Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 156

“Hyung, aren’t I cute?”

After visiting the pop-up book company, Siha drew with more enthusiasm than usual.

People say kids don’t have great focus, but that doesn’t seem to apply to Siha.

Maybe it’s because drawing isn’t work for him, but a form of play.

He’s working so enthusiastically.

“Okay. All done now.”

“Huh? No!”

“Drawing for too long isn’t good for you. You need to move around often.”

“Aww.”

“And you need to go around to places to sell the book with Hyung.”

At those words, Siha tilted his head.

Did he just nod at what I said today?

“Why? Siha. Daehak-ro [a famous street in Seoul]. Sell.”

“Yeah. Of course, we’ll sell there too, but I don’t think all 500 will sell. Siha doesn’t really know how much 500 is, right?”

“No. Siha. Know.”

“Oh. You know?”

Siha made a circle with his small fingers in my arms.

The way his thumb and index finger were touching looked like he was asking for money.

“Five hundred won [Korean currency]. One.”

“Hahaha. That’s 500 won. 500 is different. Let’s see.”

I took out a book from home.

After making ten copies, I drew a square in the air 50 times larger.

“This~ big~!”

“Ah? Many!”

“Yeah. It’s a lot.”

It wasn’t a joke; it really was a large number.

Too much for an individual to sell.

But it’s not impossible.

“Okay. Siha, let’s go.”

“Aww.”

Siha saved the drawing.

The drawing only needed the background color finished.

I took some of the completed drawings and went outside.

I took a break at home for a bit, but now I had to go out.

“I’m going to KI Media for the first time in a while.”

“Aww! Hong Ajji [term of endearment for older male, like ‘Uncle Hong’]!”

“Yeah. We’re going to meet Mr. Hong Jinsu. I got a reply here. See?”

Actually, the reason I came straight home wasn’t a big deal.

I was waiting for Hong Jinsu’s reply.

It wasn’t polite to go without any contact, so I sent him a message.

-Lee Si-hyuk: Hello. I was wondering if I could see you briefly today. Please reply if you have time. [10:24 AM]

-Hong Jinsu: No! No! How could I not have seen this because I was working!!! ㅠㅠ I’m sorry. I was late in replying. ㅠㅠ I’m a terrible sinner. [2:34 PM]

I was surprised by the sudden flood of messages.

Why call yourself a terrible sinner over something like this?

Anyway, he was exaggerating.

‘So that’s why he’s Manager Hong Jinsu?’

I had these useless thoughts and read the message to Siha.

-What on earth is going on today! From now on, I will reply immediately! I’ll get a phone just for Si-hyuk’s phone number!! I didn’t know because I turned off all the alarms! Now with a dedicated phone…….

There’s no need for that.

When I said that coldly, he sent an emoticon that said [Heart Attack].

“Siha, he said we can come right away. See this heart attack emoticon?”

“Aww! Heart Attack! What?”

“Um… It means you get a heart attack when you see something too cute.”

“Hyung. Cute? Hong Ajji?”

“Haha. He just thinks Hyung is good. Would he think I’m cute?”

“Aww.”

“Okay. Let’s go to the car. Go! Go!”

“Aww! Go! Go!”

And so, we took the car to KI Media.

***

-KI Media.

Squeak, squeak.

Manager Hong Jinsu is wiping the table in the reception room.

The glass is gleaming.

Woong. Woong.

The small noise of the vacuum cleaner fills the room.

At the same time, an air purifier is turned on to eliminate fine dust.

There was someone watching that fuss.

“Crazy.”

The CEO of KI looked at Manager Hong Jinsu in disbelief.

“Do some cleaning like that when I come. Anyone would think a really great person is coming.”

“Ah. CEO. Are you really going to be like this? Siha is coming today. How important is air to a child? What if their bronchial tubes get bad for no reason?”

“If it’s going to get that bad with this, shouldn’t they already be hospitalized?”

“Ahem. Si-hyuk is coming too. I wonder what kind of work he’ll bring today?”

“Is Si-hyuk a salesperson for our company?”

“Well, you can think of him as almost family.”

“Hmm.”

Honestly, there was nothing to say when he put it that way.

The CEO thought that Si-hyuk had done a lot this year.

The rave reviews of the translation of the martial arts novel that Si-hyuk had done were vivid in his mind.

