Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 161

Meanwhile, the daycare booths showcased a variety of items.

The kids were too engrossed in playing to focus on sales.

Jong-su, however, had a clear sales goal.

Jae-hwi, beside him, seemed to have lost interest and was amusing himself by mixing and matching the remaining clothes.

In reality, everyone except Jong-su was simply playing.

“Ugh. There’s still so much left,” Jong-su grumbled, scratching his head.

He was already experiencing the harsh realities of life.

Jae-hwi, still beside him, subtly continued to put outfits together, creating surprisingly good combinations.

Tops and bottoms, all at once.

“Jae-hwi, can you coordinate my clothes too?”

“Huh? Ummm…”

Jae-hwi pondered, rummaging through Jong-su’s clothes.

He tried various items, but nothing seemed quite right.

Not wanting to disappoint, he thought hard and laid out a decent combination.

“Adding this and this would look pretty good.”

“Wow! Really!” Jong-su exclaimed, looking at Jae-hwi with amazement.

When it came to clothes, he had to admit Jae-hwi had a knack for it.

The director, observing the scene, turned to Ms. Yoo Da-hee.

“Are you leaving already?”

“Yes. The other children said they wanted to play in their spots. I’ll just take Seung-jun and Hana with me. They seem to want to buy something.”

“What do they want to buy?”

“Seung-jun said he wants to buy soccer shoes, and Hana said it’s a secret. Well, I’ll be back!”

“Be careful on your way.”

Ms. Yoo Da-hee left with Seung-jun and Hana.

Seung-jun excitedly looked around, his eyes wide as he searched for soccer shoes.

“Ah, I can’t see them.”

“They’ll definitely be there. Teacher will look hard too.”

“Oppa [Korean for older brother, used by girls], I’ll help you too!”

The three of them searched for a while and finally found a stall selling soccer shoes.

Seung-jun, overjoyed, ran over.

“Wow! How much is this?”

The teacher smiled wryly at his eagerness.

“Seung-jun, you need to check if they fit first.”

“Even if they’re big, I can wear them when I grow up.”

“What if they’re small?”

“No way. They’re not small.”

The teacher looked at Seung-jun in disbelief.

‘Hey, Seung-jun. How do you know without even trying them on?’

However, Seung-jun presented some unexpected logic.

‘If they’re big, I can wear them later.’

He hadn’t come up with the idea himself; it was clear Seung-jun’s mom bought slightly larger clothes when buying clothes.

The woman at the stall said, “Hahaha. Okay. Try them on. But these are really expensive, you know?”

“Hehe,” Seung-jun smiled as if it was no problem.

He stepped onto the mat and put on the shoes.

The teacher asked, “How is it? Does it fit perfectly?”

“Yeah! It fits perfectly!”

The teacher, suspicious, pressed down on the front of the soccer shoe.

There was a little room left.

It felt a little big.

“It’s a little big, isn’t it?”

“My feet will grow quickly!”

“Ah, I see. But these seem expensive. It’s a brand that Teacher knows.”

The teacher looked at the woman running the stall, who gave an awkward smile.

“I haven’t worn them much… I bought them for 100,000 won [approximately $75 USD], so I’m trying to sell them for 70,000 won [approximately $53 USD].”

“Ah!” Seung-jun took out money from his pocket: one 50,000 won bill [approximately $38 USD].

“Is this enough?”

“No. It’s 20,000 won [approximately $15 USD] short.”

“Ah…”

Seung-jun’s heart sank with regret.

A wonderful brand-name shoe!

He wanted it so badly.

Moreover, if he bought the shoes, he would be able to attend soccer class on the weekends.

Seung-jun’s mom hadn’t expected him to buy soccer shoes because it was difficult to find small shoes that fit Seung-jun’s feet.

Also, she thought he wouldn’t be able to earn enough to buy soccer shoes no matter how much he sold.

This thought was very reasonable.

She never imagined that a combined robot would sell for 100,000 won [approximately $75 USD].

“Ah! Can’t you just take this?”

“Um, even so, that’s a bit difficult. I’m already selling it very cheaply.”

“Hing [sound of disappointment].”

Frankly, from the woman’s point of view, it was painful to cut 30,000 won [approximately $23 USD] off a brand-name soccer shoe that she hadn’t worn much.

“Oppa.”

“Yeah?”

“This. Hana’s.”

Hana took out the crumpled bills from her pocket, a total of 23,000 won [approximately $17 USD].

“Soccer shoes are expensive.”

“Ah…”

“That’s why Hana came.”

“Th, thank you. But are you sure?”

“Yeah. For oppa. Oppa likes soccer a lot.”

“Yeah…”

Seung-jun was touched and took the money.

The teacher watched the scene with a pleased expression.

“Okay. Then Teacher will count the money. Let’s see.”

