Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 152

Books are typically a medium to be read, but sometimes they can be a medium to be seen.

Like drawings or fairy tales.

Lines are drawn on white paper.

What’s amazing is that when curves are expressed with lines, they appear three-dimensional.

People find that fascinating and say it’s well-drawn.

Of course, it is a well-drawn picture, but there are limitations to expressing it with just that.

Because drawing isn’t the end.

But there is also a way to create a three-dimensional object without being limited to paper.

That’s the pop-up book.

A book for children.

When you open it, a large castle appears; sometimes it transforms and even creates wind.

Just like an animation.

“Hyung [older brother or male friend],” Siha said.

“Yeah? What’s wrong? Are you all ready?”

“No.”

“Is something not working out? You packed your penguin bag, too.”

I spread the beaten egg mixture in a circle and gently manipulated it to make it three-dimensional.

Today’s breakfast is thick rolled eggs.

“Hyung. Siha book!”

“Huh? You want me to read you a book? Just a minute. I’ll read it to you after I finish this. There’s still some time before you have to go to daycare, right?”

“No.”

“Huh?”

Today, Siha and I weren’t on the same wavelength.

I don’t really know what she wants.

“Siha, you have to express yourself clearly so Hyung can understand.”

“Hyung. Siha book. Buy. Book!”

“You want to buy a new book?”

Well, it’s a good thing as a brother when a child wants to buy a book.

Because being interested in books is like the child being interested in studying.

Of course, I’m not a parent, but a brother.

“Is there a book you want to buy?”

“Ah! Jongsu! Book!”

“Jongsu has a good book… Ah! Are you talking about the pop-up book? The one with the castle popping out? That one?”

“Ah! Hyung. Hyung. Jongsu brag.”

“Jongsu bragged a lot, huh?”

Siha nodded.

It’s nothing much when kids want something.

When they enter a toy store.

When a friend brags about it.

When they want to show off.

Isn’t that the last one? Anyway, Jongsu seems to have stimulated Siha’s rare desire to collect.

“Then shall we buy a lot of pop-up books?”

“No. One!”

Siha held up one finger.

This, this. Are you saying we should only buy one because it costs a lot of money?

Hehehe. I’ve made quite a bit of money, you know.

It’s still a long way to go to buy a house, though.

But I applied for youth housing savings, so maybe good news will come someday.

Anyway, even after putting that in, I still had quite a bit of money.

“Don’t worry, Siha. Hyung will go to the bookstore and buy them all for you!”

“No. No. Only one.”

“Hyung has a lot of money. Don’t worry.”

The rolled egg was rolled well.

I sliced it thickly and placed it on a plate.

A visual that makes your mouth water just by looking at it.

I made it, and I made it really well.

“No. Siha. Only one. Siha will make it~”

“Huh? Siha is going to make a pop-up book? The one with the castle popping out?”

“Ah ah [yes, yes].”

“You want to try making it?”

“Ah ah!”

I was a little shocked.

I never thought she would want to have a pop-up book or see it.

I never dreamed that she would say she wanted to make it.

Siha must be a genius.

She’s already a professional artist.

From researching to making it.

Isn’t this the procedure of a genius?

Maybe I should prepare for art school tuition instead of housing funds now?

“Okay! Leave it to Hyung. Let’s make everything Siha wants to make! Okay?”

“Ah ah!”

Siha clapped her hands and rejoiced.

Just as the rolled egg was made more three-dimensional, Siha also wanted to make something three-dimensional.

I wanted to encourage Siha’s interest.

***

After Siha came back from daycare, we headed straight to the bookstore.

We decided to buy one book, but I’m thinking of buying one more for Siha.

One that Siha chooses. One that I choose.

Like that, two books.

‘Books are always a gamble.’

The pop-up book that Siha chooses may not be very helpful.

So I did some research.

Which pop-up books are doing well.

The format and how to make them are also diverse.

Instead of choosing a popular character, choose a book that folds in various ways.

That way, you can refer to the direction you want Siha to make.

‘Isn’t it surprisingly diverse and amazing?’