It’s hard to find a translator who always gets such good reviews.

He also made the contract with the Chinese platform go well.

Even Steve Baek’s autobiography is selling pretty well.

The fact that there are many students who want to go into design.

The fact that there are few books like this.

There are many good reviews for two reasons.

In light of these facts, Lee Si-hyuk was indeed KI Media’s lucky charm.

“He wrote the autobiography quite well. It’s popular.”

“Right? I thought he wrote it well too. Doesn’t it catch your eye? I wrote it according to the sentences and arrangement after listening to the interview. Kyaa. He has talent.”

“That’s because he does proofreading while translating.”

“That’s why I’m cleaning like this.”

Hong Jinsu puffed out his chest and whirred the vacuum cleaner.

The CEO looked at him again in disbelief.

Why are you so proud? Is he your son?

This wasn’t the first or second time this had happened, so he just moved on.

“So when are they coming?”

“I told them to come right away. They should be arriving in about 5 minutes.”

Hong Jinsu turned off the vacuum cleaner and tidied up.

The CEO looked at Hong Jinsu’s back and said.

“Aren’t you busy today?”

“I have to make time even if I’m busy. Euhahaha. But CEO. Why are you so relaxed? You still have a mountain of work to do?”

“Ha! I’m going to work too! Go! Geez. He’s just leisurely cleaning.”

“Ahem. This is also part of the job.”

“That, that mouth is the only thing alive.”

“The performance is alive too, though?”

The CEO shook his head as if he couldn’t win.

He was about to enter the CEO’s office when the employees were craning their necks to look.

When their eyes met, they turned their gaze to the monitor and started working.

“Everyone’s just curious about what we’re saying for no reason. Anyway, they’re very curious. Curious.”

“Isn’t that the strength of our publishing house?”

“You’re the biggest problem. This is like the extreme of pros and cons.”

“Still, isn’t it good that I’m not a white elephant [useless member]?”

“That’s the problem.”

“Hey. We’re early members and like brothers, so are you going to throw me away if I become a white elephant?”

“Keueung. If only you couldn’t talk.”

The CEO stepped back as if he had lost.

At that moment, Si-hyuk and Siha came in.

“Hello.”

“Oh, Si-hyuk! I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Yes? Haha. It’s been a while.”

“I know. Please show your face more often. Working from home is good, but come to the company often too.”

“Yes? I’m not an employee here, though?”

“Haha. That’s what I mean. That’s what I mean. Maybe you will be.”

“Yes?”

“Haha. That’s what I mean.”

Hong Jinsu laughed as Si-hyuk looked suspicious.

Siha peeked out from Si-hyuk’s legs.

“Hong Ajji.”

“Oh. Siha. Hello. It’s been a while. I prepared cocoa powder for Siha to eat. Let’s make it today.”

“Cocoa?”

“Yeah. Siha likes cocoa, right?”

“What?”

“Um? Ah! It’s like chocolate milk.”

“Aww! Choco!”

Siha spread his arms, happy.

Until now, this space had a funny atmosphere, but thanks to Siha, it became a warm and cute space.

The employees who were craning their necks and looking at Siha had smiles on their faces.

Everyone had a dad and mom smile.

Si-hyuk felt good seeing that.

“Si-hyuk. Let’s go in now.”

“Ah, yes. Then.”

“But what kind of contract are you here to make today?”

“Ah, that’s. Siha came because he has something to do today?”

“Yes?”

Hong Jinsu tilted his head and looked at Siha.

A small muttering voice.

“Are the two brothers becoming employees? Is Siha in charge of the mascot?”

“Yes? What did you say?”

“No. Let’s go in and talk first.”

And so, the three of them went into the reception room.

The employees who were craning their necks to look thought at the same time.

‘I’m curious!!’

Leaving words that stimulated the curiosity of the employees, the door to the reception room closed.

***

A warm cocoa was placed in front of Siha.

Three ice cubes were floating in it.

Hong Jinsu’s small consideration to help it cool down quickly.

I felt grateful for this.

“Thank you.”

“Si-hyuk, you want cocoa too, right?”

“Yes. I’m going to get the same thing as Siha. He really likes the same thing as me.”

“Haha. As expected.”

“Please put ice in mine too.”

“Okay. It doesn’t seem like it’s going to be a long story.”

