Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 215

Bright yellow ginkgo leaves lay scattered, resembling rugby balls. Their density piqued the children’s curiosity, making them wonder what they were seeing.

Siha proudly announced, “Kimchi Fried Rice.”

“??”

Gently grasping the end of the arc formed by the leaves, he folded it in half.

It was folded once towards the central axis.

Revealed inside was a red maple leaf, shaped into a circle.

However, perhaps to accurately represent the ‘fried’ aspect of the rice, it was torn into shreds beyond recognition.

Instead of tape, glue was used to simulate the sticky texture of kimchi fried rice.

The leaves displayed a mix of black and orange hues, creating a diverse range of red tones.

The teacher exclaimed,

“Wow! Is that yellow part supposed to be an omelet? You cut it in half and spread it out?”

Siha nodded.

Instead of depicting it as a single, flat picture, he cleverly showed the omelet spreading over the kimchi fried rice.

The children clapped their hands, genuinely impressed by his creativity.

Seungjun jumped up, excitedly exclaiming,

“Wow! It really looks like kimchi fried rice! Siha, it looks so delicious!”

“Mom cuts and spreads the omelet just like that! It’s exactly the same!”

Simple, yet remarkably expressive.

Siha’s ingenuity shone through in his use of tape to represent the folded part of the omelet.

Jongsu, feeling defeated, squeezed his eyes shut, forced to acknowledge Siha’s superior creation.

The teacher calmed the chattering children and announced,

“Alright! Now, I’ll announce who will receive the special snack!”

Before anyone realized it, the teacher was holding cue cards.

“Let’s see. This contest combines text message votes and on-site reaction scores.”

The children tilted their heads, confused.

Seungjun asked Hana, “Did you text vote?” but she replied, “No? Did Mom do it?”

No one had sent in a text vote.

The teacher cleared her throat, shamelessly drawing the children’s attention.

“Hidden judge scores are also included. Now, I’ll announce it. The person who will receive the special snack is…”

“Is…”

“Congratulations, Lee Siha!”

“Huh?”

“Please come forward. Let’s hear a word from you.”

The teacher held a toy microphone to Siha’s mouth.

Siha pondered what to say, then nodded.

“Made this. Give to Hyung.”

“Ooh. He says he’s giving this picture to Sihyuk Hyung. Thank you. Now, Director! Please give the special snack.”

The director smiled and entered, carrying a gourd [a dried fruit often used as a container] on her head.

She kept it hidden from view.

She scanned the children with her eyes and then placed the gourd down.

Inside were steaming hot roasted sweet potatoes.

Siha reached out slightly, then widened his eyes.

“What’s this? Hot.”

“That’s called roasted sweet potato. But Siha, you didn’t even touch it?”

“Siha knows. Hot.”

“Ah. You know without even touching it. You’re a genius?”

“Ah. Siha Hyung now.”

“You know everything because you’re a hyung now. I see.”

The teacher felt inexplicably proud of him.

She understood Siha’s words perfectly today.

“Sweet potato many. Many.”

“Yes. There are a lot.”

“Siha eat all this?”

“Yes. Siha has to eat it all.”

“Ah.”

Siha looked at the other children.

They were swallowing hard, clearly wanting some.

“Siha can’t eat all this. Together. Eat together.”

Smiles bloomed on the children’s faces.

The teacher and the director seemed to have anticipated Siha’s generosity, as they brought out cups and juice.

The reason they provided so much was precisely so it could be shared.

No matter who received the snack, this amount was meant to be divided.

“Okay. It’s too hot, so don’t touch it right away. The teacher will cool it down a bit.”

Wearing gloves, she split the sweet potatoes in half.

She peeled them by turning them around and wrapped them in newspaper before handing them to the children.

“It’s very hot, so you have to blow on it a lot.”

The children were eager to eat but had no choice but to cool the sweet potatoes first.

Hooh, hooh.

A moment for everyone to blow air together.

It had only been 10 seconds, but Seungjun, unable to resist any longer, bit into it with his mouth wide open.

“Ah, it’s hot!”

“The teacher told you it was hot. Hot hot hot, hot hot hot, hot. Now, let’s not forget to sing together. This is a famous song. Everyone’s heard it, right?”

The children tilted their heads at the sudden song selection.

