A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 205

52. He’s Got a Stubborn Side (5)

Live broadcast to commemorate the end of the winning streak.

The broadcast, which also served as an advertisement for a new product from a KH Group affiliate, was a great success.

Thanks to veteran second baseman Ahn Young-chan’s active participation, the Cannons players joined in droves.

-Lee Soo-bin’s cheeks are no joke now that he shaved his beard lol

-I thought I was watching a slime.

-How much did he eat during the winning streak? Aren’t the Cannons trainers working?

-Hey, cheeks! That’s all baseball money. Soo-bin’s long hit power comes from there?!

After shaving off his dark stubble, Lee Soo-bin’s chubby cheeks became even more prominent.

Lee Soo-bin has gained new nicknames among fans: ‘Slime’ or ‘Baseball Money.’

“I am very honored to be able to greet the fans directly through this event. I will continue to do my best as a member of the Cannons.”

Following Lee Soo-bin was Ma Kang-sik, who had been playing as the team’s de facto second starter this season.

He expressed his determination for the rest of the season with a serious face, but he didn’t notice the shaving cream left under his chin, bringing great laughter to the fans.

“Hey, wait a minute, Young-chan! This is too ticklish. Haha, it’s too ticklish!”

“Oh, just stay still! I can’t shave you if you keep moving?!”

Another hot topic was the team’s closer, Jang Dae-woo.

He usually had a tough and cool image, but he seemed to be very ticklish.

In front of Ahn Young-chan, who was carefully shaving him, he flailed like a freshly caught fish-

“Hey, but this is too ticklish… Huh?!”

“Gasp?!”

The soft movement of the new razor caused the sideburns he had cherished to be shaved off.

“…….”

“…….”

Ahn Young-chan and Jang Dae-woo were speechless for a while, looking at the sideburns stuck to the razor.

The Cannons chat room was flooded with ‘ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ’ [Korean equivalent of ‘lol’] due to the unexpected image transformation, but at this time, Ji-seop could see one person’s expression becoming serious.

[Ah, this is going to be a problem?]

It was Jimmy Morris, who called himself ‘a man who knows broadcasting,’ thinking to himself.

[To have such a big laugh in front of me. If this happens, I won’t be able to get any attention no matter what I do……]

The Cannons’ ace looked more disappointed than when he was taken down after 3 innings with 5 runs.

* * *

The grand finale of the broadcast was decorated by ‘Cannons’ genius hitter’ Ryu Jang-ho.

As the scheduled broadcast time was almost over, the players suggested Ryu Jang-ho shave.

“Jang-ho, what if you don’t do it? You’re the most popular among us!”

“Look! Comments keep coming up asking if you’re going to do it!”

“Hey, are you going to ignore this? The fans’ hearts? A professional baseball player?!”

The Cannons players surrounded Ryu Jang-ho and created a mood [put him on the spot with peer pressure].

As Ji-seop expected, Ryu Jang-ho was subtly weak in this area [easily swayed by others’ opinions].

“…I understand.”

Under the pressure of his teammates, Ryu Jang-ho finally nodded.

“Instead, I’ll do it myself. I’m also quite ticklish.”

“Ah, I should have just done it myself……”

While Jang Dae-woo, whose sideburns were shaved off, sighed, Ryu Jang-ho’s shaving began.

Shave, shave.

When you think about it, Ryu Jang-ho had been growing his beard the longest among the Cannons players.

Unlike the other players, he hadn’t shaved since the very day the 10-game winning streak began.

Was it because of that? His expression after shaving and wiping his face with a towel looked particularly refreshed.

“How is it, Jang-ho?”

Ahn Young-chan’s question.

Not only the people on the YouTube channel, but also the camera staff of the advertising company all pressed the ‘zoom in’ button.

Ryu Jang-ho, who was the main character of the advertisement broadcast that day. Perhaps the timing the filming staff had been waiting for the most.

