Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 369

“Hyung, aren’t I cute?” 369

A few days ago. Washington, D.C., USA.

Raymond, known as Si-hyuk’s uncle, returned home after completing his mission.

It was a dangerous mission, so he left his phone behind, assumed a false identity, and went undercover.

Three years.

He spent a long time tracking them down and completed the mission.

Until then, he hadn’t contacted anyone to avoid being caught.

He only made a few reports to the CIA.

“Raymond, how does it feel to be back after so long?”

“Tired. I’ll take a break before taking on the next mission.”

Raymond sat on the sofa and took a sip of water.

“Shall I pick one for you [referring to a new mission]?”

“Do as you please.”

“The director is wondering if it’s time for you to step back from field work?”

“Why? I’m still in good shape.”

“Well, you’re a veteran, but you’re still working in the field when you’re my contemporary. Don’t you think that’s a bit much?”

“I’m not interested. Just assign me where I want to go.”

“Of course, you’ve done so much for us that you can go anywhere you want. We might even have to create a position for you.”

“Then good luck.”

“Are you going back to Korea again?”

Raymond nodded as he got up from the sofa.

His superior shook his head.

“You don’t even make friends in America.”

“Isn’t it enough to have connections? I don’t want to make friends and have them used as leverage.”

“Oh, my. So, did you make friends in Korea?”

“It’s safer there than here. At least I won’t get hit by a stray bullet.”

“Well, that’s true. Anyway, go to the hospital first. Get a mental checkup too. You can’t be okay after returning from a mission. Your colleagues too….”

“I’m fine. I know myself well. I’ll be fine if I just rest.”

“I guess so. It wouldn’t be bad to rest comfortably there.”

“That’s right. It’s my sanctuary.”

“Show me around when I go there later.”

“Cut down on your work and then talk.”

Raymond waved his hand and left.

Only his colleague, his superior, remained in the office, sighing.

‘It’s not a lie, he’s capable enough to take a position anywhere, but I don’t know why he doesn’t leave the field.’

‘Whenever I see that guy, I wonder if I’m already old.’

“Have a good rest.”

He could only offer that much comfort to the departing back.

With some consideration.

“He’s not answering the phone?”

Raymond called Lee Si-hyuk on his phone, but he didn’t answer.

He wondered if something was wrong, but figured it would be resolved once he got home.

So, he boarded the plane.

As soon as he arrived in Korea, he went home, but someone else was living there.

He wondered if they had moved, so he stormed into the U.S. Embassy in Korea and demanded they find someone.

His colleague, his superior, called and nagged him, but Raymond didn’t care, picking his ear.

“So what?”

He remembered that his nephew, Lee Si-hyuk, went to Gangin University, so he provided the information and had it checked.

And the fact that came back was his friend’s death.

“……”

Raymond was shocked.

He never thought his friend would die in an accident in Korea, where there were no guns.

He had returned alive from a mission where death was right at his fingertips, but his friend had not returned in a very unusual case.

Something broke inside Raymond.

“Ah. Ah.”

He cried, regardless of whether there were people around him.

Clutching his chest.

It was his only sanctuary. A joyful retreat from missions, teasing his nephew and acting carefree.

The only home to return to.

His friend and nephew, who were like family to him, even though he had no family.

But now, that friend is gone.

Only his nephew is left, living diligently.

He cried for a long time and then pulled himself together.

The death of a colleague was sad, but the death of a friend felt like his heart was collapsing.

He couldn’t imagine how sad Si-hyuk must have been, considering how he felt.

At that moment, a sense of self-loathing surged up.

For not being there when he was having the hardest time.

He felt sorry for that.

“I have to go. I have to go see him.”

Not wanting to show his haggard face, he shaved, washed his face, and went to Si-hyuk’s new house with the information in his hand.

And finally, they met.

“I missed you, Si-hyuk.”

“Uncle……”

That was the only remaining sanctuary he had.

***

My uncle came over and hugged me.

I can feel him stroking my hair with one hand.

“You’ve had a hard time, haven’t you? I’m sorry.”

The moment I heard those words, my eyes welled up.

I didn’t know what to say, but I felt like my uncle knew. That my father had passed away. That I was raising Si-ha. Everything. All of it.

It was all in that one sentence.

“Welcome home.”

“Yeah. I’m back.”

