A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 133

The Freshman on the Baseball Team is Too Good – Episode 133

The Freshman on the Baseball Team is Too Good 133

Chapter 35: Thump-Thump-Thump-Thump (2)

Ding!

The elevator arrived at its destination, but Ji-seop couldn’t bring himself to get off.

“What did you just say?”

Actually, it was a common occurrence.

People he’d never met before recognizing him and greeting him.

If you liked baseball, if you watched every TV broadcast, it wouldn’t be hard to recognize the KH Cannons’ interpreter.

However, this middle-aged man, who approached him with a beaming smile, was talking about something that an ordinary baseball fan would never know.

“Where did you hear that I’m in charge of selecting the new interpreter? I don’t think we’ve ever put that in an internet article.”

“Oh, that’s nothing! Any story related to Kim Ji-seop is all over the baseball scene! All over!”

‘Oof!’ The middle-aged man grabbed his knees and heaved his plump body up.

“I heard that temperamental Ryu Jang-ho follows you like a brother? And the Cannons’ foreign pitchers look for you whenever something happens. Ah, that’s right! I heard that Kim Ji-seop played a significant role in signing Jang Dae-woo recently…”

The red rubber-gloved man chattered on and on, without even swallowing, as if he was very excited about something.

However, as Ji-seop’s eyes began to fill with suspicion, he was startled and waved his hands frantically.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand! It’s not like I investigated Kim Ji-seop or anything. It’s just that I know a lot of people inside and outside the baseball world…”

“People you know?”

“Yes, some of them are players on professional teams, and some retired early and became coaches… Ah, look at my mind!”

With that, the middle-aged man took off his red rubber gloves.

He took out his wallet from his back pocket and rummaged through it for a while, before pulling out a business card and thrusting it under Ji-seop’s chin.

“Haha, this is a mess. I’m introducing myself too late. My name is Hong Dae-jong.”

“Hong Dae-jong…”

At first, Ji-seop accepted the business card with a displeased expression.

However, the moment he saw the title on the old business card, Ji-seop’s eyes widened.

“A, are you a teacher?”

He thought he was at least a petty thief.

As a surprised Ji-seop blinked, Mr. Hong Dae-jong scratched his permed hair and grinned.

“Yes, do you know Youngsan High School in Cheolsan-dong? I’ve been working there as an English teacher for almost 20 years.”

“Youngsan High School?”

Ji-seop knew the name.

It was the best prestigious school in the area.

The founder of KH Group, the late Chairman Joo Tae-san, and his right-hand man, Vice Chairman Park Hong-joo, also graduated from this school.

The baseball team’s history was as long as the school’s history, and it had produced countless professional players to date.

“Ah, so…”

Ji-seop nodded his head.

“So, that’s why you have so many connections in baseball? Players, coaches, front office staff, and so on.”

“That’s right. Well, from their point of view, I’m just a teacher who’s not very helpful in their lives…”

Teacher Hong Dae-jong scratched the back of his head.

It was right after that when he suddenly exclaimed, ‘Oops!’

The elevator, which had been stopped for a while, began to move towards the first floor.

“Oh, I’m so sorry! You couldn’t even get off because of me…”

“No, it’s okay. I can just go down and come back up.”

“Haha, you’re so generous for a young man!”

“Anyway, it was really nice to meet you.”

Teacher Hong Dae-jong asked for a handshake.

“I live in 804. Give me a call on the intercom sometime soon! It’s fate that we live in the same apartment… Wouldn’t it be nice to have dinner together?”

“Okay, I will.”

“Oh, you answer so coolly! What a cool guy, what a cool guy!”

Teacher Hong Dae-jong praised Ji-seop and laughed heartily.

Just as the elevator arrived on the first floor, he turned to Ji-seop and bowed his head.

“Then I’ll go first. I have some things left to throw away…”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Ji-seop, please give me a call on the intercom! I’ll be waiting? Hahahaha.”

Zhiiiing- Clunk.

After dropping Teacher Hong Dae-jong off on the first floor, the elevator started going up again.

Ji-seop, who was staring blankly at the elevator sign, let out a bitter smile without realizing it.

‘Dinner, huh…’

Ji-seop scratched his chin.

‘Hehe, someone who knows everything is saying something that could cause big trouble?’

Ji-seop had already seen through it.

That he should never have dinner with Teacher Hong Dae-jong for the time being.

That he should avoid having conversations like today as much as possible.

‘It seems like Mr. Hong also submitted an application for this director’s interpreter selection.’

It seems like all sorts of people are flocking here.

Ji-seop thought so and started walking towards his house.

* * *

I think it’s better to confess at this point.

“…”

From the moment he was appointed as the ‘Special Assistant to the General Manager’ of KH Cannons, Ji-seop had a certain confidence in his heart.

Confidence in seeing people well.

Confidence in seeing through anyone.

From the beginning, he could read other people’s minds, and he had accumulated quite a bit of experience while working for the baseball team.

Therefore, he was confident that he would be able to recognize at a glance the person who would be in charge of interpreting for Director Arthur Freeman from this season onwards-

“Special Assistant, Mr. Kim!”

Several days later.

Ji-seop realized that he still needed a considerable amount of time before he could establish himself as a ‘veteran front office member.’

The beginning of that was this one word from the operations team employee who came to Ji-seop, who was walking out after finishing the power reinforcement meeting.

“I found him! I finally found him!”

“……Yes?”

As Ji-seop tilted his head, the operations team employee shook a piece of paper he was holding.

“I’m talking about the director’s interpreter.”