When you open the book, a person comes out of the coffin.

When you pull the band, the princess’s clothes change with a bang.

A large castle is folded twice.

I was surprised that it was more diverse than I thought.

“Siha, which one do you want to choose? The pop-up books are in here.”

“Ah ah.”

Siha began to choose a book carefully.

There were many expensive books.

The reason was in the character value, but this was a kind of animation business, so it couldn’t be helped.

“Siha, you can choose your favorite character. Okay?”

“Ah ah.”

Siha is looking hard, but it seems like there is no character she likes.

“Hyung. Pepe. No.”

“Yeah. There are no penguins.”

“Ah ah.”

Gloomy.

Why aren’t there any penguins?

Unfortunately, I had to choose something else.

“Ah! Siha, there’s a penguin here!”

“Huh?”

Siha’s head perked up.

Her eyebrows are twitching, and she seems to have a lot of expectations.

I grabbed her eyebrows because they were so cute.

“Huh?”

“Ahaha. Sorry. I grabbed you to calm you down because you were so excited. Look, there’s a penguin here, right?”

“……”

Siha made a sulky face.

That look is also cute.

That’s not it. It seems like she doesn’t like something.

Actually, what I showed was not a penguin, but a kind of character.

Other kids seem to like it, but Siha doesn’t seem to like it very much.

“Why don’t you like it?”

“Not Pepe.”

“Oh. Is that so?”

“Ugly. Pepe.”

“Oh…. If I had to say, it’s ugly, but……”

The clerk who was organizing the books behind me laughed.

Then she met my eyes and spoke to me, feeling embarrassed.

“Actually, I thought so too. It’s popular, but it’s ugly and makes you want to hit it.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes. But it’s still popular. I don’t understand it.”

“Ah ha.”

“Actually, I was also scared of Teletubbies. The kids say ‘I like it~’ but their voices are eerie? They say ‘I like it~’ whenever they do something.”

“Ah ha. I see.”

“I felt a strange feeling. But the kids like it.”

I also watched a children’s program called Teletubbies when I was young.

Four Teletubbies in purple, yellow, green, and red.

At that time, I said it wasn’t very interesting and watched other cartoons.

“Shall I recommend a good pop-up book?”

“Yes? No. It’s okay. It’s meaningful to choose these things yourself. Let’s find out some information and choose next time. This is also an experience.”

“Ah ha. That’s a good idea.”

“You have to try everything to know.”

There is no guarantee that I will like what others like.

But in terms of probability, I may like it too.

Still, sometimes you can discover good things that only you know about in a book.

For example, a new writer publishes a new book and you read it and you really like it.

“Ah ah. Hyung.”

“Oh! Did you choose everything?”

“Ah ah.”

“Let’s see. Dances with Wolves? Was there such a fairy tale?”

Then the clerk behind me said.

“Ah! That! It’s a book that wasn’t printed much. The writer said he published it as an experience.”

“Oh, really? Siha, you chose something unique?”

“Ah ah!”

It was clear that this would not be available in other bookstores.

Or there may be a shortage of stock.

Still, it would be nice to publish a book like this.

“Let’s see. The author’s name is Kang Inham? Siha, it reminds me of your daycare and Hyung’s university. Right?”

“Huh? Ah ah!”

I chose this one and one that was made quite well.

“Hyung will read you a book today.”

“Ah ah!”

Siha hugged the book tightly in her arms because she was so happy.

***

“Hyung!”

Siha handed me the book.

It’s clear that she wants me to read it because she’s done with her dinner.

“Hyung, you have to do the dishes?”

“No. Book! Next!”

“You want me to do it after reading the book?”

“Ah ah.”

I know very well that doing the dishes right away is not annoying.

But I can’t refuse when I see Siha’s earnest eyes.

“Okay. Let’s read.”

I sat in the living room without putting on my rubber gloves.

I sat Siha in front of me and grabbed the book.

“Okay. Shall we open it?”

“Ah ah.”

I tore off the plastic and opened the first page of the book.

First, a wolf popped out with its mouth open.

