Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 437

Elementary School (1)

The entrance ceremony at Kangin Elementary School is quite the event.

It feels like the parents are busier than the kids.

I attended the orientation, but being here in person is a different experience.

They’re announcing class assignments today, and I’m looking forward to seeing Siha’s reaction. Actually, I already received the class assignments by email yesterday.

But I didn’t tell Siha.

Since the assignments are posted on a large sheet of paper on the school bulletin board, I thought it would be better for Siha to find out himself.

Wouldn’t it be more exciting and fun for Siha to discover it that way, rather than me telling him in advance?

“Hyung, let’s hurry! It’s almost time for school.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

It would be nice if the entrance ceremony started at a leisurely 10 a.m., but they’ve set the arrival time for 8:50 a.m.

The reason, I suspect, is for the parents to get a feel for the routine beforehand.

It’s acceptable to be a little late for the entrance ceremony, but not when school actually starts.

“But Siha, aren’t we going a bit early?”

“Hyung, it’s better than being late!”

“I suppose so.”

It’s only 7:10 a.m. right now, you know?

He woke up before dawn, got ready with an excited expression, and packed his bag.

Well, I always wake up early to prepare breakfast, so it doesn’t really matter to me.

“I doubt anyone else will be there preparing if we go this early.”

If we drive, we’ll get there quickly. I imagine only the security guard will be around.

“No, everyone will be there!”

I was taken aback by Siha’s confidence.

Still, what are we going to do arriving so early?

“I need to see what class I’m in.”

“They probably haven’t posted it yet, have they? We have to go to the gym first anyway.”

I heard we’ll listen to explanations and receive guidance step by step.

The principal will be there too.

“Haaam~ What’s with all the fuss so early in the morning?”

“Uncle, I’m going to elementary school today!”

“So what?”

Uncle scratched his stomach with a nonchalant expression.

“Aren’t you coming, Uncle?”

“Why would I?”

“It’s my entrance ceremony today! I’m an elementary school student now!”

“So what if you’re an elementary school student? What’s so special about being an elementary school student?”

“Uncle, you have to be careful with me now.”

“???”

“I’m an elementary school student.”

“???”

Elementary school students have tremendous power, apparently.

He’s even saying strange things like that.

Anyway, today I’m walking to elementary school with Siha.

I usually drive him, but I thought it would be good for him to learn the way in case he ever has to walk.

He’s still a young first grader. I need to take him diligently to prevent anything from happening.

“Let’s go now!”

“Alright.”

It felt like it took forever. That’s because we woke up too early.

I should change the saying ‘The early bird catches the worm’ to ‘The early bird is tired’.

***

I arrived at school and saw some familiar faces.

It’s Seungjun and Hana.

“Seungjun-ah~! Hana-ya~!”

“Siha-ya!”

“Hi, Siha!”

They wave their hands, happy to see each other.

Since we’re all here, let’s go inside the gym together.

They sit together and chat excitedly.

“I hope we’re in the same class.”

“Yeah! Then we can play soccer together.”

“All you ever think about is soccer!”

Seungjun said, very excited.

“Didn’t you see the playground?! There’s a soccer goal too!”

“Ugh.”

“It’s huge.”

“That’s the same one that was at the university.”

“No, it’s different. This one is a little more sparkly.”

“I guess so.”

Seungjun must have really liked the soccer goal and the grass field.

“Ah. I want to run already.”

You’d think he was a professional soccer player.

Hana pointed to something else.

“I like the gym here.”

“Do you want to play soccer in the gym?”

“No! Why would I play soccer in the gym!”

I agree with her.

Why are you thinking about soccer here?

“Hana, this is a good place to perform on stage.”

“Oppa! Look. Siha is saying exactly what I was thinking.”

Hana smiled with satisfaction at Siha’s words.

Seungjun clicked his tongue, disappointed that he was wrong.

“Hana likes to sing, so she likes the stage and knew it right away!”

“As expected, Siha knows. Oppa, you’re always with me, how can you not know that?”

