Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 283

Siha and I sat down.

Other kids were biting into their Dalgonas, waiting for me to start.

I grabbed the prepared needle and started scratching diligently.

“Hyung, fighting! Fighting!”

“Yeah.”

The fish shape is really nostalgic.

I used the needle to scratch carefully. First, I aimed for the back of the tail.

I drew a straight line and detached it.

*Tok.*

I popped the broken piece into my mouth.

“Mmm. Delicious.”

“Hyung! The tail!”

“This is how you detach it cleanly.”

“Hyung is amazing!”

The praise is generous even though I haven’t really done anything yet. What if the fish’s face or tail breaks off suddenly?

“I’ll do my best. It’s been a while for Hyung too.”

I build up some excuses just in case.

*Scrape. Scrape.*

When I was young, the Dalgona man would exchange them for milk if you brought it.

Come to think of it, milk was more expensive.

Of course, I only watched my friends exchange them, and I actually paid money to do it.

Even as a first grader, I knew my dad was paying for the milk.

That’s how it was for me. I only did it once in a while with my allowance.

It was a cheap way to enjoy something delicious for 100 won.

“I did it!”

The fish shape came out cleanly.

“Hyung, give it to Siha!”

“Okay, here you go.”

He gathered his hands politely as if it was precious. That sight was so funny.

The other kids exclaimed with admiration.

“Si-hyuk hyung is really good!”

“Hana wants to do it too.”

I chuckled.

Unfortunately, there was an age limit, so the kids couldn’t do it.

It was written that you had to be at least 8 years old to do it.

“They say you can only do it from elementary school age. Let’s come back when you’re older.”

“Hyung, do it for Siha. Siha will watch.”

Oh my. Just give the orders, Chairman. I, the employee, will do it.

“Shall we go now then?”

I led the disappointed children out of the Dalgona booth.

There were still many things to see.

Then Hana tugged on my pants.

“Si-hyuk oppa! There! There! Hana wants to go there!”

I turned my head and saw a sign that said ‘Idol Costume Shop’.

Hana must have heard the people around talking about it.

Ah, Hana can’t resist that.

But maybe the idol costumes will be different from what she expects?

Anyway, we moved over there.

“Wow!”

There were clothes that old idols used to wear.

Hana was curious and looked around.

Pictures of S.E.S., Fin.K.L [popular Korean girl groups from the late 1990s and early 2000s], etc. were posted everywhere.

I was a little disappointed that there weren’t many clothes that 4-year-olds could wear.

“Hana, they said these are the only clothes you can wear?”

“Hing.”

“But isn’t this pretty? And cute.”

“Woong. Cute.”

“Then let’s try this on.”

It’s a bit expensive since it’s a rental, but it’s still a memory.

I was thinking that when the director started paying.

“Huh? Director?”

“Unlike snacks, these things are too expensive. Our daycare center should pay for it.”

“It’s okay…….”

“I’m not okay with it. Okay, everyone. Get dressed. These are clothes that cool idols used to wear.”

Teacher Yoo Da-hee puffed out her cheeks.

“This is the outfit that H.O.T [another popular Korean boy band from the late 1990s] wore when they sang the song ‘Candy’!”

Teacher. Calm down.

“Your mom and dad will laugh and like it when they see it?!”

“Were you a fan, teacher?”

“Not really.”

“I thought you were a fan because you were so excited.”

“I liked the song and the clothes. They’re cute.”

I nodded too.

Siha would look really cute in it.

I received the clothes and changed the children. The Kang-in idols are making a comeback after a long time.

Shine on stage with your seniors’ fashion.

“Hyung!”

“Siha, the overalls really suit you.”

He seems to be strangely fixated on overalls.

I should definitely buy him overalls later.

“Here are the gloves.”

“Ah ah!”

That’s how the cute fashion was completed.

The kids look like a real team because they have the same fashion.

5,000 won [approximately $4 USD] for 30 minutes of rental… It’s expensive.

I think an hour would be enough to enjoy this place.

“Hana, are you an idol now?”

“Yeah. Siha, how is it? Hana wore a hat too.”

“Pretty. Pretty.”

“Hehehe.”

Seung-joon, who was next to me, said.

“Ugly.”

“Oppa is uglier!”

“Haha! I’m not going to be an idol, so it’s okay!”

“Tsk!”

“But even though oppa is ugly, I’ll be the president of your fan club. Aren’t you thankful?”

“I don’t need it! Si-hyuk oppa and Siha will cheer for me!”

Siha nodded.

“If Hana becomes an idol, Siha will sign for you.”

“Huh?”

Why are you signing, Siha? Hana should sign.

