A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 208

53. The Second Son of the Noodle Shop (3)

“Confirmed, four customers.”

Said the employee of UB Guardians.

“We sincerely welcome you to UB Innovation Stadium. Please come this way. We will escort you to the Sky Box.”

The club employee began to guide the group with a courteous attitude.

It was at this moment that Mr. Solbatgol approached Ji-seop’s father.

“Bong-seok, what is going on here?”

He wore a bewildered expression.

“Sky Box? Isn’t that a very difficult place to get into? I heard that the Sky Box is a place you can’t even get into with money… And what’s with us being VIPs.”

“W-Well, I’m not sure either.”

Ji-seop’s father was just as embarrassed.

“Ji-seop didn’t say much either. He just said he got tickets for today, but he didn’t say it was for the Sky Box…”

“Haha, that Ji-seop, he has a knack for surprising people, doesn’t he?”

The thought of going to the Sky Box made his heart flutter for no reason.

The thought of being treated as a VIP made his shoulders lift slightly.

The group boarded the elevator to the Sky Box, feeling a strange mix of emotions.

“This way, please.”

Unlike the general seating area, which was crowded with people, the fifth-floor hallway was so quiet that it felt desolate.

The moment they entered the room marked [VIP ROOM 2] after passing through the hallway, the group’s eyes widened.

“Oh, no…”

“Oh my, th-this…”

To quote Mr. Solbatgol’s words to Ji-seop later, it felt like ‘a rich person’s villa seen in movies or dramas.’

First of all, it was incredibly spacious, surprisingly pleasant, and luxurious to the point where they wondered if it was okay.

Stepping out onto the terrace, feeling the cool breeze, and looking down at the green field, it felt as if they held the whole world in their hands.

“Sir, what is this place?”

Mr. Solbatgol asked the club employee who was guiding them.

“I’ve seen how Sky Boxes look on the internet a few times… But this is completely different from what I saw there.”

“Yes, our UB Innovation Stadium operates more than 30 Sky Boxes.”

The club employee replied.

“Among them, this space can only be requested by executives of our UB Group… So it will be very different from what you saw on the internet.”

“Executives of UB Group? You mean this space can only be used by executives?”

Hehe, hehe, hehehehe.

Mr. Solbatgol, who was making strange laughter, turned to Ji-seop’s father.

“Oh my, Bong-seok!”

Mr. Solbatgol slapped his neighborhood friend on the back hard, with a beaming smile.

“Your second son seems to be quite successful!!!”

* * *

The VIP Sky Box of UB Innovation Stadium.

A special space where only UB Group executives can apply to use.

However, even though they had set foot in such a wonderful place, the cold atmosphere between Ms. Jin Yeong-hwa and Mrs. Solbatgol did not change for a while.

“…….”

“…….”

Of course, they were surprised at first, but that was only for a moment.

Soon, they just looked around the Sky Box with tightly closed mouths and expressionless faces.

Then, Ji-seop’s mother threw a light ‘jab’.

“Honey, isn’t it nothing special?”

She said, plopping down on the soft sofa.

“The Guardians fans were making such a fuss about it being the best stadium, a landmark of Seoul, and I wondered if there was something great… But I think our Cannons Field’s Sky Box is much better, isn’t it?”

“H-Honey, you’ve never even been to Cannons Field…”

Ji-seop’s father tried to stop her, but Mrs. Solbatgol’s counterattack had already begun.

“Sigh, when you look at it, our Guardians are too polite, aren’t they? Shouldn’t this luxurious space be provided only to Guardians fans? Why even to Cannons fans…”

“Hey, what are you talking about again? We’re here now thanks to that Cannons fan!”

Ms. Jin Yeong-hwa and Mrs. Solbatgol exchanged jabs, scratching each other’s nerves.

Former Sergeant Kim Bong-seok and Mr. Solbatgol were sweating trying to reconcile them.

The bickering atmosphere began to change little by little after the game started that day.

Wow!!!

Wow!!!

The atmosphere of the stadium itself must have played a big part.

Against the backdrop of the dark wine-colored evening sky, tens of thousands of spectators roared with excitement in the brightly lit stadium.

The scenery had the power to make even people who had no interest in baseball’s hearts beat faster.

Victory! U! B!

Victory! U! B!

However, what made the two ladies’ hearts melt that day was the Guardians front office’s cool ‘VIP service’ provided at the start of the game.

“Okay, first, let’s receive the gifts prepared by our Guardians! From uniforms to cheering tools! All the items you need to watch today’s game are prepared!”

“Oh, no, what kind of uniform is this? It has a patch I’ve never seen before?”

“Wow, our madam has an eye for things? That’s right, it’s a uniform with a special patch for Sky Box visitors! It will probably be a good souvenir!”

First, as the top of the first inning was coming to an end, the group was provided with various kinds of UB Guardians club merchandise.

The corners of Mrs. Solbatgol’s mouth, who had been a long-time fan of the Guardians, kept twitching.

“Hello, we have prepared a carefully selected 7-piece set that our UB Innovation Stadium is proud of!”

“Oh my, are you giving us this much? We didn’t even order separately?”

“Of course, it’s provided as a basic service to customers who come to the Sky Box!”

“Wow…….”

As the top of the third inning began, food was delivered to the Sky Box.

As the food that perfectly suited her taste came in a row, Ms. Jin Yeong-hwa’s face was full of smiles.

“Bong-seok, don’t you think the atmosphere has changed a bit?”

“That’s right, both my sister-in-law and my wife seem very satisfied.”

The uncles’ faces also had happy smiles as the atmosphere gradually eased.

And the decisive blow of the day came at the end of the 5th inning.

“Is this the room where the family members of Cannons’ Special Correspondent Kim are?”

