Peaceful Bullpen Life [EN]: Chapter 120

The season was over, the post-season was over, the Premier12 tournament was over, and all personal commitments had concluded.

Now, my only mission was to rest and prepare my body for spring training early next year.

“Ugh… ugh! Ughhh!”

It was a lazy late afternoon. I was in my small workout room, tugging on the resistance bands hanging on the clothes rack, doing the bare minimum to maintain my physique.

“Ughhhhh!”

One last set!

My shoulder muscles felt like they were on fire, but I couldn’t stop. I mustn’t stop.

Thwack-!

“Dahak….”

As soon as I finished my reps for the day, I released the tension in my hands. The rubber band snapped back and hit the clothes rack.

“Ugh… my shoulder.”

I massaged my stiff shoulder and walked out of the small room. I sat at the table and picked up my phone.

“Ah… Gyujin *hyung* [older brother or close male friend] is having fun.”

I had only worked out for an hour and a half, but I had received more messages than I expected.

First, Gyujin *hyung*.

As if to flaunt his recent marriage, he sent me pictures from his honeymoon.

I flipped through the pictures quickly, feeling a twinge of envy.

After Gyujin *hyung*, Seungju.

[Yo, dinner ㄱ?]

Dinner, huh…….

[ㄱㄱ] [Korean slang for “Let’s go, let’s go!”]

Sounds good.

[What to eat?]

As soon as I replied, I got an immediate response. What should we eat… I thought for a moment.

[Meat ㄱㄱ]

I chose meat. Meat is always a good choice.

[ㅇㅋ] [Korean slang for “Okay”]

[Hun is coming too]

[With Gibeom]

Oh my,

The four of us born in ’89 from the Wonha Challengers were about to have one of our regular get-togethers.

After settling the time and place, I checked the next message. It was from Minyoung *ssi* [a polite title, like Ms. or Mr.], asking how I was doing.

[Hanwool *ssi* Hanwool *ssi*]

[Shall we go here when we meet this week?]

[Link – RUN Escape Room Cafe]

Escape room cafe… what’s that again?

[Yes, yes, sounds good.]

I replied and checked the link Minyoung *ssi* sent. So that’s what an escape room cafe is like… As soon as I finished, a new text message arrived.

[Okay! Then I’ll make a reservation!]

After that, I had some small talk with Minyoung *ssi*. Then, she said she had to go into a meeting, and our conversation ended for the time being.

And the next message I checked was from Wooseok.

[Did you see this?]

[Link – [Exclusive] Hanseong Lee Yong…]

The last words were cut off, but I knew who it was about.

Lee Yongho. What a jerk.

But I had to check the link Wooseok sent to see what happened.

With a tap, I was taken to the article.

[Exclusive] Hanseong Lee Yongho, Sangsoo Kim Shinwoo 1-on-1 Exclusive Trade Agreement

“…No, why?”

I quickly scanned the article because I didn’t understand the trade.

Sangsoo, whose designated hitter position was open due to Hong Seokjin’s retirement, wanted a good hitter.

In the 2019 season, Lee Yongho’s performance rebounded significantly.

But Lee Yongho’s defense is still terrible.

Hanseong decided that reinforcing the bullpen was more urgent than the batting line or defense.

The result was this.

“What is this….”

Still confused, I read the last part of the article, which included the season’s stats for the two traded players.

Skipping Kim Shinwoo, who went to Hanseong, Lee Yongho in the 2019 season had a slash line [batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage] of .324/.391/.487 with 24 home runs and 89 RBIs [runs batted in].

“What the hell happened to this guy.”

The story of a hitter who was a backup player on the second team, and then suddenly unlocked his batting potential in his mid-30s, is inspiring.

But if that person is a jerk who has done terrible things, can I really be happy for him?

[Doesn’t Sangsoo know about Lee Yongho?]

[Wooseok – Of course they know]

[Wooseok – Everyone knows about Lee Yongho]

[But what are they thinking?]

[Wooseok – How would I know]

Hmmm…….