And as always, the Cannons’ genius hitter did not betray people’s expectations.

“I feel refreshed.”

The line that the advertiser would have cheered for came next.

“After shaving, I feel like I can play another game right now.”

Ryu Jang-ho showed off a wonderful smile as if he had practiced in advance.

Maybe the real ‘person who knows broadcasting’ is not Jimmy Morris, but Ryu Jang-ho.

At that time, Ji-seop had such thoughts.

* * *

About 30 minutes later.

The marketing team staff’s joyful voices were flowing out of the KH Cannons club office.

“Thank you, General Manager! Oh, of course! We are always welcome. Yes, then go in……”

Click.

The marketing team employee turned to team leader Lee Ja-young.

“It’s done, Team Leader!”

The employee raised his thumb.

“This live broadcast… the advertiser was very satisfied! They were very impressed from beginning to end!”

I think they also liked that their ‘new 7-blade razor’ was exposed throughout the broadcast.

They would have also been happy that the players’ shaving with it was portrayed positively.

However, the ‘best scene’ that the advertiser was most pleased with was this.

“They said Ryu Jang-ho’s expression at the end was particularly impressive. The lines were good too.”

The employee continued.

“It was initially planned as a one-time collaboration event, but depending on the response, they are considering hiring Ryu Jang-ho as a full-time model!”

“Of course. The scene is already circulating on the Internet as a meme, isn’t it?”

“Everyone, you’ve worked really hard.”

Team leader Lee Ja-young said, patting the marketing team employees on the shoulders.

“I’d like to go out for something delicious right now, but… it’s too late now, right? Let’s go home early today.”

Team leader Lee didn’t forget to take care of the employees who had worked late.

“And let’s take a good rest tomorrow morning and come to work by 3 p.m. That will relieve some of the fatigue, right?”

“Oh, really?!”

“Thank you, Team Leader!”

The marketing team employees, who were happy, began to prepare to leave work.

It was at this time that Team Leader Lee’s gaze turned to Ji-seop.

“Ji-seop, you’ve worked really hard too. The live broadcast was successful entirely thanks to Ji-seop.”

Team leader Lee looked sympathetic.

“I want to tell our Ji-seop to take a good rest tomorrow morning, but… you can’t, can you?”

“It’s okay.”

Ji-seop shrugged.

“It’s a day off after tomorrow’s game. I can rest then.”

“Oh, you’re really amazing. I guess that’s why the general manager keeps singing Kim Special Envoy [a title of high regard], Kim Special Envoy……”

Team leader Lee looked at Ji-seop with a curious look.

She opened her mouth again.

“Ah, but… Ji-seop.”

“Yes?”

“Are you really not going to tell me the secret?”

“The secret?”

Ji-seop tilted his head for a moment, then nodded, ‘Ah.’

“Are you talking about what you said to Ahn Young-chan right before the broadcast?”

“Yes, you glossed over it earlier. Even though the general manager called you.”

“Ah, that’s…”

I didn’t really say anything special.

Ji-seop said, scratching the back of his head.

“I just asked him to help me. I said the players’ atmosphere seemed too down. I said it would be nice if we could have a fun live shoot since we decided to do it.”

“Really?”

Team leader Lee narrowed her eyes.

“Is that all?”

“Oh, I also said that if he took the initiative, I would ask the advertiser to give him a few full sets of the new razor.”

Razors are quite expensive.

Ji-seop smiled.

“Ahn Young-chan doesn’t waste a penny, so I thought that level of merit would be pretty good.”

“Ah, that’s what happened……”

Team leader Lee couldn’t readily accept it.

She pretended to understand on the outside, but she kept tilting her head on the inside.

‘Really? Ahn Young-chan isn’t a three-year-old…’

How much salary does he get, would he be tempted by just a few sets of razors?

Even if he was tempted, would it make sense for him to lead the broadcast so actively?

