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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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The Daejeon Volcanos’ owner was sitting in his office, reading the newspaper.
【Cha Tae-hyun, who bombed the Golden Lion Tournament! Led Hyeoksan High School to victory with an unprecedented .800 batting average…】
【He hits well, catches well, and throws well! The emergence of a monster rookie…】
【Professional baseball teams already interested in the suddenly appearing second-year high school baseball star?】
【Cha Tae-hyun… even major league scouts are interested… If he chooses the KBO, which team will it be?】
The owner, his eyes fixed on Cha Tae-hyun’s picture, spoke.
“I haven’t watched high school baseball in a long time. It was on TV, but…”
“Are you talking about the Golden Lion Tournament?”
The owner nodded gravely and continued.
“It was a heartwarming game, the kind I haven’t seen in a while. Even in the professional league these days, you don’t see games like that. Especially… that kid Cha Tae-hyun, he’s the real deal.”
“Hmm…”
The owner stroked his chin for a moment and asked the head of the strategy team.
“We can’t draft Cha Tae-hyun, can we?”
“Haha… yes. It’s pretty much a given that the Phoenix will be last this year…”
“Hah… really. Are they always last?”
‘Our team is always right above them…’
The strategy team leader, swallowing the words that had risen to his throat, handed a bundle of documents to the owner.
“Is this the list of draft candidates for this year and next year?”
“Yes, it is.”
The owner, after glancing through the documents, stared intently at the strategy team leader.
“Is… is there a problem…”
“Can we get Jin Tae-hyun?”
“Yes? Jin Tae-hyun? Of course, his performance in the Golden Lion Tournament was impactful… but he wasn’t a particularly outstanding player before. Wouldn’t it be safer to stick with Joo Ji-tae, whom we were originally planning to draft?”
The owner hummed in thought, and the team leader smiled wryly.
“Joo Ji-tae is good… a left-handed fireballer. But, I told you I saw the TV broadcast. And… I really have a soft spot for Jin Tae-hyun. And in my opinion, it wasn’t a fluke. He had a fighting spirit.”
‘This is… he’s already set on him… I need to revise the strategy towards Jin Tae-hyun.’
“Yes. I’ll consider it.”
Just as the strategy team leader was about to leave after bowing, the owner spoke again.
“Hah… but we really can’t get Cha Tae-hyun? He’s a sure thing… Can’t we somehow meet him beforehand and sign a contract? Give him a hefty sum and then tell the media he’s going to the major leagues…”
“Sir… that’s… no matter how you look at it.”
“Of course I’m kidding… It just shows how much I want him. Hah… I really want to meet him at least once, would that be a problem?”
“Yes?”
“No, I just… really want to buy him a meal. I saw his interview, and it was really… heartbreaking.”
“Well… given your position, sir, there’s a chance of controversy.”
“Hmm… then what if I use my daughter as an excuse? Like, they just had a blind date.”
“…Then it should be fine, right?”
The owner hummed and picked up his phone, seemingly lost in serious thought.
‘No… he wasn’t just saying it. He was serious…?’
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On a peaceful weekend morning, I was lying in bed, scrolling through my phone.
“Ah, even here, this thing is crashing.”
I was planning to read web novels all day to give my body a much-needed rest, but the damn web novel site crashed again.
Why does this text-based site crash so often?
I was just about to take a nap when I got a text from Jin Myung-hwan.
[Jin Myung-hwan: Did you check the list of participants for the national team tryouts?]
Ah. Is it that time already?
The U-18 Youth Baseball National Team Tryouts.
This was a unique setting only in this world.
Originally, the youth baseball national team was selected by the association, but in this world, they held tryouts to form the team.
I remember that they adopted this method to create a team that could achieve the best results, based solely on skill.
In short, they gather the best players from all the high school teams in the country and only pick the ones who survive.
[Why no answer? Did you read and ignore me?]
I was lost in thought for a moment, and Jin Myung-hwan started whining.
He’s so impatient.
[Yeah]
[Wow, even your texts are rude]
[Yeah]
[Anyway… the coach picked 3 people, and he said you, senior Chang-hyun, and Lee Ji-ho are going. No additional selections.]
I expected myself and Lee Ji-ho, but senior Chang-hyun was a bit of a surprise. I thought Lee Seung-tae would go for sure.
[Ah, the coach said he’s not sending senior Lee Seung-tae since he has a sprain.]
Then it makes sense. It’s better to manage Lee Seung-tae since he has the draft coming up.
[But what are you doing?]
[Are you training even now?]
[Ah, but for real, I could have made the national team, it’s a shame, right?]
[No, for real, you’re being too much, answer me]
“He talks a lot even in texts.”
[I was going to read a web novel, but the site crashed, so I’m thinking of sleeping.]
[Web novel? What’s that, is it fun?]
[Look it up yourself, I’m going to sleep.]
I closed the messaging app and was about to turn off my phone when another text came.
[Hey]
“What’s this?”
It was a number I hadn’t seen before. I was about to dismiss it as spam, but I sent a reply just in case.
It could be someone who knew the Cha Tae-hyun that I didn’t know.
[Who is this?]
[Shin Ha-yoon]
“Hmm?”
