Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 236

Clang, clang.

The lock and key didn’t match.

Even though I shouted from inside that it wouldn’t work, Siha diligently tried the key.

“Ah?”

“Siha, I don’t think this is the right key.”

Luna quickly went to find another key after seeing that it didn’t work.

However, persistent Siha didn’t give up and continued to try.

But of course, it didn’t work.

“This isn’t it.”

Yeah. It was obvious a long time ago that it wasn’t the right one.

In the meantime, Luna returned with a key, but it also failed.

The two of them set off on another journey to find the right key.

There are 5 keys left.

I quietly followed Siha, watching what he was doing.

“Where is it? Hyung [older brother or male friend]. Where is it?”

“If Hyung tells you, there’s no point in hiding it.”

“No. Hyung. Hint. Hint.”

“Oh! You know the word ‘hint’?”

“Ah ah!”

I pondered slightly.

How should I give a hint? I have to give one that’s not too difficult, and not too easy.

Hmm. I can’t think of anything, so let’s just give one.

“The hint is a tree. Tree.”

“Tree!”

Siha ran to the place where the tree was.

He searched diligently around it, but not finding it, he touched the tree.

“Tree. Where is it? Tell me?”

Suddenly, he starts talking to the tree.

How can he talk when it doesn’t even have a mouth? Anyway, it’s an unexpected direction.

That’s why it’s more fun.

“It’s not here! Ah ah! Siha knows too.”

“Pfft.”

“Is it in the pocket?”

Siha slightly touched where the bark was peeled off the tree.

Expressing the tree’s wound as a pocket. He’s really amazing.

“It’s not here. Did the tree lie?”

He gave the tree a little smack and started looking elsewhere.

The tree lied. In fact, it can’t even talk, so it must be frustrated and unfair.

Since it’s not on the big trees, he turned his attention to the small trees.

Then, following Siha’s gaze, he found the key hanging on a branch.

“Found it!”

I thought he would find it soon, but it seems he couldn’t see it well.

It was nearby, but he was scolding an innocent tree.

If the tree had a mouth, wouldn’t it say, ‘Judge! I’m so wronged!’?

“Hyung. This is it. This.”

“Okay. Shall we see if that’s right?”

Siha ran to the lock and inserted the key.

Click. The lock opened as if the real key was right.

“Luna noona [older sister or female friend]!! Siha found it! It’s open!”

“Huh?”

Luna approached Siha, guessing what he meant.

“Great! Siha! Awesome! Good job!”

“Thank you. Thank you.”

Siha put his hands on his waist and stuck out his stomach, proud.

Luna poked Siha’s belly button with her finger.

“Ah?”

He grabbed his stomach in an instant and stepped back.

Luna had a look on her face that said, ‘Was this not it?’

What are you guys doing?

“Luna noona. Let’s open it.”

The piggy bank is finally opened.

Inside was a printed paper.

I had printed out a gift certificate and put it in beforehand.

“What is this?”

“What is this?”

I chuckled.

“It’s a coupon for a cake if you go to this ice cream shop.”

“Really?”

“Really?”

It’s like there are two Siha’s.

But when I looked closely, I suspected that Luna was understanding most of it.

When I think about it, if she watched Korean dramas often, wouldn’t her ears be a little open [become familiar with the language]?

Of course, she would have watched it through subtitles. No, can she read subtitles? Maybe she knows?

Rather, even if she doesn’t know, her ears might have picked up some of it.

“You found it, so shall we go get the ice cream cake?”

“Ah ah! Good!”

“Wow! Very good!”

「I want to eat it quickly.」

Oh? Tyrone. Were you there? I thought you weren’t there.

“First of all… let’s recover the remaining keys.”

When I told Tyrone that, he said, ‘Oh, that’s right,’ and trudged off to recover the keys.

Who would have known that we would find it in just 3 tries?

If I had known this would happen, I would have remembered the real key. Then I could hide it at the end.

I should do that next time.

***

Winter ice cream is delicious.

It’s not about shivering in the cold while eating it, but enjoying a bite of ice cream in a warm house with the hot boiler blasting to your heart’s content.

It’s a very luxurious (?) life.

We are enjoying such a luxurious taste.

First, let’s eat rice [a common Korean phrase meaning “let’s eat”].

