Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 441

Extracurricular 16 Taekwondo (1)

The reason was very simple.

I wanted to do what my friends were doing and share stories with them.

I also wanted to share the same experiences and visit the same places.

I began to notice that my friends in elementary school were having very different experiences than I was.

“My dog’s name is Kkomi, and every time I come home, he wags his tail to greet me. It’s so cute!”

“Wow, that’s nice.”

After someone brags about their dog, the kids who don’t have pets would ask their moms to get them one that same day.

They just wanted one because their friends had them.

But adults are often hesitant.

You can’t easily raise animals without responsibility, and the costs add up.

It’s hard not to think practically.

“What do you do after school?”

“Oh, me? I go to Taekwondo. I go to the Taekwondo place next to Gangin Elementary School.”

When kids get together, these kinds of conversations come up.

Siha asked the child.

“Taekwondo?”

“Yeah. You do kicks and punches like this.”

The child stretched his leg high into the air with impressive flexibility.

Siha’s eyes widened.

“Wow.”

“I’m already a red belt.”

“Red?”

“Huh? Well, red is red.”

Siha’s curiosity was piqued.

Seungjun, who was standing nearby, noticed this and said.

“Siha, soccer balls are also red.”

“??”

“Soccer is better than Taekwondo.”

The child retorted to Seungjun’s statement.

“We sometimes kick balls at the Taekwondo gym before class!”

“!!!”

Seungjun’s attention was immediately caught.

Soccer and Taekwondo?

Two great options were suddenly presented to him.

“Siha, should we go too?”

“I have to ask my brother.”

“Hey, if we say we’re going, Si-hyeok [Siha’s older brother] will definitely let you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. If Siha says he wants to go, he’ll send you right away.”

“That’s right! My brother listens to everything Siha says. But dangerous things are not allowed.”

“My mom is the same way. I want to turn on the gas stove, but she won’t let me.”

“You can boil ramen from the age of 10.”

“??”

It wasn’t the first or second time Siha had said something strange, so Seungjun just moved on.

“Hana.”

“Why?”

“Let’s say you’re going to Taekwondo too.”

“Okay.”

“Oh? What’s going on?”

“I’m going to be an idol later, so I need to know how to protect myself. If you learn this, you can take down your brother with one kick.”

“Hey, I’m so good at soccer. I can kick better.”

He hadn’t even started Taekwondo yet, but he was already showing unfounded confidence.

“Jongsu, what about you?”

“Huh? Me? Should I do it?”

“No. Don’t do it.”

“Why!”

Jongsu decided to go precisely because Seungjun told him not to.

Of course, his parents hadn’t given their permission yet.

***

“You want to learn Taekwondo?”

I blinked at Siha’s words.

Wasn’t this the first time Siha had expressed interest in going to a private academy?

I had initially sent him to art class to foster a closer relationship with Siha’s dad.

Now that I think about it, I sent him there to get closer, but somehow he was just accumulating more and more knowledge about art.

I go with him, but I avoid sitting near them from time to time.

Then, when I get curious about whether they’re actually bonding, they’re not.

All they talk about is art.

It’s as if that’s all they have in common.

So I send him messages, trying to subtly guide the conversation. I tell him to bring up this topic or that.

It seems like the two of them still have a long way to go.

“Yeah. All the kids are going to Taekwondo.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Seungjun and Hana are going, and Jongsu too.”

“But Siha, are you sure you’re up for it? You’re already going to art class.”

“Art is just once in a while, so it’s okay.”

“That’s right.”

Because it’s not every day.

“But it’s going to be tough if you go to a lot of academies.”

“If it’s hard, I can just quit.”

“Oh!”

That’s smart. If it’s hard, don’t do it.

Our Siha is very clever.

“Or you can take a break sometimes.”

“That’s right. Our Siha is smart, isn’t he?”

“Yeah! It’s because I take after my brother.”

“Hahaha.”

If it’s hard, take a break.

It’s a really simple concept.

If you want to do this and that, you can just manage your time effectively.

