Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 330

Hyung, aren’t I cute? 330

The musical is being held in a small theater at the university.

It’s not a formal, ticketed event; the students have rented the space for practice.

One of the students I befriended while volunteering invited me to watch, so I’m bringing the kids along.

It’s essentially their first rehearsal.

Having an audience is great practice for the students.

It’s less nerve-wracking when you see familiar faces.

But what if you see unfamiliar faces?

Or if a senior [upperclassman] is watching from the front?

That’s really nerve-wracking.

“Today’s audience is kids. Four-year-olds.”

“Do you think they’ll understand our musical?”

“They might not understand everything, but at least they’ll think it’s fun. There’s singing and acting.”

“That’s true.”

The club members sit around and chat.

Then, as if something comes to mind, one of them snaps their fingers.

“Didn’t the professor say his child is also at the daycare?”

“Ah, right. He did. Was it Yeon-ju?”

“Yeah, yeah. They say she’s talented in acting. I’m curious.”

“Isn’t he just showing off?”

“Maybe?”

The president of the musical club claps his hands.

“Alright, alright. No more chatting. Let’s get ready, they’ll be here soon.”

“Are the other friends coming too?”

“Yeah, they said they’ll come if they have time.”

As time passes, people gradually fill the seats.

But there are still many empty seats.

Then, a noisy sound is heard, and the daycare kids arrive.

Seung-jun says.

“Wow. Si-ha, we’ve been here before.”

“Ah, danced.”

We used this small theater when we practiced and performed idol dances [K-pop style dances].

There were more people than expected, and the teacher was flustered.

“Watched play too. Fun.”

“Oh, Si-ha watched a play too? How was it?”

“Hyung awesome!”

“???”

Si-ha witnessed Hyung showing an amazing story during the play, surprising everyone.

Of course, in Si-ha’s eyes, the acting was also very good.

The other kids tilted their heads, wondering what Si-ha was talking about, but only Yeon-ju agreed.

“Hyung got up and pow pow! Did. Girl role also pow pow! Boy role also pow pow did. So head tap tap did. Here is. Book here is. Did.”

“???”

An incredibly compressed explanation!

Of course, the kids didn’t understand anything.

But Yeon-ju, who was next to him, quietly chimed in, ‘That’s right. It was amazing.’

“Okay, everyone, let’s take our seats?”

“Me here!”

Seung-jun quickly taps the front row.

He was filled with the desire to see it up close rather than from afar.

“Seung-jun, go together.”

Si-ha just wants to sit next to his friend.

Yeon-ju and Hana are also in Si-ha’s team, so they naturally go to the front.

“Jong-su, what about us?”

“Hmm.”

Jae-hwi asks, and Jong-su hesitates.

Sitting in the front row feels like copying them.

But he wants to see it up close.

“Okay! Let’s sit three rows behind them. In the middle.”

“Why? I want to sit behind Yeon-ju.”

“Cough.”

Here, Jae-hwi makes a very selfish claim.

Jong-su couldn’t ignore his close friend’s opinion.

“Then let’s go to the back of the kids. It’s nice to see their heads below!”

“Okay!”

After taking the seats they wanted, about 5 minutes later, a sound came from the speakers on the ceiling.

[Ah, ah. We will now begin the first rehearsal of the musical. It’s a rehearsal, but we plan to do it like a real performance, so we hope the audience won’t be disappointed. Now, we will begin the musical ‘Laundry’.]

They didn’t mention any precautions about phones.

Because everyone doesn’t always follow those precautions.

Unexpected situations.

You have to experience them during rehearsals to avoid being flustered.

Especially with kids coming, it’s even better.

They might suddenly cry, shout, or interrupt.

But if the actors can’t perform because of these things, it’s a big problem.

That’s why giving precautions is different from a real performance.

Rather, the musical club president is hoping for unexpected situations to arise.

Click.

The lights go off and then on.

“Please fix my car.”

“Yes! I will!”

The man walks around with a wrench.

His clothes seem to be stained with oil, with black marks all over.

And next to him, a flower shop girl appears.

She smiles brightly and smells the flowers.

He looks at her and starts to sing.

“The scent is so good. It feels like I’m intoxicated by the scent.”

“The scent is so good. My heart is directed towards you.”

He approaches her.

She stands still as if time has stopped.

“Always. You smell so good, unlike me.”

“There’s a girl who smells different from black oil.”

“Long straight hair. Bright smile. Everyone is pretty.”

“Please allow me. Can I talk to you?”

He puts his hand on his chest and draws out his emotions.

“Please allow me. Can I ask you out on a date?”

“Please allow me. You and I are a good match.”

“If you allow me. I could smell the same as her.”

She starts to move.

She gently grabs his sleeve.

She speaks a line, not a song.

“Joo-hyeok, would you like to go eat something delicious with me?”

Three other chubby supporting actors come out and shout.

“This is a famous restaurant! King Jun-hyun also came here!” [King Jun-hyun is likely a famous mukbang (eating show) streamer].

The audience bursts out laughing at that line.

The kids also know King Jun-hyun from the mukbang shows and burst into laughter.

Si-ha doesn’t know what’s going on but laughs along.

The supporting actors say.

“Just one bite~! Just one bite~! Let’s eat big!”

The scene shows him and her entering the store and immediately coming out.

Time has skipped.

“The desserts at that cafe are delicious.”

“Really?”

“I’ve checked everything out.”

She drags him along and stops at the same spot where time had stopped earlier.

In the same pose.

The man lets go of the woman’s hand and takes a step back.

And sings again.

“I see it. This ordinary date.”

That’s right.

