Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 389

Hyung, aren’t I cute? 389

I unpack the gift.

Siha finds the toy and picks it up, jumping up and down.

Uncle watches him, then starts unwrapping his own gift. Siha puts down his gift and runs over.

“Uncle. What’s the gift? What is it? Siha wrote a letter to Santa asking him to give Uncle a present too.”

“I haven’t even opened it yet, so I don’t know what the gift is. You wrote a letter to Santa?”

“Yeah.”

“You didn’t have to write one.”

Uncle seems embarrassed.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen him like this.

I hope he likes the gift.

“Oh? Pajamas?”

“Pajamas?!”

Siha’s eyes sparkle.

It’s not just one set, but a set of three.

One is for kids, one is the right size for Uncle, and the other is for me.

“Looks like Santa gave us a pajama set? There’s one for Siha and Sihyuk too.”

“Set! It’s a set! A set!”

Siha suddenly gets two gifts.

“Uncle. Hurry. Hurry. Let’s put them on.”

“Now?”

“Now. Now. Hurry. Hurry. Hyung too!”

I expected this reaction from Siha.

I can’t resist the Three Musketeers set.

He can’t resist being in a set with Hyung, so there’s no way he can resist this.

We changed into the pajamas.

Even though they’re a set, only the patterns are the same, and the background colors are different.

“Uncle. How is it? Am I cool?”

“Yeah. But why are you reacting like you got the gift? It’s my gift.”

“Santa gave Siha another gift.”

“No. It’s in Uncle’s box, so it’s not Siha’s, it’s Uncle’s. You have to take it off and give it back later.”

“!!!”

“It’s just a loan, so take good care of it.”

“Isn’t this Siha’s?”

“It’s Uncle’s because it’s in Uncle’s gift box. Don’t you even know that, Siha?”

“Yes, I know!”

Uncle teases Siha again.

No. He’s taking it away? I really didn’t expect that.

“Uncle. I’m glad it suits you.”

“Sihyuk. You wanted to wear the same pajamas as Uncle? You still have a childish side.”

“Uncle is just a child.”

“……”

He doesn’t counterattack, maybe because I got him.

He must have thought it would be a loss to say anything more.

“Anyway. You’re afraid of teasing. You’ve lost that cute charm you had when you were little.”

“That’s why you tease Siha every day.”

“Of course! Our Siha is so cute.”

Then Siha shook his head.

“No! Siha is cool! Because Hyung is cool!”

“Okay. Cute and cool.”

“Huh?”

Siha had a look on his face that said, ‘How should I react to this?’

It seemed like he thought it was strange to deny it because it combined the two, but it was also strange to affirm it.

“Hyung. What’s Hyung’s gift?”

Changing the subject.

That’s a very wise decision.

I opened the gift box. I didn’t want to buy unnecessary gifts.

“Tada.”

I bought frozen croissant dough.

I was going to make croffles [croissant waffles] with it today.

“Sihyuk. This is a bit much.”

Uncle looks at me with a face that says, ‘Isn’t this a bit much as a gift?’

But what’s wrong with this?

I think it’s a much better gift than buying something I don’t need just for me.

“What’s this?”

“It’s delicious. It makes cooking even more delicious.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Santa gave Hyung this gift so we can all eat it together on Christmas.”

“!!!”

Uncle’s face said, ‘Are you really going to frame it like that?’

Why is it all showing on your face?

Anyway, any gift can be packaged, right?

It was a gift from Santa to eat delicious food on Christmas.

“There’s sugar here too?”

“!!!”

“There are strawberries too. And ice packs.”

“Delicious!”

It feels like a meal kit box, but shouldn’t we just enjoy Christmas anyway?

“Shall we eat breakfast and then have it as a snack?”

“Okay!”

Uncle shakes his head at the suggestion of just eating it for breakfast.

This can’t be breakfast.

Breakfast is all about rice!

Santa has to acknowledge this too.

“Then I’ll prepare a simple breakfast.”

