Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 223

Current score: One strike.

I hoped he wouldn’t miss every time.

With that slight anxiety, I carefully explained it to Siha.

“It’s not about watching the ball go by and then hitting it, but swinging right as it arrives.”

Siha nodded, looking confident.

*Good. Now he seems like he’ll swing at the right time.*

“Okay, Seungjun, throw it.”

“Siha, here it comes!”

“Ah-ah!”

Seungjun threw the ball.

The ball nestled into the glove as Siha swung.

Whiff.

“Strike!”

“Huh?”

“Hehe. You need to swing a bit faster.”

“Siha know.”

Siha could feel it too.

Oh Seungjun, 3rd pitch.

He threw the ball. Siha’s bat went forward – faster than the ball!

Whiff! Thwack!

“Strike! Strikeout!”

“Huh?”

*Why isn’t he hitting it?*

That was the look on his face.

Of course, it was because he swung too early, and he inevitably struck out.

“Hahaha. Siha, do your best.”

“Siha know. Know it.”

*Does he really know now?*

With that in mind, another rematch took place.

He really seemed to get the feel for it and started hitting the ball.

Thud.

Maybe because the ball wasn’t hard, the sound was muffled.

“Agh! I hit, I hit it!”

Seungjun covered his head.

But he had a smile on his face; he didn’t seem upset.

It was amazing that he could make that face while competing.

“Should Siha try pitching next?”

“Ah-ah!”

Siha and Seungjun switched places.

The glove and bat were exchanged.

Perhaps because Seungjun showed him first.

Siha’s stance to the side looked plausible.

*Well, we’ll only know once he throws.*

“Hyung. Sign. Sign.”

“Okay. I got it.”

I diligently held up three fingers.

Siha crouched down and watched.

*Is that okay? Well, it already feels very different from a normal baseball game, so I decided to let them do whatever they wanted.*

“Hyung. This?”

Siha held up three fingers.

*Siha, are you sure? What if you give it all away?*

“Siha, that’s a secret.”

“Ah-ah. Secret.”

“No, what’s the point of saying it’s a secret out loud…?”

“Puhaha! Siha is telling everything.”

Seungjun found it so funny that he used the bat as a cane, unable to support himself as he laughed.

But there was no need to worry about it because those three fingers didn’t mean anything anyway.

*Let’s just move on.*

Siha is just being honest.

“Siha, throw it now.”

“Ah-ah.”

Siha lifted one foot and gently placed it down.

Then he swung his arm and threw with a whoosh.

Floating, floating.

It was a ball that came slowly with that kind of feeling.

“Ah! Too slow!”

Seungjun swung his bat early, anticipating the unexpected speed.

Thwack.

“Strike! That’s a slow ball! Good job, Siha.”

“Huh?”

He had a look that said, ‘What’s that?’ but anyway, it’s a slow ball. That’s how I took it.

“That’s a slow ball!”

Seungjun had a look on his face that said, ‘Siha threw such an amazing ball!’

“Seungjun, that’s the power of the sign. That’s why the catcher is important.”

“Wow. Catchers are the best.”

Of course, the sign doesn’t actually mean anything.

I handed the ball to Siha and said.

“Siha, now throw it fast.”

“Ah-ah.”

He went back to his position and got ready.

Siha threw the ball with all his might.

Thwack!

Maybe he put too much force into it, but the ball left his hand too quickly.

The ball arced through the sky and fell.

Seungjun didn’t expect this kind of ball to come, so he just stared at it.

Still, the ball reached the catcher.

Thud.

“Ball!”

It was way out of the strike zone.

But I gave him praise.

“Siha, you’re already using a forkball [a type of pitch where the ball drops suddenly].”

“Wow! Siha, is that a forkball?”

Actually, a real forkball isn’t like this, but anyway.

“Alright, alright. It’s still one strike. You need to make three strikes for Seungjun to be out. Got it?”

“Ah-ah. Three strike.”

“Well, yeah, that’s right.”

The game continued, but Siha’s immense power couldn’t handle the ball, and wild pitches followed.

Seungjun scored a lot of points with walks [when a batter advances to first base after the pitcher throws four balls outside the strike zone].

Surprisingly, Siha seemed to be enjoying it.

While they were playing, Professor Oh Sanghwan came.

“Are you all having fun?”

“Yes. Seungjun is winning.”

“Oh! Really? Haha! He takes after me and is good at sports.”

“Haha. That’s right. His athletic ability is no joke.”

