A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 207

53. The Second Son of the Noodle Shop (2)

“I’m never meeting that woman from Solbatgol again!”

*Bang.*

My mother slammed the door shut as she went inside.

The two sons of the Kim family quickly approached their father, who was following behind. *Swish, swish.*

“Father, what’s going on?”

Ji-seop’s older brother, Kim Ji-chang, asked.

His voice was lowered as much as possible, like a scene from a spy movie.

“Why is our Jin so upset? Did something happen during the meal?”

“It’s nothing. It’s nothing.”

Father waved his hand.

“Don’t worry about it. Go finish your ramen. The noodles will get soggy.”

He seemed unwilling to discuss the trivial details, but Kim Ji-chang didn’t back down and clung to his father’s arm.

“Come on, how can I not worry? I’m the eldest son of this family, you know.”

Kim Ji-chang looked at his father with a sly expression.

“Father, what is it? It sounds like Jin and the Solbatgol lady had a big fight.”

“Goodness, you’re more persistent than a whale’s tendon…”

In the past, this situation would have ended with a smack to the back of the head.

But had Inspector Kim, once famous at the Geumcheon Police Station, finally aged?

Unable to shake off his eldest son clinging to his arm, he turned to Ji-seop and said,

“Ji-seop.”

“Yes.”

“Do you have someone named Ma Kang-sik on your team?”

“Ma Kang-sik?”

Ji-seop blinked.

“Yes, we do… Why do you ask?”

* * *

Pitcher Ma Kang-sik. Number 28.

A player who had been active in the UB Guardians for a long time before being traded to the KH Cannons at the beginning of this season.

Since the transfer, he had been showing surprisingly great performance and was now considered the Cannons’ de facto second starter.

It was said that Ma Kang-sik was the cause of the conflict that day.

“We were having dinner, and the topic of baseball came up… and the Solbatgol lady started criticizing Ma Kang-sik.”

At first, it seemed she was just expressing her disappointment as a Guardians fan.

Saying that the UB Guardians weren’t doing well recently because they didn’t have a pitcher like Ma Kang-sik.

That if only Ma Kang-sik were still with the Guardians, they would be on the verge of winning the regular season.

Up until this point, Jin-yeonghwa was listening with a smile, but the trouble started right after that.

-But I’m also very disappointed in Kang-sik.

The Solbatgol lady, who had been lamenting the team, suddenly turned her criticism towards Ma Kang-sik.

-The club has been so good to him all this time, and he asks for a trade just because he’s unhappy with the manager? You shouldn’t do that. You shouldn’t stab people in the back like that!

-Stab in the back, *unnie* [older sister/female friend]?

It was at this moment that Jin-yeonghwa’s expression changed.

-I don’t like hearing that. When did Ma Kang-sik stab anyone in the back?

-Isn’t it a stab in the back? He made a fuss about quitting baseball on our team, but he’s doing great on a rival team?

-That’s because the Guardians don’t have an eye for talent. Isn’t it their fault for not fixing him as a starter and just throwing him around? The team doesn’t improve because they always blame the innocent players!

-T-Team doesn’t improve? Yeonghwa, are you saying everything you want to say?

-Why? Should I say more?!

The argument that started like that continued for almost 20 minutes.

In the end, they failed to resolve the conflict and returned home separately.

“Oh my, our Jin… she really showed her true colors for once?”

His brother just chuckled, but Ji-seop couldn’t help but tilt his head.

He knew that his mother had a temper from time to time, but this was the first time it had exploded because of baseball.

“Hehe, little brother. This is all your mother’s deep love for you.”

Noticing his younger brother’s confusion, Kim Ji-chang put his arm around Ji-seop’s shoulder.

Ji-seop pushed his arm away and asked.

“What are you talking about?”

“What am I talking about? It means our Jin has become a passionate fan of the Cannons.”

He added that since Ji-seop joined the Cannons, his mother had been watching every Cannons game without fail.

Even when she had spare time while working at the store, she would sit down and read articles about the Cannons.

So, wouldn’t she have developed some affection for the Cannons players?

“Oh, Mom…”

He was grateful.

And apologetic.

Scratching the back of his ear with a complicated feeling, Ji-seop soon looked up at his father.

“But, Father.”

“Hmm?”

“Should we just leave Mom and the Solbatgol lady like that?”

Ji-seop was subtly worried.

“My mom… doesn’t have many friends.”

* * *

Two days later.

Ji-seop, who had spent his day off at his parents’ home in Seoul, had returned to the KH Cannons field.

After having a simple lunch at the cafeteria, he bought an iced Americano and headed to the general manager’s office.

General Manager Seo Chang-gi, who was listening to Ji-seop’s story, burst out laughing.

“Haha, it reminds me of the old days.”

‘I used to be like that too.’

That was what General Manager Seo Chang-gi said.

“My mother had nothing to do with baseball either? But after I joined the baseball team, she suddenly became a baseball expert.”

A soft smile appeared on General Manager Seo’s face, as if he was reminiscing about old memories.

“Later, she even started nagging me! Why did you sign this player, why did you release that player… Oh my, I couldn’t even talk back. Hahaha!”

But these days, he said that he gets showered with compliments even when he just calls her.

‘Ryoo Jang-ho is doing so well, Kyung Seon-woo is so smart, Lee Soo-bin looks good because he’s chubby.’

