A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 10

The Rookie in the Baseball Team is Too Good – Episode 10

Chapter 4: Not Even Afraid of the Russian President (2)

“Is everyone here?”

A voice came from the direction of the skybox entrance.

Ji-seop turned his head towards the sound.

‘Who is that?’

A group of people was approaching where Ji-seop’s gaze was directed.

Among them, a middle-aged woman stood out.

She appeared to be in her late 40s.

A wide-brimmed hat and large sunglasses.

Her flamboyant attire, along with a hairstyle that resembled a lion’s mane, made a strong impression.

It didn’t take long for Ji-seop to figure out her identity.

Almost as soon as she appeared, the KH Group executives in the skybox stood up in unison.

“Welcome, Chairwoman!”

KH Group Chairwoman, Joo Young-eun.

It was the first time she had appeared before Ji-seop.

* * *

It might sound funny for Ji-seop, who had dedicated his life to baseball, to say this.

But at that moment, Ji-seop felt that the momentum within KH Group had already shifted towards Chairwoman Joo Young-eun a long time ago.

“Chairwoman, you look even better than when I saw you last time! I feel much relieved now!”

“Chairwoman, I received the suit you sent. I will cherish it and even pass it down to my son, hahaha!”

Without any order, all the KH Group executives rushed to Joo Young-eun, vying to flatter her.

‘Seriously……’

It wasn’t like Ji-seop had lived like a noble crane [a life of luxury and ease].

To survive with a 128 km/h [approximately 80 mph] four-seam fastball, he had done even worse things.

But he thought that executives of a large corporation would at least flatter with some dignity… it seemed that was Ji-seop’s misunderstanding.

‘Anyway, seeing these supposedly big shots wagging their tails like that… it seems like there was never an executive who wanted to follow Sahalin Park from the start.’

Ji-seop felt complicated.

He wondered why Sahalin Park had even bothered to call him if he had no intention of wearing the uniform in the first place.

He also wondered what Sahalin Park had been doing while the momentum shifted so drastically.

Just as Ji-seop was clicking his tongue, he felt the room, which had been noisy with the executives’ flattery, suddenly become quiet.

“……Huh?”

It was Chairwoman Joo Young-eun.

The head of KH Group, slowly walking and shaking hands with the executives.

She noticed the white-haired old man standing like a sack of barley a few steps behind.

“Vice Chairman Park Hong-joo?”

A few quick-witted executives quickly stepped back.

Through the path created, Vice Chairman Park Hong-joo walked towards Chairwoman Joo Young-eun.

Vice Chairman Park bowed politely.

“It’s been a while, Chairwoman.”

“Yes, have you been well?”

It might have been Ji-seop’s imagination, but a very faint smile appeared on the face of Chairwoman Joo Young-eun as she took off her sunglasses and offered a handshake.

However,

That was only for a moment.

“……”

After checking Vice Chairman Park Hong-joo’s attire, a strange expression appeared on her face.

She seemed displeased, disgusted, and also pitying the old man who had stubbornly worn the uniform.

Joo Young-eun stared at ‘Sahalin Park’ for a while.

She didn’t say much.

“Go ahead and go.”

Her tone was gentle, but it sounded very cold to Ji-seop.

“You… like baseball, don’t you?”

* * *

‘Sahalin Park,’ Vice Chairman Park Hong-joo.

He was silent.

*Ding-*

From leaving the skybox to taking the elevator down to the first floor.

He kept his mouth shut like a toad swallowing a fly, staring blankly ahead.

It was Secretary Yang who cautiously spoke to such Vice Chairman Park.

“Vice Chairman, I will take you home.”

Secretary Yang’s face was full of worry.

He seemed worried that Vice Chairman Park might collapse.

“You don’t look well. For now, please rest a bit and think about the future slowly.”

Then, Secretary Yang sent a meaningful look towards Ji-seop.

[Coach Kim, you have to help.]

It was such a desperate look that there was no need to read his mind.

[The Vice Chairman cares a lot about Coach Kim. Shouldn’t Coach Kim say a word for the Vice Chairman?]

It’s difficult to play in today’s game.

Go home and rest.

A request to say this one word to Vice Chairman Park.

However, Ji-seop did not accept Secretary Yang’s request.

“……”

Licking his lips slightly with his tongue, Ji-seop looked into ‘Sahalin Park’s’ eyes and finally said,

“Vice Chairman, shouldn’t you warm up?”

Ji-seop continued.

“The weather is a bit chilly today. You might only go out as a pinch hitter in the later innings… but even considering that, you need to warm up enough.”

“Ah, no… Coach Kim!”

Secretary Yang literally jumped up from his seat upon hearing Ji-seop’s words.

“What are you saying? Warm up? Why? Coach Kim, do you not understand how the situation is unfolding?”

“I was watching right next to you, how could I not understand? Isn’t it that the Vice Chairman was backstabbed by the other executives?”

“Back, backstabbed! The Vice Chairman is listening, why do you say it like that…”

Secretary Yang was flustered, looking at ‘Sahalin Park,’ but Ji-seop didn’t change his expression.

“Anyway, I don’t see any reason for the Vice Chairman to give up playing in the game?”

“Yes?”

“No, from the beginning… the Vice Chairman was going to move alone, wasn’t he?”

Ji-seop continued.

“You came to the training center alone, you signed the contract alone, you received lessons from me alone… what does it matter if the other executives backstab you? Just push forward as you originally planned.”

“That, that’s true… but this isn’t such a simple problem.”

