Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 473

Extracurricular 48: Vacation (2)

Siha was diligently tackling the vacation homework assigned by his homeroom teacher at home.

The task was to create a detailed daily schedule for the entire break.

On the desk in front of him, a large circle dominated a sheet of paper.

It was a clock face, meticulously marked with all 24 hours.

Siha paused, deep in thought, before beginning to divide the timetable into segments.

“Sleeping from 10 PM to 6 AM.”

In reality, he usually drifted off around 11 PM and woke up closer to 7 AM.

But this vacation, Siha was determined to rise early, all for his Hyung [older brother or close male friend].

He carefully wrote ‘Sleeping’ with his pencil.

“Washing up from 7 AM to 8 AM.”

Normally, Siha’s morning routine took less than 20 minutes, but since it was vacation, he generously allocated a full hour.

“Eating from 8 AM to 9 AM.”

A leisurely mealtime, befitting a vacation.

“Now, doing vacation homework from 9 AM to 10 AM. Playing with Hyung from 10 AM to 11 AM. More vacation homework from 11 AM to 12 PM. Lunch at 12 PM, then playing with Hyung until 1 PM.”

He strategically inserted ‘playing with Hyung’ as refreshing breaks between study sessions.

It was a timetable that seemed to completely disregard Hyung’s own plans and availability.

“All done!”

Siha hopped off his chair, grabbed the timetable, and dashed off to find Sihyuk.

Sihyuk was in the kitchen, preparing steamed pork belly for lunch.

“Hyung! Hyung!”

“Yeah?”

“Hyung, look at this! I made a vacation timetable!”

“Really?”

Sihyuk took the paper and examined the schedule.

Aside from sleeping and eating, the entire day seemed to revolve around playing with Hyung and tackling vacation homework.

There was also a slot for Taekwondo, but even that was immediately followed by more ‘playing with Hyung’.

It was an intensely packed schedule, to say the least.

Sihyuk managed an awkward smile.

“Wow, that’s… amazing.”

“Yeah! Isn’t it amazing?”

“But… what about the days you have art class? Or when we go on our trip?”

“Oh, I just won’t follow the schedule on those days! It’ll be all about playing with Hyung then!”

Sihyuk tilted his head, a puzzled expression on his face.

How could *everything* be about playing with Hyung?

Even if the trip was like that, shouldn’t his art class days be considered time spent with Bae Sanghyun [another friend]?

Seeing this, Bae Sanghyun still has a long way to go before Siha considers him as close as Sihyuk.

*I hope they get closer in the future*, Sihyuk thought.

Sihyuk gently stroked Siha’s hair.

“Okay, okay. But… do you really have *that* much vacation homework?”

“Yeah! I’m going to do *all* of my vacation homework!”

“Wow, that’s… amazing? Are you *really* going to do all of it?”

“Yeah! Because I’m Hyung’s little brother!”

*What does being Hyung’s little brother have to do with completing all his vacation homework?* Sihyuk wondered.

He decided to shelve that question for the time being.

“So, where do you want to go on our trip?”

“Water park!”

Sihyuk had honestly anticipated that answer.

He had already done some research.

A children’s water park, designed for maximum fun.

The internet reviews raved about how much kids loved it.

It even had hot springs and a hotel, making it perfect for a relaxing and enjoyable getaway.

Adults could unwind in the hot springs too, which seemed really appealing.

“Hyung, Seungjun and Hana are coming too.”

“Huh?”

Sihyuk’s vision of a peaceful family vacation shattered as those words reached his ears.

Siha confirmed it.

“Yeah, Seungjun and Hana are going with us.”

“Oh. Why? When did you decide this?”

“We decided it ourselves.”

Sihyuk’s face took on an expression of enlightenment.

*Right. You guys always make these decisions so efficiently, among yourselves. It’s always just a notification for me. I hope you grow up quickly so you can go by yourselves!*

“Hyung, it’ll be fun, right?”

“Wow. It’ll be *so*. *much*. *fun*. ”

Sihyuk’s voice was utterly devoid of enthusiasm.

*Well, what can I do? I was already expecting something like this.*

*It’s always been this way, so it’s nothing special. If the kids go together, they’ll entertain each other, so it won’t be too hard on me.*

*But I always feel like I play with them a lot*, he thought.

“Hahaha.”

“Hyung, do you like it *that* much?”

Siha gazed up at Sihyuk with wide, innocent eyes.

“Of course. I like it a lot.”

