Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 248

Hiccup, hiccup.

A single tear, like a chicken dropping, streamed down one eye.

Seung-jun bit his lip, holding back.

“Dad said men only cry three times.”

That’s all lies. Cry when you want to cry.

I was worried about both of them, but I couldn’t predict how Siha would react.

Surely he wouldn’t cry, would he?

“Bbodeuk… Where? Where go….”

Thud.

He braced himself on the ground, shocked.

It was kind of cute. But at the same time, I was angry. I don’t know what crazy bastard did this, but the kids were playing well and then suddenly panicked.

But sometimes, life has days like this, and showing them how to overcome it is also a way.

Seung-jun’s mom was comforting the children.

I wanted to comfort them in a different way.

“Siha.”

“Huh?”

I smiled and approached the broken snowman.

I don’t have much talent in art, but I can make something simple.

I gently gathered the pieces in my hands and made something other than a snowman.

Connecting the body and the head.

“Here. Look.”

“Duck?”

“Yeah. It’s a duck. A duck. Bbodeuk can be reborn.”

When hard times come, there are times when you need to accept them gracefully and move forward rather than just crying where you are.

The situation doesn’t change just because you cry.

Rather, that’s when you need to show the courage to face this ordeal head-on.

The lost snowman is gone, but I hope they live with the thought of recreating it like this.

Because someday, they will meet someone even worse than this.

There will be moments of anger and tears.

But isn’t it important what choices and actions you take afterward?

“Bbodeuk is reborn. Right?”

“Ah, 맞아 [maja – Right/Yes/Correct].”

Siha held the duck in his hand.

The look in his eyes as he looked at me was full of admiration.

“Hyung [older brother/term of endearment]. Amazing.”

“Heh heh. Yeah.”

I stroked Siha’s head.

Is showing this through actions rather than words really the right thing to do?

I don’t really know.

Before I knew it, Seung-jun and Hana had also seen me and approached the snowman.

“I want to make it again too.”

“Hana too. Again.”

“Siha will help too.”

We squatted in front of the store and rebuilt the snowman.

Baek Dong-hwan, who was behind us, looked around and asked people nearby if they had seen what happened to the snowman.

It seemed like Baek Dong-hwan was also angry.

“Hyung-nim [term of respect for an older brother or male friend].”

“Yeah, Dong-hwan. It’s okay now. The kids have started making it again. You can stop asking around.”

“I found out.”

“Yeah, you found… Huh? You found out?”

“Yes.”

“Who did it?”

“Some kid and his dad saw it and just kicked it and destroyed it, they said.”

“What? What kind of crazy……”

I glanced at Siha.

Staring-

His hands were busy making it, and his eyes were on me.

Be careful what you say. Be careful.

“Everyone has a driver [meaning someone is crazy].”

“Huh? A driver?”

He looked confused as to why a driver was suddenly coming up.

Actually, I wanted to say ‘돌아이 [dora-i – crazy person]’, but I couldn’t think of anything else.

I once told Siha that everything could be solved with a driver, so I quickly replaced it with a similar word.

I lowered my voice.

“Siha is watching.”

“Ah, that’s right. I don’t think I can find them now.”

“What are you going to do if you find them? Just fight?”

“That’s true. But I still want to see what they look like.”

“If they see you, wouldn’t they be terrified instead?”

“I have such an innocent face that people pick on me instead.”

“Don’t lie. Your body isn’t innocent. Your body!”

“You have so little faith in me.”

You have to say something believable to be believed.

Anyway, I’m glad the kids found their smiles again.

“Haha! I made it into a soccer ball again! I should have made it into a ball in the first place. It gets kicked if you make it into a snowman.”

Seung-jun, aren’t soccer balls made to be kicked?

“Hana made a triangle skirt like this. It’s a princess. A princess. Now it’s protected.”

That’s quite plausible, isn’t it?

But there’s no guarantee that some crazy person won’t destroy it again, so they’re all hugging it tightly.

And Siha.

“Hyung. Siha made 빙수 [bingsu – shaved ice dessert]. Bbodeuk’s food.”

“Oh! Really? You made it well!”

Baek Dong-hwan also made a fuss to lighten the mood.

“Wow. It looks really delicious like real 빙수 [bingsu – shaved ice dessert]. Slurp. My mouth is watering. Siha is really amazing. A genius. A genius.”

Siha smiled innocently and brightly and scooped up the 빙수 [bingsu – shaved ice dessert] with his hand.

“Baek Dong hyung [older brother/term of endearment]. Want to 먹을래 [meogeullae – eat]? Looks 맛있어 [masisseo – delicious]?”

“Huh?”

I burst out laughing at that.

