Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 89

Hyung, Am I Cute? 89

With lingering reluctance, we parted ways.

Siha waved to Jiho and Tzuhan.

“Bye-bye!”

“Siha, bye!”

“Siha, bye-bye.”

It was so adorable to see the three of them saying goodbye.

I also greeted the children’s mothers and got into the car.

Siha, in the sleek red car, swung his legs.

“Siha, let’s buckle up.”

“Ah ah.”

“Suhyun, buckle up too.”

“Yes!”

Dropping off Seo Suhyun at her house would conclude today’s tasks.

It was truly an incredibly dynamic day.

Strangely, I learned a lot too.

If there was a regret, it would be not hearing the conversation with the writers.

What kind of stories did they share?

Perhaps various topics were exchanged, befitting their extensive knowledge.

‘It seemed like the author of *The Return of the Spirit* was also interested in me during the meal.’

If it weren’t for Department Head Hong Jinsoo’s request, I might have immediately offered to interpret for the writers.

*Ting*

Speak of the devil, I received a message from Department Head Hong Jinsoo.

-Hong Jinsoo: Si-hyuk! You were the best today! The atmosphere was totally great!

-Hong Jinsoo: I was trying to set the mood, but you took care of it all.

-Hong Jinsoo: Thanks for your hard work today!

-Hong Jinsoo: You’re probably busy since there’s no reply?

-Hong Jinsoo: Then, take care~

So many messages came in quick succession that I didn’t even have the energy to reply.

Now that I had to drive, I entrusted the phone to Siha.

“Siha, please reply for me on Hyung’s behalf, okay?”

“Ah ah!”

Siha, having received his mission, stared intently at the keypad.

He looked so funny, wanting to be entrusted with the task even though he doesn’t know Korean yet.

“Suhyun, I’ll take you home. Thank you so much for today. It must have been tiring.”

“Oppa [older brother or male friend], Siha was so well-behaved. He’s an angel. An angel.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I hope I have a child like Siha in the future.”

“A pretty frog that looks like you will be born.”

“Yes, a pretty frog that looks like m-! This oppa, really!”

“Hahaha.”

I drove the car while making jokes like that.

I could see Seo Suhyun’s sulky expression in the rearview mirror.

Her reactions were good, so it was subtly fun to tease her.

“Was it called a live cafe? Where is it?”

“Ah! I’ll send you the location and time later.”

“Okay. I’ll go with Siha when the time comes. How many songs do I sing?”

“Hmm. The number of songs isn’t fixed, but they want you to sing for about an hour?”

“An hour?”

“It’s not like you’ll be singing non-stop. But they only asked you to perform for one day.”

“Aren’t you going to end up working there all the time? You said they’re acquaintances?”

“Actually, it’s a bit hard to refuse if they ask like that. It’s a surprisingly sweet gig.”

“If they’re asking you, your singing skills must be considerable?”

“Oppa, you know since you’ve heard me sing, right?”

“I’ve heard you, but I don’t know if it’s good enough to be used for a part-time job.”

“Why? Is it because my voice sounds like a frog croaking?”

I chuckled.

Now she admits that she is a frog herself.

That’s not it at all.

I was just saying that because I didn’t know the standards for selecting someone for a part-time job.

“Your voice is nice to listen to.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“This oppa. What trick are you up to now?”

“How can someone only go to large supermarkets? Sometimes, the cheap snacks you buy at stationery stores are delicious too.”

“I knew it! What is it? Are you saying I’m like a cheap snack from a stationery store now?”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Then a large supermarket?”

Seo Suhyun asked with a subtly expectant feeling.

I turned the steering wheel to the side and said,

“No. An online shopping mall. Something cheap in bulk.”

“Huh? Is that a compliment? Or an insult?”

“Of course, it’s a compliment. Why else would people order online? They buy a lot, right?”

“That’s true.”

“That means your singing is good to listen to for many people.”

“What is it? I feel like I’m being tricked?”

“Some people even buy 40 ice creams at once.”

“Huh? When would they eat all that? They’d get tired of it.”

“They don’t eat it every day. You’re not going to be at the live cafe every day, even if you keep working there.”

“What is it? I feel like I’m being tricked again? Are you subtly dissing me?”

“No.”

While talking like that, we arrived in front of Seo Suhyun’s house before I knew it.

“Is this the place?”

“Yes. Just drop me off on the side of the road, and I’ll get there on my own.”

“Okay. Bye.”

“Yes! Siha, bye. See you next time.”

Siha looked at Seo Suhyun and shook the phone he was holding in both hands.

He didn’t forget to say, ‘Bye-bye.’

I drove back home.

I was tired and wanted to go home and rest quickly.

“But Siha, are you still sending messages so diligently?”

“Ah ah.”