Gyujin *hyung* has one more reason to play even harder against Sangsoo.

I thought about telling Gyujin *hyung* about this, but I decided to leave it alone. Whether Wooseok tells him, or he finds out himself, he’ll find out eventually.

Instead, I decided to get ready to go out, so I got up and headed to the bathroom. After washing up and getting dressed, I checked the time again. It was perfect for leaving.

Following the navigation’s guidance, which started with “Starting guidance,” I arrived at a restaurant near Konkuk University.

Seungju was sitting alone, so I wondered if I was the last to arrive.

“Yo.”

“Oh, you’re here.”

“Where are the others?”

“They’ll be here soon.”

“Soon? Then let’s order. Boss!”

I figured the others would arrive when the meat was cooking, so I ordered 4 servings of pork belly to start. Seungju ordered something else, as if that wasn’t enough.

“Are you going to drink?”

“Ah… no, I drove.”

“Boss, one soju [Korean distilled spirit] and two glasses, please.”

This alcoholic.

“What have you been up to?”

“Anyone would think we haven’t seen each other in months.”

“That’s just how we start talking.”

Seungju chuckled and ate the bean sprouts that came out as a side dish.

“I was just thinking about next year’s plan.”

“What plan?”

“I’m a free agent [player eligible to sign with any team] when next year is over. I have to manage it well, so I’m thinking about how to approach it.”

“Ah… that’s right. Have you figured it out?”

“I was going to talk about that.”

“Yeah.”

“I think I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing.”

Isn’t this the feeling you get when you watch a movie with a disappointing ending?

I frowned at the simple conclusion compared to the build-up.

“You know how it is. Guys who try to do something different and end up embarrassing themselves. Isn’t it better to just maintain what I have now than to end up like that?”

“That’s… true.”

“Frankly, who would want me if I went to another team? I can only get in through nominations.”

“Is the outfield still a problem?”

“I can only play catch for fun, but I can’t actually field. It’s been too long.”

It’s amazing that he’s endured this far with a wrist that doesn’t work properly due to a car accident.

But that’s his personal story. From the team’s perspective, how would they classify a player like Seungju?

His defense is impossible, and he’s not a hitter with outstanding contact or power. He’s considered to have top-tier RBI percentage and clutch ability, but that’s just intangible value.

“If Hong Seokjin had stayed for one more year, I might have gone to Sangsoo at the right time. But today I saw that Lee Yongho went to Sangsoo?”

“…Does that jerk even deserve the title of *sunbae-nim* [senior/respected elder]?”

“Why? Ah.”

Maybe it’s because he went to a different high school, but Seungju only knows about Lee Yongho from rumors.

“Ehhhh!”

“Hoooh!”

Just before the atmosphere turned serious, Gibeom and Hun arrived and livened things up.

Such antics from the moment they appeared.

“Yaaaaak!”

“Waaaaak!”

I can’t stand this.

The four of us born in ’89, who I always saw at the baseball field, had the same energy when we met in private.

“Yeeee, we’re all here, so let’s drink!”

“Yeeee-.”

A heart-warming scene of sharing a drink in a small pork belly restaurant.

“Yeeeeee!”

I can’t be left out.

Because it was a dinner appointment, not a drinking appointment, and I had driven, the soju glass was full of cider instead of soju.

“Kheu….”

In the first place, a drinking party is about enjoying the atmosphere.

“What were you guys talking about?”

“Just. About next year.”

“Ah, our little Seungju, please let him do well next year.”

“You crazy bastard.”

With Hun’s sudden jab, the bickering of high school classmates began.

“You drove too, right?”

“Yeah. Let’s drink cider.”

“Okay.”

Gibeom, who doesn’t drink, and I sipped cider and watched the pork belly cooking.

“You worked hard, man. Is your body okay?”

“Body? I’m fine. I threw a bit during the Korean Series, but not really during the Premier12. I didn’t throw much. Ah, did you see it?”

“What?”

“Premier12.”

“I saw it.”

“How was it?”

Thump!

Gibeom gave me a thumbs up instead of an answer.

