Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 88

Hyung, Am I Cute? 88

Siha, holding Seo Soo-hyun’s hand, entered the kids’ cafe. Jiho and Tzuhan followed behind, having arrived together.

The children were eager to play together, so their mothers arranged the outing. It was also a great chance for the kids to interact with children from different cultural backgrounds.

“Ah ah.”

Siha’s eyes sparkled as he took in the surroundings, a place brimming with exciting things to play with. He immediately dashed towards the trampoline area and jumped right in.

Jiho, who had been eyeing the trampoline, quickly followed suit. Tzuhan joined them as well.

The three of them began jumping and playing joyfully. Jiho, being the oldest, moved to a spot further away, announcing he was going to show them something.

“Siha, Tzuhan, watch closely! I can do a front flip!”

With a “whoosh,” he executed a front flip, a move that showcased his trampoline skills.

Siha, captivated, tried to imitate him.

*Thump.*

Unable to jump and flip simultaneously, he ended up rolling forward. However, his roll was clumsy, and he started rolling sideways.

Tzuhan, wanting to copy Siha, joined in the sideways rolling. Jiho found it amusing and joined them as well.

Soon, all three of them were rolling sideways together, creating a comical scene.

“Ah ah!”

“Hahaha, this is fun!”

“Ahahaha.”

They continued rolling until they bumped into the sponge padding at the edge of the trampoline area, coming to an abrupt stop.

*Thud.*

Tzuhan, who was behind Siha, bumped into his back.

“Ah?”

“Sorry.”

“Ah? Ah ah.”

Siha didn’t understand Tzuhan’s words, but he patted his shoulder reassuringly.

Tzuhan looked at Siha with a slightly flushed face. But the moment didn’t last long.

Jiho squeezed in between them, putting his arms around their shoulders, wanting to play together as the older brother.

“Okay! Let’s go play on that slide!”

Siha and Tzuhan looked in the direction Jiho was pointing. The slide looked sparkly and inviting, perhaps due to the lighting.

It was the most popular slide among the kids.

As if under a spell, they eagerly left the trampoline area.

“Ah?”

But Siha was puzzled by a sensation he was experiencing for the first time: the feeling of the ground pulling him down, making his body feel heavy.

Jiho, with a laugh, exclaimed:

“Ugh! It’s getting heavy! Riding this makes your body heavy! Ugh!”

Jiho moved his body slowly, exaggerating the effect as if gravity had doubled.

Siha and Tzuhan copied him, and the three of them, feeling the exaggerated gravity, slowly made their way to the slide.

“We’ve arrived!”

“Ah ah!”

The three of them slid down the slide one after another. Despite not speaking the same language, they played happily together.

The three adults watched the scene with pleased expressions. Seo Soo-hyun sipped her Americano through a straw.

Jiho’s mom turned to her and asked, “Are things going well with Si-hyuk?”

“Cough! Cough cough!”

Seo Soo-hyun choked on her drink at the unexpected question. She grabbed a tissue and wiped her mouth.

“W-We’re not like that!”

“Really? When I saw you two, it seemed like you had feelings for him.”

Tzuhan’s mom, who was sitting next to her, chimed in with sparkling eyes. She could speak Korean, though not fluently; she simply wasn’t very skilled at it.

Seo Soo-hyun waved her hand dismissively.

“We’re just good friends, like an older brother and younger sister.”

“Ah, you’re like an older brother and younger sister? I see.”

“Why are you doing this? Really.”

“No, your reaction is so cute and youthful!”

Seo Soo-hyun smoothed her hair, feeling a bit flustered. Jiho’s mom simply smiled knowingly.

“But isn’t it amazing?”

“What is?”

“That kids who just met for the first time are playing so well together.”

“It is.”

“It’s so fortunate that they can play so well even though they don’t speak the same language. Jiho couldn’t speak well when he was in China, but he’s speaking much better here.”

“Ah, really? You live in China?”

“I can’t help it because of work. But he’s getting better at simple words these days, so I think his language skills will improve soon.”