It would be funny if that situation happened.

An idol who received a signature from a regular person.

“Shall we go out then?”

We wore the rented clothes and went outside.

The next place we went to was a place called [Memory Arcade].

But will there be anything the kids can do?

As soon as we went inside, the kids’ eyes lit up.

This time, Seung-joon was very excited.

“Si-hyuk hyung! There’s basketball! Basketball!”

“It’s a game where you throw basketballs and get a high score if you make a lot of baskets.”

“I want to do it! I want to do it!”

“Okay, okay. Oop!”

I lifted Seung-joon and put him on the game machine.

The kids won’t be able to grab the basketball and put it in with their height yet.

But is this okay?

I looked around nervously.

“Siha, let’s do it together!”

“Okay!”

I lifted Siha up too.

When I put in the coin, the basketballs rolled out.

“Start!”

First, Seung-joon grabs the basketball. His pose was plausible.

As expected, he is the athletic idol Oh Seung-joon who likes balls.

*Swoosh.*

It drew a parabola and went into the goal.

“Yes! Siha, you try it.”

“Okay!”

Siha grabbed the basketball and threw it.

It fell without even getting close to the goal.

As expected, he’s not used to these big balls yet.

“You put it in!”

No, you didn’t put it in. It didn’t even get close.

“But kids, if you don’t put it in quickly, you won’t get a lot of points?”

The two of them started throwing the balls in a hurry.

They bounce off each other and the ball goes in.

These will all be memories.

I took out my phone and took a picture of the two children’s backs.

*Click.*

***

“Hyung. What’s that?”

I looked at what Siha was pointing at.

A red public telephone booth.

“That’s called a public telephone…….”

“Ah? Siha know. Phone floating.”

“No. It’s not like that…. Do you think it’s floating? You’ll know when you go and see it. Do you want to go inside?”

We went into the public telephone booth.

All the kids came in, so there was no room to step in the already small space.

It’s not like a crowded subway.

“Kids. You can’t all come in like this.”

“Hyung. Siha want to call. Hold me.”

“Is calling the problem now?!”

I had no choice but to hold Siha.

Still, the space was small.

“You grab the receiver here and put in a coin. Then you can make a call.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Siha pressed the numbers diligently.

But there was no dial tone.

“Hyung. It doesn’t work.”

“This is a model, so it doesn’t really work.”

“Phone not floating either.”

Siha seemed disappointed.

There is always a gap between imagination and reality. There’s nothing I can do.

*Click.* I put the receiver back in place.

The kids all wanted to try it once, so I couldn’t get out of here and had to hold them.

Siha stuck to the transparent window and played, shouting, ‘Hyung caught!’

The disappointment must have flown far away.

That was fast.

“Hyung. Lots of people there.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Banggu Banggu Stationery Store.”

“That stationery store is somewhere else, and that’s called [Memory Stationery Store].”

When I went to the front of the stationery store, I knew why there were so many people.

A man was selling paper 뽑기 [bbopgi – a random draw game].

2,000 won [approximately $1.50 USD] per 뽑기 [bbopgi].

There were prizes from 5th to 1st place, and there were no blanks.

[5th prize: 2,000 won worth of food.

4th prize: 3,000 won worth of food.

3rd prize: Bond balloon + 2,000 won worth of food.

2nd prize: Punch ice cream + 2,000 won worth of food.

1st prize: Tamagotchi + 2,000 won worth of food.]

It was a game where you didn’t lose anything if you did it once.

“Hello! I’m the stationery store ajusshi [a respectful Korean term for a middle-aged man]! How about those little friends over there try 뽑기 [bbopgi]?”

“뽑기 [bbopgi]?”

Siha showed interest.

The other kids’ eyes lit up too.

“Yeah, yeah. Do you see the ajusshi next to you? He 뽑기 [bbopgi] 10 in a row here? They all got 5th place! So what is it?”

“Huh?”

“That means there’s a high chance that 1st to 4th place will come out now! Aigoo. If I were you, I’d 뽑기 [bbopgi]!”

Then Jong-soo stepped forward.

“Hey. Oh Seung-joon! Lee Siha! Do you want to bet?”

“What?”

“Jong-soo, are you testing your luck now?”

Jong-soo said with a confident expression.

“The person who gets the highest prize will be the other person’s servant for the day. How about it?”

“Hyung too?”

Siha, do you want to make hyung your servant?

Seung-joon readily accepted.

I got swept away too.

That’s how everyone participated. Only the person with the highest prize can enjoy the victory.

“Then I’ll start first.”

“Hyung, hwaiting [Korean slang for ‘fighting,’ meaning good luck or do your best]!”

