words help you?

I really hope it helped.

There is a word I often hear from patients.

Teacher. Can I do this job again?

Teacher. Can I recover and get a new job?

Teacher. Can I kick the ball again when this *jaehal* [rehabilitation] is over?

Even though the questions are different, the words that I want to start anew are the same.

I tell them to *dojeon* [challenge].

I tell them to find another way if it doesn’t work.

Because if you really like it, there is always a way and you can be together.

Of course, it’s natural to be *himi deuneun* [difficult].

Si-hyuk. Everything in the world is *himi deumnida* [difficult].

I think that if there is even a small amount of fun in it, people can do it for that as much as they want.

Haha. I wrote it and the story got long.

I always hope that your future is bright.

On the path of life, Jason, the last hope, is a doctor.]

I read this letter and *jeongrihaetda* [organized] my thoughts.

And I made up my mind.

Let’s do that once.