Seo Soo-hyun was amazed to be gathered here, having a conversation like this. *Is this the kind of scene Si-hyuk always sees?* she wondered. It was a moment of realization that she was witnessing a different side of his life.

Just then, an announcement came over the loudspeaker: “We will now proceed with the kids’ cafe event! Children, please gather here!”

The children gathered around the host, who was holding a microphone. And at that moment, Lee Si-hyuk arrived.

***

As soon as I arrived, I sat down next to Siha.

“Hyung!”

“Yeah, Siha.”

“Here.”

*Tap tap.*

I bent my knees to sit comfortably next to Siha, who was patting the seat beside him. I had intended to take him home, but it seemed they were about to start a kids’ cafe event.

The host explained the rules: squirrel stickers had been hidden around the play area, and the children had to find them.

I looked at the children.

“Siha, you have to look carefully. I’ll be over there.”

“Hyung too!”

“They said Hyung can’t join.”

The rule was that adults couldn’t participate, but it seemed okay to watch from behind. Siha looked openly disappointed, so I reassured him that I would stay close.

“Then, Siha, shall we go look for stickers?”

“Ah ah.”

Siha started searching for stickers with the other two children. He seemed to be looking intently, but he just looked adorable to me.

Jiho said, “Siha, Tzuhan, let’s look around the slide too!”

“Ah ah.”

“Okay!”

The children began searching behind the slide. I glanced around and noticed that some of the other children had already found a few stickers.

I wondered if Siha would be able to find any. I quickly scanned the area, debating whether I should help him or not.

Just then, the host subtly passed by Siha and stuck a sticker on his back before running off.

I chuckled at the sight.

*They’re doing it like that, huh?*

Siha was diligently searching, unaware of the sticker on his back. It was so cute.

I watched, wondering when he would discover it, but Tzuhan spotted it first.

Tzuhan pointed to Siha’s back.

“Siha! Sticker!”

“Ah?”

“It’s on your back! Here, here!”

Siha turned around, but he couldn’t see the sticker. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly did a somersault.

*When did he learn to do a somersault?*

I quickly snapped a picture.

*His idea is cute.*

I guessed he thought he could see the sticker on his back if he rolled over. Tzuhan couldn’t resist any longer and reached out to take the sticker off Siha’s back, handing it to him.

Siha received it with a grateful expression.

“Hyung!”

He immediately ran over to me, eager to show off his sticker.

“Good job, Siha! You have to thank Tzuhan.”

“Tzuhan, thank you.”

“Tzuhan, Siha says thank you.”

Tzuhan bowed his head, perhaps feeling a little shy. I nodded at the sight.

He’s completely fallen for Siha. Siha is the type to be popular.

*Huh?*

Maybe his popularity will grow like this, and he’ll have a fan club. When he becomes a high school student, female students might come to his class just to see him. What if an entertainment agency scouts him and wants him to become a trainee?

It would cost a lot of money to live as a trainee. I might have to give him a lot of support. Then I have to make a lot of money.

*I have to work hard.*

Siha, oblivious to my thoughts, was busy showing off his sticker. I stuck the sticker on Siha’s palm.

“Now let’s take the sticker and submit it. They’ll give us a prize.”

“Ah ah.”

I took the three children and submitted the sticker. The prize was a simple sketchbook and colored pencils. When they tried to find another sticker after receiving their prize, they learned that it was the last one.

The staff also gave small gifts to the children who didn’t find any stickers: chocolate and yogurt.

Jiho and Tzuhan seemed quite satisfied.

*This kind of event isn’t bad.*

The children were chattering excitedly about something. It was funny because they were talking about different things even though they couldn’t understand each other.

But I can understand everything.

*They’re lost in their own little world over there.*

The three women who brought the children were fully engaged in chatting from the moment I took over. *Shall we go home now?*

The kids didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving. But if I tell them to go, they will be sad but they will go. Because joy always leaves regret.

“Si…”

As I was about to call Siha, a child pointed at Tzuhan and said, “Mom! That kid is saying weird things!”

I figured it might sound that way if it was the first time they had heard a foreign language. Still, it was a bit much to call it that.

Weird words.

The child’s mother said, “Those are weird words. Don’t play with him.”

