A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 223

57. Gotta Avoid Greasy Stuff (3)

Facing a de facto ‘retirement,’ the owner of [Jeonju House] was preparing for the victory celebration of the Cannons’ regular season championship.

Her requests were as follows:

-I’d like Jisub to ask the kids what they want.

-What they want to eat at the celebration on the day the championship is decided.

Since it was the first championship in the team’s history, she couldn’t just serve the usual *gukbap* [Korean rice soup].

She said that if Jisub organized and sent the players’ requests, she would choose a few and prepare the celebration.

She could prepare any food the players wanted, but she added one condition.

-Tell them no fried food.

-Why? Ah, is it because the preparation work is too much?

-No, it’s not that… Everyone’s body is their asset, right? So, they should avoid fried foods as much as possible.

-Ah, I see.

It was the next morning that Jisub met with General Manager Seo Chang-gi to deliver the results of the negotiation with [Jeonju House].

GM Seo nodded at the report that the owner of Jeonju House had agreed to prepare the celebration.

GM Seo accepted the condition that fried food was absolutely not allowed without complaint, but he seemed to have something on his mind.

“Wouldn’t it be a bit of a troublesome task…? Mr. Kim, are you okay with that?”

“Yes?”

“Asking the players what food they want to eat.”

GM Seo continued.

“There are more than thirty players on the first team alone, right? And we can’t *not* ask the manager or the coaching staff for their opinions… If you count them, it’ll be at least 50 people, right?”

He was worried that it would take a lot of time to gather the opinions of so many people.

However, at this point, Jisub had reached a level where he could come up with a solution the moment he heard about most things.

“You don’t have to worry about that. I’ve already thought of a suitable method.”

“A suitable method? No, is there any other way besides catching the players one by one and asking them…?”

“There is. Of course, there is.”

Jisub had a confident expression.

“Isn’t this the era of YouTube, General Manager?”

“…YouTube?”

* * *

Several hours later.

Jisub was standing in the hallway leading to the KH Cannons Field home team locker room.

Next to him, a large whiteboard had been brought in, colored marker pens were placed, and a camera was installed.

“…”

This was Jisub’s idea.

The ‘Commuting Route Survey’ corner, which is usually conducted on the Cannons’ YouTube channel, asks players who are commuting to the baseball field various questions and shows fans the hidden aspects of the players through their answers.

He decided to use the filming of this segment to ask the players what food they wanted to eat.

“Special Officer!”

Just as a sign with [Today’s Question! What food do you want to eat on the day of the championship?!] was attached to the whiteboard.

There was a person approaching Jisub with a bright expression.

“The preparations are all done.”

It was Kim Somin PD [Production Director] of the KH Cannons YouTube channel.

The very person who created a blockbuster content with Jisub’s help during the last spring training camp.

Perhaps because the memory of that time was still vivid, his attitude towards Jisub was very friendly.

“There’s no one better than us when it comes to surveys! Don’t worry. We’ll organize the results and show them to you within an hour.”

“Thank you, PD-nim.”

Jisub bowed slightly.

“Thanks to you, PD-nim, I can rest easy. I’m sure it’s caused some disruption to the progress of other content because of me…”

“Hey, this is all content! Besides, how much help has our Cannons TV received from you, Special Officer?”

While waving his hand as if to say, ‘Don’t mention it,’ PD Kim seemed to be subtly laying the groundwork for the next content.

“If you’re really grateful… we’re planning to do a Silver Button unboxing content in about two weeks? I was wondering if you could get Ryu Jang-ho to appear on it…”

“Ah, Jang-ho?”

Jisub gave a faint smile.

“Well, it’s not difficult, but wouldn’t Jimmy Morris be better at that time? If there’s anyone who deserves the top contributor award for our Cannons TV, it’s him.”

“That’s right. That’s right. But these days, Morris’s expression when he looks at us isn’t very good.”

“Really? Why is that…?”

“Well, it’s like he feels a bit of rivalry with our Cannons TV.”

PD Kim gave a bitter smile.

“He said that last time. How dare the operator of a YouTube channel with less than 3,000 subscribers appear on Cannons TV with 100,000 subscribers…?”

“Wait a minute, PD-nim.”

Jisub raised his hand.

“Did you just say subscribers?”

Old habits die hard.

The Cannons’ ace pitcher seemed to have secretly created his own YouTube channel again.

‘Oh, you human…’

Just as he was about to set a date to have a heart-to-heart conversation with this hopeless broadcaster.

“Oh, are you filming again today?”

“Jisub *hyung* [older brother/male friend] is here too?”

The Cannons players, who had finished lunch at the cafeteria, began to appear one by one.

Now that they were quite used to this kind of YouTube filming, the players naturally picked up pens and approached the whiteboard.

“Food I want to eat on the day of the championship… Hmm, what would be good? This is hard to decide.”

“Even if it’s anything else, shouldn’t we have chicken? Chicken and beer are always the truth!”

“Oh, really? Then I…”

Chicken. (For now) unconditionally chicken.

Just as the players were about to write down their first desired menu, PD Kim of Cannons TV stepped forward.

“I’m sorry, Lee Yong-gi player.”

“Yes?”

“We have circumstances… we’ve decided to exclude fried foods from this survey? Could you write down another dish besides fried food?”

“Really? Ah, is it because the kids are watching? Okay, I understand.”

The players nodded and willingly picked up the whiteboard eraser.

PD Kim turned to Jisub and gave a slight thumbs-up.

“Special Officer, is this how it’s done?”

“Yes, perfect.”