Secretary Yang looked frustrated.

“Coach Kim, think about it. The baseball scene might not be that different, but… rumors spread incredibly fast in a company.”

Secretary Yang lowered his voice as much as possible so that Park Vice Chairman wouldn’t hear.

“What happened inside the skybox, everyone in the company will know in a little while. If the Vice Chairman plays in the game in this situation, what will the atmosphere be like?”

Secretary Yang closed and opened his eyes tightly as if the thought alone was terrible.

“Okay, let’s say the other employees are uncomfortable. But while the Vice Chairman is sitting in the dugout, it means you have to personally endure those awkward gazes…”

“So, what Secretary Yang is saying now is…”

At this time, Ji-seop raised his voice.

“You’re worried that the Vice Chairman will be eating ‘eye-service food’ [being subjected to uncomfortable scrutiny and judgment]… isn’t that it?”

“Coach Kim!”

Secretary Yang was startled, but Ji-seop was openly looking towards ‘Sahalin Park.’

“But you know, Secretary Yang… baseball is originally a sport played while eating ‘eye-service food,’ isn’t it?”

“What are you saying?”

“If you can’t strike out, you eat ‘eye-service food,’ if you throw a ball, you eat ‘eye-service food,’ even if you throw the ball well, if you’re late covering the base and give a safe, you eat ‘eye-service food’ again…”

“That’s strangely…”

Secretary Yang blinked.

“That’s a strangely detailed testimony.”

“Th, that’s…”

Ji-seop cleared his throat.

“Anyway, that’s the kind of sport it is?”

Ji-seop quickly continued.

“But if you’re afraid of eating ‘eye-service food’ and avoid it, then it’s really neither fish nor fowl [not belonging anywhere].”

“……”

“You have to eat ‘eye-service food’ when you have to. If you endure while everyone else is saying something…”

*Bang.*

Ji-seop made a gesture as if fireworks were exploding.

“The day will come when you can give a proper blow to the bastards who have been giving me ‘eye-service’ until now.”

“……Coach Kim.”

Secretary Yang sighed.

“I understand what Coach Kim is saying, but from the Vice Chairman’s perspective right now…”

Secretary Yang still had a frustrated expression.

He moved his lips as if he was going to say something more to Ji-seop, but the attempt failed.

“Yang Secretary, that’s enough.”

The voice of ‘Sahalin Park,’ Vice Chairman Park Hong-joo, was heard from behind.

“That Qingdao [referring to Ji-seop, implying someone simple and straightforward] guy has eaten so much ‘eye-service food’ while playing baseball… that the concept of pride or anything has disappeared. It’s no use Secretary Yang trying to explain it to him.”

“Vi, Vice Chairman?”

Secretary Yang’s expression brightened slightly as he turned his head.

A bitter smile was blooming on the face of Vice Chairman Park, who had been like a sick toad.

“You have to eat ‘eye-service food’ when you have to… damn it, I know it’s obvious, but it’s strangely persuasive when that guy says it.”

“Hey, Qingdao.”

Vice Chairman Park called Ji-seop.

“Yes, Vice Chairman.”

“Let me ask you one thing.”

Vice Chairman Park strode over.

“In your miserable baseball life… has there been anything like that, even just once or twice?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Eating, eating, and eating ‘eye-service food’ while enduring… and finally hitting it big.”

“Don’t be surprised when you hear it.”

Ji-seop chuckled.

“There were always about three or four times a season.”

“Three or four times a season…”

Vice Chairman Park snorted.

“Considering your baseball skills, that’s not a bad probability.”

Nodding, Vice Chairman Park Hong-joo cast his gaze out the window.

Looking at the green field spread out beyond the transparent window, he opened his mouth again.

“Hey, Qingdao.”

“Yes, Vice Chairman.”

“Let’s go.”

Vice Chairman Park pointed to the ground with his chin.

“We need to warm up.”

* * *

The KH Group’s in-house baseball tournament held at the KH Cannons Field.

A fierce battle was taking place on the ground, but the group executives gathered in the skybox seemed uninterested in the game.

Of course, some executives were looking at the ground, but the topic they were talking about was completely different.

“How is Vice Chairman Park Hong-joo doing? Have you heard anything?”

“Sahalin Park? Well, wouldn’t he have gone straight home? He was so embarrassed in front of everyone.”

“Oh my, that man. I wonder if he got home safely. He looked like he was about to have a stroke…”

The executives each said a word about ‘Sahalin Park.’

But just then, one of the executives opened his mouth while looking at his phone screen.

“Vice Chairman Park didn’t go home. He’s sitting in the dugout of the KH Duty-Free team right now?”

“What?”

“He didn’t go home?!”

The executives were startled.

“No, what is that man doing there… is he playing director?”

“KH Duty-Free isn’t even his company in the first place?!”

“Yes, I told him that the KH Duty-Free team’s manager position is full and it might be difficult to play in the game… but the Vice Chairman just sat down without giving us a chance…”

“Haha, that man, really.”

“I wonder what he’s thinking.”

The executives were making absurd expressions and pouring out one word each, when a low voice was heard from behind them.

“What’s going on?”

The executives turned their heads to check the owner of the voice and jumped.

“Ah, Chairwoman!”

“Did the meeting go well?”

“Yes, I was going to finish it as soon as possible… but it took a little longer than I thought.”

Chairwoman Joo Young-eun sat in the chair prepared in the center and opened her mouth.

“But… what were you all talking about?”

“Yes?”

“I thought I heard something about Sahalin…”