Just as Team Leader Lee was thinking that, the automatic door of the club office opened with a ‘buzz.’

“Hey, Kim Special Envoy! You were here?!”

The person who came up with one hand raised was Ahn Young-chan.

After giving a slight greeting to the marketing team employees, the Cannons’ veteran second baseman tapped Ji-seop on the shoulder.

“Why can’t I get in touch with you? Jang-ho has been calling you since earlier.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Ji-seop looked at his cell phone and made an ‘oops’ sound.

“Oh, that’s right. I’m sorry. I was looking at the live broadcast reaction……”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. We all know Kim Special Envoy is busy.”

Team leader Lee asked Ahn Young-chan, who was laughing heartily.

“But what’s wrong, Ahn? I heard the players went out for a company dinner a little while ago?”

“Ah, yes! The general manager and the manager have all left. But I……”

Swish.

It was at this moment that Ahn Young-chan’s strong arm wrapped around Ji-seop’s neck.

“I think I have to take this friend with me.”

“Me? Hey, you’re doing it again.”

Ji-seop waved his hand.

“Didn’t I tell you? I have to go home today? I have to eat all the side dishes I put in the refrigerator before they go bad……”

“Don’t talk nonsense. This is an order from a senior in the baseball world. Kim Special Envoy has to eat some meat today.”

Ahn Young-chan said very firmly.

“Do you think I don’t know? During this winning streak… Kim Special Envoy was only eating triangle kimbap [Korean convenience store onigiri]?”

“Triangle kimbap?”

It was Team leader Lee who reacted.

“What do you mean, Ahn?”

“I also heard from the power analysis team employees. Kim Special Envoy, this friend, was only eating triangle kimbap during the 10-game winning streak. And only tuna mayo flavor.”

He’s got a stubborn side.

Ahn Young-chan clicked his tongue.

“He’s been doing that for almost two weeks in this hot weather… How can we just leave him alone? We have to feed him some health food, even if we have to force him.”

“Hyung [older brother or male friend] Chang-deok exaggerated that story.”

Ji-seop protested.

“I didn’t eat it that stubbornly. I just ate it when it was ambiguous to eat [when he didn’t have time for a proper meal].”

“You’re kidding me, then what is this? Huh? What’s this in your pocket?”

When Ahn Young-chan rummaged through Ji-seop’s pocket, a handful of triangle kimbap wrappers came out.

Team leader Lee thought to herself, ‘Ah.’

‘Come to think of it, Ji-seop has been eating triangle kimbap a lot lately.’

While the players were growing their beards, the Cannons’ general manager special envoy was eating triangle kimbap.

To continue the winning streak for even one more game.

To get even closer to the championship for even one more game.

Team leader Lee could finally guess why Ahn Young-chan readily appeared on the live broadcast.

‘The front office staff did that much, how can the players just stand still?’

A faint smile appeared on Team leader Lee Ja-young’s lips.

She said to Ji-seop, who was caught in Ahn Young-chan’s arm and was making an ‘Ack!’ sound.

“Ji-seop, go.”

Team leader Lee continued, unfolding the laptop she had covered.

“I’ll take the night shift for you today.”

“T, Team leader? But Team leader is……”

“Isn’t it the marketing team? Ji-seop, what do you think of people?”

Team leader Lee snorted.

“I’ve been in the operations team too? I’m someone who was once called Cha Yoon-jin’s biggest rival.”

So go.

Team leader Lee waved her hand.

“Go and loosen your belt and eat as much as you want today. Get some nutrition and relieve some stress.”

There are no subordinates who dare to disobey when the team leader says this.

“T, thank you, Team leader.”

“Thanks for what. I got a lot of help from Ji-seop today too. So that kind of greeting is enough……”

Looking at the Cannons’ general manager special envoy bowing his head, Team leader Lee was saying a word that came from her heart.

“From now on, make sure to eat.”

She continued.

“Isn’t that what we’re doing to live?”