We ate breakfast and decided to eat croffles a little later.

I finally got to use the waffle maker that Seo Suhyun gave me.

I bought kimbap [Korean seaweed rice rolls] before and only used it once.

The irony of having to eat waffles but not eating waffles.

Even today, it’s not waffles but croffles.

But this is bread, so can’t we count it as a waffle?

“Hyung. Baking bread?”

“Yeah. Now, if you put the bread here and press it, it’s done.”

“Siha wants to see! Siha too!”

I guess he’s curious about how it’s made.

It’s nothing special, though.

Siha brings a chair and climbs up.

He stands and stares with wide eyes.

I folded the waffle maker in half.

Press.

Now just wait about 4 minutes.

“Hyung, is it done?”

“No. We have to wait 3 more minutes.”

“Two minutes!”

“There are 60 seconds in 1 minute. So if Siha counts 60 three times, it’s over.”

“Okay. Siha will count. One. Two. Three. Four.”

The sound of counting numbers echoes in the house.

But the seconds aren’t accurate, so it’ll probably be 3 minutes before he counts 60 three times.

It might be better for Siha if it’s faster.

“3 minutes are up.”

“Huh? Siha hasn’t finished counting yet.”

“Shall we check if it’s done?”

I opened the waffle maker.

I saw the golden-brown bread.

Siha’s eyes sparkled, saying it looked delicious.

“Now just sprinkle sugar and decorate with strawberries.”

“Done!”

Sprinkle sugar powder.

Then take a spoonful of ice cream prepared in the freezer and put it on top.

Cut the strawberries and decorate.

“How is it? Pretty, right?”

“Pretty! Delicious!”

“Right?”

“I have to bake one more for Hyung, so take it to Uncle first and say, ‘Please enjoy.’ And take yours and eat it first.”

“Okay!”

Siha gets off the chair and presents the croffle to Uncle.

Uncle, who is lying on the sofa, says, ‘Sihyuk is the best!’

Siha proudly sticks out his stomach, saying, ‘It’s Siha’s Hyung!’

Uncle just wants to tease him, so he presses his belly button with his finger.

“Uncle. There’s a button here, so something bad will happen.”

“What bad thing will happen?”

“It’s a secret. Siha is busy, so I have to go.”

“Where are you going?”

“To get Siha’s!”

Siha comes to the kitchen and takes his croffle.

“Uncle. Aren’t you going to eat?”

“I’m waiting.”

“Waiting for Hyung?”

“No. You.”

“Huh?”

Then Uncle picks up a strawberry and puts it in his mouth.

Siha’s eyes widen.

“Siha’s strawberry!”

“Hahaha. You got tricked.”

“Siha will eat Uncle’s.”

“I knew you’d say that. I should have eaten them all in advance.”

He grabs the strawberries all at once and shoves them into his mouth.

Siha stares at the strawberries in vain.

“Waaah!”

He’s teasing him again.

I smiled bitterly and cut more strawberries, put them on a plate, and put them on Siha’s croffle.

“Is this okay?”

“Siha’s strawberries are back!”

Siha picks up his croffle and moves away from Uncle.

He shows his determination not to be taken away again.

Uncle gestures to Siha.

“Siha. I won’t steal your strawberries. Come here and eat.”

“Liar!”

“Really? Or punish Uncle.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Siha trusts him again and puts the croffle on the table.

Uncle takes this opportunity to scoop up the ice cream with a spoon and eat it.

“Waaah!”

“Hahaha.”

“Uncle is a liar!”

“I said I wouldn’t steal your strawberries, but I didn’t say I wouldn’t steal your ice cream.”

“!!!”

Siha. Did you get tricked again?

But Uncle feels sorry and scoops up his ice cream and puts it on his plate.

He gives and takes all at once.

Before I knew it, my croffle was done, and I sat down at the table with them.

“Uncle. You tease him too much.”

“Siha’s reactions are so funny.”

I couldn’t deny that, so I just put the croffle in my mouth.

