Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 167

Heat possesses a truly enigmatic quality.

During a heated soccer match, emotions surge as if locked in mortal combat.

Yet, after the game, the spent energy cools the body, leaving a pleasant weariness in its wake.

The body aches, but the heart feels content.

A sense of camaraderie blossoms with teammates, forged in the shared struggle.

I only played for 30 minutes, but surprisingly, they spoke to me often simply because I was on the same team.

“Wow, that was a really nice assist earlier.”

“How about coming out to play more often?”

“You have a good shot. I like that you have some experience.”

They were simple words, yet their eyes conveyed genuine friendliness.

How many people neglect even a brief word of thanks?

I could tell they were quite fond of me.

“Hyung [older brother or male friend], is this a *Mogyeok* [Korean bathhouse]?”

“Yeah. This is a bathhouse. It’s also called a sauna.”

“Sauna? Ah! *Ssaeo* [fight]!”

“No. It’s not a place to fight.”

Seung-jun, removing his shoes beside me, chuckled and said,

“This is where elephants fight each other! *Siha* [Siha’s name]! Hahaha!”

“No. It’s not a place where elephants fight.”

Seung-jun’s words prompted the other club members to puff out their chests confidently.

What’s with that? Why do they all look so self-assured?

They must all be in good shape.

“I got a numbered tag here, so let’s put our shoes in. I asked for a lower shoe locker so *hyung* [older brother or male friend] can put you guys’ shoes in.”

We stowed our shoes and took the keys.

*Clunk, clunk.*

I jiggled my locker to ensure it was locked, and Siha and Seung-jun followed suit.

*Clunk, clunk.*

“Now, take this key and go inside. See the number written here?”

“Ah, ah.”

“Then read it.”

The numbers we received were 397, 398, and 399.

Siha glanced at the numbers and confidently declared,

“*Seo-i* [one]! *Gu* [nine]! *Chil* [seven]!”

Not three, nine, seven, but what is *Seo-i, gu, chil*?

Well, as long as he gets the gist.

“That’s called three hundred ninety-seven. Anyway, we need to find that number and move.”

“Ah, ah!”

“I’ll find it first.”

“Guys, don’t run. You’re not supposed to run here. Let’s walk.”

The two of them dashed inside.

They paused slightly at my words and began walking.

Tiptoeing.

They lifted their front feet and advanced cautiously, as if exploring.

You don’t have to walk like that, but I unconsciously mirrored the kids.

Tiptoeing.

The place we arrived at was a locker room, a veritable festival of numbers.

Siha and Seung-jun scanned the area, searching for their numbers.

“Wow. There are a lot.”

“Ah, ah. *Mana* [many].”

“Trust me. I’ve been to other places. You can see the numbers written up there. It starts with 3, so over there!”

“Ah, ah.”

Seung-jun took the lead, like a seasoned bathhouse veteran.

It was also my first time at a bathhouse with Siha.

“I found it! Here!”

“*Hyung* [older brother or male friend]! Hurry!”

“Yeah, I’m coming. You found it well. But Siha can’t reach?”

Odd numbers are on top. Even numbers are on the bottom.

Only Seung-jun, with number 398, could easily open his locker.

“Siha, let’s put it in together.”

“Thank you~”,

“Hehe.”

Maybe it’s better for the kids to put their clothes in together than for me to put the clothes in above.

I should put my bag in Siha’s locker, number 397.

We removed our clothes and fastened bracelets with keys to our wrists.

Seung-jun and Siha had such slender wrists that they pushed the bracelets up to their forearms.

Siha seemed to enjoy it, tapping the bracelet.

“Shall we go inside then?”

“Ah, ah.”

“Yeah.”

“First of all, there’s a lot of water on the floor, so you must never run. You’ll fall and get hurt. Got it?”

“Ah, ah.”

“Yeah.”

Did they really understand?

I’m very worried.

But they listened well when they came in, so I didn’t think they would run.

I’ll have to keep reminding them so they don’t forget.

‘The key is not to get them excited.’

If they’re too happy, they’ll forget their promises.