She counted exactly 70,000 won [approximately $53 USD] and returned the remaining 3,000 won [approximately $2.3 USD] to Hana.

Seung-jun hugged the soccer shoes with a touched expression.

“Hana, instead of me going to soccer class, I’ll ask Mom to send you to singing class.”

“Really?!” Hana smiled happily.

Seung-jun was also happy.

He felt bad about missing soccer class, but he thought he could give it up for Hana, who helped him get the soccer shoes.

Even though they were twins, Seung-jun was Hana’s older brother.

The teacher also smiled happily as she watched the scene.

“Then Teacher will ask Mom too.”

“Yeah!”

“Yeah!”

Having completed their mission, the two returned to the daycare booth.

***

I returned to the daycare booth with Siha.

Everyone seemed to have played and enjoyed themselves to the fullest and were in the mood to clean up.

Jae-hwi neatly folded the clothes and put them in a box.

Jong-su reluctantly put the items in, looking like he had a lot of regrets.

It seemed like he hadn’t sold as much as he thought he would.

He turned his head and saw Siha and me and hurriedly ran over.

“Hey. Lee Siha!”

“Ah?”

“Tsk. I didn’t sell everything, but I still sold quite a bit. Aren’t you jealous?”

“Ah-ah.”

Jong-su showed off the money he had earned.

It was as if he was trying to prove that he hadn’t lost to me.

It was ironic that he saw Siha as a rival, but the person involved didn’t think so.

‘But maybe it’s good?’

How many people would compete with you so fairly?

Of course, it was a little sad to see Jong-su burning with his own competitive spirit.

‘Siha, how about reacting a little?’

Siha, who wasn’t interested in such things, was just clinging to my leg and shaking the bag.

Jong-su saw the bag I was holding and tilted his head.

“Did you buy that much with the money you earned?”

“No. This pabak [Korean slang for ‘bargain’]. That pabak. Did.”

“What are you talking about?”

I opened the bag and showed it to Jong-su.

“These aren’t things we bought, but things the aunties and uncles gave us. Siha helped the tteokbokki [spicy rice cakes] aunty.”

“Huh! All of this?” Jong-su looked at Siha with a surprised face.

Then he pointed to Siha’s penguin wallet.

“Then what’s that wallet?”

“This. Bought.”

“Ah! You bought that? That’s right. Then how much money is left?”

“This!” Siha opened her wallet and showed it to Jong-su.

Siha, if you just show it like that, Jong-su won’t know how much there is…

Well, she doesn’t even know all the numbers yet.

“It’s 32,000 won [approximately $24 USD].”

“Huh? Why is it 32,000 won [approximately $24 USD]? If you spent from 30,000 won [approximately $23 USD], it should be less…”

“I don’t know why either.”

She earned 30,000 won [approximately $23 USD], spent 3,000 won [approximately $2.3 USD], and received 5,000 won [approximately $3.8 USD] in allowance.

So a total of 32,000 won [approximately $24 USD].

She clearly went to buy something, but the money increased.

Jong-su turned away from the absurd reality.

A soft murmur.

“Mom said that money attracts money… Is it real? Does money just keep increasing??”

Jong-su, it’s not like you think it is.

I don’t know if you invested in stocks or something.

Anyway, I could only laugh at this awkward situation.

Jong-su trudged away and packed his things.

He looked like he was cleaning up his desk at the company.

That’s how bitter Jong-su’s back looked.

‘To show such a back already…’

It was a pity, but I couldn’t think of any words to comfort him.

Siha was just cheerfully counting the money again.

Siha, pay some attention to Jong-su.

Then, a voice calling Siha was heard from afar.

“Siha~”

“Siha~”

The twins have arrived.

Seung-jun quickly ran to Siha and put his foot out.

“Here. Look! This is a soccer shoe!”

“Soccer?”

“Yeah. It’s a shoe you wear when you play soccer. See here, it’s bumpy, right?”

Seung-jun lifted one foot and showed the sole.

His body bounced as if it was hard to balance.

Siha also tilted her head up and down to see the sole.

Thump, thump, thump. Nod, nod, nod.

The sight of them doing that was so funny that I quickly took out my phone and took a picture.

Click.

“Ah?” Lee Siha recognized the sound like a ghost.

She belatedly made a V-sign, but the picture had already been taken.

‘Yes! A picture without a V-sign.’

I shook my phone at Siha and said, “It’s already taken.”

“No. Again! Again!”

“Haha. Okay. Let’s take it again.”

Click.

Only after taking it again was Siha satisfied and boasted about what happened today.

Seung-jun nodded and listened.

“Jin-sang [troublemaker]. Jin-sang. Pabak [bargain], pabak [bargain]. Did. Ran away.”

“Oh! You fought a lot? Awesome!”

“Ah-ah! Hyung [older brother] did. Ta-da-da-da-da. Did.”