No, I have to be careful with my words. Words.

“Siha made this. I’ll give it to Baek Dong hyung [older brother/term of endearment].”

“Oh. Thank you so much.”

He pretended to eat it and threw it on the ground.

But Siha saw it.

“Baek Dong hyung [older brother/term of endearment]. Did you 버려써 [beoryeosseo – throw away] what Siha gave you? Did you 거짓 말 해써 [geojit mal haesseo – lie]?”

“Ahem, ahem. No, I have a hole in my chin.”

“!!!”

Siha’s eyes widened as if to ask if it was true.

Seung-jun next to him said, ‘He’s a monster after all,’ and Hana tilted her head, saying, ‘There’s no hole?’

“Baek Dong hyung [older brother/term of endearment].”

Siha looked around Baek Dong, checking if there was anything wrong with his clothes.

“Haha. Are you worried about me?”

“Where’s the 라면 [ramyeon – ramen]?”

It seems like he’s looking for 라면 [ramyeon – ramen] stains.

“Baek Dong hyung [older brother/term of endearment]. Did you 거짓 말 해써 [geojit mal haesseo – lie]?”

“…Tsk. Is Siha smart?”

“Aren’t you just stupid?”

“You’re too much, 형님 [hyeong-nim – older brother/term of respect]!”

Anyway, thanks to Baek Dong-hwan, the atmosphere became friendly again.

I thank you for bringing laughter like this.

***

December 26th.

The day after Christmas.

But these days, most places hold events for three days until the 26th, so the festive atmosphere still lingered.

So-called After Christmas.

Well, there’s even Remind Christmas, so it seems like there’s really everything.

I just feel like they’re making up all sorts of words.

“Siha, you remember we’re going to the children’s art museum today, right?”

“Siha know.”

Whether he really knows or not, Siha already has his Pepe bag on his back.

Hmm. He’s preparing well, but something feels off.

“You can’t go out wearing pajamas.”

“Huh?”

Siha looked at his clothes.

“Ah-ko!”

He smacked his forehead with his palm.

As if he had forgotten and made a mistake.

Where did he learn that? He’s really cute.

“Should we change clothes?”

“Ah-ah.”

We left the house.

Baek Dong-hwan was waving his hand right in front.

We got in the car and headed to the children’s art museum.

There, we met Seung-jun and Hana again and went inside.

“Wow. This is a fun place.”

“Isn’t it?”

“It’s a children’s art museum, so there are some unique things.”

“Yes. Here, the kids participate in programs and do art museum exhibitions. I heard there are also big sponsors who donate to the art museum.”

“Really?”

“That’s right. Who knows? Maybe the world’s greatest artist will be born in Korea? Even if that’s not the case, I think it’s good for developing creativity.”

“That’s true.”

Usually, Korea focuses on entrance exam art.

That’s not necessarily bad, but it’s true that it lacks diversity.

Uniformity has two sides.

And I heard that what you learn as a child is important.

To be exact, it was what you experienced and learned up to the age of 22.

It’s important how you create the seeds that can bloom talent.

If you miss that period, it will take a lot of effort and time.

Maybe there will be something that can’t be filled.

‘So that’s why it takes so long for painters to make a name for themselves.’

Maybe after that, it’s about sprouting the seeds and perfecting the skills.

It’s a really difficult problem and a path where you don’t know what’s right.

But I don’t want to force Siha to do art.

Just do what he wants.

He likes drawing now, so that’s enough.

If you make it a job, the pure fun fades away.

“But where do we go?”

“Ah! You can go there. But there’s still time, so let’s look around other places.”

“Is there anything fun?”

“Of course. Yesterday was Christmas, wasn’t it?”

“So?”

“Of course, today’s attraction is Santa the Magician!”

“It seems like you’re more excited than they are?”

We all went to see the Santa magic show together.

As we entered the dark space, we saw a magician wearing a Santa hat and clothes.

“Ho ho ho. Everyone. I’m Santa the Magician. I’ve come to give you magic as a gift.”

“Huh?”

He looked like a real grandfather, but he looked very familiar.

“Hyung [older brother/term of endearment]. Cha-cha 할부지 [harboeji – grandpa/old man].”

“Huh? Cha-cha? Ah!”

Cha-cha the dog.

I wondered who it was, but it was the grandfather who was farming in the mountains.

He used to be a magician in his prime.

I wondered if he was participating in this kind of event program here.

Actually, I was half-doubtful while watching, but Siha seemed to be thinking the same thing as me.

“Wow. Grandpa is good at magic, right?”

“Ah-ah. Milk 맛있어 [masisseo – delicious].”