The part with the lines was just his imagination.

That was the direction [the director wanted to convey].

“I regret it. If I had talked to her that day.”

“My heart is pounding. I feel like it’s going to explode.”

“If only you could have heard my unspoken voice.”

At that moment, a crisis came to the male actor.

“Siha all heard! Okay! Okay!”

The male actor closes his eyes and bites his lip.

He furrows his brow and expresses serious emotions.

If he didn’t, he felt like he would laugh at that pure cry.

***

Sometimes, people say things like this about children’s words.

Does the child know what they’re saying? They probably don’t know anything?

They say this and let out a hollow laugh.

The actors here are the same.

The child’s pure concern is funny for no reason.

But does this child know anything about musicals to say that? To offer comfort like that? Ah, it’s a bit funny.

“Right. Okay! Cheer up!”

“Hana also support!”

The twins also offer comfort in Si-ha’s words.

They know that musicals are acting, but they are already immersed and enjoying it.

Like mothers who curse the villains in morning dramas [Korean daytime soap operas].

But the actors find that kind comfort too funny.

It’s really nothing special.

“Everyone. Calm down. Shh. Shh.”

The teacher manages to calm the children down.

Fortunately, the actor doesn’t have to hold back his laughter for long.

Because Act 1 is coming to an end.

“Teacher. Now end?”

“Huh? No. Act 2 is starting now. Look.”

The lights come on.

This time, it proceeds from the flower shop girl’s point of view.

She seems to only exude pretty and beautiful flower scents, but behind her smile, darkness lurks.

“You’re asking me to send money again? Mom. Where do I get money? I’m having a hard time too. I’m having a hard time. Why can’t I live a normal life like others? Can’t you just come to my studio and bring me side dishes or something? Am I not your child?”

Everyone in the audience is silent in this serious situation.

With this line, people imagine the situation she is in.

“Siha give allowance. In piggy bank is.”

It’s a small voice, but it pierces the actor’s ears.

Cough. Sad thought. Sad thought. Think angry situation. Think mom only care younger sibling and dad.

“Okay. Cut it off!”

She turns off her phone and puts the call in her pocket.

“Haa. Why do I have to live like this? Why can’t Mom abandon Dad and do this to me? Why do you pass it on to me!”

The grandmother, who was hanging laundry outside, approaches.

With a laundry bat [a wooden paddle used to beat laundry] in her hand.

“It must be hard. But you know.”

The song starts again.

“If you avoid it because it’s hard, the stains will keep piling up.”

“You have to beat it with this bat to get it out.”

The three supporting actors who were doing laundry together stand up and act like they are hitting their temples with their fists.

“Hel-le-le. Hel-le-le.”

After that, they encourage her by comparing it to laundry.

The women are comforting her just like the children did.

The scene moves on, and the male protagonist also receives comfort and confesses his love to her.

“I may be a man with many stains. A man without courage and confidence.”

“But it’s lucky. To have met you. I have courage.”

“Shall we bump into each other together? Shall we refresh each other?”

A song about living happily together comes out, and the villagers also sing along, ending the musical.

There were many crises due to the children, but they overcame them well.

The first rehearsal comes to an end like this.

“Thank you.”

Clap clap clap.

The kids also seemed to have enjoyed it, as they applauded enthusiastically.

It reminded them of doing laundry today, they sympathized, and there were some things they didn’t know.

But they were able to enjoy it enough because there were fun points to sing and laugh along to.

“Ah?”

Si-ha wiggles his hands, clenching and unclenching his fists.

He wanted to draw a picture.

***

Baek Dong-hwan came to pick up Si-ha from daycare.

“Si-ha. I’m here.”

“Baekdong hyung. Came?”

“Yeah. Did you have fun?”

“Siha had fun. Baekdong hyung. Give fish food well?”

“Yeah. Of course. Siha told me to take care of it. I even gave it this morning.”

“That’s a relief.”

Si-ha sighed in relief.

Even while enjoying himself, he was thinking about the fish.

“Shall we go home then?”

“When hyung come?”

“Maybe he’s on the plane now?”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Really.”

Si-ha took Baek Dong-hwan’s big hand and went home.

Small Si-ha and big Baek Dong-hwan.

The difference in their bodies makes Si-ha look even smaller.

“Baekdong hyung hard when laundry? Body big so clothes big.”

“Huh? It’s just normal?”

“No. Baekdong hyung hard.”

“Why are you deciding that? I said I’m not having a hard time.”

“Big so!”

In Si-ha’s mind, Baek Dong-hwan’s blankets and clothes seemed big, so he thought he had a lot of laundry to do.

“Siha learned laundry today. Siha do laundry?”

“Oh! How did you learn how to use the washing machine?”

“No. Put in water and splash with feet.”

“Such classic laundry…”

“So splash water also cool~! Doing.”

“Then can you step on my back at home later?”

Baek Dong-hwan thought Si-ha’s weight would be perfect for a massage.

Si-ha’s eyes widened.

“Baekdong hyung. Body wash with hand. Baekdong hyung. Blanket no?!”

“No. Can you move on from laundry?”

“Baekdong hyung heavy so Siha can’t hang. Line also break.”

It was true that he was too heavy to hang, and it was possible that the line would break, so he couldn’t argue.

“No! I’m not asking you to do my laundry, I’m asking you to massage me.”

“Siha rub shoulder?”

“Huh?”

Si-ha only knows how to rub shoulders as a massage.

Instead, he knows that there is a chair massage machine through the sauna.

“Okay. Just rub my shoulders.”

Baek Dong-hwan realized that just accepting Si-ha’s words was the way to have a conversation.