“Okay. Shall we eat ice cream now?”

What you see are 9 flavors.

Chocolate, cheesecake, mint chocolate, shooting star, cherry, etc.

Everything else will definitely be delicious, but there’s one thing I’m most curious about.

How will Siha feel about mint chocolate?

Mint chocolate, which is divisive because of the strong likes and dislikes.

First. Extreme like. Luna.

「Wow! It’s really delicious! Mom, Dad, this is really delicious!」

「Oh my. Mom likes it too. Mint chocolate is the best.」

Second. Moderate. Lee Si-hyuk [the narrator].

「I don’t particularly dislike it, but I don’t think I’d buy it with my own money. If I had to choose, I’d buy something more delicious for my taste. There are many kinds of ice cream.」

Third. Dislike. Tyrone.

「Why do you pay money to eat this? It tastes like Hubba Bubba gum with chocolate on it? Suddenly, I remember the Hubba Bubba gum I chewed when I first came to Korea.」

I never thought I’d hear that gum story from a foreigner.

Well, I think I’ve often seen pitchers chewing gum.

That’s not important, I’m curious about which of these three Siha will belong to.

“Siha. This is called mint chocolate. Mint Choco for short.”

“Mint Choco?”

“Yeah. Do you want to try it?”

“Is it delicious?”

“That depends on Siha’s taste. Try it. Try it.”

I feel like I’ve become an uncle playing pranks on kids.

It’s the same feeling as giving sour candy before?

Siha scoops up a spoonful of Mint Choco and takes a bite.

Chew, chew.

“???”

He makes a questioning face and tries another spoonful.

“???”

‘What kind of taste is this? It’s a bit of a strange taste?’ is the face he’s making.

Spoon. Spoon. Spoon. Yum. Yum. Yum.

“How is it?”

“Huh? I don’t know.”

“Huh? You don’t know?”

“Delicious.”

“Oh! It’s delicious?”

“Ah ah.”

Looking at the reaction, it’s not extreme like, but just like. I don’t know. But looking at how diligently his hand is going, he must not dislike it.

“Hyung. Ah~”

“Uh-huh. Ah~”

I took a bite of Mint Choco too.

But is it because Tyrone told the Hubba Bubba story?

What is the real taste expression…

After hearing it, it’s strangely subtle and imaginative.

Swallowing gum… swallowed… let’s stop thinking.

With this much imagination, even I, who had no thoughts, might become extremely dislike.

“Hyung. What is this? Eat?”

“Huh? Ah, character? That’s chocolate. You can eat it.”

Siha grabbed it with his hand and bit it in his mouth.

The character’s face is destroyed.

Luna screamed when she saw that.

“Oh! No! Siha! No joke!”

Roughly, it’s a pity that he ate the character. How can you eat something so cute? I think that’s what it means.

Siha said, ‘Huh?’ and chewed diligently.

The character has already gone straight into Siha’s stomach.

While watching those kids, I was eating dessert when Tyrone tapped me on the shoulder.

「Why?」

「Actually, we’re about to have a salary negotiation.」

「Really? Could it be a year already? Then shouldn’t I go back to America?」

「That’s right. Usually, if the negotiations break down, I leave as a free agent or go home. But I’m thinking of spending another year here. That’s why I looked into daycare.」

「Ah.」

「This season ended well. I don’t know exactly how they calculate the score here, but I think they can raise it a little more. What do you think?」

「What do I know? But if the score was good, I think it’s worth suggesting enough?」

「Right?」

But I felt my head tilting.

I wondered if he was thinking of negotiating directly.

「Don’t you usually use an agent?」

「Ah, that’s it. The KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] hasn’t introduced an agent system yet. So I’m worried.」

「Ah…. So you have to do it yourself?」

「That’s right. Um. I hope Si-hyuk will translate well for me too. It’s important.」

「Hmm. Okay. I’ll do my best since I’ve been entrusted with it. Actually, I’m a contract worker at NM, but I’m dedicated to Tyrone here, so I have to do my best.」

「Good! Ah! Do you know the law well?」

「Law?」

「Yes. Just in case.」

「I don’t know well, but I’ll know if I look it up? Anyway, there may be big differences between freelancers and player contracts, but the gist is probably similar. I’ll look it up. Ah! Still, it’s a money negotiation, so if you have a good card.」

「Good card?」

I pondered and looked at Tyrone.

