Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 19

As the time came, the children began to wake up one by one.

Siha also rubbed his eyes and woke up.

“Bro?”

“Yeah, it’s your bro.”

I waved my hand at Siha.

Siha widened his eyes and ran to me.

Slap.

He stuck to my leg and rubbed his face against it.

“Bro. Bro. Bro.”

“Yeah, it’s your bro.”

Siha looked up at me and raised his arms.

I lifted him up, and Siha bumped his head against my chest.

The constant calling of ‘Bro’ made the tip of my nose tingle.

Even though he didn’t say it, I knew he missed me a lot.

I stroked Siha’s head.

“Bro is here. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Aww.”

“Bro missed Siha a lot too.”

“Aww.”

“Let’s be together as much as we were apart today.”

“Aww. Bro. Bro.”

“Okay. Okay.”

Siha wasn’t okay.

He was holding back really well.

Thinking about it made me feel proud. I also felt sorry.

Maybe if his parents were here, this wouldn’t have happened.

I know that many people work double incomes, and many people leave their children from a young age like this.

But still.

I want to be by his side for a very long time.

“You won’t be too lonely because you have many good friends. And I’ll come often.”

“Aww.”

Moon Do-hwan, who was next to me, touched his nose.

“Anyone would think you met during wartime.”

“Hyung [older brother/male friend], do you not know the parenting war?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“When I see it, you’re the type to cry first when you have a child.”

“I’m not that emotional.”

“Then why do you keep wiping your nose?”

“Because I have a runny nose.”

“Seriously, gross. Gross.”

At the word ‘gross,’ Siha raised his head.

“Bro.”

“Yeah?”

Siha expressed something square with his hands.

“Ah. Tissue?”

“Aww.”

“Bro had it with him.”

I took out a box of tissues and gave it to Siha.

Siha pulled out a tissue and gave it to Moon Do-hwan.

“Tha, thank you.”

“Aww.”

“Our Siha is kind, right?”

“Yeah. He’s kind.”

Then the teacher said.

“Okay, everyone, now that you’ve slept, let’s clean up our sleeping areas!”

I looked at Siha.

“The kids are cleaning up their sleeping areas. Do you want to try it too, Siha?”

“Aww.”

Siha went and started cleaning up his sleeping area.

Everyone was clumsy, so the teacher helped them.

I watched the scene and helped Siha clean up.

Then Seung-joon said next to me.

“Bro. Me too!”

“Me too. Me too.”

“Oh? Okay.”

I helped Seung-joon and Hana.

Seung-joon and Hana seemed to like me, and they started clinging to my legs on both sides as soon as they finished cleaning up.

“Let’s play! Let’s play!”

“Me too! Me too!”

At that sight, Siha…

“Bro…”

…was looking at me with a sulky expression.

It’s kind of cute.

***

Wednesday, 1 PM.

It was Siha’s third day of daycare.

I finished the translation work yesterday and sent the first draft.

Considering that it takes a long time to review, I think I’ll hear back in at least a week.

Buzz buzz.

[Section Chief Hong Jin-soo]

“What? Already?”

I answered the phone with a bewildered expression.

“Yes. Hello.”

“Si-hyuk!”

Always a bright and loud voice.

“Yes. You received the manuscript well, right?”

“Of course. Of course. I received it so well that I stayed up all night reading it. I read it carefully, and oh my goodness!”

“Were there many mistakes? I sent it in a hurry.”

“There was nothing~ for me to do? I was impressed with Si-hyuk for reducing even the need for correction and proofreading. You were born to be an editor…”

“That’s not true. I’m glad there’s nothing to fix.”

“Yes. I’ll read this part a few more times and just look for typos. There were no issues with the direction or anything I didn’t understand. It seems like you coordinated well with the writer through emails.”

I felt embarrassed by this high praise.

This is good for both the editor and the translator.

Not having anything to fix means that neither of us has to put in too much effort.

“So, the first draft is the end? Section Chief Hong Jin-soo will take care of the rest?”

