When I arrived at the villa entrance, I saw Kkotmoa and Deonggeori holding hands and standing there. Kkotmoa was wearing the sneakers I had gifted him. When I went to D Department Store with Samyukshippal, Kkotmoa had refused, saying he was fine. Even though Kkotmoa was actually the one who needed new sneakers. So I threatened Samyukshippal. I told him I’d only buy them if his hyung received them too.
I witnessed Samyukshippal’s tenacity then. Even though his scary centipede hyung sternly said no, he stubbornly begged so persistently that even I was breaking out in a cold sweat watching. Still, I didn’t intervene and shamelessly pretended not to know until the end. Anyway, the conclusion was that now I, Kkotmoa, and Samyukshippal were all wearing the same design of sneakers, just in different sizes. I don’t know why that feels so ticklish.
When I stopped the car, Samyukshippal pointed at me in the driver’s seat first. From his expression, he seemed happy to greet someone he knew, but I wasn’t too pleased with the finger-pointing. Samyukshippal tactfully got in the back seat while pushing his hyung into the passenger seat. He was a very well-educated Samyukshippal who had received proper education.
“Hello, Invincible hyung-ah.”
“Armed from head to toe. You look pretty cool today?”
“These are all things Invincible hyung-ah bought for me though?”
“I know. That’s why I’m saying you look cool.”
Samyukshippal looked just like a child model. A sky-blue shirt with a navy bow tie, a thick cardigan in the same color as the bow tie, and jeans. Since I didn’t know much about kids’ clothes, when I went to the children’s section, I just took what was on the mannequin as is. Maybe because the kid had a handsome face, he wore the clothes well. It seemed I’d need to strip a few more mannequins.
“Where should I go?”
“Are you really okay taking us? What about your classes?”
“I won’t die from skipping one day. I’m not some stuffy, boring person who never misses attendance.”
“Really? I thought you were a diligent, responsible person who never misses attendance.”
“…Where’s the destination?”
I spoke gruffly because I couldn’t win with words. Giggling, Kkotmoa entered the address into the navigation. It was toward Yangpyeong. Since it wasn’t rush hour, it seemed we’d arrive in less than two hours. As I started the car, I added like an excuse.
“I am diligent and responsible.”
“Of course you are, Do Hyeondo sunbae-nim.”
I should have just not said anything.
Even though it was an enclosed space, the atmosphere was cheerful. It was thanks to Samyukshippal sitting in the back seat, grabbing the driver’s seat and passenger seat from the center, chattering endlessly. Most of it was about some girl named Jiyu or Jiwoo that he was apparently dating now.
“So I kissed her saying happy birthday, and Jiyu turned completely red and kissed me back. The kids were screaming and making a total fuss, you know?”
I felt an inexplicable sense of relative deprivation toward a little kid. When I’m twenty-four and could only steal a kiss from the person I like while they were sleeping, it was somewhat shocking and enviable that this guy who was only ten, a mere third-grader in elementary school, was already going around kissing. I had the pointless thought of whether I could easily kiss Kkotmoa too if I were young and simple like Samyukshippal.
“Samyukshippal. So what are you going to let me call your hyung now?”
“My hyung-ah’s friend.”
“Hey hey, that’s a scammer’s mindset. Do you know how much I’ve fed you?”
“But I’ve only eaten meat twice so far?”
“It’s four times. Isn’t steak cut with a knife at the hotel also meat?”
“Mm… Hyung-ah, what else can you do besides being hyung-ah’s friend?”
No matter how much he racked his small brain, unable to think of anything besides friend, he immediately asked Kkotmoa—the very picture of an elementary schooler. I quickly jumped in, worried Kkotmoa might define me as just a friend.
“Should I tell you?”
“Yes! What else can I do besides friend?”
“Mm…”
I pretended to think to buy time. When I sneakily glanced to the side, Kkotmoa was staring only out the side window with a slightly reddened nape. My heart tickled cutely. From my extremely subjective perspective, he was much cuter than the lively little Samyukshippal in the back.
“Ah, even though hyung-ah is invincible, you don’t know this, right?”
When there was no immediate answer, Samyukshippal quickly counterattacked. It would be nice to go on a drive with just Kkotmoa and me, but right now I was more grateful that Samyukshippal was here. Since we weren’t dating yet, Kkotmoa would be less uncomfortable with Samyukshippal here too.
“If I tell you, will you actually let me call him that?”
“I’ll decide after hearing it.”
“That’s a loss for me. It’s something really important, so what if I’m the only one who says it and you say you won’t let me?”
“Wait. Then let me think for just 30 seconds. Ah damn, what else is there besides friend… Since he’s a man, girlfriend won’t work… We’re not married, so I can’t let you call him daddy like our dad…”
I saw hope and possibility in Samyukshippal’s muttering. This kid really grew up well. No one could have raised a child this well. The child who grew up vigorously eating Kkotmoa’s infinite affection was purity itself, far removed from society’s prejudices or narrow-minded thinking.
“30 seconds, time’s up.”
“Uwah! Hyung-ah, what should I do? What do I do? Do I have to let Invincible hyung-ah call you what he wants?”
