Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 4

Hyung, Aren’t I Cute? 4 (4/500)

I decided to revise my plan based on Moon Do-hwan’s advice.

I would get a two-bedroom apartment near the university and live there with Si-ha.

And then, I would take some time to figure things out.

What I should do for a living in the future.

There was no need to rush the decision.

This is all thanks to you, hyung [older brother or close male friend].

In fact, 200 million won was, in a way, money that bought me time.

But I hesitated to spend it.

The vague fear of the future must be significant.

If I think of it as property to pass on to Si-ha, it’s even more impossible to spend.

If Si-ha grows up and gets married later, what can I do to help from home?

‘Nothing.’

That’s why this money is so precious now.

The wedding costs alone are about 40 million won.

When the price of an apartment is over a hundred million, I think parents should provide some support.

Of course, I know this is a choice, not a necessity.

But I wanted to do it.

Because this money was left to both of us by our parents.

-Saturday morning.

“Si-ha. How do you like it here?”

“Ah-ah.”

I looked at the building in front of me with Si-ha.

It was close to Kangin University and had a vacant apartment on the first floor.

120 million won for a lease [Jeonse, a Korean lease system where a large sum is paid instead of monthly rent].

Two rooms and one bathroom.

I hesitated a lot before signing the contract here.

For Si-ha’s well-being, it had to be a bit away from the bars.

If it’s too close, you might often see college students coming here to drink and throw up.

But if it’s too far, we would have to use public transportation.

I can’t let Si-ha experience the subway hell.

As a result of my investigation, it seemed that somewhat normal college students and people lived here.

Of course, I heard this information from the representative of the licensed real estate agency.

He was someone who knew this industry well.

“Okay. Now let’s go to the nearby convenience store. The moving company is working hard to organize things, so let’s bring them some drinks.”

“Ah-ah!”

Si-ha took the lead, carrying a toy carrier that was just her size.

The moving company takes care of the move, but Si-ha is showing off a very professional moving fashion.

I smiled and followed Si-ha.

It’s cute how she wiggles her plump butt as she walks.

It’s also cute how small her stride is with those short legs.

“Hyung.”

Si-ha turned around and called me.

“Yeah. Are you telling me to come quickly?”

I wanted to see her from behind a little more, but I stood next to Si-ha.

Because Si-ha wanted it.

“Today, I’m going to buy a very cool juice. And Si-ha’s favorite chocolate milk.”

“Ah-ah.”

“But Si-ha, can you keep pulling the carrier? If it’s too hard, should hyung carry it for you?”

Shake, shake.

Si-ha insisted that she could do it herself.

If she gets tired, I can pull it then.

The problem is, I have to hold Si-ha and pull the carrier?

We walked to the convenience store in front of us.

“Let’s see. Should I buy some coffee drinks? To cheer up the ajusshi [middle-aged man] and ajumma [middle-aged woman] who are organizing things well. What do you want to drink, Si-ha?”

“Ah-ah.”

I thought Si-ha would choose chocolate milk, but she chose a drink with a character on it.

It had a toy attached to the lid of the drink.

She was already hitting the carrier as if she liked it.

She’s playing the drums a bit?

I chose the drink as Si-ha wanted and handed it to her.

After buying several drinks, I returned home with Si-ha.

The movers were wiping their sweat as they were finishing up.

“Drink this while you work.”

“Ah-ah.”

The movers looked at Si-ha with a pleased expression.

Our Si-ha is cute, isn’t she?

“Oh my. Thank you. You didn’t have to bring us this.”

“Still, you’re working hard, so I should at least treat you to a drink.”

“We’re getting paid for this. What.”

“Still.”

“Haha. You were well-educated…….”

The young man next to the ajusshi poked him in the side.

I guess they’re worried about our brothers’ family situation.

You can just say it comfortably…….

To be sure, I am grateful for such small considerations without knowing anything.

‘I’m okay.’, ‘You don’t have to give me this kind of consideration.’

“Haha. You have a very good personality. If I were the boss, I would have hired you right away.”

The young man next to him sighed.

“Who would like to be hired for this hard work?”

“Shut up, you brat. I still have pride in this job. I’ve fed all my children with this. Why are you like this.”

“Ugh. Just drink your drink and carry the luggage. Huh?”

Si-ha put down the carrier and grabbed a box.

Of course, it’s heavy, so she doesn’t budge.

We smiled as we watched her.

“Is our Si-ha trying to help? You’re so kind.”

“Ehehe. These brothers have amazing personalities. Good. I’ll hire both of you.”

“Stop it and let’s finish up now. It’s almost done. Si-ha, that’s an empty box. Dirty. Dirty.”

“Ah-ah.”

Of course, Si-ha didn’t understand.

But she seemed to understand the word dirty, took her hand off and ran to me to show me.

I could see her blackened hand.

“Hyung.”

“Yeah. I’ll wipe it for you. Just a moment.”

I opened the toy carrier that Si-ha had put down.

Inside were her favorite tissue box and wet wipes.

I took out a wet wipe and wiped Si-ha’s hand.

“Dirty. Dirty.”

“Ah-ah.”

“Okay. All clean, right?”

“Ah-ah.”

Si-ha shook her hand.

Then she ran to the door.

“Si-ha. Let’s go together.”

I closed the carrier and followed her.

To our new home.

***

Kangin University Building 51.

I was currently in the Korean Language and Literature Department.

I had left Si-ha with Moon Do-hwan for a while.

I could see the name of the department head, the professor, in front of me.

