Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 243

Hyung, am I cute? Episode 243

Well, you live and learn strange things.

Siha’s the same.

Maybe it’s because the memory is so strangely intense, but I can’t forget it; it sticks with me.

Even if it’s not the carol I was thinking of, I can later reminisce about my childhood, saying, ‘I used to sing that song, too.’

Now the song is done.

The important thing is what gift Siha wants from Santa Claus.

“Siha, did you tell Santa Claus what gift you want?”

“Huh?”

Siha tilts his head.

“Tell Santa *Halbujee* [Grandfather in Korean]?”

“Yeah.”

“Meet him and tell him?”

“No. If you write it in a letter, Santa Claus will read it and say, ‘Hehehe, our Siha wants this,’ and then he’ll make a gift and bring it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. That’s why everyone writes letters.”

Siha thinks for a moment and then makes a worried face.

“Siha can’t write.”

“It’s okay. You can tell the story with pictures.”

“Ah.”

It seems like they haven’t written letters at daycare yet.

Well, they might write one today.

Should I ask in advance?

“So, Siha, what gift do you want to receive?”

“None.”

“None? Why?”

“Siha’s birthday. Received many gifts.”

“Ah…….”

Come to think of it, Siha’s birthday was December 5th.

He received the most amazing gifts ever then.

Seeing Pepe’s doll clothes head still lying around in the room, he’s satisfied enough.

But shouldn’t he want more and more toys and have many things he wants?

“But if you think of anything, you must tell Hyung [Older brother or close male friend. Here, it’s used as a term of endearment]. Got it?”

“Why?”

Why would he ask that?

How can I say that Santa is just an office worker who says, ‘Ah, a letter came? Okay, okay. Parents, take care of it,’ and just contacts us?

“Haha. Hyung is just curious.”

“Hyung. Secret. Secret.”

“Why? You can tell Hyung.”

“Wish is secret. Teacher said. It’s a secret.”

Yeah. That’s right. Wishes come true if you don’t say them.

You’re already making secrets. Sniff sniff. Hyung is sad.

Then Siha cupped his hands and said softly.

“Hyung.”

“Yeah?”

I put my ear to that action.

“Siha will tell you the wish secretly.”

“Pfft. Really?”

“Ah, ah. Over there. Over there. Secretly over there.”

“Where?”

Siha runs to the room and points to the doll mask.

“Together inside here.”

“Huh? Do we have to talk in such a secret place?”

“Ah, secret.”

“O-oh, I see.”

Shouldn’t we try not to make too many secrets if possible?

It’s a bit much for two people to go in there.

“Hyung, hurry.”

“You already have a secret?”

“No. Just.”

“No. ‘Just’ won’t do.”

It seems like he wants to go in with me after he said it.

***

-Daycare.

Today, the teacher prepared pretty envelopes and stationery.

She was planning to draw pictures to send to Santa.

When the children heard the teacher’s words, they all eagerly drew pictures.

Everyone had so many things they wanted.

Siha crossed his arms and pondered hard in front of the stationery.

He couldn’t think of anything in particular to write.

He was already very satisfied with the present.

The teacher approached Siha.

“Siha, is there anything you want?”

“Siha has everything. Red car. Hyung. Pepe.”

Siha folded his fingers one by one.

The teacher nodded.

Okay. Putting aside Hyung in the middle, it seems like he doesn’t want anything. Then.

“Then you can tell Santa *Halbujee* what you want to say. Or what you want to say to Rudolph.”

“!!!”

Thinking that was a good idea, Siha grabbed a crayon.

Scribble scribble.

He draws what he wants to say.

I was looking forward to seeing how he would express it.

“Um? Hey! Don’t look!”

Seungjun peeked at Jongsu’s letter.

Jongsu desperately tried to hide it.

“Why? Did you draw something weird?”

“No, I didn’t. You wouldn’t know even if you looked. I even wrote letters.”

“Even if I can’t read the letters, I can see the picture.”

“This is a secret. Go away.”