I was curious about what he was sending so diligently, but I decided to focus on driving.

I shouldn’t get into an accident by looking elsewhere.

“We’re here!”

“Ah ah.”

I could now see the messages Siha had sent.

It seemed like they had a lot of conversation.

-Lee Si-hyuk: (Thank you~ Pepe emoticon)

-Hong Jinsoo: Hehe, the emoticon is cute.

-Lee Si-hyuk: ㅇㅅㅎ

-Hong Jinsoo: What does that mean?

-Lee Si-hyuk: (Shaking head Pepe emoticon)

-Hong Jinsoo: ??? I see. I’ll find out.

-Lee Si-hyuk: (Nodding Pepe emoticon)

-Hong Jinsoo: ‘Working hard’ was what you meant. I will work hard. Thank you.

It was a reply full of misunderstandings.

I quietly picked up the phone and exited the chat.

“Shall we go home now?”

“Ah ah.”

I took Siha and went into the house.

***

When I was young, if I fell in love with a song, I would keep singing only that song.

I would sing it dozens, hundreds of times before finding another song.

And I would sing it again when I almost forgot it.

Siha was the same.

“Hyung?”

Siha blinked and rubbed his eyes, checking if Hyung was doing well.

He got up with messy hair and put his face against my chest.

Doo-geun, doo-geun [sound of a heartbeat].

After confirming that his heart was beating well, he came down from my chest.

He stepped on Hyung’s hand as he went down.

“Ugh!”

Si-hyuk only groaned but didn’t wake up.

Feeling sorry for Hyung, Siha patted his hand.

Then he left the room.

The quiet morning sunlight shone into the living room.

The bean sprouts on the veranda reached the ceiling and were wrapped around it.

Now, beans were hanging down, and it was quite abundant.

“Ah ah.”

After confirming that the beans were doing well, he looked for the remote control.

He turned on the TV.

*Zhiing.*

A drama came on, and several other windows appeared below.

Siha knew how to click on those.

He also knew that pressing this button would take him to YouTube.

*Click!*

Pressing one button connected him to YouTube, the largest video site.

Among them was a song video he often watched.

[Number Song]

Siha liked this song very much.

He had recently heard it with Seungjoon and Hana at daycare, and he really liked it.

When he pressed the confirm button on the remote control, the song started playing.

A whopping 3-hour-long, infinitely repeating number song!

*Doom-chit doom doom-chit.*

The exciting number song beat began.

Siha shook his body up and down excitedly.

“Ah ah!”

He was very excited.

He also liked the lion, the number song character in front of him.

“Ah ah! One!”

[One! Get up and play-ay-ay~]

“Two!”

[Two! Brush your teeth and play-ay-ay~]

“Three!”

[Three! Uncle, play with us too~]

Siha spread out four fingers.

“Four!”

[Four! Love, love to play!]

*Doom-chit doom doom-chit.*

Siha followed the character’s fingers and sang along with the song.

Of course, he couldn’t sing it properly.

[Five! I’m going to play today!

Six! Among the six billion people, I’m playing.

Seven! Lucky~

I’m excited! Noonoo-nanna

Jump, jump, let’s play together!

It’s fun! Play with me

Play with me every day!]

“Eight!”

[Eight! Jumping up and down play~]

Siha jumped up and down in place.

“Nine!”

[Nine! Rolling! Oh, it’s fun!]

“Ten!”

[Ten! Even after ten years, I’m going to play!

I will never change this mind~]

It was truly amazing lyrics.

In fact, this number song was also called by another name.

[The Unemployed Song]

Well, the lyrics were almost entirely praising playing.

If you listen closely, it was a lion who was the king of the unemployed, living a life no different from an unemployed person.

Another interesting episode was that the children loved this song when it came out.

The problem was that the mothers sent a lot of complaint emails.

Saying that the song was all about playing.

Even the last two lines of the lyrics were amazing.

The present progressive tense of playing even after 10 years.

The resoluteness that this mind would not change.

These cheerful lyrics unexpectedly captured the hearts of those in their 20s and 30s.

It was a song that was also popular with adults.

“Three!”

Just as Siha was about to sing again, Si-hyuk woke up.

Si-hyuk fully opened the door and came out, watching Siha dancing.

“You’re too energetic from the morning…….”

*Thud.*

Si-hyuk collapsed and lay down in the living room.

Siha ran to him and climbed onto his stomach.

“Hyung! Song!”

“Yeah. Is the number song fun?”

“Ah ah!”

“Do you know what it means?”

“Ah ah. Play!”

“You know too well?”

As expected, Siha knew the key point.

That’s how Si-hyuk and Siha greeted a new morning.

***

-Daycare.

There were many children who liked number-related nursery rhymes, but there were also children who liked K-POP.