As the KH Cannons did well, General Manager Seo Chang-gi was able to play the role of a filial son [a son who takes good care of his parents].

“Seeing this, it seems like all parents feel the same way. Don’t you think?”

“Yes, I think so.”

As Ji-seop slowly nodded and sipped his coffee, General Manager Seo Chang-gi spoke to him again.

“So, what did you decide to do?”

“Yes?”

“About your mother.”

General Manager Seo asked.

“Kim Special Envoy has known her since she was young… If their relationship is cut off because of a minor argument, that would be a shame, wouldn’t it?”

“Ah, you mean that?”

Ji-seop nodded.

“I’m already thinking of a way to handle it.”

“Really? What is it?”

“I was wondering if I should get them tickets to a UB Guardians game this weekend.”

“Guardians? Not our Cannons?”

“Yes, the Solbatgol family has been a long-time fan of the Guardians, and my parents used to cheer for the Guardians as well.”

Ji-seop continued.

“They might bicker a bit at first… but if they watch baseball and have some chicken and beer together, wouldn’t that ease the awkward atmosphere a bit?”

“Hmm, that’s a good idea. Originally, the best way to resolve awkward relationships between people is with baseball and chicken and beer!”

As if he wasn’t a baseball team employee, General Manager Seo Chang-gi raised his thumb and appealed that ‘baseball is the best.’

But that was only for a moment, as he turned to Ji-seop with a worried expression.

“Everything is good… but I’m a little worried about the weather?”

General Manager Seo pointed to the window outside, where the midsummer sun was blazing.

“The weather these days is no joke. If you go to watch baseball in this kind of sunlight, wouldn’t the argument get even bigger?”

“Wouldn’t it be okay?”

Ji-seop’s reaction was calm.

“Weekend games start in the afternoon these days.”

“No, 6 PM is still when the sun is shining brightly… I can’t possibly take your parents to a place like that.”

“Yes?”

“Kim Special Envoy, wait a moment.”

Before Ji-seop could stop him, General Manager Seo Chang-gi took out his cell phone from his pocket.

With an indifferent expression, he pressed the phone screen and greeted with a happy voice.

“Oh, General Manager Park! How have you been?”

It seemed to be Park Min-wook, the general manager of the UB Guardians.

Among the 10 professional baseball teams in Korea, Park Min-wook was the only person with the surname Park.

“Yes, the reason I’m calling… is because I have something to ask General Manager Park.”

What was the reason for suddenly calling General Manager Park?

Ji-seop found out the reason in the very next moment.

“The league office is giving each of the general managers a skybox ticket… that’s starting this year, right? Yes, can it be used at any stadium?”

Skybox.

It meant a high-end viewing facility installed in the home stadiums of the 10 teams.

A place where you can watch baseball in a space separate from general spectators, receiving services provided by the club.

“Ah, then can we use General Manager Park’s skybox this weekend? No, I’m not going myself…”

*Smirk.*

It was at this moment that General Manager Seo turned to Ji-seop with a strange smile.

“There are people I personally want to treat with the utmost respect… who are going to watch the Guardians game this weekend.”

* * *

Several days later.

On the last Saturday of August.

Ji-seop’s parents were facing the Solbatgol family in front of the UB Guardians’ home stadium.

“Oh my, *hyungnim* [older brother]! You came?”

“Yes, Bong-seok! Thank you for coming! Was there a lot of traffic?”

Ji-seop’s father and the Solbatgol *ajusshi* [middle-aged man] greeted each other happily.

However, a cold atmosphere continued between the two ladies.

“Hey, honey! You should at least say hello. Are you going to keep pretending you don’t see her?”

“Ji-chang’s mother, let’s at least say hello. Everyone took the time to meet…”

The *ajusshis* tried to change the atmosphere somehow, but their efforts were in vain.

Jin-yeonghwa and the Solbatgol *ajumma* [middle-aged woman] ignored each other and strode towards the stadium entrance.

“Bong-seok, don’t worry too much about it.”

The Solbatgol *ajusshi* said.

“That person, even though she seems cold now, she was very happy earlier. Because Ji-seop got the tickets for us.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Ji-seop’s father smiled.

“Yeah. She didn’t tell me, but I think she feels sorry for Yeonghwa. When you think about it, she ended up insulting Ji-seop’s co-worker.”

“My wife hasn’t been feeling comfortable either.”

Ji-seop’s father said.

“When she got the call from Ji-seop that he got the tickets, she was secretly happy. I guess it’s because she had a reason to meet *hyung-soo* [older brother’s wife] again.”

“Ugh, they’re not the type to be mean to others anyway… why are they being so stubborn?”

They have so much energy.

The Solbatgol *ajusshi*, who was shaking his head, suddenly remembered something and said to Ji-seop’s father.

“Still, our Ji-seop… seems to have quite a bit of influence in the baseball team?”

“Yes?”

“I heard it’s very difficult to get tickets for weekend games? My friend tried several times and failed.”

“Ah…”

Ji-seop’s father smiled.

“It’s not that he has influence, but he seems to be quite loved by the people at his company.”

Ji-seop’s father seemed to be thinking about what happened last season.

Because Ji-seop got the tickets with the help of his colleagues last year as well.

“I think Ji-seop’s company colleagues got the tickets for him. Something similar happened last year.”