“Ah, yes.”

“The conditions were so strict that I was honestly half giving up… Hehe, it seems like we’re definitely lucky this year.”

“What do you mean by that…”

“I found the right person!”

The operations team employee continued, with an expression as if he was about to shout three cheers.

“We have an applicant who meets almost all of the conditions that the special assistant mentioned! Not to mention his English skills! He also has experience living in the United States, and he also worked as an interpreter for a Cannons foreign player a while ago?”

“Even an interpreter for a foreign player?!”

At this point, the specs were so excellent that they could be said to be overflowing.

However, the operations team employee sparkled his eyes, saying, ‘That’s not all.’

“Special Assistant, what was the most difficult condition in this interpreter selection? It was the experience with high school baseball, right?”

“That’s right.”

Instructions from ‘Black Curtain Cha Cha’ [likely a nickname for someone in a powerful position] Department Head Cha Yoon-jin.

A slight expectation began to fill Ji-seop’s eyes.

“……Did you clear that too?”

“Yes, perfectly clear!”

The operations team employee raised his thumb.

“You know, Special Assistant? Schools with baseball teams have a position called ‘Baseball Team Manager.’ They are teachers who take care of everything, such as players’ participation in competitions, academic management, and life guidance…”

“I know. Isn’t that the position called the operations team leader of high school baseball?”

“Yes, he has almost 10 years of experience as that baseball team manager! Even at the prestigious Youngsan High School!”

“……Yes?!”

Prestigious Youngsan High School.

Ji-seop’s expression was hardening very slightly as he heard the name.

Youngsan High School. Teacher. Good at English. Applied for the Cannons interpreter selection.

As he entered the above conditions into his head, there was one person who naturally came to mind.

‘……Could it be?’

Of course, the operations team employee, who had no way of knowing the reason, seemed to think that Ji-seop was worried about a slightly different point.

“Ah, are you worried about the age? He’s definitely a bit older than the other applicants. But he’s 48 years old this year… I don’t think it would be too difficult for him to take on the interpretation work.”

“No, the age is fine. As long as there are no particular health problems… However.”

Ji-seop narrowed his eyes.

“What’s his name?”

The next moment, the operations team employee said the very name that Ji-seop had in mind.

“It’s Hong Dae-jong.”

The operations team employee smiled brightly.

“Teacher Hong Dae-jong from Youngsan High School.”

* * *

Several days later again.

Ji-seop was in the KH Cannons Field Conference Room 3.

It was to attend an interview to select an interpreter for Director Arthur Freeman.

“Looking at the application form scoring table, it seems like we didn’t even need to have the interview today? Because there was such a perfect applicant.”

He’s talking about Teacher Hong Dae-jong.

That was what the scout team leader, who came into the interview with Ji-seop that day, said.

“Um, there’s no denying that feeling.”

That was General Manager Seo Chang-gi’s answer.

“There’s no one who knows more about high school baseball than a current high school teacher… Ah, but you know.”

General Manager Seo’s gaze turned to Ji-seop.

“Special Assistant Kim, that Mr. Hong… Looking at his address, he lives in the same apartment as Ji-seop? Is he someone you know?”

“We’re not people who know each other… But I did run into him once a while ago.”

Ji-seop thought there was no need to hide it.

“I ran into him in the elevator, and he greeted me. He said he saw me a lot on TV broadcasts… I introduced myself at that time.”

“What was your first impression? Do you remember?”

General Manager Seo seemed to want to know more about the person who had emerged as a strong candidate.

However, Ji-seop was slowly shaking his head.

“Honestly, I didn’t pay much attention to him. I heard he was a teacher at Youngsan High School, but he said his subject was English.”

That was the first reason why Ji-seop didn’t pay much attention to Mr. Hong.

“An English teacher and high school baseball… They’re in the same space, but they’re actually very far apart.”

“That’s true. English teachers mainly care about students in the college prep class, and they usually tell baseball team students, ‘Just don’t disturb the class.'”

The scout team leader, who was a former player.

He continued with an expression as if he was recalling his school days.

“Come to think of it, Mr. Hong is a very unique case. An English teacher is the baseball team manager… Usually, physical education teachers take on that position, but he’s been doing it for almost 10 years!”

“Should we see that as a very strong affection and interest in baseball?”

“This is not normal, General Manager! Most baseball team manager teachers get tired of it and quit after 2 or 3 years?”

“Oh, really?”

The atmosphere of the interview room was filled with anticipation for Teacher Hong Dae-jong.

However, only one person, Ji-seop, was unable to participate in that atmosphere.

‘Interest and affection for baseball? I hardly felt any of that.’

This was the second reason.

The second and virtually decisive reason why Ji-seop lightly dismissed Mr. Hong.

Teacher Hong Dae-jong, whom he met in the elevator, did not seem to have much interest in baseball.

‘He rattled off a lot of stories, but that was all to get my attention. He didn’t seem to have much affection for baseball itself…’

That person is said to have once been in charge of interpreting for a Cannons foreign player.

That person is said to have been the baseball team manager for almost 10 years, doing only things that you shouldn’t do if you have no affection for baseball.

‘A person who has no affection for baseball has been doing only things that you shouldn’t do if you have no affection for baseball?’

How should I understand this gap?

As Ji-seop’s head became more and more complicated, he heard the voice of the operations team employee who was in charge of the guidance that day.

“General Manager! Then I’ll let the next applicant in!”

And the following remark.

“Mr. Hong Dae-jong! Number 327, Mr. Hong Dae-jong! Please come into the interview room!”