“Siha. It’s so delicious. Let’s eat.”

Siha ate the croffle.

The sweetness makes him feel good, so he forgets Uncle’s prank and smiles.

“Delicious!”

Well, this kind of pleasant Christmas wasn’t bad.

Even if we don’t go anywhere, we can eat delicious food with our family at home, look at gifts, and laugh.

Isn’t that enough?

***

Seo Suhyun walked back and forth with the gifts in her hands.

Now that she’s bought the Christmas gifts, she’s starting to wonder if this is too obvious.

After much deliberation, she came to the apartment where Sihyuk lived, but then she realized she hadn’t contacted him. She tapped her head, calling herself a fool.

She was so busy worrying about whether to give it to him or not that she didn’t think about anything else.

What if he’s not there?

No. Will he accept it? Won’t he think it’s weird? No. It is weird. Giving Christmas gifts when it’s not his birthday.

Why are you worrying about it after you bought it?

She was thinking about whether to contact him or not, but then she went back to worrying about whether to give him the gift or not.

Then she decided to just go to a cafe and think about it in the warm place.

‘I’m frustrated with myself too.’

But she knows Sihyuk’s situation well.

She also knows that he won’t accept her feelings.

Then wouldn’t anyone end up acting like her?

Afraid of being rejected. Because she wants to keep liking him. She doesn’t know what to do.

This is her first time in this situation and making this decision.

She needs to have met a man with these complicated circumstances.

She doesn’t even know how to approach him.

“Oh? Alisa?”

“Huh?”

Seo Suhyun ran into Alisa as she was entering the cafe.

Seo Suhyun hid the shopping bag in her hand behind her back.

“What are you doing here?”

“Going to get coffee? Ah! I brought Sihyuk a Christmas gift.”

“Oh? A Christmas gift?”

“Yeah. A gift.”

Seo Suhyun stared blankly at Alisa.

How can she just barge in like that?

She felt once again that she was different from her.

Alisa glanced at the shopping bag, and Seo Suhyun fidgeted.

“Ah.”

Alisa makes a face as if she understands something.

Then she turns her head and orders coffee at the store.

Seo Suhyun felt that time was passing very slowly, and she couldn’t open her mouth.

Did she realize that this was Sihyuk’s gift?

That’s right, Alisa likes Sihyuk.

In fact, she had noticed it to some extent.

She just pretended not to see it and didn’t mention it to each other because she was afraid of becoming awkward.

We were close friends and just liked the same person.

But she couldn’t help but feel that they had grown apart.

Alisa had firmly found her job and achieved it as a startup.

On the other hand, she didn’t know what to do, so she wandered around throughout her school years, and now she was just starting to find something.

Even as a woman, she thinks Alisa is cool.

“Would you like to order?”

Seo Suhyun suddenly came to her senses at the cafe employee’s words.

“A cafe latte, please. Hot.”

“Yes. I understand.”

They waited for their coffee in awkward silence.

Alisa was the first to speak.

“Suhyun.”

“Yeah?”

“We’re friends, right?”

“Yeah. We’re friends.”

“But we can be uncomfortable with each other. Like now.”

“Well. Honestly, yeah.”

They were very different from when they played together at the beach.

Even though no one did anything wrong, their relationship changed.

She knows it in her head, but her emotions don’t.

Who said people are rational? I don’t think so at all. They’re so emotional.

“But can’t we suddenly get better?”

“Huh?”

“I like you, but sometimes I hate you, so. So. I don’t know what to do. I want to stay friends, but that seems like too much greed. But no matter what the outcome, no matter what form it takes after time passes.”

“Yeah.”

“I still want to be friends.”

“I know.”

Seo Suhyun felt the same way.

They had spent time together, learned and played together, and shared friendship.

Sometimes she resents that time because of one emotion, but she doesn’t want to let go.

People’s emotions are so complicated that they can’t be pinpointed.

So they avoided looking at each other.