“As expected, it’s Si-hyeok hyung [older brother]! I knew it! You defeated the bad guy!”

“Like this. Like this.”

“Hahaha!”

Are they really communicating?

It was amazing that it seemed to match somehow.

“Si-hyeok oppa [older brother, used by girls].”

“Uh-huh? What’s wrong, Hana?”

“Hana. If I go to singing class~ I’ll sing really well. Like Soo-hyun unnie [older sister].”

“I see. You’re going to singing class, Hana?”

“Not now. Later. Hehe.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I’ll sing for Si-hyeok oppa [older brother, used by girls] later!”

“Oh! I’d appreciate that.”

Then a very low male voice chimed in.

“Who’s singing for whom? Hana! What about Dad!”

It was Hana’s father, Oh Sang-hwan.

Hana smiled shyly and said, “For Mom and Si-hyeok oppa [older brother, used by girls] and then!”

“Why am I last…”

“No. Dad is after oppa [older brother, used by girls]. Hehe.”

“Why am I…”

Hehehe.

It’s just embarrassing even if you look at me with such resentful eyes.

Anyway, it seems like the market is roughly over today.

I should help the teacher clean up the mat.

I quickly avoided the spot.

***

-Home.

I came home with Siha and was very tired.

Why? I just had fun playing.

When I came into the house, I wanted to bury myself in the blanket.

But since Siha is watching, let’s wash our hands and feet cleanly.

Thanks to Siha, I feel like I’m becoming a righteous young man.

“Hoo. Siha. Aren’t you tired?”

“No.”

“Ah, really? You, you should be tired.”

“Hyung [older brother]. This. This. Sell.”

Siha tapped the remaining pop-up book box.

She seemed full of thoughts of selling with today’s experience.

Siha, half of it was business with acquaintances…

“Hmm. It’s difficult to handle. Should I donate about 3 to the school library?”

That was also a way.

Sending it in the form of donating to various libraries would reduce it quite a bit.

It would also feel rewarding as if I was contributing to society.

‘But there’s still a lot left to do that.’

I had to sell it somehow.

Ding-dong.

“Who is it?”

“Hyungnim [term of respect for an older male]. It’s me.”

“Who is ‘me’?”

“Ah. Why are you doing this again. It’s Baek Dong-hwan. Don’t make it hard for me to come in again.”

Then Siha ran to the door and knocked.

Knock knock knock.

“Ah-ah. Baek Dong!”

“Yes. Siha. Now open the door.”

“Baek Dong! Siha. Sell book.”

“Yes. I came to buy a book. Now open it.”

“How much?”

“Haha. 4 dollars! I knew it all along. Is this enough?”

“No. Baek Dong. Baek Dong.”

“What? What is that?”

I don’t know what she’s talking about either.

“Hyungnim [term of respect for an older male]. Please translate.”

What is she saying? I don’t know either.

I’ll just roughly tell him.

“She said a hundred dollars. A hundred dollars. Since it’s Baek Dong, she said to pay a hundred dollars.”

“Hey. That doesn’t make sense.”

“Ah-ah!” Siha nodded.

Is that right?

That’s too much. A hundred dollars.

“She said it’s real?”

“Huh! Just a moment. I’ll go withdraw money from the ATM.”

“It’ll only be 700,000 won [approximately $530 USD] a day?”

“Is account transfer possible?”

“Siha. She’s asking if it’s possible to send Dong-geul [money] to the bank account?”

“No.”

“Hey. She said no.”

Baek Dong-hwan let out a troubled sigh.

That’s enough playing around. Let’s let him in now.

“Siha. Let’s open the door now.”

“Ah-ah. Baek Dong. Siha. 3 cheon-won [3,000 won, approximately $2.3 USD]. Do.”

“Siha is specially giving it to you for 3,000 won [approximately $2.3 USD].”

I said that and opened the door.

“Keuheuk. Siha. Thank you. You’re giving it to me for 3,000 won [approximately $2.3 USD] after all!”

“Ah-ah!”

Baek Dong didn’t seem to care, as if he had escaped from the clutches of 100 dollars earlier.

You were tricked. That’s how they sell it originally.

It was Baek Dong who fell for Siha’s sales skills.

No, it was Baek Dong-hwan.

“Wow. But Hyungnim [term of respect for an older male], don’t you have to sell all of this?”

As soon as he came in, he looked at me in surprise.

I was also a little embarrassed, but I thought I would sell it all someday.

“Well. I’ll sell it somehow.”

“Instead of that, how about doing this?”

“Are you saying you’ll buy it all for a hundred dollars?”

“No. That’s not what I’m saying.”

Siha quickly accepted my words.

“Baek Dong. Buy all?”

“No. I’m not buying it all…”

I was grateful to Baek Dong-hwan for accepting it so well anyway.

But I’m suddenly curious.

What is he saying to do?