I thought I had seen it wrong for a moment, but it was Shin Ha-yoon. Why was she suddenly texting me?
I didn’t know where she got my number, but honestly… I couldn’t be bothered to deal with her.
[Stop with the prank texts.]
I thought that would make her go away, but a reply came immediately.
[No, it’s Shin Ha-yoon, from Hyeoksan High School, year 2, class 3! I sit next to you!]
No, I haven’t been to class in over a month.
[Don’t pretend you don’t know]
I was going to ignore her, but since she was so persistent, I became curious.
[Why]
[What’s with the one-word answers?]
[Just get to the point.]
[…Don’t you remember something?]
I thought for a moment, but nothing came to mind.
[I don’t know]
[No… aren’t you being too much? You promised me.]
“What is this nonsense?”
Me? With Shin Ha-yoon?
[Don’t lie ㄴㄴ]
[No, what lie;; The day I woke you up, you said you’d show me your batting form. You said you’d show me.]
“Ah? Right.”
I had said that.
I was grateful that she had woken me up when I was about to sleep at school until night, and I was proud of her for trying to record my batting form as data for her dream of becoming a coach.
“It’s a pain…”
That’s that… but it’s my first day off in a while, so do I have to go out to show her my batting form?
[…Just once]
I chuckled at the text, which was unlike Shin Ha-yoon.
She had this side to her?
I felt a little playful.
[That’s too short]
I thought there would be no reply, but my phone vibrated.
[I have a favor to ask… just show me once. Just let me record it once.]
She’s really serious about becoming a coach.
It would be awkward for me to run away after she had swallowed her pride and asked me like this.
And it’s true that I had originally promised to do it.
[Okay, let’s go to the Phoenix batting center.]
[Really? When?]
Well… it happens to be a holiday today.
[Come now, I’ll leave right away.]
[Thanks. I’ll leave right away.]
“Is this really Shin Ha-yoon…?”
The ‘thanks’ in the last text really made me doubt if it was the same rude Shin Ha-yoon I knew.
I changed into some comfortable clothes and went to the Phoenix batting center.
Shin Ha-yoon seemed to have arrived early and was standing at the first-floor desk.
But the problem was… Shin Ha-yoon wasn’t alone.
“Wow! It’s Tae-hyun oppa in person!”
“Cha Tae-hyun, I’m a really big fan.”
“Our Phoenix ace looks even better in person!”
A family with bright smiles rushed towards me.
I subtly sent Shin Ha-yoon a look that said, ‘Why did you bring your family?’
Shin Ha-yoon avoided my gaze and mumbled,
“Sorry…”
I sighed inwardly but smiled.
Anyway, Shin Ha-yoon’s family liked me a lot.
“Tae-hyun oppa, can you take a picture with me?”
A girl who resembled Shin Ha-yoon held out her phone to me.
“Haha… a picture is fine.”
“Nice!”
Shin Ha-yoon, who had run over, stood next to me and held up her phone.
“Hey! Don’t touch my sister!”
…No, your sister was the one who touched me.
“Thanks, oppa! Hehe!”
Shin Ha-yoon’s younger sister, who was so happy to have taken a picture with me, giggled as she looked at the picture.
“Cha Tae-hyun, can we have a picture too?”
A couple who looked like Shin Ha-yoon’s parents approached and held out their phone.
“Yes. Of course.”
I just noticed… they came to the batting center wearing Phoenix uniforms. They must be really big Phoenix fans.
“Thank you so much. Tae-hyun, can you sign an autograph for us too?”
They even held out a marker, as if they had prepared it in advance.
“Yes. Where should I sign?”
At my question, Shin Ha-yoon’s parents suddenly turned their backs.
Uh… I really didn’t expect this.
Wait, I haven’t even debuted yet…?
My name was on the back of the uniform.
Well, since they asked me to… I did it.
“Thank you~ I’m so happy. I have to brag to Ji-yeon unnie.”
Even though it was an autograph from a high school baseball player who hadn’t even debuted yet, they were overjoyed, and I eventually burst out laughing.
It was awkward, but they liked me so much.
“Ah! Oppa, me too!”
“Alright, where should I sign?”
Shin Ha-yoon’s younger sister held the hem of her white T-shirt and slightly lifted it to make it flat.
It wasn’t strange to ask for an autograph on a T-shirt, but asking for it on the clothes she was wearing was a bit… the situation was.
“Here! Sign here!”
As Shin Ha-yoon’s younger sister playfully flapped the hem of her shirt, Shin Ha-yoon grabbed her and glared at me.
“Unnie? Are you perhaps… jealous? Ugh!”
Shin Ha-yoon’s younger sister, who was being held by Shin Ha-yoon, got a flick on the head while she was talking.
“Everyone go home now! Why did you follow me! I said I had plans!”
Shin Ha-yoon, who had finally had enough, shouted, and Shin Ha-yoon’s family burst out laughing.
“Hehe… alright, alright Ha-yoon. Mom was too nosy, right? Tae-hyun, thank you so much today! Have a good time with my daughter~.”
“Go away!”
After laughing at the fuming Shin Ha-yoon one more time, the family finally disappeared from the Phoenix batting center.
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