Professor Oh Sanghwan shrugged his shoulders, pleased.

With his arms crossed.

“But Sihyuk, which team are you on?”

“I’m on both teams. The catcher belongs to both teams.”

“That’s quite a masterpiece. Don’t worry, kids. Now that your dad is here, there are two catchers. Shall we fight properly as a team?”

At those words, Siha asked.

“Hyung. Catcher Red fight? Who Red do?”

“Ah… yeah. The catchers fight over who gets to be Red too. The winner gets to be Red.”

Oh Sanghwan made a face that said, ‘What kind of strange talk is this?’ at my explanation.

I chuckled at the sight.

He was still a beginner in Siha language.

“Then shall we make teams within the family? Haha.”

And so, the Siha Hyung team and the Seungjun Dad team were formed.

The children’s game went the same way as before.

But the adults’ match remained.

“I’m not going to go easy on you. Got it?”

“Yes.”

Hitter Oh Sanghwan, pitcher Lee Sihyuk.

The children couldn’t be catchers, so they cheered from a little further away.

“Hyung! Fighting!”

“Dad! Win!”

At Seungjun’s cheer, Oh Sanghwan’s grip on the bat tightened.

I couldn’t lose either.

If I gave up a point here, the game would end in complete defeat.

I also wanted to show him a cool *hyung’s* [older brother figure’s] *moseup* [appearance/side].

“Here I go.”

“Okay.”

I threw the ball with all my heart.

Whoosh!

Hitting the fence behind for a strike.

Professor Oh Sanghwan just watched.

“Not bad, huh?”

“Haha. Yes. Well. Here I go again.”

This time, a slow ball with a little less power.

Thinking about the previous speed, the bat moved and then stopped.

“Two strikes.”

“Hmm hmm.”

I throw the ball again.

This time, he swung the bat, and with a thwack, he hit it properly.

At the same time as Seungjun shouted, ‘Wow!’, the ball flew towards my face, and I reflexively caught it.

Thwack!

“Huh? It’s out.”

“Gasp! Are you okay?”

“Ah, yes. I’m okay. I probably would have been okay even if it hit me. Because it’s not a hard ball.”

“That’s true, but… hmm hmm. Ah, can’t I score a point like this?”

“Haha.”

But strangely, the two children were quiet.

When I looked over there, Siha and Seungjun were staring with wide eyes.

“Hyung. Cool…”

“Wow. Sihyuk hyung is the best.”

Maybe they thought it was cool to reflexively catch the flying ball.

Oh Sanghwan was looking at me with envious eyes at the children’s reaction.

Hahaha. I didn’t intend it, but this is quite awkward?

***

The baseball game ended in a 1-1 tie, finishing on a heartwarming note.

While sitting down, cooling off, and drinking water, I got a call on my phone.

I checked who it was.

[Bell Pro Gamer]

I was surprised to get a call after so long.

*What’s going on?*

“Hello.”

“Yes, hello. Sihyuk hyung.”

“Oh, hey. Aren’t you busy these days? Why are you calling?”

“Ah, hyung. You’re not interested in me. I recently lifted the Guns Cup. We swept all the overseas teams.”

“Oh, really? Sorry. I’ve been out of it lately.”

“It ended the day before *P빼빼로 Day* [Pepero Day, a Korean holiday similar to Valentine’s Day where people exchange Pepero snacks], so there should have been a lot of articles about it.”

“Ah… I didn’t watch the news because I was making and handing out *P빼빼로s* [Pepero snacks] at that time.”

“Well, I guess that can happen. It’s not a big deal.”

“No, it’s definitely a big deal to lift the championship cup in an overseas competition. The prize money there is no joke.”

“Haha!”

I could see Bell’s happy face over the phone.

They were originally the strongest team, but I didn’t expect them to lift the championship cup again this time.

“Anyway, congratulations.”

“Wow, but aren’t you going to give me *P빼빼로s* [Pepero snacks]?”

“Should I send you a gift certificate now?”

“Haha. I’m just kidding. Just kidding. Oh, right! I got a vacation.”

“Oh. Congratulations. Rest well.”

As I was about to hang up, he urgently stopped me.

“Ah, wait, wait. Actually, I’m a huge baseball fan that even the fans know about. Our team is affiliated with NM. You know NM has a baseball team, right?”

“Yeah. I know.”

“Then that’s great. Would you like to go see a baseball game together?”

“Huh? Baseball? Isn’t the season all over now?”

