Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 463

“Hyung, aren’t I cute? Hyung, aren’t I cute?” Side Story – Episode 38

Side Story 38: Book Club

It was the day of the first-grade parents’ book club meeting.

In reality, it was a gathering of mothers, led by Jong-soo’s mother, who was the class representative.

Usually, it’s the mothers who take the lead in these things, rather than the class representatives themselves.

In any case, even though I wasn’t a mother, I tried to participate whenever these meetings were held.

Of course, not too often, though.

To be honest, it was a little uncomfortable. It wasn’t that I didn’t know anyone, but fathers rarely came.

I guess going with Si-ha was a bit of a comfort?

That’s how it felt anyway.

“Hyung, what should we read today?”

“How about we choose something we like from the first-grade recommended books today?”

“Okay!”

There’s a difference between being seven and eight years old. More precisely, it’s the difference between elementary school and kindergarten.

If they’ve been reading picture-filled storybooks until now, it’s time to read books with fewer pictures and more words.

It’s said that the fun and habit of reading are formed depending on how they adapt and spend this important period.

Well, that’s what I heard from the mothers, anyway.

But Si-ha usually did what I asked without much complaint.

I was grateful and a little worried to see him following me so well, even though he definitely had things he liked.

“First, Hyung picked out these five books.”

“I want to do this one.”

“Oh. Do you think this one will be more fun?”

“This one has cuter pictures.”

The book Si-ha chose was ‘The Spring Asks?’

The spring couldn’t actually talk, but the title piqued my curiosity.

Of course, Si-ha chose it because of the picture on the cover.

He’s getting good at reading books with a lot of words now, so I think he’ll be fine.

I wonder if he’ll read books with only words later on.

At that moment, Seung-joon approached Si-ha.

“Si-ha, have you chosen already?”

“Yeah.”

“Then let’s go over there and read together. I saved a spot with my bag.”

“Okay.”

“And let’s go play soccer after we finish reading this.”

“Okay.”

Excuse me? Who decided we were going to play soccer?

The two of them were making plans as if it was nothing.

I had no choice but to follow Seung-joon’s mom.

When Seung-joon’s mom and I made eye contact, she gave a bitter smile as if to say she understood.

‘What power do we have? Let’s just go with it.’ That was her expression.

Well, it’s a blessing that they’re reading diligently.

The two of them sat down in the spot that was saved and started reading.

‘It seems to be helpful.’

It seems easier to inspire children to read when they have time to read together than when they’re shown reading at home.

There will definitely be children who hate reading quietly, but if their friends are doing it, they will follow along.

“Hyung, come quickly.”

“Si-hyuk hyung, hurry.”

Si-ha points to the seat next to him.

Seung-joon’s bag is on it.

He said he saved a spot, but did he save a spot for me too?

I need to sit down quickly before the kids make more noise in the library.

“Hyung, what did you choose?”

“Huh? Ah. Hyung chose one of the first-grade recommended books earlier.”

I need to read what kind of writing the child is reading and studying.

That way, I can better understand the child’s perspective.

I guess this is studying too.

Other mothers also bring a book each and sit next to their children.

I think this will help not only the children but also the mothers develop a reading habit.

And just because there are more words than in picture books doesn’t mean it’s overwhelming.

Rather, for adults who only read words, it might not seem much different from picture books.

It’s more comfortable to read, I guess?

That’s how it felt.

“I finished reading.”

“Yeah. You finished reading?”

“Yeah.”

“Then let’s borrow this.”

“Why?”

“We can read it again, and we can introduce it to others.”

“Introduce?”

“Yeah.”

The book club isn’t just about reading books, but also about introducing them.

It’s about saying that you read this book because you liked this aspect of it and you hope others will read it too.

Jong-soo’s mother took charge of this part as well.

There’s a study room in the library, and she reserved it.

At first, it was a bit chaotic, but now it felt like they had established a system.

“Yeah. I have to introduce this.”

Of course, other children may have read it too.

That’s fun in its own way.

Each child focuses on different things while reading, and their favorite parts are all different.