Sihyuk simply ruffled Siha’s hair again.

He felt that as long as Siha was happy, everything would be alright.

“Hyung, give me the timetable back.”

“Okay, here you go.”

Siha snatched the timetable and ran off to find his uncle, who was sprawled on the sofa.

“Uncle!!”

His uncle had seemingly merged with the sofa, completely absorbed in the TV.

“Yeah? What is it?”

“Look at this! It’s my timetable!”

His uncle took the timetable and gave it a cursory glance.

“It’s all about studying and playing.”

“No, Uncle is in it too!”

“Where?”

“[8 AM ~ 9 AM: Uncle and Hyung learn Taekwondo from Siha.]”

A large question mark materialized above his uncle’s head.

Not because he was confused by the content, but because the paper was practically touching his nose.

“Siha, it’s too close! It’s practically touching my nose! How can anyone read it like this?”

“I did it so Uncle could see it better!”

“Even so, you can’t hold it this close, okay?”

His uncle waved his hands dismissively and snatched the timetable from Siha’s grasp.

He scanned the section Siha had pointed out.

His uncle’s face immediately contorted in disgust.

“Hey! I told you I don’t want to learn Taekwondo!”

“No, I’ll teach you!”

“I don’t need to learn it! And I have to watch a fun drama at that time!”

“You can watch the rerun!”

“I have to watch it live! The rerun is always a bit cut off!”

“Then you can watch it again!”

“Siha, watching it again costs money!”

“Uncle has a lot of money, so it’s okay!”

“I’m not okay! I have to watch it then and there because I’m curious!”

“No, Uncle always watches TV, so you don’t have to watch it!”

His uncle looked at Siha and grinned mischievously.

He leaped up from the sofa and held the timetable high above his head.

He gripped the paper with both hands, as if he were about to tear it in half.

“If this timetable disappears, I won’t have to learn, right?”

“Huh? No! Uncle, give it back quickly!”

Siha jumped up and down in place, trying to reach the timetable.

His uncle teased Siha, wiggling his butt in a comical fashion.

The swaying butt was so hip-up that he wanted to hit it.

“Hahaha! This means I don’t have to follow it if it’s gone!”

“No!”

Siha reached for the sky, but the timetable remained out of reach.

He had no choice but to climb onto the sofa and jump.

But his uncle was not easily outmaneuvered, and he also clambered onto the sofa.

“Eek!”

“Hahaha! If you want it back, take out the part where I teach you Taekwondo!”

“Uncle only watches TV all the time, so you need to exercise!”

“I exercise enough, okay? You just can’t see it! Do you think this body is made just like that?”

His uncle lowered one hand and patted his stomach.

Clear six-pack abs were in place.

“This is what you call chocolate abs!”

“Did Uncle make his abs with chocolate? Are they made if you eat chocolate?”

“It’s not that, it just looks like chocolate!”

“But Uncle is white?”

“…White chocolate! Why!”

“No, it looks red.”

“That’s because you hit my stomach with your palm!”

Siha playfully slapped his uncle’s stomach.

“Strawberry chocolate abs?”

“What are you talking about? Anyway, I’m not learning Taekwondo!”

His uncle ignored Siha’s nonsensical chatter and spoke firmly.

Siha had no choice but to get off the sofa and run to his room.

He returned with an eraser and a pencil.

“Okay, I’ll erase Uncle!”

“You should have done that from the start! I’m watching!”

“I know.”

Siha carefully erased the part where Uncle and Hyung learn Taekwondo.

He grabbed the pencil and wrote something else in its place.

“Playing with Uncle.”

“No! I have to watch a drama at that time!”

“Uncle, you can watch dramas anytime, but you can’t always play with me!”

“No, I can play with you later!”

“Uncle, dramas have reruns, but playing with me at this time doesn’t have reruns! You don’t even know that!”

“We can play later.”

“Uncle, I’m busy too, but I’m making time to play with you! So, Uncle should give in!”

“No! What are you busy with?”

“Look at this!”

Siha proudly displayed the timetable once more.

It was, indeed, a very packed schedule.

His uncle laughed in disbelief.

“Half of this is playing with Hyung? Take this out and put me in at this time!”

“No.”

“Why?”

“I’m going to play with Hyung!”

“You’re discriminating again!”

“Uncle is discriminating against me and dramas!”

“……”

Siha’s retort left him speechless.

“You’re good at talking these days?”

