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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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Hyeoksan Baseball Club was last year’s Golden Lion Flag champion.
As such, they were naturally a strong contender for the championship in this year’s Golden Lion Flag as well. Even so, today’s game didn’t seem like it would be easy. In a twist of fate, their first-round opponent was last year’s runner-up, Ilmyeong High.
In other words, a first-round elimination was a real possibility. Knowing this, the dugout atmosphere was filled with tension.
As a pre-war silence lingered, the coach appeared.
“I’ll announce the lineup, so listen up. Number 1, center fielder Jin Myung-hwan. Number 2, catcher Ji Chang-seop. Number 3, shortstop Cha Tae-hyun.”
Number 3? It was an unexpected batting order. The coach had always used me as the leadoff hitter. Well, it wasn’t bad.
In modern baseball, the number 3 batter was as important as the number 4, so it meant I would have more opportunities to contribute.
“Number 4, designated hitter Lee Tae-hyung. Number 5, third baseman Lee Ji-ho.”
Lee Ji-ho, who had recently overcome his slump, had managed to keep his number 5 spot. That kid was something else. To overcome a slump with just one counseling session with Ms. Miyeon.
“And finally, the starting pitcher is Lee Seung-tae.”
The coach approached Lee Seung-tae, smiled slightly, and patted his shoulder.
“Your pitches have gotten better since you cut your hair. You can definitely hold them off if you just don’t get nervous, so pitch like you always do.”
“Yes, sir!”
In the end, Lee Seung-tae became the starting pitcher. Senior Chang-hyun’s form had improved a lot, so I had some hope, but Lee Seung-tae’s form had also improved surprisingly…
Up to this point, the lineup was within my expectations, but the last one was a bit of a surprise.
“Hwang Gwang-hyun. You’re also going in as a reliever today, so don’t be too nervous.”
“Yes? …Yes!”
Hwang Gwang-hyun, who had never started a game before, was going in as a reliever. I had seen Lee Seung-tae coaching him every now and then when I looked at the bullpen, and it seemed his skills had improved.
Lee Seung-tae had really changed. Even now, he was advising Hwang Gwang-hyun not to be nervous. It was a new sight.
“One last thing… don’t be scared. It’s okay to lose. Just don’t play worse than usual because you’re scared. Give it your all. There are a lot of scouts here today. You all know what that means, right? Prove it. Show them how hard you’ve worked.”
The coach left after saying that. He had changed a lot. He was showing a completely different side from the coach in the text who was obsessed with results. Was the coach in the text and the coach now the same person?
I thought not. Lee Seung-tae, Hwang Gwang-hyun, Lee Ji-ho, and Ms. Miyeon. They had all changed, for better or for worse, because of me. This wasn’t a world that just followed a predetermined story. So, I decided not to be too conscious of Nemesis anymore.
I had a new goal: to bring a championship to the Phoenix for Ms. Miyeon, as Cha Tae-hyun.
“So we have to win today, no matter what.”
“Huh? Well, that’s true, but… you’re saying that a little out of the blue.”
“Myung-hwan.”
“Yeah.”
“Just take it as it is.”
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With less than 10 minutes until the start of the game, my phone vibrated.
[Ms. Miyeon: Tae-hyun, I’m here! ^^ I’ll be cheering you on, so do your best!]
Just reading the message made me smile. Am I really blessed? What teacher would come all the way to Seoul to cheer for her student? As I was typing a reply, another message came.
[You’re hitting a home run, right?]
I quickly erased the message I was writing… thought for a moment, and then started typing again.
[If you buy me something delicious.]
A reply came soon.
[Okay! I’ll buy you something delicious, so hit a home run! I’ll buy you one for every home run you hit ㅎㅎ]
Buy me one for every home run…? At least two… no, three. Let’s hit three.
“What are you doing?”
Seo Ji-ah suddenly popped her head in, and I hurriedly put my phone away.
“Just texting.”
“…Really?”
“Who are you texting that’s making you so happy? Could it be… your girlfriend?”
“No, it’s not like that.”
“Hmm… suspicious… suspicious!”
“I said it’s not.”
Seo Ji-ah finally disappeared after questioning me for a while.
“Cha Tae-hyun.”
“Huh? Was senior Chang-hyun here?”
I don’t know when he had come, but senior Chang-hyun was sitting in front of me, staring blankly.
“Keep your romance outside the baseball field…”
“What…?”
“You lucky bastard…”
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Lee Mi-yeon, who had found a seat in the stands of Mokdong Baseball Stadium, looked around. There were many people holding stopwatches or speed guns.
‘They must be scouts.’
As she had thought, there were quite a few scouts at Mokdong Baseball Stadium today. Although it was the first round, it was a matchup between last year’s champion and runner-up.