Of course, there may be children who have the same impressions.

“Let’s move to the study room.”

We moved to the study room.

There were quite a few people gathered today, about 16 children.

Twice as many if you include the mothers.

“I’ll divide you into two teams.”

We were divided into teams.

After a long time, we divided into Si-ha’s team and Jong-soo’s team and entered the study room.

The reason for dividing like this was simple: I wanted Jong-soo’s mother to lead the discussion in Jong-soo’s team, and I wanted to start the discussion in Si-ha’s team.

It’s a burdensome position.

“Okay. Then let’s introduce the books we read today. Should I go first?”

“Yes!”

This is a discussion that involves not only the children but also the mothers.

It’s not a gathering where parents just sit back and watch.

“The book I read today is ‘Fighting the Cold Virus.’”

The story is about the main character, a cell, fighting against viruses.

“When the main character says, ‘I will fight and win against the virus!’ the cells in the body that fight the virus gain tremendous power. So they swing swords and stab with spears to defeat the viruses.”

I told a simple story, but the story of this book was about viruses.

It was a mix of the way they use hosts and biological stories.

It also showed that the human will to overcome is very important for health.

But this was a little lacking in sparking the children’s interest.

So I pointed out the fighting aspect.

Fighting and winning.

What a wonderful resonance.

It was something that boys would be interested in.

“I have to read that book too. I have to take notes.”

Si-ha wrote the name of the book I mentioned in his notebook.

You always take notes on the books I choose.

If I read a difficult book, will Si-ha read it too? I’m curious, but I don’t want to recommend such a difficult book.

If they lose interest, it will be many times harder to get them back later.

“That’s all from me. Who’s next?”

“Hyung, me!”

Since I went first, Si-ha must want to try going first too.

Si-ha sat down and showed his book.

“Look at this. Isn’t the spring cute? I chose it because the picture is cute.”

He’s starting with the reason he chose it.

I don’t know if it will resonate with the children.

“There’s a spring in the mountains, and birds come, and grandfathers come too.”

That’s what a spring is like.

“The spring is bored, so it talks. ‘Look here, look here. Look here. It’s good for skin care, so it’s perfect for bathing. Your feathers are very damaged. If you soak here, your feathers will shine.’ It says things like that.”

Wow. The spring is kind of… like a merchant?

“It tells the grandfather that it’s too clean and has a lot of nutrients, so it would be really good for making alcohol.”

Wow. Mr. Spring? Didn’t the birds bathe and drink from it? You’re saying it’s clean?

“But the grandfather is suspicious.”

“He would be suspicious.”

“So the spring said that the surface might be a little like that, but the deep part is definitely clean.”

The spring is definitely like a merchant? The lies are too much.

“The grandfather scoops up the spring, and the spring can finally see the outside world by following the grandfather!”

What? It wasn’t doing business, but it was a plan to send part of its body to see the outside world?

“And what happens then? You have to read it!”

I was curious about what that spring with such a huge plan would do after going out and becoming alcohol.

Isn’t it just going to be consumed in the end?

But it’s definitely curious to cut it off at that part.

I think our Si-ha is doing a good job of introducing the book.

“Oh. Si-ha, I want to read that. But who is the author?”

“Huh? It says Kang In-ham.”

Oh? If it’s Kang In-ham…. I understand the content of this book. It’s quirky.

Anyway, everyone writes down Si-ha’s book title because they liked Si-ha’s impressions and introduction.

Of course. Whose brother is he?

“I’ll go next.”

This time it was Seung-joon’s turn.

“This is about receiving a soccer ball when he was young and using it until he was in high school. He cherishes it a lot.”

Is that cherishing it?

I think all the air will be gone?

“Later, this ball ran out of air, and he was very sad.”

Did the air run out after all?

Well, it’s sad when an object with precious memories is broken.

But when Seung-joon talks about the soccer ball, it’s kind of… something… Is it sad? I also think so.

“Next is me.”

Hana raised her hand.

“I have a book called ‘Mischievous Older Brother.’ It’s a story about an older brother who doesn’t listen very well and gets scolded by his mom and reflects on himself.”