“Seungjun knows, but he’s pretending not to know.”

“Really?”

The two of them look at Seungjun.

“Ahahaha. Of course, I knew it all along.”

Seungjun looked like he was sweating profusely.

It was clear that he didn’t know.

At this point, I’m curious about what Siha thinks.

“Siha, is there anything you like?”

“I like everything. Hana is here, Seungjun is here. Hyung is here. There’s a gym. There’s a playground. The building is pretty too.”

“If you had to pick just one thing?”

“Being with Hyung?”

“No. Besides that. About the school. The school itself.”

You’ve liked Hyung too much since you were young!

Maybe Siha isn’t in a position to talk about others?

Just like Seungjun can’t stop thinking about soccer, Siha can’t stop thinking about Hyung.

“Okay, we’ll start now!”

While we were talking, the entrance ceremony began.

They hand out handouts and tell us to proceed in an orderly fashion.

They announce that those who haven’t seen their class assignments can go and check them at the front.

The entrance ceremony proceeds simply.

Before we knew it, the principal’s speech was about to begin.

It seemed like they were moving quickly because it also included a tour of the school.

“Wow! Wow!”

“What is that?”

“Cool!”

The kids went wild when the principal appeared.

It was because he rode onto the stage on a handleless electric wheel [a self-balancing scooter].

He spun around on the stage and stood on the platform.

“Ah, hello everyone.”

“Hello!”

“I’m the principal. Some of you know what I’m riding now, and some of you don’t. Right?”

“Yes!”

“There are many amazing and new things coming out in the world like this. You will be the people who create or use these amazing and new things. You are not the children of a new country, but you, the children, are creating a new country as a new generation.”

“???”

“Was that too difficult? Please understand your moms and dads, you children who quickly and easily learn and play new games. Because you are smart.”

I thought he was talking to the parents, not the children.

That their children are the newer people of an era.

Don’t ignore their meaning just because they are young. Rather, there are times when children are wiser and smarter.

It was as if he was saying that.

Honestly, I don’t know what other parents think, but I liked it.

His unconventional appearance at the beginning, and his neat suit.

His embrace of the new era.

It was as if he was telling us that this is what Kangin Elementary School is like.

It seems like a compressed expression different from what I heard at the briefing.

Is that person really the principal of this elementary school?

“Hyung.”

Siha tugged at my sleeve.

“Yeah? Why?”

“I’m smart.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s because I’m like Hyung.”

“Pfft.”

“Hyung is even smarter!”

He’s claiming that here?!

Ah. I’m smart too, but Hyung is even smarter.

We’re all smart.

Siha’s expression was so funny that I nodded.

“Siha will become even smarter than Hyung in the future.”

Maybe he’ll become so smart in the future that I won’t be able to keep up. That’s how I’ll feel the generation gap.

Because I can’t keep up with the winds of the new era.

“No.”

But right now, Siha wants me to be his amazing Hyung forever.

I want to grant that wish.

“Ah. The principal’s speech is ending.”

The principal says.

“Beloved children~ children~ everyone~ everyone~ everyone~ Thank~ Thank~ You~ You~ You~”

The microphone is normal, but he deliberately creates feedback [a screeching sound].

He was a funny person.

“Shall we see what class we’re in now?”

“Yeah!”

I checked the names on the wall with Seungjun and Hana.

Actually, there are only five classes in this private elementary school.

24 students per class. A total of 120 students.

I could quickly check the names, and there weren’t that many people in the gym.

Ah, of course, including the parents, it’s two or three times more.

Usually, one parent is supposed to come, so there are around 240 people here.

“Hyung. Hyung. Seungjun and Hana are in the same class!”

“Oh! That’s right!”

Seungjun Oh, Hana Oh, and Siha Lee are all in Class 1-1.

Since their last names start with the Korean letter ‘ㅇ’ [pronounced ‘ng’ and used as a placeholder when a syllable doesn’t start with a consonant], they’re right next to each other.

