Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 32

I couldn’t help but take pictures because Siha was too cute.

Click. Click.

The handle of the toy bow was attached to the floor for stability.

The arrow’s starting direction was tilted about 30 degrees, and the way he pulled the trigger was cautious and deliberate.

When Siha concentrated and released, the arrow flew with a whoosh.

Thwack.

It hit the target perfectly.

“Siha, I’ll reload for you. Stay still.”

I reattached an arrow.

Siha took his stance, mimicking what he’d seen.

“Yes. Stop breathing and shoot. That way, the bow won’t shake as much.”

“Ah.”

Actually, for hitting a target that wasn’t too far or too close, there was no real need for such precision.

It wasn’t even a real bow, so there was no recoil to compensate for.

The child next to him watched Siha intently and then turned his head towards his own target.

“I can do that too.”

Thwack.

He also hit the target perfectly.

This was now a 1-1 situation, a direct competition.

Siha, aware of the challenge, carefully pulled the trigger.

Accurate. Perfect.

His skill at hitting the target was no joke.

‘Should I send him to a sports high school, specializing in archery?’

I imagined Siha becoming an ace in the shooting club, winning medals and bringing glory, then shook my head, dismissing the thought.

‘I’m getting ahead of myself again.’

It’s all because of Siha, who is overflowing with talent.

Genius Siha reloaded the arrow and shot it again and again.

Thwack. Thwack. Thwack. Ting. Thwack. Ting. Thwack. Ting. Thwack.

He hit 7 out of 10 shots.

Originally, you get a stamp if you hit 3, so the rest were bonuses, exceeding expectations.

The child next to him hit 6 out of 10 shots.

It was only a difference of one point.

But just like in Go [a strategy board game], a half-point difference represents a huge skill gap, so I puffed out my chest and felt proud of Siha.

Hana and Seungjun next to me also cheered him on.

“Siha won!”

“Siha~ You won~”

As if the white team had won a major victory, the two stuck close to Siha.

Their faces were so close that Siha’s cute chubby cheeks were slightly pressed.

I couldn’t help but laugh at the adorable sight.

The child next to me was panting, as if he was upset by the loss.

“Hey. You’re pretty good, I’ll admit.”

“Ah.”

“But I won’t lose in the next game. Your name is Siha, right?”

“Ah. Siha.”

“I’m Jongho from Jongno [a district in Seoul].”

Then, Jongho’s mom playfully slapped him on the back from behind.

“Hoho. My kid’s dad has been watching old dramas lately, so he’s being silly and acting like a tough guy.”

“I see.”

Jongho scratched his back and looked at Siha.

Then he looked at Hana behind him and said.

“You’re really pretty. I’ve never seen such a pretty kid in my life.”

“Hmph.”

“I’ll show you my cool side later.”

Siha looked at Jongho’s headband, seemingly unimpressed.

“Chuchi.”

At that word, Jongho became wary of Siha again, unsure of what it meant.

I smiled and led them to the next booth, trying to defuse any potential tension.

It’s strange that the four of us ended up together, but I guess it doesn’t matter. The more, the merrier.

Siha was busy looking at the stamps he had received, completely absorbed in his collection.

The stamp given at the first booth was a puppy character.

“Woof woof.”

“Yes. It’s a puppy. Woof woof.”

The second booth was themed around Gangin Kindergarten.

The rule was to successfully throw 3 out of 10 balls into the designated box.

Then they give you a stamp and sticker gifts as a reward.

Siha pulled on my pants, as if he recognized his own drawing displayed at the booth.

“Hyung.”

“Yes. It’s Siha’s drawing. They made it into a sticker.”

“Ah.”

Siha looked at the sticker prize with sparkling eyes, clearly delighted.

The children around him also had sparkling eyes, filled with envy and desire.

As expected, Penguin Monster [likely a popular character or brand]! It was effectively stimulating their desire to collect all the prizes.

“So, everyone, stand here and throw these ball pit balls. Got it?”

This time, it was Seungjun’s confident event, a game he knew well.

“Siha, we did this together before.”

“Ah.”

Siha nodded as if he understood the instructions.

It seemed like the two of them had played this game a lot in the past.

Can I expect some good results if this happens?

“Siha, fighting!” [a Korean expression of encouragement, like “Good luck!”]

The four of them threw the balls with enthusiasm.

Unlike using tools like the bow and arrow, Siha’s ball control was a mess, lacking precision.

Clang!

The ball bounced out without going into the intended hole.