I feel like that’s kind of similar to Seung-joon?

Seung-joon smiled at Hana’s words.

“Haha. If you don’t listen to your mom, you’ll get scolded. You’re an idiot.”

Um. When you say that, it’s kind of… Um… Right. Seung-joon’s mom next to him is giving a bitter smile?

Anyway, the book club was going pretty well.

***

May is a month with many events, from Children’s Day to Parents’ Day and Teacher’s Day.

On Children’s Day, Si-ha received a ticket to play with Hyung for 24 hours.

“A 24-hour Hyung ticket?!”

“How is it? It’s really good, right?”

“It’s really good. I can keep playing all day with this, right?”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

“Yay! Then Hyung, let’s go to the playground! The playground!”

“Huh? The playground?”

“Yeah. Let’s swing together!”

Laughing and playing with Si-ha at the playground with the neighborhood kids.

Um… Something… Um… I see.

“O-okay. Let’s do that.”

“Let’s ride the slide together too!”

“Yeah. Let’s do that.”

Who made the playground? I can’t forgive them.

Well, going to the playground is just for a while, isn’t it? When he gets a little older, he’ll say he wants to play at the PC room [internet cafe].

When that happens, I can play games with him too.

“Uncle, you have to come too.”

“Me? Why me? I don’t have a 24-hour Uncle ticket.”

“Then do you have a present?”

“You can get presents on your birthday. Do you have to get them on Children’s Day too?”

“Yeah. Because I’m a child.”

Si-ha confidently demanded a present.

Uncle scoffed at Si-ha.

“Why would I give you a present just because you’re pretty?”

“But I saw you buy a present.”

“When did you see that?”

“I know everything.”

It’s not easy to hide anything in this house.

Uncle tilted his head.

“Did you go into my room?”

“No. There was a box in front of the door? But I was busy, so I went to play.”

“If you saw it, you should have brought it inside!”

I thought Si-ha didn’t see it, but he saw everything.

Si-ha can read, so I think he read the contents too.

“But I don’t know what’s inside.”

I guess he couldn’t read it.

“There was something weird written on it. I think it’s my present, but there was something weird written on it.”

He read it, but he didn’t know what it was.

What’s something weird? What did Uncle buy?

“It said ‘drinking hat.’”

“Drinking hat?”

What useless thing did he buy again?

Uncle went into his room and proudly opened the present.

“Tada! Look at this! If you put two canned drinks on both sides and suck on the straw attached to the hat?!”

The drink goes into your mouth.

It looks very useless.

“Uncle, that drink is actually spring water.”

“What does that mean?”

I want to ask Uncle what kind of present that is.

No. You should give a useful present. What is that?

“Wow! Isn’t this really fun?”

“It’s not fun at all.”

“Why? You can wear this and play in the playground, and when you’re thirsty, you can just drink it.”

Really?

And wouldn’t the opened drink spill from above your head while you’re playing?

“Uncle is funny. Hahaha.”

Well, it’s okay if Si-ha likes it.

“Then Si-ha, wear this.”

“No. It’s more fun when Uncle is wearing it.”

He just likes Uncle’s funny appearance.

“Ah. Right. Hyung.”

“Yeah?”

“You can’t take time off from playing with Hyung.”

“Huh?”

“You can’t take off sleeping time either. Okay?”

I suddenly wondered what this was all about.

Ah. He’s going to use the 24-hour Hyung ticket by cutting off the time? He’s a genius?

But what to do. That’s not allowed.

“Ah, that’s not allowed.”

“Why?”

“Once you use it, time keeps going. Time is still going now.”

“No! Hyung, let’s go out quickly. Ah. Uncle made the time disappear.”

Uncle said with a disappointed face.

“Hey! I can play with you for 24 hours too!”

“It’s okay. Uncle can play with me anytime. Uncle is unemployed.”

“Huh.”

Well, it’s not wrong.

Anyway, I left Uncle behind and went to the playground to play with Si-ha.

You should go out and work sometime, Uncle.