Peaceful Bullpen Life [EN]: Chapter 92

Sungmoon’s hit didn’t travel as well as he’d hoped.

For a moment, judging by the angle, it seemed like it might clear the infield, but its speed dropped drastically as it passed over.

“Go!”

Still, there was enough justification to send Hyeong Seonghoon home from third base.

Hyeong Seonghoon, who had been held at third, gritted his teeth and took off, acting on the signal from the third base coach.

“Home! Shortstop, to the left, stick to the left!”

The opposing catcher’s cry to prevent a score. The more desperate they sounded, the smaller the distance between the runner and home plate became.

Min Jonghyun, not known for a strong arm, would likely throw the ball off course if he threw with all his might.

With quick judgment, the catcher had Shin Taebum move to the left to relay the throw directly home.

Whap-!

Almost at the same time.

It was hard to tell from the dugout. The umpire seemed to be having trouble making a call as well.

“…Out!”

Wowwwww-!!!

Sangsoo’s home crowd erupted. Naturally, their stadium was going wild with a favorable call. And naturally, we were deflated.

– At the request of the Wonha Challengers, a video review will be conducted on the out call at home.

But Hyeong Seonghoon, and Seonghyun, who had captured the scene from a similar position as the umpire, both drew squares in the air simultaneously [signaling for a video review].

Judging that they had a chance, the manager immediately rushed out of the dugout and made a similar motion to the umpires.

Bum, bum. Ba-ba-bam. Bum, bum. Ba-ba-bam—

Music to set the mood filled the stadium. The scoreboard only showed the message: ‘Video review in progress….’

“Ah, it’s safe!”

“It’s safe, it has to be.”

“I’m not so sure….”

“That traitor, kill him!”

As the review dragged on, opinions within our dugout began to diverge.

Some were certain it was safe, others cautiously predicted an out.

Just as cheap insults began to fly between the two camps, whose emotional divide was deepening,

Oooooooo-!!

The home fans erupted in loud boos. In stark contrast,

“Yaaaak!!”

“Lee Seonghoon! Lee Seonghoon!”

“Jeon Sungmoon! Jeon Sungmoon! Jeon Sungmoooon!!”

Countless handshakes poured out once more from our dugout.

Our team wasn’t the only one aware of the importance of this game, and this series.

As soon as starting pitcher Seong Sangjin allowed a run, Kim Shinwoo, one of their must-win pitchers, was already running out from the opposite bullpen.

A must-win pitcher.

The determination to win at all costs wasn’t a phrase to be uttered only when you were already winning.

It was something you had to exude when you saw a chance to turn things around, or even when you didn’t see any chance at all.

That was the situation Sangsoo was in now.

“Are they going to walk Seonghyun [intentionally walk him]?”

“They probably will.”

Seonghyun had been hitting exceptionally well, batting .500 over the past week, hitting and hitting again. On the other hand, Giseong seemed to have slumped a bit, with a batting average in the mid-.100s.

Also, thanks to the botched relay and the call, the runner on first had advanced to second.

A battery [pitcher and catcher] that didn’t walk a second batter who was on fire was an idiot, and a battery that then allowed a timely hit was a moron.

The game, which had been briefly paused as Seonghyun stepped into the batter’s box, was preparing to resume. The umpire called play, and Kim Shinwoo, after checking on Byeongcheon at second base,

“Striiiike!”

Suddenly threw a fastball inside.

“They’re not walking him?”

“Then thank you!”

“Let’s get another run!!”

The bat moved a little more aggressively as he prepared for the second pitch than it had for the first. The bat, which had been lightly tapping, now moved up, down, left, and right, keeping time.

Timing.

That way he moved his bat in his stance was like a metronome, matching the rhythm with the pitcher.

Tung, tung, tung, taak-!

The 3/4 beat was perfectly in sync. So, naturally, the result should be good, but,

Waaaaaa-!!

The center fielder’s dive stopped the runner dead in his tracks.

Seonghyun, returning to the dugout, screamed in frustration. Hands of consolation were placed on his head, which he clutched with both hands.

“Hang in there.”

“Ugh.”
The two innings remaining until the 7th, which Gyujin Hyeong had promised.

“Striiiike-!!”

Today’s starting pitcher had perfectly kept the promise he had made.

No runs allowed for 7 innings. The only runner he allowed was the lead-off hitter in the bottom of the 7th, who had gotten on with a hit.

“…Hanwool, get ready.”

“Yes!”

Everyone showed respect to the starting pitcher, who had thrown a total of 107 pitches, by raising both hands above their heads.

“Ah, stop it!”

Just kidding, they were just teasing him for being short.

“Geonyeong!”

“Yes!”

As soon as the bottom of the 7th began, Go Dongwook got a hit, but the next batter hit into a double play, ending the defense in the 3rd spot.

“…Guess I’ll see him again.”

Then, at the start of the bottom of the 8th, the guy I’d be facing was none other than Park Haejin. I could never forget the memory of finally getting one over on him after getting hit by him all the time.

“What did he say again….”

We won’t give up our spot easily either.

“Little punk.”

I remembered the cute war of nerves that had taken place at last year’s awards ceremony. Involuntarily, my right hand, which was holding the ball, clenched.

Thwack!

“Ah, nice!”

The sensation of hitting the ball with my right hand felt unfamiliar. Was it because I put in too much force?

Thwack!

“Tore the mitt apart!!”

Once I tried it, I understood.

When was it? When Hyukjoon said something like that. Was it at last year’s media day?

Although it wasn’t the strikeout I wanted and wanted, the experience of getting an out from Park Haejin was a fact.