“Of course! I’m an elementary school student! I also learn Korean!”

“What’s so great about being an elementary school student……”

“You’ll get in trouble if you mess with an elementary school student!”

“What about a middle school student?”

“You’ll get in trouble!”

“What about a high school student?”

“You’ll get in trouble!”

“When is it that you *don’t* get in trouble!”

“Uncle always gets in trouble with Hyung!”

“……”

His uncle was destined to be in trouble for the rest of his life.

His uncle flopped back down on the sofa.

“Do whatever you want.”

“Ah! But Hyung has to work too, so I’ll change it to Uncle in the afternoon!”

His uncle perked up and raised his upper body.

“Hey!”

“Why?”

“Isn’t that too much? I work at that time too!”

“Uncle is unemployed.”

“No! I go to exercise! I’m going to exercise!”

“Then you can go when Siha is sleeping.”

“Who decides that?”

“Uncle should adjust a bit! I changed it for you like this!”

“Are you kidding me?”

It wasn’t exactly wrong, so his uncle lay back down on the sofa.

“Who did you take after……”

“Me? Hyung.”

“No. Sihyuk wasn’t like this when he was young.”

“Hyung was cool even when he was young.”

“???”

Siha got up with the timetable.

“I have to go now.”

And he went back into his room.

His uncle stared in disbelief.

“He’s completely my pace…. Sihyuk. Who does he look like?”

Sihyuk smiled wryly.

“Uncle.”

His uncle pointed at himself with a dumbfounded expression.

“Me?”

“You gave him too much influence. Environmentally.”

“I’m not *that* my pace.”

“Ah…. Yes……”

His uncle made an unfair face.

“Why don’t you believe me? It’s true!”

“Yes. As if you would……”

“It’s true!”

“Compared to that, you’re very… you even bought a house… you don’t go to work, but you get paid……”

“That’s my pension!”

“You live very freely. My pace.”

“No. I’m here because I’m thinking of you guys.”

“That’s that, and my pace is my pace. Oh, right. Don’t teach Siha anything weird.”

“Hey. That’s all becoming blood and flesh…. Why are you looking at me like that!”

Sihyuk just shook his head.

***

Vacation wasn’t just a break for kids.

Rather, it was often a time when parents were groaning under the added pressure.

Preparing three meals a day for the children was a significant challenge.

With the kids at home all day, there were always things to worry about.

Fortunately, there was a daycare classroom available during the vacation period.

With so many dual-income families these days, they were running it as a service, but I wasn’t planning on enrolling Siha.

“There’s a daycare classroom, but it’s okay if you don’t go, right?”

“Yeah.”

I wanted to maximize our time together during the vacation.

I wasn’t working at a traditional company, and as a freelancer, I had more flexibility to spend time with Siha.

Of course, that wasn’t always possible on days when he had school.

But this was a month-long vacation.

I figured we could make it work.

Siha spoke up.

“Hyung, Seungjun and Hana are going to daycare. From 8:30 AM to 4 PM?”

“I see.”

Well, Seungjun’s mother also works, so it was understandable.

Fortunately, they were twins, so they wouldn’t be lonely since they were going together.

“Siha doesn’t have to go?”

“I can meet them even if I don’t go? And I want to be with Hyung more.”

“Okay, then.”

Our Siha is so thoughtful.

He doesn’t *have* to go to daycare, and he can always see his friends if he wants to.

I thought that children were really free.

We would have to set up meeting times, when to take a vacation, and what time to meet, but there were many things to consider. It becomes more and more difficult to meet friends as you become an adult.

I wanted him to enjoy this time to the fullest.

“Um. Siha.”

“Yeah?”

“Can we bring Suhyun noona [older sister or close female friend] with us when we go to the water park?”

“Yeah! I like it!”

“Ah. Really?”

I felt a sense of relief.

I hadn’t asked Seo Suhyun yet.

I was being careful about that, as I thought I would be less worried during the vacation.

I picked up my phone and contacted Seo Suhyun.

The call rang a few times before she answered.

Click.

「Oppa [term used by a female to address an older brother or close male friend]?」

“Yeah. Can you talk?”

「Totally.」

“Hahaha.”

I couldn’t help but laugh whenever Seo Suhyun was like that.

I immediately got to the point.

“Um, would you like to go to the water park with us? There’s a hot spring and a hotel too.”

Thump, thump, thump.

I heard something falling over the speaker.

“Um, Suhyun. Are you okay?”