“Anyway, the teacher said she’s going to announce it later. You’re being mean.”

“Then what did you draw?”

“Of course, this!”

Seungjun confidently showed his letter.

Jongsu made a face that said, ‘What is that?’ with questioning eyes.

Even if he rubbed his eyes once, nothing changed.

“There are only circles?”

“Ugh. It’s a ball. A ball.”

“Hey. You don’t know what kind of ball it is with just that.”

“I’m going to draw more now.”

“What? You didn’t finish drawing! And you were trying to look at mine?”

“Hey. I can draw this quickly.”

“Oh? That’s true, but…….”

Anyway, even if you draw more there, it’ll just be a few lines.

Because a ball doesn’t require anything too complicated.

But Jongsu couldn’t tolerate being pushed back by Seungjun’s words.

“Do you always draw balls? You must have a lot at home.”

“No. There are some I don’t have.”

“And your ball drawing is a bit bad. You have to draw it like a real ball.”

“Hey. Your drawing skills aren’t that great either!”

Then Siha slipped in between the two.

“Seungjun. Jongsu. Both draw well.”

It was a word to calm the two down.

But rather, the faces of the two became subtle.

Since it was Siha’s words, who really draws well, it was not comforting at all.

It was like showing off wrinkles in front of a silkworm [a Korean idiom meaning to show off something trivial to someone who is an expert in that field].

Of course, Siha didn’t aim for that.

“Huh? What.”

“Umm. I should draw a picture.”

“Ah?”

That subtle atmosphere made the war of nerves end vaguely.

And so did the children’s drawing.

Then the presentation time that always comes.

“Okay. Today, let’s talk about what gifts you wished for from Santa *Halbujee*. It will be a time to know what your friends like. You have to know each other well to get along better.”

And since there are not many opportunities to talk about these things, we had to do it in front of our friends.

Whether you are extroverted or introverted, you will form relationships and talk with people in life.

Everyone experiences this kind of presentation.

Also, it was really important to listen to friends’ preferences and stories.

Listening to someone’s story, accumulating data, and being considerate of what you know.

The teacher knew very well that that was ‘affection’.

“Who wants to go first?”

“Me!”

“Okay. Seungjun.”

Seungjun unfolded his letter in front.

“I drew a ball here. I have a soccer ball, a baseball, and a basketball at home. But there are many balls I don’t have. I wish I had all the balls for sports at home. So I’m going to put a rugby ball and a ping pong ball in the toy box.”

But why is a rugby ball also round?

It was strange.

Siha just thought, ‘What are a rugby ball and a ping pong ball?’

There were many things he didn’t know in the world.

“Next is Hana!”

“Okay.”

“Hana wants pretty clothes. So I’m going to have a date with Siheoki *oppa* [Older brother or close male friend. Used by females].”

“Huh? No. Hyung and Siha have a date.”

“Siha, do you know what a date is?”

“Siha knows. Ottogi friend [Ottogi is a Korean food company known for its instant noodles and other processed foods. Here, it’s likely a playful reference to a friend who is always around, like the Ottogi mascot].”

Lee Siha says confidently.

The teacher said, ‘That’s not it,’ and told him that they just play together.

Only then did Siha nod, saying, ‘Ah, I see.’

Next is Jongsu.

“Hehehe. I don’t want a toy. I’m going to ask for a laptop. I’m going to drink cocoa and type on the keyboard diligently. How is it? Cool, right?”

“Siha knows. Hyung uses a laptop. Hyung is cool.”

Siha, are you connecting everything to Hyung?

Jongsu was briefly embarrassed and hesitated, but he puffed out his chest.

“Oh…. That’s right! I’m going to ask for a laptop so I can use it like Siheok hyung!”

“!!!”

Siha’s eyes widened as if he hadn’t thought of that.

He put his hand on the floor, thinking, ‘I should have asked for a laptop as something I wanted….’

Jongsu just tilted his head, wondering why Siha was doing that.

He didn’t know that he had unknowingly won against Siha today.