With those words, he gently stepped out of my arms and wiped away the tears.

We didn’t need any more words between us.

Because there were so many emotions in just a few short words.

That was enough.

‘I didn’t think anyone I missed would come.’

The feeling of envy I felt earlier turned into a feeling of joy, longing, and missing him just by looking at him.

Why do my emotions change so often in one day?

Today was one of those days.

“Hyung?”

“Huh? Ah!”

“Who is it? Why is Hyung crying?”

“No, I’m not crying.”

“Ajusshi [term for older man, like ‘mister’]. Who are you? Don’t hurt my Hyung!”

Si-ha patted my uncle’s leg.

My uncle stroked Si-ha’s head.

“It’s your uncle.”

“Uncel?”

“Yes. Uncle.”

“Really? But why are you hurting my Hyung?”

“I won’t hurt him anymore.”

“Promise.”

“Yes. Promise.”

My uncle and Si-ha hooked their little fingers and even stamped their thumbs.

That sincere action, that serious expression, seemed to say something.

“Uncle. Have you eaten?”

“No! Of course, I haven’t.”

“Then let’s eat. What do you want to eat?”

“Si-hyuk’s cooking.”

“Ah…. Okay, then.”

Si-ha puffed out his stomach and said.

“Hyung’s food is the best. It’s as delicious as the sky and the earth!”

Is he bragging about his Hyung in this situation!

I can’t stop him. Still, thanks to Si-ha, the tears that were welling up in my eyes disappeared.

“I know that very well! Si-hyuk’s food is the best in the universe!”

“The best in the universe?!”

Si-ha’s eyes sparkled as if he had never heard such a word before.

I thought it would be awkward because it was our first time meeting, but I think he’ll get along well with Si-ha.

“Let’s not stand here like this and go inside. I’ll make you something delicious.”

We went inside.

It’s been a while since my uncle came to Korea, so I thought I should make him kimchi stew.

My uncle used to find it very spicy at first, but later it became his favorite food.

It’s been about three years since he came, so he might find it spicy again now.

Still, kimchi stew is meant to be eaten with that kind of flavor.

With a side of rolled omelet and white rice.

“It’ll take a while, so please play with Si-ha.”

“I’m good at playing with kids, I’ve been playing with Si-hyuk since he was little!”

I smiled at my uncle’s words.

He seems to be the same as ever.

“Baby.”

“Si-ha is not a baby. Si-ha is all grown up.”

“Little one.”

“Si-ha is a little one, 맞아 [maja].”

He admits that?! Was the little one all grown up?!

Anyway, the two of them are having a lively conversation.

“I said you were the best in the universe earlier, have you been to space?”

“Si-ha hasn’t been yet. Has Uncel been?”

“Of course! There are superhumans in space! And huge robots too.”

“Really?!”

“Of course! Cars turn into robots.”

“Si-ha’s car can’t transform.”

“It’s okay. If that alien comes, he can make Si-ha’s car a robot too.”

“!!!”

He’s telling such ridiculous lies.

Si-ha is already captivated by my uncle’s words, as if he’s asking if it’s true.

This, this. That’s all a lie.

Such exaggeration.

But it strangely sounds like a story from a movie.

He’s American after all!

“But where does Uncel live?”

“Uncle lives in America.”

“!!!”

“How is it? Amazing, right?”

“Does Uncel live in Americano? Does he live inside the coffee and sip it?”

“???”

“Si-ha knows Americano too. But adults drink it. Si-ha knows everything.”

“Not Americano, America. The United States. America.”

“Si-ha likes seaweed soup too. It’s delicious.”

“???”

Well, sometimes communication doesn’t work.

He’s fallen for Si-ha’s language magic.

My uncle is staring with an expression that says, ‘What is this kid?’

“Uncel. Uncel.”

“Huh?”

“Are you sleepy? Why are you lying down?”

“It’s comfortable to lie down like this.”

“Don’t lie down, let’s play tag with Si-ha.”

“What? What did you say?”

“Tag!”

“Oh! woo! I don’t know Korean very well! I don’t understand!”

“???”

I laughed while cooking.

He only says he doesn’t know Korean when it’s disadvantageous to him.

I want to call it selective ignorance.

He’s been doing so well until now, how can he not know Korean?

I used to fall for that a lot when I was young. Oh? Does he not know that word? How should I explain this? And so on.