That was Oh Hana!

She sparkled as she watched the pretty appearances of the idol sisters on TV.

Hana also wanted to become a very pretty singer like those sisters.

Hana looked at Seungjoon and Siha and said.

“Hana wants to be a singer!”

“Okay. Do it!”

“Ah ah.”

Seungjoon reacted indifferently, and Siha clapped as if he liked it.

Hana became sulky at Seungjoon’s reaction but regained her composure and brought her bag.

“Hana brought a microphone!”

Hana took out a microphone from her bag.

A plastic microphone that was a toy.

It was an essential item for a singer.

Siha stared intently at the microphone, as if he was curious.

The pink microphone looked very pretty.

Hana puffed out her chest and said.

“Hana is a singer with this. Oppa is the manager.”

“That’s not cool!”

Coolness was important to Seungjoon.

Hana said one fact as if she knew he would say that.

“No. The manager is handsome. As handsome as Si-hyuk oppa!”

“Really?”

“Yes!”

Seungjoon was completely 넘어갔다 [ 넘어갔다 (neomeogatta) – 넘어 (neomeo) means to go over, and 갔다 (gatta) means went. So, 넘어갔다 (neomeogatta) means to be 넘어갔다 (swayed over) by something] at those words.

Si-hyuk’s popularity was no joke among the kids these days.

Hana said.

“Siha is woong-”

Hana 고민했다 [고민했다 (gominhaetta) – 고민 (gomin) means to worry, and 했다 (haetta) means did. So, 고민했다 (gominhaetta) means to be worried].

What would be good for Siha to do?

What would suit him?

The manager is handsome. As handsome as Si-hyuk oppa.

Siha is Si-hyuk oppa’s younger brother.

Then…….

“Siha is also a manager!”

“Manager?”

“Yes.”

Seungjoon pointed to himself with his finger.

“I’m the manager?”

“Oppa is also a manager, and Siha is also a manager. Hana is a pretty singer, so two managers!”

“Aha!”

In reality, two managers were in charge of the singer.

But Hana didn’t know that and said it.

Jongsoo, who was watching from behind, 슬쩍 다가왔다 [슬쩍 다가왔다 (seuljjeok dagawatda) – 슬쩍 (seuljjeok) means stealthily, and 다가왔다 (dagawatda) means came near. So, 슬쩍 다가왔다 (seuljjeok dagawatda) means to stealthily come near].

Jongsoo wanted to play with the three of them.

“Is there nothing for me?”

A question that was 던지는 [던지는 (deonjineun) – 던지다 (deonjida) means to throw. So, 던지는 (deonjineun) means to throw a question].

Hana was slightly 경계하다가 고민을 해 주었다 [경계하다가 고민을 해 주었다 (gyeonggye hadaga gomin eul hae jueotda) – 경계하다 (gyeonggye hada) means to be wary, 고민 (gomin) means worry, 해 주었다 (hae jueotda) means to do something for someone. So, 경계하다가 고민을 해 주었다 (gyeonggye hadaga gomin eul hae jueotda) means to be wary and then worry about it].

Jongsoo is 못생겼다 [못생겼다 (motsaenggyeotda) – 못 (mot) means cannot, and 생겼다 (saenggyeotda) means to be born. So, 못생겼다 (motsaenggyeotda) means to be ugly] than Si-hyuk oppa.

Then he can’t be a manager.

Of course, he can’t be a singer either.

‘It’s difficult.’

Hana 끙끙거렸다 [끙끙거렸다 (kkeungkeunggeoryeotda) – 끙끙 (kkeungkkeung) is an onomatopoeia for groaning, and 거렸다 (georyeotda) means to make a sound. So, 끙끙거렸다 (kkeungkkeunggeoryeotda) means to groan] as if she had encountered a 난제 [난제 (nanje) – 난 (nan) means difficult, and 제 (je) means problem. So, 난제 (nanje) means a difficult problem].

Then Siha said.

“Jongsoo. 멍멍이 [멍멍이 (meongmeongyi) – 멍멍 (meongmeong) is the sound a dog makes, and 이 (yi) is a suffix. So, 멍멍이 (meongmeongyi) means puppy]!”

Hana 거기에 맞장구쳤다 [거기에 맞장구쳤다 (geogie matjangguchyeotda) – 거기에 (geogie) means there, and 맞장구쳤다 (matjangguchyeotda) means to agree].

“Yes. Jongsoo is a 강아지 [강아지 (gangaji) – 강아 (ganga) means puppy, and 지 (ji) is a suffix. So, 강아지 (gangaji) means puppy].”

Jongsoo 인상을 구겼다 [인상을 구겼다 (insang eul gugyeotda) – 인상 (insang) means face, and 구겼다 (gugyeotda) means to wrinkle. So, 인상을 구겼다 (insang eul gugyeotda) means to wrinkle one’s face] because he didn’t like it.