‘What is that song?’ their faces seemed to ask.

The teacher looked dejected.

Only the director patted her on the shoulder in consolation.

“I know it well because I used to go to concerts back then.”

“Ah, not me. I actually don’t know it well.”

“Teacher Yoo Dahee! Peel the sweet potatoes quickly!”

“Yes!”

Only unnecessary wounds were inflicted on each other.

Siha, oblivious to the antics of the two adults, was solely focused on the sweet potato.

He poked the air with his hand towards the sweet potato.

“Hot!”

“Siha, you didn’t even touch it.”

“No. Hot.”

“I think you can eat it now?”

“Teacher. Hot. If hot, eat cold. Eat milk. Milk.”

Siha slurped down his milk.

The teacher stared in disbelief.

‘Right. If it’s hot, it’s right to drink cold milk. But Siha, you haven’t even eaten it yet?’

“Delicious.”

“The milk?”

“Ah ah.”

Siha didn’t honestly say the sweet potato was delicious.

Now that it had cooled down, he bit into the sweet potato with his mouth wide open.

The soft texture and sweet taste enveloped his mouth.

When he felt a little choked, he drank some milk.

“Delicious!”

The children also ate the sweet potatoes diligently alongside Siha.

Everyone was satisfied with the special snack time.

***

In the end, I ended up skipping the lecture.

I was plagued by too many random thoughts and couldn’t focus on my work, but I shook it off and started working little by little.

As I concentrated on the task at hand, progress went smoothly.

Then, as the time to pick up Siha drew nearer, the events of the day kept replaying in my mind.

“Haa.”

‘Can I go like this?’

I examined my face on the phone screen.

Were there any lingering traces of crying? Was I wearing a dark expression? Did I look the same as usual?

After scrutinizing my reflection for a long time, I finally started walking towards the daycare center.

I missed Siha.

I don’t know how many times I had that thought today.

I hesitated to go.

After what felt like an eternity, I finally arrived at the daycare at quitting time to pick him up.

I opened the door.

“Siha, Hyung’s here.”

When I called out in front of the shoe rack, he peeked his face out from the room.

“Hyung!”

“Yeah.”

Siha was about to come out but made a U-turn and went back inside.

It seemed like he was trying to get his bag.

But what Siha held in his hand was not a bag but a sketchbook.

He ran to me and clung to my leg.

“Hyung. Siha picture.”

“You drew a picture?”

“No. Made it. Cooked.”

“Oh! You cooked?”

It seemed like he had created a dish in the sketchbook.

I could figure this out like a ghost [easily and intuitively].

“Hyung. This!”

Siha opened the sketchbook and showed it to me.

Yellow ginkgo leaves were prominently displayed.

I looked closely, wondering what it was, and noticed folded parts, so I lifted it up.

Beneath were finely cut maple leaves.

Then I seemed to understand what it was.

“Kimchi fried rice? And an omelet on top?”

“Hyung knew?”

“Of course, Siha made it, so I knew. Wow. Our Siha made it really well? How did you make this?”

“Siha did it like this.”

“Really?”

“Hyung. Eat. Eat this. Siha made it.”

“Where should I ‘eat’ the food Siha made?”

I made a slurping sound and pretended to eat it with my hand.

Siha asked curiously.

“Hyung. Delicious?”

“Yeah.”

“Hyung. Get energy?”

“…Yeah. I have energy. Thank you.”

He wasn’t asking because he knew anything was wrong, but his words were incredibly touching today.

Siha raised his hand.

He reached out towards me, who was squatting, and stroked my cheek.

“Hyung. Okay?”

“Huh?”

“Okay?”

“Why?”

“Are you sick?”

“No.”

I grabbed Siha’s hand and rubbed it against my cheek.

I felt a small but comforting warmth.

Was it because the sun was setting outside and the chilly weather had made my cheeks cold?

This small hand felt incredibly soothing.

‘That’s enough.’ With that thought in mind, I said to Siha.

“I’m okay now.”

“Huh?”

“I feel so much better seeing Siha.”

A smile spread across my face.

Unlike before, it was a genuine smile, free of pretense.

I realized I had hesitated for no reason. I felt so much better when I saw him like this. What was I so afraid of that I couldn’t bring myself to get close?