But then, surprisingly, it went straight into the box next to it.

I lifted Siha up in excitement.

“Siha! That was a great calculation!”

“Ah?”

Siha tilted his head with a bewildered look, not fully understanding what had happened.

Anyway, isn’t it okay if it goes in, regardless of how it got there?

“Is this 인정, 인정?” [meaning ” 인정” acknowledged or 인정 accepted]

I looked at the sophomore 과대 [department representative] who was a staff member, seeking their approval.

“Ah. Senior. Acknowledging this is a bit…”

“Ah, why? This is even more difficult than throwing it directly.”

“Technically, it’s not allowed according to the rules.”

“Even though he threw such a wonderful slide shot?”

“If you want to be picky, it was a 직구, 직구?” [meaning ” 직구” a fastball or a direct throw]

I had no choice but to take a step back, realizing I couldn’t argue with the technicality.

Jongho next to me smiled mischievously at Siha, amused by the situation.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

But there was an ace on the white team, ready to step up.

It was Seungjun.

If he just threw it casually, the ball went straight in with ease.

Seungjun, who successfully put in 9 out of 10 balls, beckoned to Jongho, taunting him.

“Try it. Try it.”

It was a very blatant and effective provocation.

Jongho threw the ball again, determined to prove himself.

As expected, he had quite a bit of athletic ability, and 8 out of 10 went in.

He pouted as if he was upset that he lost to Seungjun.

“Next!”

Unfortunately, Siha only managed to get 5 balls in.

But he still did well, considering his initial struggles.

***

The kids who had been to all five booths looked happy and satisfied.

Because they now had five pretty stamps on their collection cards, a testament to their participation.

The overall match against Jongho’s team was won 3 to 2, a narrow victory for Siha and his friends.

Hana still didn’t seem to like Jongho, so she completely ignored his attempts to interact with her, remaining aloof.

I don’t even know why she dislikes him so much.

Isn’t Jongho pretty handsome, at least objectively?

“Siha, let’s go get a present over there, now that we’ve collected all the stamps.”

We collected five stamps and went to the prize redemption area to get our reward.

I received a very small flowerpot, and I wasn’t sure what to do with it, lacking a green thumb.

Siha was holding it in his arms, as if he liked it and considered it his own.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have him try growing plants, fostering a sense of responsibility.

“Then, it’s lunchtime now. After lunch, we’ll have a tug-of-war competition.”

The lunch time I had been eagerly waiting for had finally arrived.

I was so hungry after going around five booths, expending so much energy.

The lunch box I packed today was gimbap [Korean seaweed rice rolls].

I was so sleepy because I woke up early in the morning to pack this elaborate lunch.

I could have easily bought gimbap, but I prefer the chewy texture of homemade rice, so I packed it myself with extra care.

“Si혁, Si혁 [name of the narrator]. Let’s eat with the kids now. I packed 유부초밥, 유부초밥 [Japanese seasoned fried tofu rice].”

“Ah, is that so? I packed gimbap.”

“We can share it together and have a variety of dishes.”

We took our seats and took out our respective lunch boxes, ready to feast.

Then, I saw someone running towards us from afar, waving his arms.

It was Moon Do-hwan.

“Huff huff. I’m not late, am I?”

“Oh. Hyung [older brother or male friend]. You’re here now? I even packed a lunch box for hyung, just in case.”

“Thank you. You’re so thoughtful.”

He arrived just in time for lunch, perfectly timed.

Even if he was late, it seemed like he could make time at this point, and many children were spending time happily with their parents during lunch.

I wanted Siha to have only fun memories with the kids, surrounded by everyone’s love and support.

I didn’t want him to feel lonely or isolated in the middle of the crowd.

Moon Do-hwan picked up a piece of gimbap and put it in his mouth, savoring the flavor.

“Oh! It’s delicious!”

“Right? Siha. You try it too.”

“Ah.”

Siha munched on the gimbap, enjoying the taste.

“Mashisseo!” [Korean for “delicious!”]

“Eat slowly. There’s also yogurt here for you.”

“Ah.”

Seungjun and Hana stared at me intently, their eyes pleading.

“I want yogurt too.”

“Hana too wants yogurt.”

“I knew you’d say that, so I brought a lot in advance, anticipating your requests.”

Both of them were visibly pleased when I gave them yogurt, their faces lighting up with joy.

Moon Do-hwan came next to me and whispered conspiratorially.

“How’s Siha doing?”

