Brother, Am I Cute? [EN]: Chapter 9

Hyung, Am I Cute? – Episode 9 (9/500)

I felt a strange sensation when I cornered Han Tae-sung.

I don’t know anything about this industry, but how do such precise figures flow from my mouth?

I can swear I’ve never learned or heard of them.

But this information was in my head.

And I used it.

The sense of unease I felt from the moment I saw the standard contract.

I knew right away that this was absurd.

And the knowledge in my head also knew that there were many people building their careers with these unfair contracts.

I wasn’t just bluffing.

Just looking at the process of how this standard contract came to be.

It was a matter of Professor’s introduction and Manager Hong’s trust.

I was sure that Manager Hong would never write such a contract.

And sure enough.

His flustered appearance was ridiculous.

I don’t know why he did this, but I just got up from my seat.

The renegotiation will be when I talk to Manager Hong.

“Are you really going to walk out like this? I don’t know what happened, but.”

Moon Do-hwan looked at me with a worried expression.

“Don’t worry, hyung [older brother or close male friend]. Manager Hong is the type of person who would apologize right away if you told him. Well, if he says this is how it is, then I guess I misjudged him.”

“What if that happens?”

“It’s not like there’s only one place to work. Translation work may seem like the best option right now, but if you look around, there might be more things you can do than you think.”

“Wow. You’re getting more relaxed now? You’re thinking this hyung will help you again? I guess it’s good to have a job center employee connection.”

“It’s not like that…….”

“You little rascal. You’re embarrassed. Do you have any other reliable backers besides me?”

Actually, I have a new ability called ‘reliable backer’.

But it’s better not to say this.

“But did our Siha have enough fun?”

“Ah…….”

Siha rubbed his eyes, looking sleepy.

It felt so good to throw the tissue box at Han Tae-sung earlier.

Even more than when I cornered him.

After all, the actions of an innocent child are more cruel.

As long as it’s not cruel to me.

“Should hyung carry you on his back? You look very tired.”

“Ah.”

Nod, nod.

I carried Siha on my back.

It feels heavy on my back.

I hope it gets heavier in the future.

The current weight seemed too fragile.

I hope he grows up quickly like this.

Moon Do-hwan looked at us and said.

“You guys look really good. I don’t feel worried when I see you two.”

“I have to raise him well.”

“And you grow up well too.”

“I’m all grown up.”

“Where?”

Moon Do-hwan pretended to look for something exaggeratedly next to me.

I guess he sees me as just a younger brother and only sees me as young.

Well. 23 years old is still young.

“Here. Here. Thank you so much for today.”

“You’re thanking me for everything. Thanks to you, I got to play in the playroom and drink free coffee.”

“I’m grateful if you think so.”

“But I couldn’t hear you because I was far away. But seeing your cool and strong-willed appearance, I thought, ‘He’s all grown up.'”

“Haha.”

“Well, you do have stubborn parts.”

“Why did being strong-willed become stubborn again?”

“Isn’t it true that strengths and weaknesses go together?”

“Well, that’s true.”

We talked like that and went home.

***

When I got home, I laid Siha down.

Siha, who was lying gently on the pillow, was fast asleep.

I want to keep watching that peaceful 모습 [mosup – appearance/figure], but I still have things to do.

I took the contract out of Siha’s penguin bag.

I took pictures of the circled parts and the overall content one by one.

Then, I sent it to Hong Jin-soo via KakaoTalk [Korean messaging app].

I called him right away.

「Yes. Si-hyuk. Did the contract go well?」

From that, I knew that Han Tae-sung had not contacted Hong Jin-soo at all.

Well, it wouldn’t be easy to talk with clear evidence in hand.

On the other hand, I was relieved.

That Hong Jin-soo was not on the same side as Han Tae-sung.

“The contract didn’t go well.”

「Yes?」

“You should probably check the document in KakaoTalk right away. It says that the payment will be made one month after publication, and there is no sentence in the contract that says the translator’s name will be written.”

「No. That can’t be. There’s definitely no such content in the standard contract…….」

“That’s right. Why is there such content, and why is there content that shouldn’t be there?”

「Haa…….」

I could feel Hong Jin-soo’s deep 빡침 [ppakchim – frustration/annoyance] over the phone, as if he had checked the picture.

I could hear him taking a few deep breaths as if to calm his anger.

「I’m sorry. I’m really sorry to Si-hyuk and the professor.」

“I know that this happens frequently, but I didn’t know it would happen to me. The professor also has his position.”

「That…. I’m really sorry. I should have…….」

“I don’t care what happens to Assistant Manager Han Tae-sung. I just want to be treated properly. Raise the rate to 2,500 won [Korean currency]. That’s enough for me as an apology. Let’s solve this nicely.”

「Yes. Thank you for your consideration. You must be very angry. And it’s a good thing you didn’t sign it. How do you know so much about the industry…….」

Hong Jin-soo was 감탄 [gamtan – impressed/amazed].

“I heard about the situation through connections. I can’t go out to sign a contract without knowing anything.”

「You’re thorough. Usually, when people are introduced like this, they trust the person, check the money, and sign it…….」

“I know there are many people like that.”

In fact, I don’t know anything, I’m just talking with the knowledge implanted in my head.

“But I’m curious, why did that person do this to me?”

「Ah. I think there were several complex factors. Actually, Assistant Manager Han was originally supposed to translate ‘Golden Clock Hands,’ which Si-hyuk is going to translate this time.」

“Ah. So…….”