Today wasn’t a long story to leisurely wait for the mug to cool down and have a conversation.

It’s everyone’s working time, and it’s better to finish the business quickly since they’re busy.

After the cocoa came out and they each took a sip, they started talking.

“This time, I’m planning to produce about 500 pop-up books with Siha.”

“Yes? You’re making pop-up books with Siha?”

“Yes. I’m going to make it with the drawings Siha drew. There’s a market opening at Kangin University this time, and I’m thinking of selling it there.”

“500 won’t sell, though?”

“Of course. If I was thinking of selling all 500, would I have come here?”

“Haha. That’s right. Ah! Don’t tell me you’re thinking of selling it through a publishing house?”

“No. That’s not it. Just the small bookstores in the transaction, right? Not the big bookstores.”

“Ah! Yes. KI Media supplies all the places that publish small books there. We’ve built up quite a bit of trust with the transaction, so it’s really good for selling new books.”

I nodded.

New books by rookies are usually hard to spot when distributed in large bookstores.

There are many established writers, and popular bestsellers are more eye-catching.

“We try to publish the best quality new works, so small bookstores like it too. They say they’ve discovered a good writer.”

“That’s right. Unlike online bookstores, they buy books in advance.”

Online bookstores order books after ordering, but in these bookstores, the owner buys the books first.

If the book doesn’t sell, it’s the bookstore’s loss.

For that reason, the owner’s eye was important.

Also, the bookstore actively recommends books to customers.

It was the advantage of a small bookstore.

“Please introduce me to exactly ten of those places. I’ll run around and sell about 10 in each place.”

“Ten places… Then what are you going to do with the remaining 400?”

“I have to sell it at an online bookstore. What.”

I shrugged.

I can get full help from KI Media, but I don’t want such favors.

I want to return the trust as much as they think of me.

I don’t want to receive one-sided help.

‘And I want to try selling it once.’

Still, I’m selling it with Siha, so I don’t want to take too much risk.

It’s not like I’m getting help at all, and I think I can get help with just introducing me.

If it goes beyond that, the balance of trust will tilt.

Of course, Hong Jinsu wouldn’t think so…….

“Si-hyuk.”

“Yes.”

“I’ll introduce you to about ten places for now.”

“Thank you.”

“But if this is popular and sells well, sign a contract with us. We’ll sell it for you.”

“Yes?! Um… I don’t think pop-up books will sell that well? It’s not a dinosaur, it’s just what Siha likes.”

“There’s a way. Haha! We can sell it somehow.”

“Hmm. Okay. I think there will be stock left, but if it sells well, I’ll think about reprinting and selling it to KI Media.”

“You thought well. We’ve discovered a new writer again. Haha!”

“Yes? Haha. Is that so?”

I don’t know what Manager Hong Jinsu is thinking.

No. I think I know what he’s saying.

KI Media is always future-oriented.

That doesn’t mean thinking too far into the future, but one step ahead.

Because a writer is a job that you never know when it will be a hit.

Of course, it may not be a hit.

‘Well, that’s the eye for the company to judge.’

But one thing is a bit absurd.

“Can you decide without looking at the book design?”

“Yes? Ah! That’s right! I have to look at it and decide! I can’t introduce ugly things to small bookstores.”

“That’s right. Ah! It’s here. It’s about a dragonfly playing soccer. I wrote the text. Siha drew the picture. Let’s look at the design first.”

“Keuheu. Si-hyuk’s writing and Siha’s drawing.”

I showed the picture Siha drew on my phone.

Hong Jinsu looked at the screen with expectant eyes.

As time passed, his face became indescribable.

Hong Jinsu hesitated and said.

“Um……”

“Yes.”

“Dragonfly?”

“Yes. Dragonfly.”

“Haha! That’s right. The characteristics of the dragonfly are well alive! Yes! Siha. You drew it really well!”

“Aww!”

Siha nodded while drinking cocoa.

I chuckled at those words.

“Look at this! The characteristics of the dragonfly are really well alive!”

I’m showing the picture on my phone, but I know it well too.

Nod, nod.

The picture showed a penguin with two pairs of dragonfly wings.

‘Anyway, it’s a dragonfly. Yeah. That’s right.’

I even named it to use when writing.

Pepe Dragonfly.