Next was Jaehwi, who said he wanted new clothes as expected.

Yundong wanted shoes that people who dance well wear.

Eunwoo said he wanted a recording studio where he could make rap.

Hey. Eunwoo. If your parents buy that for you, their backs will break.

“Now Siha!”

Siha jumped up and unfolded his letter.

A penguin with a red nose is wearing a reindeer antler headband.

There is a line drawn on the shoulder and a sled behind it.

“???”

The children’s eyes were filled with questions, and the teacher asked.

“Siha, what is that?”

“This is Pepe. Pepe.”

“Yeah. The teacher knows it’s Pepe. Is that what you want to say to Santa *Halbujee*?”

“Santa *Halbujee*. Pepe too, not Rudolph. Go to work. Work.”

“Are you asking the penguin to get a job at a company?”

“Ah, ah. Job. Here, here. Run fast on the ice.”

“Oh. So this part is the penguin’s ability to get a job, right?”

“Pepe gives gifts to penguins.”

“Oh ho. Santa *Halbujee*… no, you’re saying in the picture that *Halbujee* should give gifts to the penguins?”

“Ah, ah.”

Siha nodded proudly.

“Then I’ll write that down for you. How is it?”

“Good.”

Like the other children, she clearly wrote what they wanted under the picture.

Because their parents might not know.

Siha’s letter said this:

[Penguin CEO Lee Siha.

Penguins also have the right to receive gifts! Santa *Halbujee* guarantees penguins’ employment and gifts! Guarantee it!]

The director, who saw Yoo Dahee teacher’s writing over her shoulder, shook her head with her hand on her forehead.

I don’t know how she thinks of such things.

She was a teacher with quirky charm, Yoo Dahee.

“Okay, everyone. Then shall we put the letters in this box? I’ll send them to Santa *Halbujee* through the post office later.”

Jongsu asked.

“Teacher. I don’t know Santa *Halbujee*’s address?”

“Don’t worry. The post office *ajusshi* [A respectful Korean term for a middle-aged or older man] knows everything.”

“No. My mom said I have to write the address.”

That’s why smart friends are like this.

“The teacher will write the address and send it later.”

“Where is the address?”

“Rovaniemi in the Lapland region of Finland.”

“Huh?”

“There’s a Santa village in a foreign country.”

“!!!”

Honestly, Jongsu was suspicious.

Does the teacher really know the address?

Of course, he didn’t think the existence of Santa itself was suspicious.

Because smart Jongsu believed that Santa existed.

“Really? Does it go there?”

“Of course. It’s international mail.”

“!!!”

“Why? Jongsu. Don’t you believe me?”

“Yes.”

“You’re honest. Then trust the teacher once. You’ll get a reply here. Really.”

“Really?!”

The children’s eyes widened in surprise.

They never thought they would get a reply.

“Really?”

“You’re too suspicious. Then shall we all go to the post office tomorrow?”

“Yes!”

The teacher had no choice but to nod.

The head teacher came up from the side and whispered.

“What are you going to do? Are you going to talk to the post office employee?”

“Huh? I’m really thinking of sending it by international mail?”

“Yes?”

“There’s actually a Santa village there. Of course, the volunteers there send the replies.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I heard that there are also volunteers who will reply in Korean this time.”

“Ah…….”

“Head teacher. Let’s spend some money at this time.”

“If it’s something like this, I’ll spend as much as you want. It won’t cost much since it’s mail.”

“First, I’m going to take a picture and give the letters to the parents. Actually, I’m going to put it on this address.”

The teacher showed the address.

[Santa Claus, Santa Claus’s Main Post office, 96930 Napapiiri, Finland]

[Santa Post Office Korea Main Branch, 10 Sansuhwa-ro, Hwacheon-eup, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do (Postal code 24120)]

“I didn’t even know there was a Santa Post Office in Korea.”

“Hehehe. There has been a lot of development to protect the children’s innocence.”

The head teacher was slightly worried.

What on earth will the volunteers think when they see Siha’s letter?