Or adjust the schedule to reduce the frequency.

Our Siha seems to understand that already.

Maybe the child is much smarter than we give him credit for.

Or is it that we, as adults, decide that we can’t do something before even trying?

Because we think about everything so realistically, we jump to conclusions.

I stroked Siha’s hair.

“You’re smarter than your brother now?”

“Really?!”

“Yeah.”

“But I still think my brother is smarter.”

“That’s because my brother eats more than Siha.”

Siha grabbed his stomach and shook it.

“I wish my stomach would grow quickly so I could eat a lot.”

He meant that he wanted the time to eat to be longer, not that he wanted to eat a larger quantity in one sitting.

Of course, I do eat more than Siha.

“It’s a big deal if only your stomach grows, you know?”

“Like the manager’s stomach?”

“Pfft.”

Where did he even hear the term ‘manager’s stomach’?

Managers these days are working hard to stay in shape!

Well, there may be some exceptions. The stereotype is a bit harsh.

“Then I’ll sign you up for Taekwondo. Where is it located?”

“Taekwondo next to Gangin Elementary School. Everyone goes there.”

“Ah.”

It seemed convenient for the kids to go after school since it was so close to the school.

When I searched on my phone, two places came up.

“There are two?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t you know the name?”

“I heard it, but I forgot.”

“Then I’ll ask the mothers. Anyway, you can go with your friends, right?”

“Yeah!”

I knew it.

No matter which Taekwondo gym it is, he’ll be happy as long as he’s with his friends.

“Is my brother going with me?”

“No!”

He’s saying something terrible.

If Siha goes, it will be during the time when there are a lot of elementary school students. If I go there too, it will be a very tiring situation.

“Why?”

“Huh? My brother has to work at that time.”

“Oh, that’s right. My brother has to work.”

Siha looked slightly disappointed.

I can’t help it! I have no choice but to use work as an excuse to avoid it.

I’m a freelancer, so I could adjust my schedule, but I really don’t want to.

“Ah! Brother!”

“Huh?”

“Then I’ll learn Taekwondo and teach my brother!”

He nodded as if it were a brilliant idea. His face was beaming.

“Oh, okay. Please take care of me then.”

“Yeah! I’ll learn well and teach you!”

His motivation is incredibly high.

I wish his motivation to teach me would decrease a little.

“Pfft.”

My uncle’s sneering sound reached my ears.

Siha looked at me with a questioning expression.

“Uncle, why are you laughing?”

“Siha, you don’t know, but Si-hyeok received tremendous martial arts training from me.”

“Tremendous martial arts?”

“Pfft. Taekwondo? It doesn’t help in a real fight.”

“Then what does?”

“Here, grab this.”

My uncle handed Siha the remote control.

Siha took it with a bewildered expression.

He accepted it because he was given it, but what was he supposed to do with it?

His confusion was written all over his face.

“You can’t use guns in Korea. But you can use knives. That’s a knife. And you stab with it! Then even ordinary people can’t stop you… Ouch! It hurts!”

I hit my uncle on the back.

“What are you teaching him, you jerk?”

“Since ancient times, the first strike is essential! Ouch! It hurts! It hurts!”

“Ugh, really. What are you going to do if you make him hold a weapon?”

“No, you can’t beat someone with a weapon!”

“That’s true, but…”

No matter how skilled you are in hand-to-hand combat, one bullet can end it all.

And if someone attacks you with a knife, it’s difficult to stop them.

Even trained individuals are in danger.

It’s only in movies and dramas that people coolly block the attack and disarm the attacker.

“Still, are you trying to turn a child into a murderer?!”

“Ahem.”

Siha spoke up.

“Uncle, look. If you grab it like this and twist it, the knife will fall.”

“Siha has watched too many dramas. You can’t do that in real life. Of course, your uncle can do it.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, really. There’s Krav Maga [a military self-defense and fighting system]. Your uncle will teach you later.”

“Then I’ll teach my uncle Taekwondo!”

“No, I don’t need that.”