Jisub also gave a thumbs-up.

“Then, PD-nim, I’ll leave the rest to you.”

* * *

Jisub, with the help of the Cannons YouTube channel, secured a list of foods that the players wanted to eat.

After delivering this list to the owner of Jeonju House, Jisub had to handle a busy schedule for a while.

As the KH Cannons’ first-ever regular season championship became a reality, the amount of work given to him increased rapidly.

“Yes, Assistant Manager! Ah, the VIP list? Could you wait a little bit? We haven’t received confirmation from Yeongsan City Hall yet… I’m sorry.”

“Hello, Team Leader! Yes, yes, this is the Cannons’ General Manager’s office. Yes, I was calling to ask about the fireworks use we inquired about last time… How did that go?”

It was almost a state of emergency.

Securing the list of VIPs who would visit the baseball stadium, preparing the events to be provided to the fans on the day, checking the progress of the production of team merchandise that had to be released on time, and so on.

Every day, Jisub would jump up with General Manager Seo Chang-gi and run out whenever a request for support came in from each department of the KH Cannons.

Even while Jisub was spending his time in a hectic schedule, the Cannons players were traveling around baseball stadiums across the country, steadily accumulating valuable wins, and-finally, on the first Sunday of October.

The KH Cannons won the away game against the ST Rhinos with a score of 4-2, succeeding in reducing the magic number to 1 to win the regular season championship.

-Congratulations, Jimmy Morris player! You’ve finally reached the 15-win mark! The number of wins remaining until the Cannons’ regular season championship is now only 1! You must be really proud!

-Ah, yes, thank you.

-Jimmy Morris’s performance in today’s game was really amazing! He only allowed 1 hit and no runs with 11 strikeouts in 6 innings! What was the secret to today’s good pitching?

-Well, there was also the fact that the team’s championship was just around the corner… But actually, I was thinking that I had to pitch well no matter what today.

-You had to pitch well no matter what?

-Yes, I made a promise. If I didn’t have a quality start or better in today’s game, I would stop running my YouTube channel.

-Y, YouTube channel?

The caster was slightly embarrassed.

-No, who did you make that promise with? When you think about it, it seems like we were able to win today thanks to that promise.

-Well, I can’t reveal it outright… But there’s one in our team.

Jimmy Morris sighed briefly.

-A really nasty… friend.

Who exactly is the ‘nasty friend’ that Jimmy Morris mentioned?

Who on earth made the Cannons’ ace so strong?

Just as the story about Jimmy Morris’s friend was becoming a hot topic among baseball fans, as much as the fact that the Cannons’ regular season championship was just around the corner.

“Yes, General Manager. I’m on my way now.”

Without knowing that he was becoming a big topic on the internet.

Jisub was diligently walking away from KH Cannons Field towards Jeonju House.

“Yes, I’ll pass it on. I don’t think we need to prepare a lot of food either. Yes, yes, that’s right.”

The Cannons’ next game was scheduled to be held here in Yeongsan in two days.

If they won the game that day, the regular season championship would be the Cannons’ share.

Of course, a championship celebration would be held, so from now on, Jisub had to pay attention to the connection with Jeonju House.

“Okay, General Manager.”

Crossing the crosswalk in front of the baseball stadium, passing through the hectic back road, turning right with the public parking lot next to him.

Just as the Jeonju House sign came into view in front of him, Jisub’s phone call was coming to an end.

“Then, I’ll talk to the owner about the menu and contact you again. Yes, then go in peace… Huh?!”

And the next moment.

Jisub stopped in his tracks as if he had been nailed to the spot.

A sign that read [Closed Today] was posted in front of the entrance to Jeonju House.

‘Closed? Jeonju House?’

Since Jisub joined the Cannons, Jeonju House had never been closed even once.

Because of the situation, all sorts of thoughts couldn’t help but come to Jisub’s mind in an instant.

Did something happen to the owner?

Did she suddenly feel unwell and go to the hospital?

So she closed the store, which she doesn’t even do on holidays?

‘Wait a minute, I think I saved Dongjun’s phone number last time…’

A pounding heart.

Fingers that keep trembling.

While taking a long breath ‘Hoo’ to calm his mind and rummaging through his phone.

“Heungcha!”

With a shout that sounded familiar, the tightly closed entrance to Jeonju House burst open.

“Oh, *Hyung*! You’re here?!”

It was Dongjun.

The youngest son of the owner of Jeonju House.

With the same bright expression as a few days ago, Jisub was able to let out a sigh of relief.

“Oh, you surprised me.”

“You were surprised? Why?”

“There’s never been anything like this before, but suddenly there’s a sign in front of the door saying it’s closed…”

“Ah, is it because of this?”

“I’m sorry, *Hyung*.”

Throwing out the food waste he had brought out, the youngest son of Jeonju House smiled awkwardly.

“It was a situation that could have been misunderstood. Hehe, but please understand. This was all for the Cannons.”

“…For the Cannons?”

“Yes, there are more than thirty dishes to prepare by the day after tomorrow. Of course, we have to lock the store door and prepare, right?”

The youngest son of Jeonju House was speaking with the most cheerful expression in the world, but Jisub frowned slightly.

“Wait a minute, Dongjun. What are you talking about? Thirty dishes?”

Jisub continued urgently.

“We never asked for that much food. In the first place, I was supposed to decide on the celebration menu with you today…”

“Ah, I know that too.”

“My mother decided that.”

The youngest son of Jeonju House smiled.

“Since we’re preparing anyway, we’re going to make all the food the players want.”