Siha didn’t blink an eye and poked her finger into its mouth.

Poke!

The wolf was folded in as it was.

“Hyung! Go in!”

“Oh. It goes in. Isn’t it amazing?”

“Like this. Like this. Go in.”

“Yeah. Look here. It’s folded in the middle, right? It’s also folded on the back of the picture so it can pop out.”

I had no choice but to explain how it was structured, mainly with pictures rather than words.

Siha observes carefully.

She’s looking with her eyes narrowed.

Can you see well if you look like that? Should I try it too?

So we narrowed our eyes and stared intently.

“Hyung?”

“Yeah?”

“Eye!”

“Why? Is there something wrong with your eyes?”

“Line. Line.”

“Haha. Actually, if you narrow your eyes, that person is a strong person. Remember that.”

“Ah ah.”

I read the book while injecting some useless knowledge.

“Once upon a time, there was a man. But when he woke up, he had become a wolf!”

“Eek! He became a wolf!”

“Then a witch appeared and said.”

“If you want to become human again, you have to earn as much as you spend! Hehehe!”

“Why are you doing this to me!”

“This is a test for you. Why are you living as a bum at home!”

“What do you want me to do when there’s a lot of money at home!”

“So you don’t get lazy.”

Reading this far, I felt something malicious about a rich bum [someone who lives idly without working].

Well, it could be a story that pokes fun at laziness.

Anyway, I felt something unique yet familiar.

‘Is it my imagination?’

As I tilted my head, Siha pulled on my sleeve.

“Hyung.”

“Yeah. I’ll keep reading. After the witch disappeared, the wolf had to find a job. But the wolf didn’t know what kind of work he can do.”

Then Siha asked.

“Why?”

“Huh? Because the wolf is lonely?”

“Lonely?”

“Haha. No. Let’s keep reading because we don’t know why.”

I turned the page.

An owl wearing glasses and carrying a book like a crossbody bag came out.

When I folded and unfolded the book slightly, its wings fluttered.

After looking at how it was made with Siha, I continued the story.

“The wolf asked.”

“Smart owl. What should I do?”

“Surprisingly, the owl answered.”

“You’re a wolf, so people will be surprised and won’t give you a job. But there’s something you can do!”

“What is it?”

“It’s dancing! If you dance and get money from people, they won’t be afraid of you.”

“That’s it!”

I turned the page.

The wolf is slightly spreading its legs and arms.

When I folded and unfolded the book, it moved to both sides.

“Grrr. Grrr. Grrr. Pig!”

Siha followed.

“Grrr!”

It sounds like a song I’ve heard somewhere, but it must be my imagination.

“So the wolf became an animal idol and appeared on TV and became rich.”

I told Siha to pull the band.

“The wolf, who earned as much money as he spent, returned to human form!”

“But he couldn’t quit being an idol. Because he had something he really wanted to do. Because working like this and buying things with the money he earned was happier than a lazy life.”

“Ah! It seems like my body gets better if I work appropriately!”

“The man who realized the good points lived hard in the future.”

“The end!”

It was a short but good story.

Was it a good story? It must be a good story, right?

But somehow this absurd and strange setting causes a sense of incongruity.

I’m sure I’ve seen this composition somewhere…….

“Hyung?”

“Ah! Siha, how was it? Was it fun?”

“Ah ah! Siha too. This. This. Make!”

“Yeah. Let’s make a pop-up book. Have you thought about what to make?”

“Huh?”

She tilted her head as if she hadn’t thought about it.

I smiled softly as I looked at Siha.

“Siha, then let’s think about what story to make with Hyung.”

Of course, I’ll write the story, but we still have to collaborate to some extent, like game development.

“Hyung. Siha know.”

“Yeah? What do you know?”

“This!”

Siha got out of my arms and ran somewhere, dragging her penguin bag.

She sat down with a thud and handed me the notification.

“Ah. I didn’t check this today. Is there a story Siha wants to write here?”

“Ah ah!”

It seems like she has something in mind.

I opened the notification with anticipation.

“Huh?”

There was a phrase of permission for an event written there.

With the preparations.