“What do I do by being a 강아지 [강아지 (gangaji) – 강아 (ganga) means puppy, and 지 (ji) is a suffix. So, 강아지 (gangaji) means puppy]!”

“No. It’s a 강아지 [강아지 (gangaji) – 강아 (ganga) means puppy, and 지 (ji) is a suffix. So, 강아지 (gangaji) means puppy] that protects the singer. But it’s 기엽자나 [기엽자나 (giyeopjana) – 기엽 (giyeop) means cute, and 자나 (jana) is a suffix. So, 기엽자나 (giyeopjana) means to be cute]!”

“What are you saying. Then I’d rather be a 경호원 [경호원 (gyeonghowon) – 경호 (gyeongho) means bodyguard, and 원 (won) means person. So, 경호원 (gyeonghowon) means bodyguard]!”

“Then do that.”

Hana 이제 조금 귀찮아졌다 [이제 조금 귀찮아졌다 (ije jogeum gwichanhajyeotda) – 이제 (ije) means now, 조금 (jogeum) means a little, and 귀찮아졌다 (gwichanhajyeotda) means to be annoyed].

So she 재빨리 정해 주었다 [재빨리 정해 주었다 (jaeppalli jeonghae jueotda) – 재빨리 (jaeppalli) means quickly, and 정해 주었다 (jeonghae jueotda) means to decide for someone].

솔직히 빨리 가수를 하고 싶었다 [솔직히 빨리 가수를 하고 싶었다 (soljiki ppalli gasu reul hago sipeotda) – 솔직히 (soljiki) means honestly, 빨리 (ppalli) means quickly, 가수를 하고 싶었다 (gasu reul hago sipeotda) means to want to be a singer].

Jongsoo thought, ‘Is something 이상하다 [이상하다 (isanghada) – 이상 (isang) means strange, and 하다 (hada) means to do. So, 이상하다 (isanghada) means to be strange]?’ but 참은 체 고개를 끄덕였다 [참은 체 고개를 끄덕였다 (chameun che gogae reul kkeudeogyeotda) – 참은 (chameun) means to endure, 체 (che) means to pretend, 고개를 끄덕였다 (gogae reul kkeudeogyeotda) means to nod one’s head].

Hana said.

“Then let’s start now! 출발 [출발 (chulbal) – 출발 (chulbal) means to depart]!”

The children moved as if a car was 출발하는 [출발하는 (chulbalhaneun) – 출발 (chulbal) means to depart, and 하는 (haneun) is a suffix. So, 출발하는 (chulbalhaneun) means to depart].

Surprisingly, Jongsoo 몰입하며 [몰입하며 (moriphamyeo) – 몰입 (morip) means to be immersed, and 하며 (hamyeo) is a suffix. So, 몰입하며 (moriphamyeo) means to be immersed] his role well, 살피며 [살피며 (salpimyeo) – 살피다 (salpida) means to look around, and 며 (myeo) is a suffix. So, 살피며 (salpimyeo) means to look around] here and there and 지켰다 [지켰다 (jikyeotda) – 지키다 (jikida) means to protect, and 었다 (eotda) is a suffix. So, 지켰다 (jikyeotda) means to protect] Hana.

Hana 콧대가 높아지며 [콧대가 높아지며 (kotdaega nopajimyeo) – 콧대 (kotdae) means nose, 높아지며 (nopajimyeo) means to be high. So, 콧대가 높아지며 (kotdaega nopajimyeo) means to be proud] 들고 [들고 (deulgo) – 들다 (deulda) means to hold, and 고 (go) is a suffix. So, 들고 (deulgo) means to hold] the pink microphone and 앞으로 걸어 나갔다 [앞으로 걸어 나갔다 (apeuro georeo nagatda) – 앞으로 (apeuro) means forward, 걸어 (georeo) means to walk, and 나갔다 (nagatda) means to go out. So, 앞으로 걸어 나갔다 (apeuro georeo nagatda) means to walk forward].

분위기만 보면 대스타의 등장이었다 [분위기만 보면 대스타의 등장이었다 (bunwigiman bomyeon daeseuta ui deungjangieotda) – 분위기 (bunwigi) means atmosphere, 보면 (bomyeon) means to see, 대스타 (daeseuta) means superstar, and 등장이었다 (deungjangieotda) means to appear].

“Uh?”

“Ah?”

“What?!”

“What is it?”

The movements of the children who were 잘 가고 있던 멈추었다 [잘 가고 있던 멈추었다 (jal gago itdeon meomchueotda) – 잘 (jal) means well, 가고 있던 (gago itdeon) means to go, and 멈추었다 (meomchueotda) means to stop].