It was a game that scouts couldn’t miss.
“I wonder if there are any Phoenix scouts?”
“Are you a Phoenix fan?”
“Hic!”
Lee Mi-yeon flinched as a woman suddenly appeared.
“Haha. Sorry. Is it okay if I sit next to you?”
“Yes…, but are you two…”
Lee Mi-yeon looked at the man and woman with suspicious eyes.
“Yes, we’re Phoenix scouts.”
“Really?”
Lee Mi-yeon, as if she had met a celebrity, started talking to Kim Eun-chan and Ji Soo-yeon.
“You came at the right time. There’s a really good player here. A player the Phoenix absolutely needs!”
Ji Soo-yeon smiled and asked, “Really? May I ask who it is?”
“His name is Cha Tae-hyun, do you know him?”
Kim Eun-chan nodded.
“He’s a good player. We came to see him today.”
As Lee Mi-yeon looked at him in surprise, Kim Eun-chan said calmly, “All the scouts who came here today will probably be surprised. This is the first time Cha Tae-hyun has officially shown himself to the world. Watch closely. Today could be a page in history.”
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Ilmyeong High’s ace, Joo Ji-tae. Hyeoksan High’s ace, Lee Seung-tae, was in a league of his own, but Joo Ji-tae was also a pitcher who was guaranteed to be a first-round pick.
Today, as he stood on the mound, he made a promise to himself.
‘I’m definitely winning today.’
Joo Ji-tae had never forgotten the day he had lost in the Golden Lion Flag finals last year, after a fierce battle that went into extra innings. He had been waiting for today’s revenge, so much so that he was grateful he had been a second-year at the time.
As the leadoff hitter, Jin Myung-hwan, stepped into the batter’s box, Joo Ji-tae glared at him. He took a deep breath, and then threw the first pitch.
Thud!
“Strike!”
Joo Ji-tae smiled faintly at the umpire’s call. The scoreboard showed 147 km/h. A very fast speed, considering he was controlling his pace. Joo Ji-tae quickly regrouped and threw the second and third pitches.
“Strike out!”
He finished him off with a clean strikeout. A great achievement against Jin Myung-hwan, who had one of the best contacts in high school. And with just three pitches. Joo Ji-tae satisfactorily welcomed the next batter.
‘Ji Chang-seop… the guy who created the comeback opportunity…’
He was also a player with top-tier contact in high school. And a catcher at that. But Joo Ji-tae continued to pitch without any concern.
“Strike! Out!”
He sent even Ji Chang-seop back with a three-pitch strikeout. With that, Joo Ji-tae no longer felt any tension. He was sure after getting the first two batters.
His pitches wouldn’t be hit easily today. When the third batter stepped into the box, Joo Ji-tae couldn’t help but chuckle.
‘Cha Tae-hyun…’
A name he had never heard before while competing in tournaments. That meant he definitely wasn’t a good player. He had analyzed all the decent hitters, but he had never even heard of this guy’s name, let alone analyzed him.
‘It must be his debut… He’s going to be so embarrassed on the broadcast.’
As Joo Ji-tae smiled wryly and held the ball…
“Tae-hyun!!!”
A loud voice came from the stands. Even though it was almost time to pitch, Cha Tae-hyun glanced at the stands and smiled warmly. Joo Ji-tae scoffed at his lack of tension in this showdown.
“…Looking away at the pitcher?”
‘I was going to control my pace at first… but not with this bastard.’
Joo Ji-tae’s knee came up. He spread his arms wide, took a big step forward, and swung his arm with all his might. A full-power pitch that made his hat tremble slightly.
The ball was spinning at a frightening speed. The location was also perfect, just on the borderline of the outside corner.
‘It’s a perfect pitch!’
He could already see the batter’s stunned face at his perfect first pitch. But soon, Joo Ji-tae’s eyes widened. The bat was already there, as if it had seen the future, on a ball he shouldn’t have even been able to touch.
Thwaaaack!
The sound of the bat, as if it were splitting the ball, vibrated through Joo Ji-tae’s entire body.
“Huh?”
Joo Ji-tae, who had let out a gasp of surprise, quickly turned his head back. No, he had to look up. No… he had to look even higher. How far…
‘How far is it flying…’
Yes. Cha Tae-hyun has no official records.
“This game is his debut… he hit the first pitch perfectly! To the right! Right-center! Right-center! The high fly ball is flying and flying! Over the fence! It’s over the fence! A beautiful swing! A beautiful launch angle! Cha Tae-hyun hits a home run with a perfect hit!”
“Elementary school, middle school, even his first year of high school! A completely unknown rookie with no tournament participation records!”
“In his first tournament appearance, with his first swing! He’s trying to dominate the game!”
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