Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 153

“Hyung [older brother or male friend], aren’t I cute?”

“A walk and catching dragonflies?”

Now that I think about it, it is dragonfly season.

I used to catch tons of them with a net when I was little.

“Siha, are you going to draw a picture of a dragonfly?”

“Aah!”

“Really? But do you even know what a dragonfly is?”

“Know! Shing~ fly~”

“Yeah, dragonflies do fly. You know that much?”

“Aah!”

“Then, let’s make a story after Siha has fun catching dragonflies. Okay?”

“Story?”

“Yeah, a collaboration between Siha and Hyung.”

The Pixiv [Japanese online community for artists] upload was a solo project, but this time I’m creating a story with Siha’s input.

In other words, it’s our first collaboration.

“We need a dragonfly net and a container, right?”

“Net, container?”

“Yeah, a net and a container. Hyung will get everything ready, so you have to catch at least one, okay?”

Nod, nod.

Let’s hope Siha has good luck catching them.

***

And so, the kids from daycare went dragonfly hunting.

The location was a park near the university.

Surprisingly, it was full of dragonflies.

“Okay, everyone, you all have your nets and containers, right?”

“Yes!”

Siha tapped the container slung over his shoulder.

Tap, tap.

He looked determined, holding his net.

He scanned for dragonflies, and there were plenty in sight.

“Teacher! Dragonfly!”

“Yes, that’s a dragonfly. Okay, first, listen to the precautions. Dragonflies have delicate wings, so be gentle. Hurting them is bad, got it?”

The children were excited but listened attentively.

They knew they had to follow instructions to catch dragonflies quickly.

Seungjun, next to the determined Siha, spoke up.

“Siha, let’s catch eleven dragonflies and have a soccer match.”

“Ah?”

He tilted his head, unsure if dragonflies could play soccer.

Siha stared at the container, thinking it looked too small.

“Small.”

“We can still fit them! It’s not like the ball doesn’t go in just because there’s a goalie.”

The teacher gave a wry smile.

‘Seungjun, where did you hear that? This isn’t the time for that phrase.’

But Seungjun, missing the teacher’s point, said excitedly, “That would be so fun!”

“Aah.”

Kind Siha nodded in agreement.

Hana chimed in, expressing her wish.

“Hana will! Hana will direct the dragonflies! If I sing, they’ll circle around me!”

Hana was imagining dragonflies instead of flower petals.

The teacher thought a bug idol might be born.

‘She’s so unpredictable.’

Just then, Jongsu chuckled.

“You’re all talking nonsense! We have to write a bug diary.”

“Ah? Diary?”

Siha tilted his head, unfamiliar with the word, so Jongsu explained.

He subtly showed off his knowledge.

“A diary is where you write about what happened today. I’m catching bugs and writing about it every day. I’m going to catch stag beetles too, huge, awesome bugs this big!”

Siha’s eyes lit up.

He wanted to catch stag beetles as well.

‘It could make a good story with Hyung.’

“Aah. Siha too!”

“Stag beetles aren’t easy to catch.”

The teacher nodded.

‘There aren’t any stag beetles here, so I doubt you’ll catch any. I bet you can’t catch either of them.’

But she didn’t want to crush their dreams, so she kept quiet.

“Okay! If you’re ready, let’s go. Stay in this area, don’t wander off. Got it?”

“Yes!”

“And stick together in these two groups. Got it?”

“Yes!”

And so, the bug hunt began.

Jongsu said to Siha before they left, “Siha, let’s have a competition. The team that catches the coolest bug wins.”

Seungjun jumped in.

“Okay! The winner buys snacks!”

“Yeah! Siha, is that okay?”

“Aah.”

Siha didn’t care.

He just wanted to catch bugs.

And so, the bet was made, and the three of them set off.

“Siha, let’s win this time!”

Seungjun hadn’t forgotten losing the presentation contest.

His competitive spirit was strong, and he wanted revenge.

Seeing Seungjun like that, Siha nodded.

But he was thinking, ‘I have to show Hyung a cool bug.’

“There are a lot of dragonflies over there!”

“Aah!”

Everyone swung their nets diligently.

But it wasn’t easy.

Siha had an idea and stood still, holding up his net.

Just waiting-

A posture hoping the dragonfly would fly in on its own.

Like hoping a fish would bite the bait.

The twins seemed to like Siha’s method and held their nets still.

“Ugh! This is hard!”

Shaking, shaking.

His arm trembled.

Siha also found it difficult and stuck the net in the ground.

“Aah. Like this. Like this.”

“Oh! Then it won’t be hard.”

And so, the three of them stood still.

The teacher, watching from behind, snapped a picture because it was cute.

Click.

Noticing the photo, Seungjun put his legs in the net and struck a pose.

Hana slightly tilted her net to pose.

Siha couldn’t let go of the net, so he spread his legs wide.

‘Siha, is that supposed to be a V?’

The teacher gave them some advice.

‘They won’t catch anything like that.’

“Kids, you can’t catch dragonflies like that. See that dragonfly on the grass? Catch the still ones. You can’t catch the ones flying.”