“Puhaha. Wow! Grandpa! Seung-jun is here!”

“Hana is here too!”

“Ah-ah. Siha too!”

When the children stood up on their chairs and waved their hands, the grandfather noticed and drew a big heart with his arms.

He smiled with his eyes and laughed, “Heo heo heo.”

“The children like me a lot today. Okay, okay. Calm down and sit in your seats.”

“Hahaha!”

People looked at us and smiled.

I’m embarrassed because the attention is focused on us.

I know you’re excited, but can you sit down now?

“Heo heo heo. Then today, I’m going to show you a strange magic trick. Here is a sack for Santa’s gifts.”

The grandfather showed the gift sack.

He turned it upside down and shook it.

“Okay, there’s nothing here, right?”

“Yes!”

“That’s a big problem. I definitely brought gifts for you today. But!”

He grabbed the sack and tapped it with his magic wand.

“Then the gifts will! Oops!”

Flapping.

“A pigeon came out. Why did a pigeon come out instead of a gift?”

“Wahaha.”

Rather, the magician’s flustered appearance was amusing.

It was like watching a skit.

“Heo heo heo. This pigeon is a friend who brings letters, so I can’t give you gifts. Let’s see. To make gifts, I need the help of one of you. Is there any child who will help me?”

I thought everyone here would raise their hands, but surprisingly only about half of them raised their hands.

Well, it can be burdensome to stand on this kind of stage.

Is this a difference in personality?

“Okay. There’s a kid who looks like he’s good at soccer.”

“Awesome!”

Seung-jun happily got off his chair and went up on stage.

“What’s your name?”

“Oh Seung-jun!”

“Okay. Seung-jun, you have to help me.”

“With what?”

“You have to send energy to the magic wand so that gifts come out of this sack.”

“How?”

“What is Seung-jun best at?”

“Soccer!”

“Okay. Then kick this wand hard. With the mind that magic will happen.”

“Yes!”

Seung-jun kicked the wand with his foot.

The grandfather skillfully turned the wand in his hand, minimizing the recoil.

Now, Seung-jun exclaimed, ‘Wow!’ as he watched him spin it around with his fingers.

“Okay. Now Seung-jun’s power is in the wand. Then tap the sack with the magic wand!”

The wand taps the sack.

The grandfather put his hand in and took out a gift box.

He hands it to Seung-jun.

“Okay, watch this at home.”

“Haha! Yes! Awesome. I have to go to my seat and watch.”

The grandfather smiled as if he knew it.

I guess he expected it.

I mean, how many children has he seen while doing magic?

Everyone does the same thing. Whatever.

“Don’t worry, children who didn’t receive it. It’s all in this sack. This pretty 언니 [eonni – older sister/female friend] will give it all out at the end.”

The grandfather handed the sack to the employee here.

Then he was going to do another magic trick.

“Children, are you curious about how Santa Claus comes in and delivers gifts? Actually, I can do a disappearing magic trick, so the gifts go in with a poof.”

Some child shouted, ‘Hey~! Lie!’

The grandfather laughed, “Heo heo heo.”

“Then I’ll show you. I’m going to make someone disappear in case someone thinks it’s a lie.”

The grandfather and I made eye contact.

“I wish that handsome young man over there would help me.”

“Hyung [older brother/term of endearment]. Fighting [Good luck/You can do it!].”

I laughed and went up on stage.

“Okay. You’re going to go in this box.”

“Ah, yes.”

I know this magic trick.

Well, it’s probably a disappearing magic trick.

“Okay. Go in.”

A box with doors divided into three parts so that the head, torso, and legs are visible.

I went in there.

It’s dark and I can’t see anything.

An employee whispers from behind the box what to do.

I thought there was a device to make me avoid the spot.

“Okay. Then the person here disappears. One, two, three.”

Toc toc.

The sound of tapping with a wand.

The door will open and it will be revealed that there is no one there.

“Hyung [older brother/term of endearment]!”

“Huh? Siha.”

I can hear Siha and Baek Dong’s voices.

“할부지 [harboeji – grandpa/old man]. Where’s hyung [older brother/term of endearment]?”

“Heo heo heo. Don’t worry, he’s gone somewhere else.”

“No. Here.”

“Heo heo heo. I told you he’s not here.”

“할부지 [harboeji – grandpa/old man].”

“Huh? Why are you looking at me like that? Are you doubting me?”

Siha said in a serious voice.

“Give me driver [meaning someone is crazy]. Driver [meaning someone is crazy].”

“Huh?”

“Siha. Take hyung [older brother/term of endearment] out.”

I held back my laughter from behind.

No. I told you that before, but the driver [meaning someone is crazy] is not actually a panacea.