Seo Suhyun opened her mouth with difficulty.

“I think it would be good if we were busy with each other like now. Ask each other how we’re doing sometimes. Say hello. It’s that time. We’re about to graduate. Everyone gets a job and drifts apart. But I don’t want to drift too far apart, so I contact you sometimes. When we get a job, we’re so busy that we don’t contact each other for months. Just. Let’s do that. We. As it flows.”

“Yeah. Let’s do that.”

Beep beep.

The vibration rang, indicating that the coffee was ready.

Alisa got up first and took her Americano.

Seo Suhyun took hers next.

“I’ll go first.”

“Yeah.”

“Good luck.”

“Yeah.”

Suhyun found those words very strange.

Was she telling her to deliver the gift in the shopping bag she was holding? Was that what she meant by good luck? Was it a word as a friend?

She drank her coffee.

The sweetness and bitterness of the cafe latte lingered.

She took a deep breath and picked up her phone.

-Seo Suhyun: Oppa! Are you home? I have something to give you.

Sometimes meeting someone gives you courage.

Whether the opportunity was good or bad.

Seo Suhyun met Alisa today and decided to give him the gift.

She doesn’t know what Sihyuk will think, but still. Still. She didn’t want to be left behind.

-Sihyuk: Yeah, I’m home… You have something to give me?

-Seo Suhyun: I’m at the cafe in front of your house now. Can you come out for a moment?

-Sihyuk: Okay, I got it.

Seo Suhyun waited in front of the house for Sihyuk to come out.

The timing was perfect, and the elevator came down quickly.

“It’s cold, why don’t you come up?”

“No. I’m just going to give this to you and leave. This is a Christmas gift.”

“Why are you giving me a Christmas gift?”

“I’m giving it to you because I’m grateful for a lot of things. Would I have made this much money if it weren’t for Oppa?”

“It’s because you’re good, not because of me.”

“You always say that.”

“No. That’s right. Ah! Thanks for promoting the calendar. I really didn’t think it would sell that much. I don’t know if I should be grateful or embarrassed.”

“I, I didn’t think it would spread like that either!”

“I know. Why are you acting like you did something wrong?”

“Oh, never mind.”

“Can I open it?”

“Yes.”

What came out of the gift was a scarf.

Sihyuk looked at it and said.

“It’ll be warm.”

“Merry Christmas!”

“Suddenly? Merry Christmas to you too.”

“Then I’ll go.”

“Suhyun.”

Sihyuk grabbed Seo Suhyun.

He hesitated.

“I don’t know if I’m mistaken. You know. Is this what I think it is?”

Seo Suhyun swallowed.

What should she say here?

“…You’re mistaken. It’s not.”

“Okay. But I…”

“I know.”

“Huh?”

“I know. What you’re going to say. But you know.”

Seo Suhyun took a breath and said.

“I haven’t said it properly yet, but this isn’t it.”

“Hmm.”

Seo Suhyun closed her eyes tightly and blurted out her honesty.

“Oppa. The expiration date of love is 3 years. So I’ll just like you for 3 more years. If it’s still not right, then reject me.”

“What?”

Sihyuk looked at Seo Suhyun as if he was dumbfounded.

“Ah. This isn’t a confession. Void. Void. Spit spit spit.”

“Pfft.”

“I gave you a Christmas gift, so you give me a gift too. Don’t answer now.”

“You can let go if you’re too tired.”

“I haven’t been tired yet. You don’t know.”

“Okay. I understand. Thanks for the gift. I’ll use it well.”

“Okay! Then I’ll go. Oppa, go in quickly, it’s cold.”

“Okay. I understand.”

Seo Suhyun walked away without looking back.

She felt like Sihyuk was looking at her, so the back of her head was hot.

Maybe her whole body was hot.

The coffee in her hand was cold, but her face was flushed, and her breath was even thicker.

But today, a satisfied smile appeared on her face.

She doesn’t know what the result will be. But she was happy that she could take a step closer.