Dragonflies aren’t stupid, they won’t be caught by waiting.

Jongsu, knowing this, laughed nearby.

“Puhaha! You can’t catch them like that! You have to study!”

Jongsu knew about studying and reviewing.

Just then.

A dragonfly flew right into Siha’s net.

Siha quickly swung the net.

Whoosh.

The net touched the ground, trapping the dragonfly.

Jongsu was flustered.

“Huh? Huh? Why did it get caught?”

The teacher was also surprised.

‘That actually worked?’

Siha’s waiting paid off.

After that, Seungjun and Hana also succeeded, and Jongsu looked upset.

The teacher approached them.

They caught them but didn’t know how to put them in the container.

“Okay, I’ll show you. Grab the wings with two fingers like this.”

She grabbed the wings in the net.

She handed it to Siha and guided his hand.

The dragonfly was caught in Siha’s small fingers, flapping its feet.

“Aah. Teacher!”

“Put it in the container, and you’re done!”

Siha put it in.

He nodded, satisfied.

“Siha, I put it in too!”

Seungjun caught it without help.

Hana was scared and needed help.

“Now, let’s catch cool bugs!”

“Aah!”

And so, they started again.

But they only found dragonflies.

“It might be on the tree!”

They searched every nook and cranny, but found nothing.

Then.

Siha found something.

He approached the bug with his net and poked it.

“Seungjun! Hana!”

“Siha, what did you find?”

“Find it?!”

Siha nodded and pointed.

It was a pill bug [also known as a roly-poly].

It curled into a ball when touched.

Seungjun shouted, “Found it! Soccer ball! The dragonflies can play soccer with that!”

“Hana can’t look at it. Creepy.”

“Ah?”

Siha’s eyes widened at the unexpected idea.

The teacher thought, ‘Seungjun, that’s not it…….’

***

-On the way home with Siha.

Siha chattered excitedly, enjoying the day.

“Hyung! Container!”

“Yeah, you put it in the container? But it’s empty?”

“Siha. Go home. Did.”

“Oh! You let the dragonflies go home?”

“Dragonfly. Go home.”

Listening to Siha, I felt warmth.

His kindness in letting them go without being told was beautiful.

“Hyung. Picture. See!”

“Yeah, I’ll look at the pictures of what you caught. Okay?”

“Aah. Siha. Dragonfly. Pow! Wing. Pow!”

“You caught it like that.”

“Pill bug. Pill bug.”

“Oh! You caught a pill bug too?”

“Soccer ball! Seungjun. Did.”

“Ah…. Seungjun said it was a soccer ball, right? That’s good for the story. Right?”

“Aah.”

Listening to Siha’s day was routine.

I could guess what he’d draw.

Dragonflies and pill bugs.

I could write a story about them.

Let’s talk more.

“But the notice said you had a bet with Jongsu? Who won?”

“Siha like this like this. Bug. Catch.”

“Oh~ What kind of bug?”

“Red dragonfly.”

“Huh?”

“Red dragonfly~!”

I thought about what a red dragonfly was and thought of Hana.

“Could it be a scarlet dragonfly?”

“No. Red dragonfly.”

“Ahaha. Yeah. You caught a red dragonfly?”

“Aah!”

He caught a scarlet dragonfly and won the bet.

It would have been hard to catch other cool bugs.

We arrived home.

I unfolded the table and started the meeting.

“Okay, let’s talk about the pop-up book. You’re drawing a dragonfly, right?”

“Aah.”

“The background has trees and grass.”

“Aah!”

“You’re drawing a red dragonfly too? What else?”

“Ball! Pill bug!”

“You’re drawing a pill bug too?”

I drew a stick figure.

It’s called a storyboard.

The pop-up book doesn’t need many pages.

It would be harder for Siha.

If he sees it as a game, he might make it quickly.

“Then, will Siha draw on the tablet instead of paper? Then we can print it easily. Right?”

“Aah.”

“How about a story about dragonflies playing soccer?”

“Soccer?”

“Yeah.”

I decided to use Seungjun’s idea.

A story about dragonflies playing soccer with a pill bug.

There might be controversy, but let’s say the pill bug wants to.

Pill bugs need jobs, right?

“We’re structuring the story like this? How is it? Fun, right?”

“Aah!”

Siha ran to get the tablet.

He drew hard, and I watched.

It felt strange to collaborate.

We’re together now, but Siha will work alone later.

Maybe he’ll work as a freelance artist.

‘There might not be many things like this in the future.’

The time we spend together will decrease.

That’s not far off.

Even in elementary school, he’ll hang out with friends, and in puberty, he’ll talk to me less.

I hope that period is delayed.

Other parents might want them to go to school quickly.

“Siha, are you having fun?”

“Aah! Hyung. Together!”

“Is it more fun together?”

“Aah.”

I’m grateful he said that.

I should organize the phrases I’ll write.

I brought the laptop and sat next to Siha.

We worked together.

Siha is drawing. I am writing.

Unlike the dragonfly caught while waiting, memories don’t pile up by waiting.

We should be together.

I hope this isn’t the last time.

I gently put my hand on the keyboard with a wish.