“No, Uncle needs it.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m going to teach you.”

“??”

That’s how Siha’s logic works.

Ah, I don’t know if you need it, but I need to teach you, so you have to learn it.

My uncle wore an absurd expression.

I can’t help it. This is a firm decision.

I quietly excused myself from the conversation and sent a message to the mothers.

-Si-hyeok: The kids say they want to go to Taekwondo, where are you thinking of sending them? There are two near the school.

-Seungjun’s mom: Wouldn’t Gangin Taekwondo Gym be good?

-Yeonju’s mom: The head instructor will even take the kids home, so you don’t have to pick them up!

-Jongsu’s mom: The kids are so admirable!

Other mothers also joined the conversation.

It seemed like they liked the idea of the kids going to Taekwondo after school and then coming straight home.

Well, it’s like extending their school day by another hour or two.

The mothers probably appreciate the convenience.

Parenting is hard. Hmm, I understand. I like the kids, but I don’t want them coming home too early either.

And because the Taekwondo gym is right next door, I can send them with peace of mind.

Anyway, the children and the mothers seemed to be on the same page.

***

Gangin Taekwondo Gym.

The children registered for Taekwondo.

Everyone wore a dobok [Taekwondo uniform] and a white belt.

The children were excited because they weren’t used to the fluttering dobok.

Seungjun said.

“Siha, look at this. It’s cool to tie a belt here.”

“Yeah, it’s cool.”

The Taekwondo uniform was cool, but the way they wore the belt was even cooler.

“I feel like I’m transforming and getting stronger.”

“I want to get a red belt quickly.”

Siha thought the red belt looked cooler than the other belts.

“I want a black belt! But isn’t there a belt that’s half white and half black?”

Seungjun was imagining a belt that resembled a soccer ball.

Of course, no such belt exists.

“Brother, I want to have a yellow belt.”

Hana wanted a yellow belt, which is the next level after the white belt.

“Why yellow?”

“It’s like a lemon. Idols these days have to be full of fruit juice.”

“You’re always thinking about being an idol.”

“My brother is always thinking about soccer.”

“It’s the same thing.”

While the two were bickering, Jongsu approached Siha.

“Hey, Lee Siha, do you know that?”

“I don’t know.”

“I haven’t said anything yet?”

“I don’t know.”

“Ahem. You have to train here for a long time to get a red belt. There’s also a Taekwondo test, and if you pass, you get a new belt.”

“How long do I have to train to get a red belt?”

“About six tests?”

“Why not three times?”

“How would I know that!”

“Jongsu doesn’t know something~”

“I do! I know! That… what is it… Yeah! It’s because it’s good to take a lot of tests.”

“Jongsu doesn’t know~”

“Eek!”

Jaehwi was with Yeonju.

“I think the blue belt is cool. What belt do you like, Yeonju?”

“I think it would be nice to have the same belt as Jaehwi.”

“Oh!”

Jaehwi’s face turned red.

Yeonju giggled as she looked at Jaehwi.

“Yundong~”

Eunwoo called out to Yundong.

Yundong made a subtle expression.

Because Eunwoo had a white belt wrapped around his head.

Anyone who saw it would think he was protesting.

“Puhaha, how is it? Is it hip?”

“Not really.”

“Ah! Is it not? Hmm, then this?”

Eunwoo took the belt off his head and wrapped it around his hand, like a bandage.

“Is it okay now?”

“It’s a little better?”

“Oh!”

While the two were doing that, the head instructor appeared from behind.

“Ahem, let’s put the belt around our waists.”

He looked around at the children and said.

“Let’s stretch before we start learning properly. The most important thing in exercise is not to injure your body. Got it?”

“Yes!”

In response to this, Seungjun nodded in agreement.

“If I get injured, I can’t play in the game anymore. Yeah, yeah.”

Siha nodded in agreement for a different reason.

“If I get sick, my brother will get sick too. Yeah, yeah.”

The head instructor thought.

This year, especially, we have a group of children with strong personalities.