Considering that it usually ends in late October or early November, the players’ break begins.

“The season is over, but there’s a special friendly game. Even kids are participating.”

“Huh?”

“There’s a Little League team that NM sponsors, and they said the kids and players are having a game. I’m going to see the players rather than the game, so I got permission from that side.”

“Ah, I see.”

“But you and Siha were the first people I thought of. I thought it would be nice to go together.”

“But will Siha enjoy it?”

“They might not be the same age, but wouldn’t they enjoy watching the *hyungs* [older brothers/mentors] play baseball? And we can eat delicious food while watching.”

“Oh…”

It’s a little tempting.

This kind of opportunity isn’t easy to come by. And when I think about it, it seems like only people involved can see it.

They’re not selling tickets or anything.

*Well, who would pay to watch this game?*

No, there are people like Bell, so they might pay to see the players.

“I’ll ask Siha first. Siha, NM is having a baseball game, would you like to go see it? Real players and *hyungs* [older brothers/mentors] a little bigger than Siha are playing.”

“Huh? Game?”

“Yeah. You can watch them play baseball and eat delicious food.”

“Siha go. Go with hyung.”

“Yeah, of course, hyung will go with you.”

Seungjun, who was next to me, sparkled his eyes and stuck close to my shoulder.

Huh? What is this?

“Sihyuk hyung. Me too! Me too! Me too!”

“Huh? Wait a minute.”

I asked Bell if I could bring one more person, but he said he might be bringing about five people already.

What? Is there anyone else to bring?

I thought about it and asked, but he said he just likes to speak generously, so he said that.

He knows how to make a deal.

“Excuse me, Professor. Can I take Seungjun with me?”

“Ah, of course. Can I go too?”

“Yes. He says it’s okay.”

Five people, so that’s the perfect number.

I said to Bell.

“He says it’s okay. Oh, wait. I didn’t ask the date. When is it?”

“Ah, tomorrow.”

“What? Tomorrow?”

“Yes! I heard about it today, so I asked if I could go right away. Haha!”

“I see. Well, tomorrow is Sunday, so it doesn’t matter.”

When I looked at Oh Sanghwan, he made a circle as if to say it was okay.

It seemed like this same group would be going.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow. Please send me the location and time via text.”

“Yes!”

The call ended.

Siha grabbed my shoulder and shook it.

“Hyung. Go see baseball?”

“Yeah. You said you were going to see it earlier.”

“Siha. Do baseball?”

“Huh?”

Why is that transitioning into Siha doing baseball?

We definitely had the same conversation, right?

Seungjun, who was next to me, got excited.

“Awesome! Siha, let’s have special training. Special training!”

“Ah-ah!”

“Siha will be the catcher. I’ll be the pitcher.”

“Ah-ah!”

The two of them went without listening to my answer and took their positions.

Siha tapped his hand in the glove, signaling to throw.

With his adorable hand, he held up two fingers and then three fingers.

Seungjun nodded as he watched.

“Hyung. Siha do hyung.”

“Yeah. You’re doing great like hyung.”

Seungjun shouted, ‘I’m throwing!’ and threw the ball.

Siha stood still, and the ball went right in.

He makes a surprised expression.

He jumps up.

“Hyung. Siha did!”

“Yeah. Good job. But Siha, you two won’t be able to play the game there?”

“Why?”

“Haha. Because the *hyungs* [older brothers/mentors] a little bigger than Siha will be throwing there. It’s called Little League, and only the people there play the game.”

Downcast.

Seungjun also had a disappointed look on his face.

“I can do well too.”

“Siha too!”

“We’d win if we were a team!”

“Siha too!”

Even if the two of them were a team, wouldn’t they lose to the Little League team?

They would have learned professionally.

Then Siha said as if he had a good idea.

“Hyung! Siha too. Siha too. Team. Can do baseball.”

“Huh?”

Siha pointed to me, Seungjun, and himself.

“Thunder Three. Thunder Three.”

“Thunder Three club, you mean.”

“Ah-ah!”

Siha confidently said, sticking out his stomach as if he was right.

*Siha, this isn’t the Little League team, it’s the soccer club… You didn’t forget, did you?*

Of course, we played baseball today.

Seungjun next to him said, ‘That’s right! We’re a team too!’

*Seungjun? You didn’t forget about soccer, did you?*

I looked at Professor Oh Sanghwan, feeling embarrassed for no reason.

“The weather is really nice.”

I realized that his skill of feigning ignorance wasn’t something he picked up overnight.