When everyone was out on the terrace enjoying the cool night breeze, a middle-aged man visited the Sky Box.

A neat suit that looked luxurious at a glance, neatly combed hair. And even the sturdy physique felt over the suit jacket.

The moment they saw the man who deserved the title of ‘middle-aged handsome man’, these words popped out of the mouths of Ms. Jin Yeong-hwa and Mrs. Solbatgol.

“M-M-M…”

“Min-wook oppa? It’s Park Min-wook oppa, right?!!”

“……Oppa?!”

Mr. Solbatgol’s thick eyebrows twitched once, but it seemed that the two ladies did not see that.

“Oh my, that’s right! It’s Min-wook oppa!”

“Oh my, oh my, what’s going on, what’s going on!”

It was Park Min-wook, the director of UB Guardians, who visited the Sky Box.

The very person who was considered one of the best stars of the Guardians in the 80s with his handsome appearance and excellent skills.

It had been almost 20 years since he last heard the word ‘oppa’ [a Korean term used by women to address older brothers or male friends], so Park Min-wook blushed and was embarrassed.

“Haha, oppa? I’m too old to be called that.”

“No, oppa! You haven’t changed at all!”

“That’s right! So much time has passed… How can you be so the same!”

The events that followed did not need to be explained in words.

They took pictures with Director Park Min-wook, got autographs on their uniforms, and took out beer from the refrigerator to ‘cheers’.

“I wish I could stay with you forever… But I should get up now.”

It was about 20 minutes later that the eternal ‘oppa’ of the Guardians’ old fans got up from his seat.

“I enjoyed meeting my fans after a long time. I’ll tell them, so order whatever you want to eat. Ah, and…”

Director Park Min-wook, throwing a smile that was like a trademark during his active career, looked at Ms. Jin Yeong-hwa.

“Please tell Special Correspondent Kim to go easy on our Guardians in the future.”

“Oh, I will! I’ll tell my son firmly!”

“Haha, thank you! Then I’ll be on my way…”

Click.

When Director Park Min-wook opened the door and went out, a moment of silence flowed in the Sky Box.

“…….”

“…….”

It was Mrs. Solbatgol who broke the silence.

“Yeong-hwa.”

“Yes?”

“Is it okay for you to say that? Saying you’ll tell him to go easy on the Guardians.”

“Th-That’s…”

Ms. Jin Yeong-hwa was momentarily speechless.

However, Ms. Jin also had something to say.

“Aren’t you being too much too, sister? Calling him ‘oppa, oppa’ in front of your husband is crossing the line.”

“Oh my, look at this one? Was I the only one who did that? You called him oppa too!”

“Try to remember well. I called him ‘Mr. Min-wook’ until the end?”

The two seemed to be arguing until the end.

However, perhaps because they had a very enjoyable time in the Sky Box that day.

Perhaps because they saw their favorite ‘oppa’ with their own eyes.

Or perhaps because it was a conflict that would not last long from the beginning.

Soft smiles were already blooming on the faces of the two ladies who had been bickering for a long time.

“Yeong-hwa, I’m sorry.”

Said Mrs. Solbatgol.

“I know Ji-seop works at Cannons… I said too much.”

“No, sister.”

Ms. Jin Yeong-hwa shook her head.

“I said too much too. And have we always been on good terms? We’ve always lived like this.”

“I guess so. Neither of us can act our age.”

“Hey, do we need to act our age? Let’s just live as we are.”

At that moment, as the two ladies lightly held hands, Mr. Solbatgol, who was watching from behind, quietly approached.

“Is the situation over? Have you reconciled now?”

“What’s there to reconcile? Between me and Yeong-hwa.”

“Tsk, you say that well. We were so nervous in between.”

The uncle shook his head and took out his cell phone from his arms.

“If you’ve reconciled, everyone gather here. We need to take a picture before it’s too late.”

“Why another picture?”

“Ah, we have to send a proof shot, a proof shot!”

When Ji-seop’s father also came into the cell phone screen, Mr. Solbatgol continued.

“To the special correspondent of KH Cannons who gave us this precious time…”

Click, click, click.

Along with the sound of the camera shutter, several wonderful photos that would be remembered that day were being recorded.

* * *

“Oh my, really…”

It was about 10 minutes later that Ji-seop received Mr. Solbatgol’s message.

“Director.”

Ji-seop enlarged the photo attached to the message and handed it to Director Seo Chang-gi.

“I just received this photo from Mr. Solbatgol.”

“Oh, is it a group photo?”

Director Seo smiled happily.

“It seems that your mother has reconciled with her friend? I guess the Sky Box I booked for you worked?”

“Of course, it’s all thanks to the director.”

“Thank you so much, Director.”

Ji-seop bowed politely to Director Seo.

“I heard that the director can only use that chance once a year… I really don’t know what to do.”

“Why are you being like this again.”

Director Seo chuckled. “I had a plan.”

Director Seo said, raising one eyebrow.

“Sometimes, we have to hold events like this so that you can work hard for Cannons’ victory, right?”

“Do I have to work even harder than now?”

Ji-seop threw a joke.

“If I work harder here… I think I’ll age about 10 years?”

“You can age, you can age! What are you talking about when you don’t even have a wrinkle on your face yet.”

Director Seo Chang-gi, who was laughing heartily, then made a serious expression and said.

“You don’t have to work harder, just like now.”

“Yes, just like now.”

Director Seo continued.

“If you do that, I couldn’t ask for more.”

“Yes, Director. Then in that sense…”

Ji-seop said, opening the laptop on the desk.

“I will start reporting soon.”

And one word that follows.

“It’s the expanded entry operation plan that came up from the development team a little while ago.”