“…”
Kkotmoa didn’t answer. He seemed to have a somewhat troubled expression, or maybe an expression holding back laughter. Anyway, since he didn’t look displeased, I decided to push forward. It was important that Kkotmoa accept my confession, but it was equally important that the little guy I’d have to see often accept it completely too.
“Of course. If you only get what you want and refuse what I want, that’s fraud. You’re not going to grow up to be a scammer, right?”
“I’m not! I’m going to be a police officer! And I’m going to punish all the bad people!”
Only then did Kkotmoa’s expression relax. Somehow, if Kkotmoa accepted my confession and we started dating, I felt like I’d be seeing our mom and dad. As the D Group chairman, he’s a cold, scary tiger without blood or tears, but in front of Mom, he always becomes a gentle lamb. He absolutely obeys Mom’s words and is very mindful of her. Yet he’s incredibly happy. Because the king of our house is Mom. Because our dad can’t live without Mom.
“So what do you want me to let you call him?”
“Mm…”
I’d be happy too even if I absolutely obeyed Kkotmoa’s words and was very mindful of him. Because my king is Kkotmoa. Because I can’t live without Kkotmoa either.
“If you don’t say it in 3 seconds, I won’t let you! One, two…”
“Lover, or maybe lover, there’s also lover, something like lover would be good, I wonder how lover would be, I also think lover would be nice, wouldn’t lover be okay, lover seems reasonable, what else could there be… Mm, uh, yes, it seems like there’s only lover after all. Now, choose from these.”
“…”
I had planned to ask to call him lover, but I had absolutely no intention of saying it so pathetically. This is why home education is important. When I was young, Mom would tell me to do things, and if I didn’t do them, she’d always count, so I became disciplined. When the same counting came out, I reflexively reacted without realizing it.
‘Do Hyeondo, two hours have passed. If you don’t put down the game machine, I’ll throw it away.’
‘Mom. Just a moment. I just died, I just need to finish this round.’
‘Not listening? If you don’t turn it off in 3 seconds, I’ll really throw it away. One, two…’
‘Ah, I turned it off! I turned it off! You’re really a demon hag!’
Even though I’m twenty-four, that habit just popped out. Unlike the bewildered Samyukshippal, Kkotmoa’s face turned bright red as his shoulders shook and he giggled. I really like it when he laughs like this. Anyway, Kkotmoa seemed to find my answer funny, but his face seemed red because we were in front of his younger brother. Still, since he wasn’t saying anything, it was progress.
“Samyukshippal, choose from these which one you want to let me call him? I’ll go with that.”
“…Aren’t they all the same?”
“How are they the same? I gave you nine options.”
“They were all lover!”
“Was that so? Then I guess you should choose that.”
Even I thought I was being terribly shameless. The small head between the driver’s seat and passenger seat moved back and forth. When I glanced, Samyukshippal had an expression of deep contemplation. Even if he thought about it, he was a kid not worth even a fistful. And just the fact that Samyukshippal already thought of me as invincible showed he had tremendous fondness for me.
“…Invincible hyung-ah, do you like my hyung-ah?”
“As if someone as invincible as me would buy dinner every day, buy gifts, and even skip class to drive you around like this without liking him.”
“Wow, my hyung-ah hit the jackpot.”
At the unexpected reaction, I glanced again. Samyukshippal was excited with a smile characteristic of a child’s innocence.
“Hit the… jackpot?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Hyung is invincible, so if you get married, now my hyung-ah won’t have to do hard work! Ah, but there’s a condition first!”
“What condition?”
“If you marry my hyung-ah, you have to take me in too. You can’t make my hyung-ah do hard work, and you have to use Invincible hyung-ah’s money to send me to middle and high school too. Aunt says college costs a lot of money, so I’ll work hard so I can get a scholarship and go like my hyung-ah.”
This was beyond shrewd, it was calculating. Anyone would think he wasn’t a younger brother fourteen years younger than Kkotmoa, but an older brother fourteen years older. But far from feeling bad, I thought he really grew up well. Because as long as Samyukshippal was by his side, it seemed Kkotmoa would never be scammed.
“That’s basic. Even if you can’t get a scholarship, I’ll send you to college. But what if your hyung-ah doesn’t like me?”
“Huh? Why? When you’re this invincible?”
“I did something wrong to your hyung-ah before.”
“Mm… Did you apologize?”
“I did.”
“Eh, so what. Hyung-ah, hurry up and forgive him and let him call you lover. Hyung-ah, you said if a friend apologizes saying they’re sorry, you should accept it and get along well again.”
Even though Samyukshippal was wheedling from behind with his arm around Kkotmoa’s neck, Kkotmoa was pretending not to hear. I wondered if he was angry because I unnecessarily dragged Samyukshippal into this and watched for his reaction. The expressionless Kkotmoa had his face tinged faintly red. It didn’t seem like he was angry.
Samyukshippal, who had been dejected after being told by Kkotmoa to be quiet, quickly regained his energy. He chattered about other topics, then tired out, soon lay down in the back seat making snoring sounds. He truly was a simple guy who lived the easiest life in the world.