“Why?”

“Something strange might happen.”

“Okay.”

I was dumbfounded and looked at them. Something must have happened to Tzuhan.

Siha called me.

“Hyung.”

There was a question in his upturned eyes. Siha must have heard those words too. Then how should I act? How should I talk to Siha? Did he understand those words?

*Let’s act.*

Siha may not understand, but I have always grown up watching my father’s back. Siha will grow up watching my back. Then there was only one thing I had to do: be a role model so he can learn. At least I have to be a role model in front of Siha. That’s what a Hyung [older brother or male friend] is.

“Hey, kid.”

I called the child over. The child turned around.

“It’s not weird, it’s different. Different is fun. You know Frozen? Do you wanna build a snowman~”

“Yes! I know!”

“That’s English. What he’s doing is Chinese.”

“Chinese?”

“Yeah. If you know a lot of different languages, you’ll know twice or three times more fun things. You’ll have more friends too.”

The child nodded in response. The child’s mother, wary of me, quickly pulled the child away.

“Let’s go. Quickly.”

I thought I must have seemed like a very strange person. I showed them how to act, so I had nothing more to say. I looked back at Siha and the kids.

“Siha, even though it’s different, was it fun with Tzuhan?”

“Ah ah.”

I looked at Tzuhan.

“Tzuhan, thank you for being close to Siha.”

“Yes!”

“You know what? Those people pointed at you because they were jealous that you speak Chinese.”

“Really?”

“Language has magic.”

“Magic?”

I nodded my head.

‘Wrong’ is not the same as ‘different’. A new world opens up when you accept differences. Did Siha understand the meaning I was conveying today?

“Shall I show you?”

“Yes!”

I was a little embarrassed, so I cleared my throat. It’s a bit awkward when I try to do it.

“If I say this, everyone will look at me.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

I took a breath and said loudly, in Chinese, “Have you eaten?” [“你吃了吗” (Nǐ chī le ma?)]

Everyone looked at me. That’s because the phrase ‘ni chi pa le ma’ sounds like a curse to those who don’t understand it.

Language is magic.

Tzuhan was caught in that magic.

“Wow! Amazing! Everyone’s looking!”

“But you can’t use it carelessly. It’s a little dangerous.”

“Why?”

“Because everyone’s looking like this. Then it’s a little embarrassing.”

“Hehe! That’s right.”

I think I did it for nothing. I tried to explain it in a childish way, but it came out strange.

“Hyung.”

“Huh? Siha, when did you draw this again?”

Siha had drawn a picture in his sketchbook: a face drawn with a single stroke, with round eyes and long hair. I could tell right away who he drew.

He drew Tzuhan.

Siha showed the sketchbook to Tzuhan and held it out.

“Tzuhan!”

“Siha, are you giving this to Tzuhan?”

“Ah ah.”

“The whole sketchbook?”

“Ah ah. Siha. Issuh [has]. This. Jibae [at home].”

“Ah, you do have it.”

He’s talking about Siha’s exclusive sketchbook, the tablet. I said to Tzuhan:

“Tzuhan, Siha says this is a gift. He drew you.”

“Wow!”

Tzuhan smiled and looked at the picture. He hugged the sketchbook in his arms as if he liked it and jumped around.

“Thank you!”

“Siha, he says thank you.”

“Ah ah! Tzuhan. Gaechana [you’re welcome].”

Siha raised his hand in a friendly gesture. I simultaneously interpreted the conversation between the two.

Yeah, what’s so special about magic? Making these two people communicate like this. That’s the magic of language.

And one more thing: drawing was also a channel for communication that transcended language. Siha was having a conversation in his own way.

Jiho, who was watching from the side, said, “Siha, what about me?”

I could see Jiho feeling sad that he was left out. Siha looked at the sketchbook and then at Jiho, and handed over the colored pencil.

“Jiho hyung [older brother or male friend]. This!”

“Huh?”

Siha gave Jiho a colored pencil as a gift. But Siha, that’s not quite it. Jiho also wanted to have his face drawn.

Sometimes, even if the language is the same, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the conversation will work.