“Yes. I have to do well now. I’ll probably get the payment as soon as it’s reviewed. It’ll probably be paid every other day or at the end of the month.”

“Then, is it possible to do another translation?”

“Hehehe.”

I heard a villainous laugh in my ear.

Was it my imagination?

I felt uneasy.

“Si-hyuk probably knows how difficult it is to review original books.”

“Yes. I know.”

Usually, it’s very difficult for publishing houses to review all the original books.

The exact expression would be that the conditions are not right.

Before, I reduced 20 books to 5, and if the editor had reviewed all of them, the work would have been paralyzed.

“Eh. No way?”

“Yes. Our deputy manager was so grateful back then. But even though we’ve found someone, we don’t have time to review it.”

Publishing houses often commission reviews.

About 100,000 to 150,000 won per review.

‘Hmm. It seems like a lot of work…’

That’s because there were 20, so I could reduce it enough.

If it were tens of thousands of books, I would shake my head.

Even in Korea alone, there are 48,000 new books published, so how many foreign original books would there be?

“I’ll refuse that.”

“I knew you would refuse. So, how about translating Korean into English?”

“Pardon?”

“You know Teacher Taek-soo that I mentioned before. I was wondering if we could publish his work in English overseas.”

“Martial arts?”

“It’s surprisingly popular.”

“Isn’t that in dramas or movies? Wouldn’t it be better to translate it into Chinese and serialize it?”

“That’s not easy.”

Then something flashed in my head.

The numerous original Chinese martial arts books.

The meanings and interpretations that changed when they came to Korean martial arts.

They flashed through my mind in an instant, and I opened my mouth without realizing it.

“Could it be because of the different expressions and concepts, such as the words and meanings of ‘亲传弟子’ (qīn chuán dìzǐ, direct disciple) and ‘嫡传弟子’ (dí chuán dìzǐ,嫡传弟子) used in China, or the expression of internal energy absorption as ‘養氣’ (yǎng qì, nourishing qi)? Are these word expressions and concepts divided, and that’s why?”

“…”

“Hello?”

The silence suddenly became so long that I thought the call had been disconnected.

I checked, and the call was still going on?

“Hello? Can you hear me? Section Chief?”

“Can I ask you just one thing?”

“Yes. Anything.”

“Si-hyuk. Where have you been all this time!”

Why is he suddenly like this?

***

The call ended with the suggestion to translate into Chinese.

I felt very tired.

Should I sign this contract as it is?

Anyway, it’s good to have work.

As I stretched in the empty lecture room, the department head, Seo Soo-hyun, opened the door and came in.

“Si-hyuk oppa [older brother – term of endearment used by females].”

“Huh? Ah, Soo-hyun. Is there a lecture here today? I’m leaving, so just a moment.”

“No. There isn’t?”

“Really? I was going to leave anyway because it was time.”

Looking at the time, it was already past 2 PM.

It was a little early, but I thought I could go see Siha.

“Just a moment. We were supposed to have a meeting with our team today.”

“Huh? When?”

“Oppa. Didn’t you hear it during the lecture? No wonder. You were blankly thinking about something else, right?”

Today, I was thinking about what to feed Siha for dinner.

“Th, that’s right?”

What should I do? I promised Siha that I would come at 3 o’clock…

I scratched my head and looked at Seo Soo-hyun.

“But what time was it?”

“We were supposed to do it at 4:45. We were going to eat after the meeting.”

“Why don’t I remember? Didn’t you talk about it in a personal chat?”

“Do you want to get hit personally?”

Seo Soo-hyun raised her fist.

“Ahem. Just kidding. Just kidding. But what should I do? I have to take Siha.”

“Ah, that 3-year-old sibling?”

“Yeah. You didn’t see him at the funeral hall, did you?”

“No. I think I saw him. I think there was someone holding a baby…”

“That’s not seeing him. Anyway, I promised to take him. If it’s not too much of a disturbance, can I bring my sibling to the meeting?”

“Well, it doesn’t matter. Everyone knows oppa’s situation. I’ll tell the kids.”