The kids didn’t know how to control the heat yet.

“Okay. Let’s go in. Go go.”

That’s how Siha discovered the tub for the first time.

He tentatively touched the water, then looked at me in surprise, exclaiming, “Hot!”

He slowly retreated and began glaring at the tub.

As if he had discovered an enemy.

“*Hyung* [older brother or male friend], *jjigae dae* [stew]?”

“Haha. *Jjigae* [stew] no. You have to wet your body like this and go in.”

As I soaked myself, Oh Sang-hwan approached, gesturing to Seung-jun, who stood apart from Siha.

“Oh my. It’s refreshing. Seung-jun, come quickly. It’s refreshing.”

“Liar! I know it’s not refreshing!”

The people in the bathhouse erupted in laughter.

The water temperature wasn’t refreshing, but the feeling of the muscles relaxing was.

‘I didn’t understand why people went into the bath and said it was refreshing when I was young either.’

Siha tilted his head at Oh Sang-hwan’s words.

I could roughly guess his thoughts.

Is it really refreshing? Was ‘hot’ a lie? Did I misunderstand?

He cautiously approached again and touched the water.

“Hot. *Syeon ahnya* [not refreshing]. *Syeon ahnya* [not refreshing].”

“Ahaha. It’s not refreshing.”

Siha quickly backed away.

But I couldn’t just leave him there.

I rose, grabbed a gourd, and sprinkled water on Siha.

It was the coolest spot in the bath, but it must have felt hot to Siha.

Or perhaps it was simply his first time in such a place.

“How is it? Is it hot?”

“*Anya* [no]. *Gaechanha* [okay].”

“Okay. Shall we go in now?”

“Ah, ah.”

“Put your feet in little by little. Got it?”

“*Ike* [like this]?”

“Yeah. Good job.”

Why are people staring and watching?

No, everyone, please take away your dad smiles and look somewhere else?

I’m getting embarrassed for no reason.

“*Hyung* [older brother or male friend]. *Ttatta hae* [warm].”

“Yeah. It’s warm, right? You’re all in.”

“Ah, ah.”

He sat on a one-step staircase, resembling a half bath, but Siha had to stand to submerge his whole body.

I continued to wet Siha with the gourd.

Before I knew it, Seung-jun was sitting right next to Siha.

“*Hyung* [older brother or male friend].”

“Yeah. It’s good, right?”

“*Syeonhae* [refreshing]~”,

“Puhuh.”

Everyone burst out laughing at Siha’s words.

I couldn’t help but chuckle because the child was already declaring it refreshing like an old man.

Three-year-old Lee Siha. He learns the coolness of the bathhouse.

He immediately puts what he learns into practice.

I handed Siha a small gourd that I had floated.

“Play with this. Here, Seung-jun too.”

“*Hyung* [older brother or male friend]. *Tteoh* [floating]!”

“Yeah.”

Seung-jun turned the gourd upside down.

“Siha, this is the UFO shoot. UFO.”

Isn’t it just UFO? Why add ‘shoot’?

I had to acknowledge Seung-jun’s love for soccer.

Siha wore a face that said, ‘What is a UFO?’

“Ahem. You’re having a hard time taking care of the kids.”

Mr. Kim from the department approached.

I guess he wanted to talk to me.

“It’s not hard at all. I’m learning quite a bit. It gives me strength. I think the moment I think it’s hard, the child will really become a burden.”

“Ahem. I didn’t mean it that way…….”

“Haha. I know. Just like a resolution? Something like that.”

“You can keep brainwashing yourself like that. But what department are you in now? Looking at your body, are you in sports?”

“Huh? Haha. No. I’m in the Korean literature department.”

“Liar. There’s no way someone with that body and soccer skills is in the Korean literature department.”

I scratched my head.

What am I supposed to do if it’s true?

Still, I feel like I’ve lost a lot of muscle.

I used to work out really hard.

Now I don’t have time. Time.

“So, do you just live with your younger sibling?”

“Yes.”

“Wow. It won’t be easy. Ah! I’m sorry if this story made you uncomfortable.”

