A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 222

57. Gotta Avoid Greasy Food (2)

About an hour later.

While the Cannons players, including captain Chun Jin-woo, had all returned home, Ji-seop was still lingering in front of [Jeonju House, a well-known local restaurant].

Although the day’s fatigue was weighing heavily on him, there was one thing he wanted to confirm today.

‘Who knows what will happen in the future…’

Thinking about the Jeonju House owner’s inner thoughts, Ji-seop rummaged through his jacket pocket for a cigarette.

Just as he realized that the cigarettes he had bought a few days ago were already gone, the store door burst open and a young man appeared.

“Ugh!”

This man was carrying a large garbage bag in both hands, staggering as he moved.

If Ji-seop saw correctly, he seemed to be the youngest son of the Jeonju House owner.

The very person who supposedly had a talent for cooking and was receiving ‘successor lessons’ from his mother.

Ji-seop approached him stealthily.

“Dong-jun.”

“Whoa, jeez, you scared me!”

The youngest son of Jeonju House was startled.

He narrowed his eyes and examined Ji-seop’s face, then changed his expression with an ‘Ah’ sound.

“What is it, Ji-seop hyungnim [older brother/friend]?”

“Yes, it’s me.”

When Ji-seop nodded, the youngest son of Jeonju House glared slightly.

“Ah, give me some warning before you come. I almost had a heart attack.”

Muttering, he put the garbage bag he was carrying in front of the store.

He asked Ji-seop.

“But what brings you here? You paid and left a while ago… Aha!”

You wanted something like this?

The youngest son grinned and pretended to pour a glass of soju [Korean distilled rice liquor].

“I kind of sensed it when I saw your face earlier. You really wanted a shot of soju, but you couldn’t order it because you were watching the players.”

Am I right?

The youngest son had a smug look on his face.

“Even though I look like this, I can figure out what our customers are thinking like a ghost!”

“Oh, really?”

Ji-seop had a meaningful smile on his face.

But only for a moment, Ji-seop stroked his chin and opened his mouth.

“It’s true that I want a shot of soju, but right now I have something to ask Dong-jun.”

“Hyungnim… to me? What is it?”

“Yes, it’s not that, but.”

Here, Ji-seop narrowed his brow slightly.

“Your mother seems to be a bit ill… Is that right?”

The youngest son of Jeonju House’s eyes widened at this moment.

“H, how did you know that?”

* * *

The next day morning.

Ji-seop, who had come to work at KH Cannons Field, was reporting to General Manager Seo Chang-ki about what he had heard the day before.

“Jeonju House noona [older sister/female friend] is sick?!”

General Manager Seo Chang-ki was surprised.

“W-where? How sick is she?! Did you take her to the hospital?”

“Yes, she went a while ago.”

Ji-seop wasn’t feeling any less uneasy, but he was trying to convey the facts as calmly as possible.

“She’s had a chronic illness for several years. There were no problems until now, but the results of a checkup a few days ago weren’t good.”

“Oh, dear.”

“The surgery is already scheduled, and she will be hospitalized soon. Dong-jun will be taking care of the store while the owner is away.”

“Oh, my, what’s going on.”

General Manager Seo hit his knee.

“I resent the years, I resent the years. That noona, who was like steel, is in the hospital… So, if she has surgery, there’s no danger to her life?”

“Yes, fortunately, it’s not a difficult surgery.”

Ji-seop nodded.

“However, it seems that she will have to recuperate for a considerable period of time after the surgery in order to fully recover and return to daily life.”

“Of course. For someone of noona’s age, recovery is more important than the surgery itself.”

Oh, my, oh, my.

General Manager Seo Chang-ki, who was groaning while looking down at the ground in the distance.

He turned to Ji-seop and opened his mouth again.

“Wait a minute, then Jeonju House noona said she would treat our players to a meal…”

“Yes, I think the general manager is right.”

Ji-seop continued.

“Dong-jun said… she wanted to give our players one last warm meal before she went to the hospital.”

“Hey, the last time for what! How good is medical technology these days, why is that noona saying useless things!”

Frustrated, General Manager Seo slammed the desk with a ‘bang!’ and walked to the whiteboard on the wall of his office.

“Special Assistant Kim.”

“Yes.”

“Our regular season championship celebration… How was the preparation going?”

“Preparations have already been completed for the case where the championship is decided on the road.”

Ji-seop said, taking out his cell phone.

“The negotiations with Prince Hotel in Gwangju and KH International Hotel in Seoul… have been roughly finalized.”

“But you said there was a low possibility of that? I think you said that we would have to be swept twice for the championship to be decided there?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Ji-seop continued the report while touching the phone screen.

“Looking at the schedule, there is a high possibility that the championship will be decided at home… In fact, that’s why it’s taking longer to finalize the celebration venue.”

“That’s right. Since it’s the first championship in the club’s history, how many people would want us to hold the celebration on their side?”

With those words, General Manager Seo Chang-ki was silent for a while, lost in thought.

And what followed was a suggestion that Ji-seop found quite unconventional.