「And he’s not an early employee either. There are no early employees for editors. He came from another publishing company as a 경력직 [gyeongnyeokjik – experienced hire]. I think he learned bad practices at that time.」

“So, in the end, he looked down on me because I was a newbie. And he thought he was being robbed of the book. But why did you give me that book?”

「Because two people in our company 퇴직 [toejik – resigned/retired] this time…….」

I roughly knew the situation.

Really, several circumstances 복합적으로 [bokhapjeogeuro – complexly/in combination] happened and this happened.

“I’m sorry to bother you while you’re on a business trip.”

「No. I should have sent someone I could trust…….」

“Hey. You’re so busy with work right now that you’re in a bad situation. You have to understand that much.”

「Thank you so much. If you have time, can you come to the office? Or I can send you the contract by registered mail…….」

I 고민 [gomin – hesitated/contemplated] for a moment at that.

“Then I’ll go there myself. I want to see how editors work.”

「There’s nothing special. Haha.」

“Still.”

If I’m just thinking about my future slowly, nothing will come of it.

I have to move, see, listen, and look for it.

I know that’s what thinking slowly means.

‘No, how did I know this again?’

It felt like I had a self-help book in my head.

‘Well, if it helps.’

Hong Jin-soo said.

「Then I’ll see you the day after tomorrow.」

“Yes. I will.”

***

5 a.m.

Siha opened his eyes.

He looked to the side.

Siha was relieved to see Si-hyuk sleeping.

‘Hyung is here.’

Siha got up from his seat.

Waddle.

He didn’t have the strength in his body because it was morning.

He ended up sitting down on his butt.

‘Dad.’

Siha arrived in the living room on his hands and knees.

What he saw was a laptop.

In addition, he saw something sparkling.

The light touched Siha’s head.

‘Dad.’

He stayed like that for a while and felt better, so Siha turned around.

The place he was heading was the box with the 액정 태블릿 [aekjeong taebeullet – digital drawing tablet].

Another light faintly visible inside.

If the light from before was blue, this light was pink.

‘Mom.’

Siha looked up at that place for a long time.

He got up and reached out, but he couldn’t take it out because the box was 울려져 [ullyeojyeo – stacked high].

Siha licked his lips once and turned to Si-hyuk.

엉금엉금 [eongeum eongeum – crawling on hands and knees].

He climbed up as if he was climbing a hill and landed on Si-hyuk’s stomach.

He lay still and put his ear to it.

두근두근 [dugeun dugeun – thump-thump/heartbeat sound].

The big heartbeat makes him feel at ease.

‘Hyung.’

Siha’s eyes closed at the reassuring sound.

The throbbing heartbeat was somehow similar to his mother’s.

사르르 [sareureu – softly/gently].

He fell asleep again.

And a few minutes later.

Si-hyuk groaned because of the heavy Siha.

“Ugh…. Why are you here again…….”

A peaceful daily life began.

***

I took Siha off my stomach in the morning and went to wash up.

First of all, I have to finish everything before Siha wakes up.

If I wash my hair and wash my face, Siha wakes up like a ghost.

It’s like an alarm.

“Hyung will dry his hair and Siha will take a shower too. Okay?”

“Ah.”

“No. Wait a minute. Don’t I have to change his diaper?”

I took off Siha’s diaper.

He peed after all.

“Siha. You have to tell me these things. Please tell me in the future.”

“Ah.”

“You answer really well. Perfect. Now all you have to do is practice.”

I guess everyone raises their children like this.

Today is the day I decided to visit the KI office.

I eat breakfast and get ready to leave the house.

“Should I wear some nice clothes today? I have to wear nice clothes to go to work. Right, Siha?”

“Ah.”

Siha runs to somewhere 도도도 [dododo – sound of running with small steps] as if he understood.

He opens the drawer with his clothes and takes out one piece of clothing.

I folded the crumpled clothes and put them back in.

“Do you want to wear a penguin suit?”

“Ah.”

It was a penguin suit with a hood like a mascot.

It’s Siha’s favorite and most precious clothes.

“Okay. Let’s wear that. Today our Siha is a fashionista on the street!”

“Ah!”

I put on the all-in-one suit one by one and buttoned it up.

Of course, I put it on over my 티랑 [ti-rang – t-shirt and] pants.

It’s cold if you only wear one.

“Hyung!”

“Yeah? Did you pack everything?”

Siha started packing his penguin bag.

I watched him do that and changed my clothes.

“Hyung.”

“Huh? Did you pack everything?”

Before I knew it, Siha brought me my pants.

“Hyung. Are you going to help me put them on?”

“Ah.”

“Thank you.”

I received the clothes and put on my pants as they were.

“Then shall we start now?”

“Ah.”

I opened the door and went outside.

Siha took the lead first.

He wore a hood with a penguin face on his head and walked waddling.

A penguin bag on his back.

A penguin wearing a black jacket walked down the street.

People passing by smiled at Siha.

“Oh my. The baby is so cute!”

“It’s so cute!”

“The penguin suit looks so good on him.”

My shoulders are shrugged because they praise Siha.

엣헴 [ethem – ahem/clearing throat sound].

“Ah!”

“꺄아 [kkyaa – squeal/exclamation of delight]. Look at him waving his hand.”

Then a woman came up to me and said.

“Excuse me. Can I take a picture with the baby?”

I said with a kind smile.

“No!”