“No. There’s nothing particularly uncomfortable. It’s the truth.”

Honestly, I was more uncomfortable with people being so careful.

We just ended up living together, and it’s an experience that anyone can have.

The only difference is that we had that period early.

I feel a little sorry that Siha experienced it too early.

Maybe she should have gone to the women’s bathhouse with her mother instead of the men’s bathhouse.

Thinking about that makes my nose tingle.

“Then you must be preparing for a job now. How about our company?”

“Huh? Ah. It’s good. Semiconductor company. But I’m working as a translator and interpreter now, so I’m going to think about getting a job at a company later.”

“Oh? Really? That’s amazing?”

“Well, even if I apply, it’ll be around my senior year? I’ll put it in around that time.”

“If you do some translation, apply here. Do you see Professor Oh Sang-hwan over there?”

Mr. Kim pointed to Oh Sang-hwan with his chin.

He was playing UFO with a gourd for Seung-jun and Siha.

The UFO sometimes goes into the water, and the kids like it when big bubbles come out because of the air.

It’s a good time for those bubbles.

“He’s very knowledgeable about the field. Of course, he’s a little behind on the latest technology. But he’s catching up. That’s because he keeps looking at that guy’s papers. He’ll probably be able to design even if he comes out to the field right away?”

“That’s amazing. He’s great.”

“He was a great guy. Anyway, if you’re thinking of going to graduate school, go under that guy. Even if you don’t go into design, having that level of expertise is an advantage for translation.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Of course. South Korea is currently holding the top spot in semiconductors. It was only second place a few years ago.”

I nodded at those words.

I never thought this era would come.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that smartphones opened a new era.

And the sensors and semiconductor parts in it.

It was a very important product.

“It’s okay when you’re in second place. You just have to follow.”

“That’s right.”

“But when you’re in first place, there are no more companies to catch up with. Then do you know what you have to do?”

“You have to protect it. That seat.”

“That’s right. To protect it like that, you have no choice but to change your management policy and sales policy. You have no choice but to hire new employees.”

“Oh!”

“That’s why we’re recruiting diverse talents. We’re also doing a lot of local hiring.”

“So you’re saying there will be a lot of need for translators?”

“Language is an advantage. Even if you’re not a translator, you can work in sales.”

I nodded.

I did translation, but in a way, I also did work that was a kind of sales.

‘Maybe the sales portion was higher?’

Anyway, after hearing this story, I thought it was worth playing in the soccer game.

If I really want to go to graduate school later, it might not be bad to go that way.

The problem is whether I can pass the exam.

In the first place, are there cases where someone from the Korean literature department enters the electronics department for graduate school?

Then Professor Oh Sang-hwan said.

“You can get in if you do well on the interview and the exam. Just do well on the exam. I’ll give you a good interview.”

“Ah. Thank you.”

I never imagined I would hear these words.

I thought he hated me a little, but that wasn’t the case?

Seung-jun said.

“Dad, but Si-hyeok *hyung* [older brother or male friend] was better at soccer.”

“What?! No. It’s not that Dad is a striker. Uh?! If I was on the opposing team with Si-hyeok *hyung* [older brother or male friend], I would have won!”

“Really?”

“That’s right. Really.”

“Then can Dad also do the UFO shoot?”

“Huh? Uh…. No. I can’t do the UFO shoot.”

I felt it before, but Oh Sang-hwan is the type who doesn’t lie.

Siha looked at me.

“*Hyung* [older brother or male friend]. UFO! Shoot. Can you do it?”

“Yeah. I can do the UFO shoot.”

Seung-jun chimed in.

“Wow. That’s awesome! Si-hyeok *hyung* [older brother or male friend] is the best!”

Oh Sang-hwan frowned and said.

“Have you seen ‘Tazza’ [Korean gambling movie]?”

“Yes. I saw it.”

“If you lie… you’ll… lose your wrist… huh?!”

That’s weird. A lot has been omitted, but I can understand it.

If you get caught lying, you’ll lose your wrist…….

“Ahem. Ah, it’s been a long time. Siha, let’s go rub your back.”

First, I ran away from that spot.