“Huh? He seems to be in a good mood, enjoying himself.”

“Really? That’s great to hear.”

“Yes. It’s thanks to hyung for being here.”

“I haven’t done anything yet…”

“You can start now. Eat quickly, hyung. It’s war now, a battle for attention and fun.”

“What are you talking about?”

“What do you think the kids will do when they finish eating?”

“What are they going to do?”

“Of course, they’ll walk around and play, exploring the surroundings. You have to eat aggressively and quickly while we’re still eating together, maximizing our time.”

“Huh? Really? I didn’t think of that.”

We quickly finished our lunch.

The kids were already energized by the food and weren’t tired at all, their energy levels soaring.

The three of them got up from their seats and were already plotting something, whispering amongst themselves.

“Do you know what tug-of-war is?”

“Hana too knows. Hana too.”

“Ah.”

Seungjun gestured to grab the rope while leaning back, demonstrating the proper stance.

“You position your body like this, using your weight for leverage.”

“Hana wants to do it too.”

“Ah. Siha too wants to participate.”

The three of them stuck close to Seungjun’s back, mimicking his movements.

First of all, it definitely wasn’t the appearance of someone who knew how to do tug-of-war properly, lacking the necessary technique.

I got up from my seat and called the kids over, wanting to give them some guidance.

“Everyone, come here for a second.”

The three of them came to me in a row, eager to hear what I had to say.

“When you start tug-of-war, everyone lies down on the ground. That’s how you win, using your body weight to your advantage.”

Seungjun nodded with shining eyes, absorbing the new strategy.

“Let’s win for sure, our white team. Fighting!”

“Fighting!”

“Pating!”

“Ah. Party.”

Siha, it’s not a party, it’s fighting, a competition.

The tug-of-war began, filled with anticipation.

A staff member came out and blew the whistle, signaling the start of the game.

Bwee-

“Start!”

As soon as Seongjun, Hana, and Siha heard the whistle, they immediately lay down on the ground, following my instructions to the letter.

The kids on the white team saw that and followed suit, lying down while holding the rope, creating a chain of bodies.

The blue team, confused but wanting to imitate, also followed, with the person in front lying down first, and then everyone lying down in a row, creating a similar scene.

The children lay down in a group while holding the rope, resulting in a chaotic and unconventional tug-of-war.

There was no clear victory, as no one could effectively pull the rope in that position.

The staff was flustered and didn’t know what to do, completely unprepared for this unexpected turn of events.

I quietly picked up my phone and took a picture, capturing the comical scene for posterity.

This isn’t my fault. I conveyed the strategy properly, and they chose to interpret it literally.

I thought that way, absolving myself of any responsibility.

“Everyone~. Lying down is prohibited. That’s against the rules. We’ll start again, this time with everyone standing.”

The game started again, this time with everyone upright.

The parents cheered for the white team and the blue team, creating a lively atmosphere.

“Win white team!”

“Win blue team!”

Siha pulled the rope with a grunt, putting all his effort into the task.

Seungjun and Hana also pulled the rope with strength, determined to win.

Sweat was forming on my hands as they fought fiercely, their faces contorted with effort.

I don’t know why I’m so nervous, as if I were the one competing.

At some point, they were dragged to the blue team’s side, and the kids had to let go of the rope, unable to hold on any longer.

Bleep.

“The blue team won!”

Seungjun clenched his fist as if he was upset, disappointed by the loss, and Hana was tearful, on the verge of crying.

Oh no. It hurts my heart to see them so upset.

To taste such a bitter defeat in this friendly competition already.

I looked at Siha, trying to gauge his reaction.

“페에에에-” [onomatopoeia for a penguin sound]

Siha was transforming into Super Emperor Penguin Three, his alter ego emerging in response to the defeat.

Siha. It’s already over……. There’s no need to transform now.

Anyway, he looked incredibly cute, even in his disappointment.

***

Siha’s Super Emperor Penguin Three was active in the 박 터뜨리기, 박 터뜨리기 [meaning “popping the gourd” a game where participants try to break open a hanging gourd with a stick or ball].

Seungjun also looked determined, as if he was confident in doing things with balls, eager to redeem himself.

Jongho on the blue team next to him said, trying to provoke them.

“Did we win? Are we going to win again?”

I smiled softly, knowing that it was too early to celebrate.

That’s something you shouldn’t say so confidently, tempting fate.

The kid doesn’t know anything yet, lacking experience.

Seungjun turned his head at that word and fiddled with the ball, focusing his attention on the task at hand.