“Ah, really? I’d be grateful if you did.”

“Of course.”

As expected, the department head is a good kid.

Is that why they become the department head?

But there’s one question I have.

“But why did you come to the empty lecture room? There’s no lecture, and it’s not time for the meeting yet.”

“I just came because I saw oppa.”

“Really? It wasn’t a big deal?”

“But I’m glad I came. I can’t believe you forgot.”

“Ahem.”

“Since it’s like this, I’ll make a group chat in advance. I should have made it earlier.”

“Okay. Invite me.”

“Okay. Then I’ll see you at the library study room. You know where the study room is, right?”

“Even if I’m an outsider, I know that.”

“Oppa’s not an outsider, is he?”

“Then?”

“A super outsider…”

“Hey!”

Seo Soo-hyun smiled and left the room.

I just smiled softly.

“Oppa, smile like that more often. Show some reaction. Anyway, you’re too serious. Let’s live happily.”

“Thanks for worrying about me.”

“What? I’m not.”

Seo Soo-hyun left.

I packed my bag and headed to the daycare.

I watched Siha sleeping, picked him up, and came back home.

“Siha. We’re going to the school library today.”

“Aww.”

“There’s a study room there. You have to play quietly today. Okay? You’re usually quiet anyway. Oh, right. Let’s draw with this.”

The reason I came home was to get the tablet.

Siha uses it often these days, so I thought it would be good to let him draw here.

If it gets too long, I’ll have to finish the meeting quickly somehow.

“I’ve packed everything now. Let’s go, Siha.”

“Aww.”

I came back to school with Siha.

When I entered the library, there were two paths.

“That’s the path to the building with books, and that’s the path to the reading room. The study room is also over there.”

Kangin University Library had two connected buildings. One building was literally a library.

Books were piled up.

The other place was a building full of desks.

The first floor was like a passage connecting the two buildings.

“You have to scan your student ID to enter here. Do you want to try it, Siha?”

“Aww.”

You have to scan the barcode like a subway ticket gate to enter.

External people had to fill out an application and receive a card to enter.

I turned on the Kangin University app and displayed the QR code.

Siha held the phone with both hands and scanned the code.

Beep.

The small door blocking us opened, and we went inside.

“Let’s see. Was it 3-C room?”

Hugging Siha in my side, I went up to the 3rd floor.

“Bro.”

Siha wiggled his arms and legs in the air.

Flapping.

He was insisting that he could climb the stairs too.

“Yeah. Siha can climb too. Of course. But we’re a little in a hurry? So let’s go quickly.”

“Aww.”

I quickly came up to the 3rd floor and witnessed a strange sight in the lounge.

“Please go now.”

It was Seo Soo-hyun’s voice.

“You’re having a meeting, right? I can help you.”

“What can sunbae [senior] help with? You’re the opposing team this time.”

“I mean I can help with the meal.”

It’s a bit of a bad timing to just pass by.

We know each other.

I peeked out and saw a man.

‘It’s my classmate.’

I didn’t remember his name.

I didn’t get close to anyone in the first year.

Seo Soo-hyun said.

“You don’t have to buy us food. Sunbae [senior].”

“Really? Then I can’t help it. Oh, right. You’re taking the Literature and Region lecture this time, right? I have the exam information. Let’s study together during the exam period…”

Then Siha said.

“Bro.”

“Yeah?”

At that word, the two looked outside.

I felt awkward hiding, so I walked forward as if I was passing by naturally.

“Oh? Soo-hyun.”

“Si-hyuk oppa!”

Seo Soo-hyun ran to me with eyes that said I came at the right time.

“Why are you outside?”

“We were just talking. It’s all over.”

The classmate I didn’t know came out with a stiff face.

Why? What?

The classmate said.

“Soo-hyun. Let’s talk later. I have a lot of exam information for you. Contact me anytime you need help.”

As Seo Soo-hyun was about to answer, Siha opened his mouth.

“Don’t wanna go~”

“Pfft!”

I burst out laughing at that word.

The classmate’s face was very red.