Back then, there were no smartphones.

“Uncel doesn’t know Korean?”

“Korean is too difficultyo! I don’t know what you’re doingyo! yo!”

“Then Si-ha will teach you Korean!”

“???”

But Si-ha was a formidable opponent.

He immediately transformed into a teacher.

He goes into the room and brings a toy sword.

I guess it’s a substitute for a cane.

He points it at the TV.

“This is a TV. TV.”

“I don’t know Korean.”

“So, TV! Television!”

“Oh! Too difficult!”

“Uncel! You’re lying! Television is English!”

“Oh! I got caughtyo!”

Even so, Si-ha knows a few English words!

Cup, TV, piano! Our Si-ha knows everything!

“Should Si-ha do it in English?”

“You know English?”

“Si-ha is very good. Uncel will be so surprised he’ll go to another planet.”

“Even if you’re good at English, you’ll be so surprised you’ll go to another planet?!”

This is Lee Si-ha, an exaggerator surpassing his uncle!

I don’t know why I’m listening so intently while cooking.

“Listen carefully. Hello! Bye-bye.”

“Oh!”

“A B C D!”

Now he’s singing.

Well, that’s his repertoire.

My uncle scratches his butt and claps while lying down.

He’s just like any other Korean uncle, except for his nationality.

Boil, boil.

Still, I wasn’t bored while cooking.

“It’s done!”

“Oh!”

“Please take the spoons.”

We set the table and ate dinner together.

My uncle first scooped up the soup and put it in his mouth.

“Cough. Cough. Cough.”

It’s normal to cough when something spicy goes into your mouth.

“It’s spicy.”

“Is it spicy? Is it very spicy?”

“No. It’s okay. It’s just been a long time. Slurp. Cough. Cough.”

Si-ha said.

“Uncel. You’re an adult, but you can’t eat spicy food?”

“Cough. Cough. No. I can eat it well. I really…. I said it’s been a long time. A long time……”

My uncle wiped the tears and his hands with the tissue next to him.

“You have to eat well like Si-ha to grow tall.”

“You grow a lot.”

My uncle scooped up a spoonful of rice and picked up the kimchi from the kimchi stew and put it in his mouth.

He wipes his forehead and eyes with a tissue.

“Really. Why did you make it so spicy?”

The kimchi stew wasn’t spicy to me.

But strangely, my eyes were stinging.

Really strangely.

***

Raymond came out of the house and walked the night streets.

He took out his phone and called his superior.

「Oh! Raymond. Did you meet him?」

“I met him.”

「How is it? Good?」

“It’s good. It’s also sad. My friend is in heaven.”

「Ah…. Don’t be too sad.」

“I’m sad and angry. I couldn’t be there when he was having the hardest time. With my friend’s son.”

「You were on a mission, so you couldn’t help it. It was a place where you couldn’t even contact anyone.」

“Even if there are circumstances, the fact that I couldn’t be there is still a fact.”

「That’s right.」

Raymond sighed and looked at the sky.

Because it’s Seoul, you can’t even see the stars, and only the moonlight is full.

I wonder if he can see his son from up there.

“You said you’d create a position even if there wasn’t one, right?”

「Huh? Hey! That was a joke.」

“Create one.”

「Huh?」

“Here in Korea. Create a position at the U.S. Embassy in Korea. You can do that much, right?”

「Are you serious?!」

“Yeah. I’ve done so much for America, can’t you do this one thing for me?”

「No. I can do that much. I’ll talk to the director. He won’t object much.」

“Thank you.”

「But are you going to stay there?」

“I don’t know. It’s just like that. I’m afraid I’ll lose him again. I’m afraid I’ll miss the timing again. That’s why I’m scared.”

「Your colleagues would be horrified if they knew. They’d say Raymond is afraid of something.」

“Am I not human?”

「You’re a machine when you’re on a mission. A machine. Okay. I’ll take care of it.」

He ended the call.

He’ll have a job within a week.

“Hmm.”

Raymond hesitated in front of the door.

‘What’s the password?’

In the end, he pressed the wrong numbers while pressing beep beep beep beep, and Si-hyuk opened the door for him.

He was scolded for going out without knowing the password. He was scolded again for having a phone as a decoration.

Raymond felt wronged, but he thought that was enough.

Yeah. That was enough.