The staff said, explaining the rules.

“If you throw the ball here, candy will come out inside. If you all want to eat candy, break this open! Then start!”

Bleep.

As soon as the whistle sounded, the kids threw the balls at the 박, 박 with all their might.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The 박, 박 was shaking and seemed like it was about to open, close to breaking point.

Moon Do-hwan and I cheered for Siha until our throats were sore, encouraging him to keep going.

“Siha. Fighting!”

“Siha. Fighting!”

Siha suddenly stopped throwing the ball and went to the person holding the 봉, 봉 [meaning “stick” or “pole”] of the 박, 박.

He pulled on his pants and spoke, trying to get their attention.

“Ah.”

“Huh? Baby. You’re supposed to throw the ball at the gourd.”

“Ah. This.”

Siha took out a bag of jelly that he hadn’t opened yet and offered it to the staff member as a gift.

The staff was so charmed by his cuteness that she gratefully received the jelly, touched by his gesture.

At that time, the 봉, 봉 tilted slightly, and the 박, 박 came down a little further, closer to the children.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. Bang!

The 박, 박 finally burst open, and candy poured out, raining down on the children below.

The children started picking up the candies on the floor, scrambling to collect as much as possible.

Candy is always a guaranteed source of happiness and excitement.

Siha also came to us with both hands full of candy, and his pockets full, as if he had successfully completed his mission, a triumphant hero.

“Hyung. Moon Do.”

Siha generously gave us candy, sharing his spoils with us.

He even takes care of us, showing his thoughtfulness and generosity.

But there’s one question that’s been nagging at me.

“Siha. Why did you give the jelly to that staff noona [older sister or female friend]?”

“Mom.”

“Huh? Mom? What do you mean by ‘Mom’?”

Siha flipped his hands back and forth, expressing something through gestures.

“Baja Baja.”

“Hmm. What does that mean?”

If you try to infer, is he saying 반짝반짝, 반짝반짝 [meaning “twinkle twinkle”]?

“Here.”

Siha pointed to his pocket, indicating the candy inside.

And then he quickly flipped his palm again, mimicking a sparkling motion.

As if drawing something along the way, he pointed to the staff member.

“Baja Baja. Ah.”

“Hmm. 반짝반짝, 반짝반짝 jelly? Twinkling jelly?”

“Ah.”

No matter how I interpret it, I still don’t understand what he’s trying to convey.

What does 반짝반짝, 반짝반짝 jelly mean? It’s a complete mystery.

“It’s not like 반짝이, 반짝이 [meaning “sparkling” or “glittering”] told him to give the jelly, right? Is it okay?”

“Ah.”

Nod nod, he confirmed with a nod.

I just stroked Siha’s head at his nod, accepting his explanation, even though I didn’t fully understand it.

“Now we have running left, right?”

“Ah.”

“Siha isn’t participating in the running race, so let’s see how well the other kids do, cheering them on from the sidelines.”

“Ah.”

“White team fighting! You have to do your best!”

“Ah.”

That day, the sports day result was a resounding victory for the white team, a cause for celebration.

***

-Seungjun and Hana’s house.

Seungjun told his professor father about what happened today, recounting the events with excitement.

“He said Hana was pretty! Jongho said Hana was pretty!”

“Oh. Really?” The father’s expression darkened slightly.

The twins’ father was already scolding the child in his head, imagining a stern lecture.

‘How dare you compliment my daughter in such a casual way!’

Hana said, dismissing the compliment.

“Hana didn’t like it. I don’t like Jongho.”

“Oh. Really? Hana. You did well in rejecting him. I’m proud of you.”

The father was happy with Hana’s iron defense, her unwavering loyalty.

I didn’t even have to teach her, and my daughter is already putting up an impenetrable wall, protecting her heart.

Then Hana dropped a bombshell, completely changing the subject.

“Hana likes Si혁, Si혁 oppa [older brother or male friend]. I like Si혁 oppa.”

The father’s face cracked, his composure shattered.

“What kind of 새…. No, what kind of oppa is Si혁, Si혁 oppa? Who is this Si혁 oppa?”

“Siha hyung. I like Siha hyung.”

The father, in a state of panic, called his wife, seeking answers.

“Honey! Who is Si혁, Si혁 oppa! Who is this Si혁 that Hana keeps talking about!”

Meanwhile, Si혁, Si혁’s ears were itchy, so he was absentmindedly picking his ears, unaware of the drama unfolding elsewhere.