Even if I tried to hide it, everything would eventually be revealed, so why did I even try?

Everything naturally resolved itself when I was with Siha.

“Siha did good?”

“Pfft. You did really good. You even made rice for Hyung.”

“Siha make again.”

“Hehe. Yeah. Make it again.”

There was no more confusion.

The daily life I was protecting had a clear form and was a precious treasure.

That was enough.

Even if I tried to control my mind, it was only human to waver.

The tree was telling me that if I persevered, this too would pass.

Even if the leaves fell and I was stripped bare, I just needed to firmly plant my roots.

I had made up my mind.

Those roots were only Siha.

‘Let’s not collapse.’ The warmth of this hand conveyed that message.

Until this small hand that I was holding grew bigger than mine someday, I would do well… very well… persevere… Don’t give up.

“Siha, shall we go home?”

“Ah ah!”

Siha was about to put on his shoes.

I took off my shoes.

“Huh?”

“Aren’t you going to get Pepe’s bag?”

“Ah ah! Pepe!”

Holding my hand, he ran towards the penguin bag.

***

The next day.

I couldn’t open my eyes easily.

My body felt heavy.

It wasn’t because Siha was already awake. It just felt like gravity was pulling me down more than usual today.

My body was shivering.

Was it a delayed reaction from the emotional turmoil of yesterday? Or was it because I had spent some time hesitating outside in the cold?

A virus must have invaded my body, taking advantage of my weakened state.

“Ugh.”

I barely managed to open my eyes, but my body ached all over.

I thought I had a body ache.

I usually had a stronger constitution than this, but it had been a while since I had felt this way.

Siha was… still sleeping.

Looking at the time, it was only 5 AM.

I dragged my heavy body out of bed and took out some medicine.

I didn’t want to take it on an empty stomach, so I poured water over some leftover rice and ate it quickly.

“Hoo.”

My body felt dizzy.

I had made a firm decision yesterday, but it was almost comical that I was in this state so soon after.

I took a mask from the medicine cabinet in the drawer.

I had to be careful not to pass the cold on to Siha while we were sleeping together.

‘Blanket.’

I couldn’t sleep in the same space as him.

Looking inside the room, I saw that Siha had my blanket tucked behind his back and was covering himself with his own blanket.

I had no idea how we ended up sleeping like that.

I was afraid he might wake up if I tried to take it away, so I only grabbed a pillow and took out a new blanket.

‘I’ll be okay when I wake up.’

The hospital probably wasn’t open yet either.

I didn’t think I needed to go to the emergency room.

I rolled myself up in the blanket in the living room and closed my eyes.

“Cough.”

Whether it was because my body was feverish or because the floor was warm, my damp hair felt sticky and uncomfortable.

But it was too difficult to move, so I ignored it and tried to fall asleep.

My vision went dark.

When I regained consciousness, the situation had not improved at all.

My body was still heavy, and I was sweating unpleasantly.

“Hyung.”

I tried to open my eyes at Siha’s voice.

But I only managed to lift them to a squint.

“Ugh. Siha, don’t come close.”

“Hyung. Okay?”

“Hyung. It’s a cold. Go somewhere else. Hyung. I’ll get up soon…….”

“Hyung. Not okay. Not okay.”

“No. I’ll be fine in a bit.”

I tried to move to get up, but I slumped back down.

Siha, surprised by what he saw, made a small, gasping sound.

‘Don’t worry. I’ll get up when I feel better.’

I just couldn’t control my body because I had barely woken up and had a cold, but I would be able to go to the hospital if I came to my senses.

That’s when it happened.

The phone rang.

Siha ran to the phone and answered it.

“Hey! What happened? I heard you didn’t go to the lecture yesterday either. And you’re not coming today. The professor told me? Is something big going on? Hello?”

It was Moon Dohwan.

Siha said,

“Moon Do….”

“Huh?! Siha? Where’s Hyung?”

Siha said in a tearful voice.

“Hyung. Collapsed…. Face hurt…….”

“What?! Collapsed? Face hurt?! Where are you?!”

“Home…. Moon Do quickly.”

“I’ll be right there!”

Click. The phone hung up.

‘Hey. Siha. If you say it like that, they’ll misunderstand……. No, it’s not wrong…. But it’s not that bad…….’