A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 107

At the Threshold of Autumn (4)

Some hours later.

Park Hong-ju, the acting owner and vice president of the KH Cannons, was entering a Korean traditional restaurant on the outskirts of Yeongsan City.

“Welcome, Vice President.”

“Hmm, is everyone here?”

‘Sakhalin Park’ Park Hong-ju strode in, following the attendant’s guidance.

Secretary Yang trailed beside him.

“Vice President.”

“What is it?”

“Are you really going to push this through…?”

She was referring to the postseason slogan.

Secretary Yang continued with a worried expression.

“There’s been some talk within the team. About whether it’s appropriate for the Cannons to aim for the Korean Series championship…”

“It’s not like I’m telling them to win right now.”

Sakhalin Park retorted gruffly.

“What I want to point out is their mindset. These guys’ attitude toward the postseason is all wrong.”

He quickened his pace.

“I know we’re lacking in strength. We’re inexperienced, our depth is thin… But shouldn’t we show a determination to win when we go to war?”

“…”

“Enjoy the postseason? Have fun playing? What kind of crazy people play baseball with that mentality! Do you think the fans will accept that? Do you think the people from the group who send us subsidies will approve?”

Sakhalin Park’s brow furrowed.

“That Director Seo, too. No matter what the manager says, he should be able to firmly say, ‘No!’ He’s just too agreeable…”

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Sakhalin Park clicked his tongue softly.

“I’m going to give Director Seo a stern talking-to today. Tell him to bite with their gums if they have no teeth, to charge with their bare fists if they have no weapons! People come to the stadium to see that kind of spirit.”

It didn’t seem like a long persuasion would be needed.

Director Seo Chang-gi usually nodded and said ‘Yes, sir’ to Sakhalin Park’s every word.

The reason he had retained Director Seo, despite the internal grumbling, was precisely because of his ‘yes-man’ style.

So, this time too, his will would be done.

With that confidence, Park Hong-ju opened the sliding door with a ‘shhh!’ and stepped into the room—

“…What?”

Park Hong-ju tilted his head slightly at the unexpected person sitting next to Director Seo Chang-gi.

“Qingdao [Ji-seop’s nickname, likely referring to his Chinese heritage or connections]? What are you doing here?!”

“Hello, Vice President.”

The KH Cannons’ manager’s interpreter, Ji-seop, bowed his head with Director Seo.

* * *

Park knew how to read the room.

The moment he saw Ji-seop bowing to him, he immediately understood the situation.

‘Hmph, Director Seo is trying to use Qingdao to persuade me.’

It was true that Vice President Park trusted Ji-seop.

Unlike the young people these days, he was diligent, and he liked the way he stood tall in front of him.

However, this time, the acting owner of the KH Cannons had no intention of changing his mind, no matter who came out.

So, he said this.

“Ah, I see… So you’re going to be the drinking buddy today? Because Director Seo can’t drink well?”

“Yes, Vice President. I don’t think it’s my place to be here, but…”

Ji-seop continued.

“I didn’t think it was right to let the Vice President drink alone… so I came along.”

“Good, good. I can’t get Director Seo drunk, no matter what! He has such a colorful history…”

Sakhalin Park chuckled, reminiscing about the old days.

Then, he laid the groundwork in advance.

“But you just obediently take the drinks today. Don’t butt into the adults’ conversation. Got it?”

“Ah… Yes, I understand.”

He thought he would argue, but Ji-seop surprisingly nodded silently.

Park Hong-ju thought to himself, ‘Good.’

‘Now that I’ve shut Qingdao’s mouth… there’s no one else who will bother me.’

The persuasion was as good as over.

Sakhalin Park took a glass of wine that Ji-seop poured and opened his mouth with a dignified voice.

“Director Seo.”

“Yes, Vice President.”

“I won’t say much.”

Park looked at Director Seo Chang-gi with sharp eyes.

And he said one thing.

“This postseason, the KH Cannons are aiming for the Korean Series championship. You will achieve the first championship in the team’s history.”

“…”

“No matter how I think about it, it’s not respectful to the fans. They didn’t support us for 144 regular season games just to gain experience in the postseason, did they?”

Sakhalin Park downed a glass of strong liquor and continued as if declaring.

“So, revise the postseason slogan… and bring it to me by tomorrow morning. Then I’ll approve it right away.”

Do you understand?

On the surface, it was in the form of a question, but Park did not wait for Director Seo’s answer.

If he was the one giving the orders, Seo was the one taking them.

Of course, the answer ‘Yes, sir’ would come back, so now he just had to prepare words to comfort his heart.

Thinking that, Sakhalin Park picked up a side dish with his chopsticks—

“…”

The voice he heard in his ear the next moment was a little unexpected.

“…Hyung [older brother/older male friend, term of respect].”

“Hyung?”

Sakhalin Park’s eyes widened.

“Director Seo, am I hearing things? Did you just call me Hyung…?”