“Special Assistant Kim, how about holding this regular season championship celebration… at Jeonju House?”

“Excuse me?!”

“Jeonju House has enough space. I heard that they sometimes hold 60th birthday parties [Hwangap] or wedding receptions there.”

“Yes, I know that, but…”

Even Ji-seop found it difficult to agree at this point.

It was customary for baseball team celebrations to be held in places like hotels.

It was easy for people to find, and the quality of the food was guaranteed to some extent.

Above all, the baseball team was a group that had to be subtly conscious of ‘what it looked like’ to others.

“General Manager, are you okay with that? It’s unprecedented, so there will be some talk internally and externally.”

“It’s not unprecedented. When I was a rookie, baseball team events were held at restaurants. The Cannons’ founding ceremony was at a samgyetang [ginseng chicken soup] restaurant, and the Warriors’ founding ceremony was probably at a charcoal-grilled rib restaurant near the stadium?”

“W-well, if it was when the general manager was a rookie… Isn’t that too long ago?”

“Well, anyway.”

General Manager Seo crossed his arms.

“Jeonju House noona has been taking care of our Cannons players for almost 30 years. Not just the players? Our front office was the same. I don’t think it’s too much to give that person this much respect.”

“…”

“Besides, I’ve often thought about it. Sometimes, isn’t it a little funny what our baseball team does?”

“Funny?”

“Yeah, when there are hard, painful, and sad things… we go to restaurants near the stadium, but when there are happy things, we wipe our mouths clean and only go to fancy places like hotels.”

Let’s go the other way once in a while.

On the happiest day, with the people who were closest to us.

General Manager Seo Chang-ki had a fairly determined expression on his face.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon that day that Ji-seop received official instructions.

General Manager Seo Chang-ki, who had gone to meet ‘Sakhalin Park’ Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju, called Ji-seop.

-The vice chairman has given permission.

Perhaps because he had been squeezed by Sakhalin Park for quite some time, General Manager Seo’s voice had no strength at all.

-I was originally going to go, but I think I should rest today. Kim Special Assistant should take care of telling Jeonju House noona.

“I understand, General Manager.”

Ji-seop, who received General Manager Seo’s instructions, left the stadium straight away and headed to Jeonju House.

The owner of Jeonju House, who happened to be watching the Cannons game, was surprised with her eyes wide open as soon as she heard Ji-seop’s story.

“J-Ji-seop-ssi [Mr. Ji-seop], is that really true?!”

It wasn’t just the owner of Jeonju House.

The mothers who worked together at Jeonju House and Dong-jun, who was boiling suyuk [boiled pork slices] in the kitchen, were also surprised and opened their mouths wide.

Ji-seop continued, feeling the attention of all of them focused on him.

“Yes, there was an opinion within our club that the regular season championship celebration should be entrusted to you, Mother. The general manager told me to ask you for your opinion… Is it possible?”

“Of course it’s possible! How many people work here! Preparing food is not difficult, but…”

The owner had a worried expression on her face.

“Shouldn’t the championship celebration be held somewhere grand? I don’t know if we can hold such a big event at our house?”

The answer to this was prepared in advance.

“You don’t have to feel burdened, Mother.”

Ji-seop said.

“I really like fancy things too, but shouldn’t we do that kind of event after the Korean Series is over? I want to focus on giving the players a hearty meal to help them recover their stamina for the regular season championship celebration.”

“Ah, a hearty meal! Yes, yes!”

The owner seemed to like that answer quite a bit.

“Oh, then our Ji-seop-ssi thought well! That’s right, there’s no place like our house for a hearty meal! I’ve eaten hotel food too, but… it only fills you up, it’s not helpful for using strength?”

Wait a minute, wait a minute.

Then what should I prepare first?

Ji-seop spoke in a kind voice to the owner, who was flustered and restless.

“First of all, let me tell you this, Mother. This is an event that has to be held on the day the championship is confirmed, so depending on the club’s schedule, it may not be held here. Of course, the club will provide a separate bonus.”

“Yes, don’t worry about that. Have I only been watching baseball for a day or two?”

The owner nodded.

“I will visit you again two days before the championship is confirmed. I think you should start preparing from then… Is that okay?”

“Hmm, it’s a bit tight, but I’ll be able to manage it somehow. If necessary, I can call my sisters in my hometown.”

Is there another condition?

The owner asked, her eyes sparkling.

Ji-seop said, thinking, ‘Ah, I’m glad I said I’d do it here.’

“I hope you keep it a secret from everyone, including our Cannons players, that the celebration will be held here… This is a job where security is subtly important.”

“Security is important. Of course it is. And what else?”

“I think that’s all for now. A staff member from the operations team will come and tell you about the specific cost issues and things like that.”

“Ah, is that so?”

A championship celebration.

The Cannons’ regular season championship celebration.

With a somewhat proud expression, and a somewhat emotional expression.

The owner tapped her knee like that.

Then, as if she had thought of something, she straightened her posture and opened her mouth.

“Ji-seop-ssi.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“I also have something to ask of Ji-seop-ssi… Can you help me?”

“Ah, me?”