Ah, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a thumbs up.

“Hey, hey, you know.”

“Why?”

“What?”

After giving a thumbs up, Gibeom pointed at the two classmates who were still bickering, as if he had remembered something.

“Let’s decide on a celebration for next year too.”

“What celebration?”

“We gave a thumbs up during the Premier12. Let’s make something like that.”

“We can’t use it unless we go to the Korean Series.”

“Do we only use it in the Korean Series? We can use it during the season too.”

“If that’s the case….”

If that’s the case, we can’t just decide without thinking. It’s a gesture that will be seen all year long.

“Hmmm….”

The four of us born in ’89 lowered our heads at the same time.

The depth of thought was quite deep, and even with the sizzling pork belly in front of them, no one was eating.

“Thumbs up is the most common, but we’ve already used it, so it’s a bit difficult to use it again.”

“That’s right.”

As the thoughts deepened,

Ding―

“Ah, just a moment.”

A text message arrived from Minyoung *ssi*.

[Ah… the meeting went on for too long today]

[I’m leaving work now ㅜㅜ] [Korean emoticon for crying]

It was several hours later than her usual quitting time, and she was only leaving work now.

Feeling even more sorry, I,

Click―

Took a picture of the pork belly in front of me and sent it to Minyoung *ssi*.

[Wow… Hanwool *ssi* is really mean.]

[Really]

[Really]

[Really mean]

[ㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜㅜ]

Hehehe.

“Who is it?”

“Girlfriend.”

“You bad bastard.”

“You’re a real son of a bitch.”

Ellellellellelle, what are you gonna do about it.

I responded to Seungju and Hun’s teasing with that expression.

“It’s okay. They’re just jealous, Hanwool.”

In the meantime, Gibeom, who has a girlfriend, giggled and stuck to my side.

Ding―

While I was giggling, another text message came.

[Don’t drink too much]

[Rabbit waving a ‘Fighting’ [fighting/cheering] panel emoticon]

I’m not drinking, I’m just eating and going home, I’ll contact you when I get home.

After sending that reply and waiting for a while,

Ding―

Another reply arrives.

Without much thought, I checked the message Minyoung *ssi* sent,

[Go home early]

[Text me when you get home!]

[Selfie taken with a V on her cheek]

“…….”

I froze at a picture that stole my heart.

Whether they knew my feelings or not, the other three were starting round 2 of their argument about who has a girlfriend and who doesn’t.

I’ll reply to Minyoung *ssi* first…….

“Hey, hey.”

“What, you traitor.”

“Guys with girlfriends shut up.”

I mediated the fight to announce an idea that came to mind after seeing Minyoung *ssi*’s selfie. Seungju and Hun teased me, but I ignored them.

“We have a celebration for next year.”

“What.”

“Picture? Selfie? How about a selfie celebration.”

“What crazy person brings a cell phone to the stadium.”

“No, look.”

Feeling the attention focused on me, I opened the camera app on my phone. I switched to selfie mode and stretched out my arm.

“Ah, what is it.”

“Hey, make a V.”

“What are you doing, acting cute.”

“Are you crazy?”

Even while complaining, the thirty-one-year-old *ahjussi*s [middle-aged men] adorably put Vs on their cheeks.

“I’m taking it.”

Click―

I’ll save this picture for now.

“Let’s do this for the celebration.”

“Ah, not the phone? Just the pose?”

“That’s right. Look, if I’m a hitter and I get a timely hit, I’ll be on first base. And you guys are in the dugout. Then I’ll turn my back to you and do this pose.”

Removing the cell phone from the selfie pose created a plausible celebration.

“That’s not bad?”

“Hoo….”

The reaction isn’t bad.

“Let’s talk to other people during training camp.”

“Okay, okay.”

“We’ve decided, so cheers! Raise your glasses!”

That Yoon Seungju, alcoholic.

I chuckled and raised my glass full of cider one more time.

Clink―

Like that, the Wonha Challengers’ 2020 celebration was decided in a small pork belly restaurant.