「You said this season’s score was good?」

「That’s right.」

「Then work with me a little. It may take a little effort, but it may be meaningful.」

「What are you going to do?」

I smiled.

「Shall I show you the power of a Korean college student?」

「???」

Siha ate ice cream and called me.

“Hyung. Sweet.”

“Yeah.”

I have to give you some sweet fruit too.

***

From that day on, I had a full-fledged conversation with Tyrone.

「Tyrone. Who are you close to among baseball players?」

「I’m close to hitter Kang Hyun-jin.」

「Not a pitcher, but a hitter?」

「Yes. He’s very funny. And I’m also close to the catcher who catches my ball.」

「How much? Enough to hang out with?」

「Not really?」

「Then call them now and tell them to hang out. Take pictures too.」

「???」

「Just do as I say. Have fun. But don’t come home too late.」

「???」

After sending Tyrone away like that, I called the person who used to be the interpreter.

I had something I wanted to ask, and I was going to help Tyrone’s salary negotiation based on that.

The reason I’m doing this is because I was offered a suggestion while talking with Tyrone and organizing things.

Tyrone looked at what I was doing and made a face saying, ‘Are you going this far?’ and said that if the salary negotiation goes well, he would give me some of it.

I opened my mouth wide and shouted call [accepted the offer].

I also wrote a contract carefully.

‘If it’s an agent contract, I’d usually get a percentage.’

I neatly asked for 3 million won [approximately $2,300 USD].

In fact, baseball players pay about 8% when they use an agent.

If the salary is over 100 million won [approximately $76,000 USD], it’s a huge amount.

I’m a beginner, and considering the Korean aspect, 3 million won is thank you for taking care of it meticulously.

I was a little surprised that Tyrone agreed so coolly.

Well, if I get paid for a month at NM and get paid by Tyrone, wouldn’t it be a huge salary?

So I have to work hard.

The problem is that it’s not just me who has to work hard.

Click. Tyrone’s former interpreter answered the phone.

「Hello.」

“Yes. Hello. This is interpreter Lee Si-hyuk, who sent you a text message earlier.”

「Yes. Hello.」

“I called because I have something I wanted to ask. Is it possible to talk?”

「Yes, yes. It’s possible. Well. I’m old and I wanted to go to another job, so I didn’t renew the contract.」

“Yes. I see.”

「I couldn’t tell you about the part I had to say about Tyrone. But I feel relieved that you contacted me like this.」

“Haha. You don’t have to go that far because you’re not affiliated with NM company and you’re a contract worker.”

「That’s true, but I have a lot of affection for NM. It’s a kind of service.」

“It would be nice if you showed that service to Tyrone instead of NM.”

「Haha! That’s right. I’m glad Tyrone is working with a good interpreter.」

Of course, I’m only for a month…

I didn’t put such words on my lips. Because it’s unnecessary information.

“Then, I’ll tell you what I’m curious about first. Please tell me about the times Tyrone clashed with the manager and coaches. Anything you remember is fine. Also, not only bad things but also good things. Not biased. Understanding of the game, execution of the manager’s instructions, etc.”

「…….」

Silence continued, and I was a little embarrassed.

“Hello?”

「Wow…. You said this is your first time doing this?」

“Yes?”

「You’re really amazing. I had a lot to learn when I first started. But wow. I never thought I’d get a question like this.」

“Ah….”

Well, it’s not a normal interpreter question.

Because what I have to do now is a bit of a different field.

「I was going to ask if I needed to organize the terms used only on the field or medical terms because I had to know a lot of them. Or I thought you’d ask about that first. Also, I thought you wanted to hear in detail about the interpretation work I did, but this is unexpected.」

“Hmm hmm.”

「Ah, I’m sorry. It’s different from when I was there. I also wondered, why didn’t I ask other interpreters those questions?」

Ah, I know that, so please tell me the story quickly.

I’m embarrassed for no reason.

“Are there any positive stories about Tyrone from fans? Such as letters or sites.”

「Oh! There is such a thing. Do you need that too?」

“Yes.”

「To try to know even that…….」

I talked to the former interpreter hard.

And finally, the time for salary negotiation came.