[Professor Kim Ho-seop]

I knocked on the door.

Knock knock.

“Come in.”

I heard the professor’s kind voice.

I opened the door and went in.

“Hello. Professor. I heard you called me.”

“Welcome. I’ve been waiting for you. Sit down.”

“Yes.”

I sat in the chair provided.

Kim Ho-seop sat down and boiled water in the pot.

“Do you like coffee? Or tea?”

“Coffee, please.”

“I heard about your parents’ passing. I couldn’t go because I had other things to do at the time.”

“It’s okay. It happened so suddenly to me that I couldn’t contact many people.”

“It must have been hectic. Si-hyeok, you must have been keeping the place [referring to taking care of things after the parents’ passing].”

“Yes…….”

I looked at Kim Ho-seop, who was brewing coffee.

He graduated from Sungkyunkwan University.

I remember his research topics were modern novels, literary criticism, and regional literature.

I remember him always talking about his overall knowledge of his research topics.

He is currently the head of the department and will recommend me to the scholarship officer.

“I heard the story. You want to receive a scholarship through the scholarship officer recommendation scholarship program because the first semester is free and you don’t know what will happen in the second semester.”

“Yes. I don’t think I’ll be able to maintain my grades and stay at the top of the class.”

“I have children too, so I know. Don’t worry about that. I’ll recommend you.”

“Thank you.”

“You also need to bring a family relationship certificate.”

“Yes.”

Kim Ho-seop put the brewed coffee in front of me.

“Since you were at the top of the class, you’ll also receive an off-campus scholarship. Actually, it’s a scholarship that was created this time.”

“I heard about it for the first time.”

“This is not deducted from the tuition fee, but given in cash. Top 3.”

“How can you do that?”

“Because this is what your seniors donated to our department. Of course, it’s the well-earning seniors who send donations. So it’s not school money, so we give it to you in cash.”

“Ah.”

“The amount is 1 million won.”

Receiving 1 million won for doing well in school was a considerable amount of money.

Because you get it without doing anything.

I felt a little strange.

I thought there really were seniors who earned so much and donated for their school juniors.

“That’s amazing. How much do they earn to donate such a large amount?”

“It’s not just from one person.”

Whether it was from one person or not, it didn’t seem like it would be that much.

If it’s the top 3, that means 12 people combined in the 4th grade.

That’s 12 million won going out.

It will be used for other things for the students as well.

“Well. There’s a guy who earns a lot among them. Let’s put that story aside.”

I’m so curious about that story.

“I didn’t call you to talk about these scholarships. I called you for other reasons.”

Did I have something to talk about with the department head besides the scholarship?

“Ahem. I heard you’re thinking about working from home…….”

“Ah…….”

“Do-hwan told me. He asked if there were any good part-time jobs.”

“Hyung, why are you asking about that? Professor. I’ll take care of it myself. I’m more capable than you think. That’s why I decided to raise Si-ha.”

“I don’t know about your abilities. But you certainly seem to have the determination. That’s why you’re thinking about raising a child.”

“Haha.”

“I’ve been watching you favorably for two years. Do you remember the interview when you entered here?”

“Ah…. Are you still remembering that?”

“Of course. It was the first time I saw a guy talking so confidently.”

Kim Ho-seop was the interviewer at the time of admission.

That day, Kim Ho-seop’s question was very simple.

A question often asked at universities.

Why did you apply to our department?

At that time, I said this.

「Because it’s the best department I can go to with my grades. It’s also the department my father attended. And I want to study hard, get great grades in the first and second years, and then prepare for a job comfortably in the third and fourth years.」

「That’s a very dreamless and unromantic answer. Doesn’t everyone prepare for the interview like this?」

「Everyone didn’t say it, but there won’t be any grand reasons. Should I say what I just said in English? I’m a little confident in that.」

「You know this is the Korean Language and Literature Department, right?」

At that time, I was so nervous because it was my first college interview that the answer came out without going through my brain.

Later, I went home and kicked the blanket [a Korean expression for feeling embarrassed or ashamed].

I didn’t expect Kim Ho-seop to remember that.

“I’m embarrassed.”

“I was very impressed. Later, I found out why you were so confident in speaking English.”

Kim Ho-seop took out his iPad and showed me a file.

“Do you have any thoughts of following in your father’s footsteps? This is about the amount of work-from-home part-time jobs I can connect you with?”

“Then I would be very grateful.”

I looked at the pad I received from Kim Ho-seop.

It felt like a self-help book in English.

The name of the publishing company to translate was KI Media.

The English book was cut off at 20 sheets based on 200 characters per manuscript page.

“Huh?”

Kim Ho-seop said.

“That’s a sample. I’ll send you the file, and you can translate it and send it to the publishing company by email. Then they’ll judge it. I’m just connecting you, so don’t be too grateful.”

“No. This is enough. Thank you. Department Head.”

I bowed my head deeply.

“You’re working hard, so I want to help you. It’s all because you’re doing well.”

“You don’t have many friends for that reason.”

“That’s because you spent two years sweeping up all the grades. It’s not like you’re a cleaning machine that cleans 24 hours a day.”

“Anyway, thank you!”

After bowing my head once again, I tried to leave the room.

“You have to give me the iPad! I got that through overseas direct purchase.”

“Ah, that’s right!”

I gave the pad with a slight regret.

Kim Ho-seop quickly snatched the pad as if it were precious.

That was definitely expensive, right?

Then I thought it was worth cherishing.