“Thanks.”

*Tuk.* I tore off the paper and gave it to the stationery store ajusshi [a respectful Korean term for a middle-aged man].

“Let’s see! 5th place!”

There are so many left, but only 5th place? Is it true that only 5th place is heavily concentrated?

“Hyung is amazing!”

“Siha, 5th place is last place.”

“Huh?”

He widened his eyes as if to ask if it was true.

Are you praising me as soon as I do something? Is it almost a conditioned reflex?

Next, Seung-joon 뽑기 [bbopgi].

“4th place!”

“Wow! I beat Si-hyuk hyung!”

“Hyung, Siha will win for you. Wait!”

Siha, hyung is okay…….

Next, Hana 뽑기 [bbopgi].

“4th place!”

“Hana is the same as oppa?”

As expected, are they twins?

Yeon-joo pouted after 뽑기 [bbopgi] 5th place, and Jae-hwi shyly said that he was the same as Yeon-joo after 뽑기 [bbopgi] 5th place.

What are you doing here?

Finally, it was Jong-soo’s turn.

“I’ll take this!”

“Wow! It’s 2nd place!”

“Really!”

“Of course! Here’s punch ice cream and something to eat.”

“Yes! Hahaha! I won! It’s the same as me winning!”

When Jong-soo pressed the button on the punch ice cream, the ice cream part popped out.

He reattaches the cone part and presses the button again.

His ceremony is amazing.

Indeed. With this, Jong-soo’s victory is confirmed. Unless 1st place comes out, everyone will be Jong-soo’s servant.

After Eun-woo and Yoon-dong were 농락 [nongrak – made fun of] by the paper 뽑기 [bbopgi] with 5th place.

The long-awaited Siha’s turn came.

“Hey. Lee Siha. If you don’t 뽑기 [bbopgi] 1st place, Si-hyuk hyung will be my servant~ Do you know that?”

“!!!”

Siha opened his mouth slightly with a shocked expression.

He shook his head and came to his senses.

“No way. Hyung is Siha’s.”

“Hahaha. You have to 뽑기 [bbopgi] 1st place to win. I’m going to make Si-hyuk hyung write his name with his butt~”

Really?

Jong-soo provoked him with the expectation that he would win against Siha.

At those words, Siha became determined.

“Siha 뽑기 [bbopgi] 1st place.”

I swallowed hard.

I remember that Siha’s luck was very good at Banggu Banggu Stationery Store before.

Will that luck follow him this time too?

“Woong.”

“This? Is this what you chose?”

“No, not this. Not shiny.”

“???”

“This? Is this it? No? Okay. This? This is it!”

I don’t know what he’s talking about, but he seems to be talking to the paper 뽑기 [bbopgi].

Then will it really teach you 1st place?

“This! This is it! Ajusshi [a respectful Korean term for a middle-aged man]. I’ll take this!”

“Hahaha! I wonder if this is 1st place? I’ll give you another chance to choose!”

“No. This!”

“Okay. Don’t regret it! Everyone, if this is 1st place, this child here will make everyone else his servant. If it’s 2nd place, I’ll let him 뽑기 [bbopgi] again. But! If it’s lower than 2nd place!”

He’s an ajusshi [a respectful Korean term for a middle-aged man] who knows how to liven up the atmosphere.

Other customers were also watching with interest.

He points to Jong-soo with his hand.

“Everyone below this child will be servants. I wonder what this fate will be. I’ll reveal it now.”

The ajusshi [a respectful Korean term for a middle-aged man] unfolded the 뽑기 [bbopgi].

His eyes widened slightly.

“Wow…. Crazy…….”

He turns the paper around and shows it to the people.

“It’s 1st place! Congratulations!”

Seung-joon shouted ‘Waaaaa!’ and hugged Siha.

Hana also jumped up and down and clapped her hands with a slight smile.

Jae-hwi is only holding up his hand ambiguously, looking at Jong-soo’s expression.

Jong-soo opened his mouth wide in shock.

“No, no way…….”

There’s nothing I can do. Siha is lucky. Or is it because the paper 뽑기 [bbopgi] told him?

Siha stood in front of Jong-soo.

“Jong-soo is Siha’s servant now.”

“Keuheuk.”

“Write your name with your butt! Hurry!”

“Keueuk.”

Jong-soo wrote his name with his butt with a humiliating expression.

You have to watch the game until the end.

Let’s be careful with our words in the future, Jong-soo.

“Hyung. Did Siha do well?”

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

“Yeah. Thanks for protecting hyung.”

Thanks to you, hyung doesn’t have to write his name with his butt.