The fact that my career batting average against him had dropped from ‘.1’ to below that gave me a reason to be confident.

Thwack-!

“Wow, Hyeong, are you going to hit 150km soon, huh?!

I probably will. I’m still growing. I’ll keep growing.

“Hoo….”

I felt the need to adjust my pace for a moment, so I stopped pitching.

Pacing myself mentally rather than physically.

“Hanwool, let’s go.”

“Yes, yes.”

Thwack!

“Ah, Hyeongnim! Hang in there!!”

The bullpen catcher’s thunderous cheer was like putting a lid on my churning mind.

I was walking up the mound that was most familiar to me in the opposite direction. The height of awkwardness.

Thwack!

But once I got up there, that feeling disappeared.

Thwack!

The navy blue clothes we were wearing,

Thwack!

“Ah, good, good!”

The white catcher’s gear that Gyuhak was wearing,

Thwack―

“Really good! You can take it easy a little!”

Our team’s name, which would be positioned above Sangsoo’s,

Thwack-!

“Good ball, good good!”

And Park Haejin, walking in slowly over there.

Play!

“Hoo….”

I tilted my head back slightly and took a deep breath.

Ding-!

[Must Catch!]

– Pitch a scoreless inning in this important game! (0/1)

– Reward – Changeup +2

– Special Reward!

– Acquire a random trait upon quest completion!

“Hoo!”

I finished breathing as the white text floating in the sky disappeared. Then, Park Haejin came into view. And Gyuhak.

The catcher, having scanned the batter to my left from head to toe, requested confirmation.

Thwack!

“Striiiike-!”

A 147km inside fastball, confirmed.

I quickly urged for the next suggestion.

An inside fastball and an outside curve were suggested, but I rejected them all and adopted a high fastball.

Thwack-!

“Ball, high ball-.”

I must have put a little too much force into it; it flew about two balls higher than expected and became a ball.

I replayed Park Haejin’s movements in my mind, which I had checked immediately after throwing.

The way he identified the zone with just the movement of his eyes, without the slightest twitch, was truly chilling.

Would it kill him to just swing haphazardly…….

“Hic!”

…Huh!

Thwack―

“Striiiiike!”

The curveball, thrown with even more arm speed than the fastball, drew a much sharper angle and landed on the outside corner.

How about that, were you a little surprised?

Park Haejin’s eyebrows, which were set to a default of expressionless, twitched slightly.

“Hoo!”

One ball, and two strikes.

I had created a favorable count, but I didn’t let my guard down. When I thought about it, the counts when Park Haejin hit me were always when I was ahead.

I considered, considered, considered, but couldn’t find a suitable solution. Eventually, out of frustration, I shifted my right foot to the side.

Oooooooo―

The home fans were going crazy, demanding why I wasn’t competing quickly, why I wasn’t getting hit quickly.

None of my business.

I ignored them and picked up the rosin bag. I squeezed the bag until the powder inside made a crunching sound, and only then was I satisfied with the state of my right hand.

Splitter? Changeup? Slider?

“No.”

Fastball. I want to throw a fastball. I feel like I can throw a really good one right now.

The message traveled down my index finger and 18.44m forward [the distance from the pitcher’s mound to home plate].

“Hoo….”

In the windup position, my waist swayed slightly back and forth. Thanks to my head being lowered, it was easy to exhale a long breath.

“Heee….”

My left knee brushed my chest and headed to the right. The left hip, now empty, would be clearly visible to the catcher and the batter.

“Ugh…ack!”

I tried to prevent the opening of my knee, hip, and shoulder line as much as possible. Having finished preparing to pour out all the strength I had,

Taak-!

The thrown ball quickly disappeared from view. Park Haejin was running towards first base, so he was out of my sight.

Yeah, the same composition as when I always got a home run. I stood still from the shock of being hit, and Park Haejin slowly ran.

But there was one thing very different from that composition. It was a difference I had felt once before.

“Out-”

I turned around only after hearing the out call from the third base umpire, who would be looking at my right, behind me.

I saw Hooni, who had caught the ball in front of the fence, slowly running and throwing the ball into the infield.

“Hanwool’s ball is good!”

“I’m just handsome!”

“Ah, that’s a bit much.”

Confidence.

Thwack!

“Striiiike!”

Having caught Park Haejin again, that one word was naturally upgrading a part of my mental ability.

Tap―

“Swing, swing!”

The improved mentality naturally had a positive effect on the body as well.

Thwack-!

“Swing, out-.”

I could feel it even as I threw. That I was constantly putting strength into my shoulder. But,

Tick―

“Foul-.”

It felt good. It wasn’t just my shoulder that was getting stronger, but my legs, my stomach, and my arms were also getting more power.

Thwack―

“Striiiiike!”

An at-bat with two strikes and no balls. I could feel more strongly than anyone else that I had a bright smile on my face as I looked at Gyuhak.

I gripped the ball with a hand shape similar to the sign that came with my index and middle fingers spread apart. Thanks to my upper and lower teeth touching because I was smiling,

“Hic!”

The grip strength for throwing the splitter was at its peak.

Tap―

“Swing, swing-.”

Huncheol, who had swung and missed at the splitter that broke slightly deeper inside, glanced back and started running.

The blocking was a little ambiguous, and the ball had slipped slightly to the side, but if he quickly picked it up and threw it, it would be enough to get the out at first base.

“Out-.”

Just like now.

Ding-!

[Must Catch!]

– Pitch a scoreless inning in this important game! (1/1)

– Reward – Changeup +2

– Special Quest Success! Acquire a random trait! Check your status window!

Control – Top

Power – High

Stamina – Medium

Four-seam – 71

Curve – 59+2=61