“Yes! Siha and I are in the same class!”

“Me too!”

Hana’s mother next to me told me that they were originally assigned to the same class.

Since they are twins, they contacted her to ask if they should be assigned to the same class.

I guess twins get that kind of consideration.

Well, they’re still in the first grade of elementary school, so the kids might be very anxious if they’re separated. It’s good for siblings to be together.

Surprisingly, elementary schools seem to pay a lot of attention to these things.

“Wow! I’m in the same class as Siha Lee!”

“Jong, Jongsu. Me too. Me too. I’m in the same class?”

“Um. We’re in the same class.”

“Puhaha! It’s all the same! What is this. Puhaha!”

The Jongsu family must have also been assigned to Class 1.

But where’s Yeonju?

“Hana, let’s play together again.”

“Yeah!”

Seeing her talking to Hana, it seems that Yeonju is also assigned to Class 1.

Um. Is this possible? No, there are only a few classes, but all the kids from the daycare are in one class? Amazing.

Did they put them all in on purpose?

“Hyung. Hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“I like Class 3.”

“Ah…….”

Siha still liked the number 3.

Ah, he can’t stand to *not* be in 3!

***

The homeroom teacher and the children greeted each other.

The children look around here and there following the teacher’s guidance.

The music room, art room, science room, nurse’s office, cafeteria, teacher’s office, principal’s office, etc.

They look around once and return to Class 1 again.

They go to another place and return to Class 1 again.

It feels like they’re resetting.

It seems like they’re deliberately doing this so that the children get used to the layout of the school.

Other mothers seem to think the same way.

Ah, but it’s a bit weird because I’m the only man here.

It’s a bit uncomfortable.

But Siha didn’t care and seemed happy to be with me.

Well, it’s okay as long as Siha is okay.

I thought there would be at least one other father, but there wasn’t. Well, they might not be able to come if they went to work.

Siha’s biological father said he would only come to congratulate him at the right time today.

I guess it would have been a bit awkward to look around like this.

I can’t say that I’m his father due to circumstances.

It’s not like I’m Hong Gildong [a Korean folk hero who couldn’t call his father ‘father’ due to his illegitimate birth], but I can’t call my father my father.

Of course, it’s different in that Siha doesn’t know that he’s his biological father yet.

I understood because it’s a bit difficult to talk about things like that.

Since it’s a private school and there are few students, the mothers’ word of mouth will spread faster.

I think we should be careful in that regard.

Still, it’s a relief that there are Kangin Daycare mothers in the first grade.

It might be a little easier to interact with them.

Now I think it’s lucky that Siha is in the same class as the daycare kids.

Oh, if there weren’t any, I’d have to become friends with the mothers like making friends, just thinking about it makes me dizzy.

‘Siha, it’s a relief that you didn’t get into Class 3!’

I looked at the mothers next to and behind me.

And I said to Seungjun’s mother.

“I’m glad I know someone too.”

“Really? Me too. Hohoho.”

“I’m not the only one who thinks so?”

“That’s right. It’s easier to talk if you know someone.”

Well, it seems good for both parents and children.

Since it’s their first time going to elementary school.

Of course, they will make new friends as they play.

Seeing the unknown children getting to know each other on their own at the kids cafe made me worry less.

“Then we’ll finish here. Please take your gifts.”

The elementary school entrance ceremony ended with gifts.

I’m glad the kids liked it.

“Hyung. I’m an elementary school student.”

“Yeah. I heard that this morning too.”

“Yeah!”

“But if you’re an elementary school student, you can go to elementary school alone now. Right?”

“No. I can’t because I’m only 8 years old. I have to be 10 years old.”

The age to go to elementary school alone is 10 years old.

Who did you learn that from?

I’ve been thinking about it since before, but Siha seems to have set some milestones by age.

What’s even funnier is that it’s very flexible and changes freely.

“If you’re 10 years old, you’re going to elementary school alone?”

“Yeah!”

Siha always answers well.