“No, you heard correctly.”

Director Seo continued, looking down at the floor.

“Didn’t you say when I joined the company? That your youngest brother is the same age as me. To call you Hyung in private.”

“D, did I say that?”

Sakhalin Park blinked.

“Oh, I think I vaguely remember…”

“Then I’ll keep calling you Hyung. We’re meeting in private anyway, aren’t we?”

Then he added.

“Hyung, aren’t you pushing people too much… too much like a liar?”

“What, a liar?”

“Yes, a liar. A very terrible liar!”

Director Seo raised his voice.

“When you first came as the acting owner, what did you say to me? You said you’d give me three years! Three years to win the Korean Series!”

He held up three fingers.

“Actually, that’s not an easy task… but I said I would! Why? Because I know your heart! That will to uphold the wishes of the late Chairman, I understood it, vaguely!”

“N, now, this guy…”

Park, flustered, tried to calm him down, but Seo shook off his hand and shouted.

“Even when the team said it was too hard and shook their heads… I said let’s try! Let’s grit our teeth and try, let’s suffer for three years!”

“…”

“I told that story when I first met Freeman! Three years! I’ll give you enough time! The manager promised that and I brought him in…”

Seo Chang-gi looked up at Sakhalin Park.

“If you tell me to win now… what am I supposed to do?”

A liar.

Aren’t you a liar?

Director Seo shouted, glaring.

“N, no, this is…”

Sakhalin Park, staring at Director Seo with a dumbfounded expression.

It was at this moment that he turned his head to look at Ji-seop, who was sitting across from him.

“H, hey… Qingdao!”

“Yes, Vice President.”

“Did Director Seo drink?”

Sakhalin Park pointed to Director Seo’s blurry eyes.

“This guy’s eyes… he’s had at least a bottle of soju [Korean distilled spirit]?”

“Yes, he had exactly one and a half bottles.”

Ji-seop replied in a calm voice, and the blood drained from Sakhalin Park’s face.

“No, you frustrating guy! How many contracts has Director Seo ruined with his drunken mistakes…?”

Sakhalin Park was about to scold Ji-seop, but he was not given the chance.

The drunken Director Seo grabbed Sakhalin Park’s arms.

“Hyung! Are you listening to me?!”

“I’ll win! I’ll win! But please keep the promised three years!”

“I’m an executive now… you have to save me some face in front of my subordinates!!! Huh?!”

Ji-seop was able to see Sakhalin Park’s large body shaking wildly.

* * *

It was exactly 10 minutes later.

Silence had fallen in the VIP room of the Korean traditional restaurant on the outskirts of Yeongsan City.

“Vice President… This time… just this once, please follow my wishes… I’ve faithfully followed your wishes… Ugh…”

Director Seo Chang-gi was lying face down on the table.

And Ji-seop and Sakhalin Park were staring blankly at such a director.

“…”

It was Sakhalin Park who broke the silence that had lasted for a while.

“Qingdao, is this your doing?”

“Yes?”

“Director Seo, I mean.”

Sakhalin Park, who had been thoroughly scratched by Director Seo.

He continued, straightening his disheveled clothes.

“You knew this guy changes when he drinks… so you deliberately got him drunk, didn’t you?”

“No, not at all.”

Ji-seop shook his head.

“I only said one thing.”

“What?”

“If the director’s will is so firm… I thought it would be better for the director to tell the vice president directly.”

“…”

“Then he suddenly ordered alcohol. And before I could stop him…”

One and a half bottles of soju, gulp, gulp.

And the result is the scene unfolding before our eyes.

Sakhalin Park, who heard the whole story, groaned, ‘Aigo [expression of frustration or exasperation], aigo.’

“What a pathetic guy. He’s old enough to eat, but he can’t even say what he wants without alcohol?”

Anyway, anyway.

Park Hong-ju, who was clicking his tongue, took out a few crisp bills from his wallet and handed them to Ji-seop.

“You’re going to have to work hard today. When Director Seo wakes up, call a taxi and send him home.”

“Yes.”

“I should go now. I was going to have an expensive meal for the first time in a while under the pretext of meeting an executive… but the atmosphere is all ruined, damn it.”

Then Park Hong-ju got up from his seat.

It was at this moment that Ji-seop grabbed him, saying, ‘Vice President.’

“What should I report to the director…?”

“Report? What report?”

“The director instructed me. If he gets drunk and collapses… I should get an answer from the vice president instead.”

The postseason slogan.

Should we clearly aim for the Korean Series championship and pick a new one?

Or should we stick to the existing plan with the goal of development?

“If the Vice President gives me an answer… wouldn’t it be worth it for me to work overtime like this today?”

“You impudent fellow. Do I have to take care of your overtime work?”

Sakhalin Park slapped Ji-seop on the back with a sour expression.

But just for a moment, Park looked at the fallen Director Seo and opened his mouth.