A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 265

Chapter 67: My Precious Baby (2)

I realized the old folks were right about everything.

When a fragrant flower blooms, bees and butterflies gather around it.

When trash piles up and emits a foul odor, flies and cockroaches swarm around it.

Similarly, if there’s a perfect ‘pushover’ blinking innocently, what kind of people would gather around?

“Ah, the people I met at the bar?”

Jiseop, having left the fancy restaurant with John Llama, continued speaking while gazing at the man who was worth less than one of his slippers.

“Are you saying that the people you usually meet at the bar gave you this ridiculous idea…?”

“Kim, that doesn’t sound very nice,” John Llama grumbled.

“It’s true I met them at the bar, but they all have decent jobs, you know? Some are business owners, some are lawyers…”

“Whatever,” Jiseop cut him off.

“Those are the guys, right? The ones who suggested selling season tickets to Taylor at a discount.”

If it were just a simple discount, Jiseop probably wouldn’t be this upset.

But John Llama’s acquaintances, those people with decent jobs, had suggested an even more malicious scheme.

“They’d buy the season tickets with a credit card, and once the account freeze is lifted, you’d return 90% of the amount in cash…”

Jiseop had heard rumors of such deals happening in the industry during his KH Cannons days.

Of course, the discount rate wasn’t this outrageous, but it was a way to create the president’s ‘slush fund’.

Using company money under the guise of employee benefits to buy season tickets, then the president would pocket the cash later.

It goes without saying that this is legally problematic, but the point that really frustrated Jiseop was something else.

“Seriously, Taylor, can’t you tell? Whether those guys are trying to rip you off or genuinely trying to help you.”

John Llama shrunk back.

“And reporting that all the season tickets are sold, then returning 90% in cash later? Isn’t that deceiving Jeffrey Taylor, the team owner? I can’t imagine you didn’t understand the implications.”

“Well, that is…”

John Llama moved his lips as if to make an excuse, then let out a long sigh.

“You’re right, Kim. I’ve been deceiving my father for the past few years and ended up like this, and now I was thinking of deceiving him again…”

At that moment, Jiseop saw what John Llama was really thinking:

[Ugh, I’m hopeless.]

[I’m really beyond saving.]

[I guess I have no choice. I’ll have to go to my father, confess everything, and wait for a fair punishment…]

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

That won’t do.

Jiseop thought,

‘If he tells the owner everything now, John Llama will be utterly crushed…’

Then his plan to get into the Tampa Bay Rays through John Llama’s connections would also fall apart.

He couldn’t just sit back and watch the situation worsen.

Jiseop felt the need to salvage some of John Llama’s self-esteem, which had sunk deep into the ground.

“The future is what matters,” Jiseop said.

“Fortunately, the actual transaction didn’t happen, right? Then you can take this as a lesson and try to make better decisions in the future.”

Of course, Jiseop intended to help him make those ‘better decisions’.

But perhaps because they hadn’t known each other long enough.

Perhaps because they had laughed, talked, and shared conversations, but a relationship of trust hadn’t yet formed.

In John Llama’s mind, Jiseop hadn’t yet made the list of ‘trustworthy advisors’.

“I don’t know, is it even possible for me to make those decisions on my own?”

The team owner’s son clicked his tongue.

And the next moment, John Llama mentioned someone’s name with a very disappointed expression.

“If I had known this would happen, I would have kept Ben in Tampa Bay, even if it meant raising his salary a lot…”

“Ben?” Jiseop asked.

“Who is that?”

* * *

John Llama reacted with surprise to Jiseop’s question.

“You don’t know Ben?”

John Llama blinked.

“Benjamin Oznovich. The friend who was appointed as the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies at the end of last year? There were a lot of articles about a young general manager in his early 30s…”

Benjamin Oznovich, Benjamin Oznovich.

It sounded familiar, but also unfamiliar.

Jiseop tilted his head, and John Llama opened his mouth with an understanding expression.

“Well, you might not know him. It was only a short time after Kim came to America at the end of last year. Besides, there are so many general managers in Major League Baseball…”

He was my old friend.

John Llama continued.

“He was the first friend I made when I moved to St. Petersburg. We went to school together, we joined the Tampa Bay Rays together… Oh, he’s also the one who created the Future Strategy Planning Department with me.”

In other words, he was like John Llama’s right-hand man.

“He’s smart, has a straightforward personality… Everyone said he would become the general manager of the Tampa Bay Rays, but he suddenly transferred to the Philadelphia Phillies a few years ago.”

At this point, Jiseop remembered John Llama’s nickname.

‘The 72-Hour Man,’ who gives Tampa Bay employees who want to switch jobs a 24-hour bonus time [extra time to consider other offers].

He wondered if that ‘Ben’ guy had transferred to Philadelphia because of that, but the answer he got was a bit unexpected.

“No. If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s knowing who’s essential to our Tampa Bay Rays.”

It was an unusually firm voice for John Llama.

“I didn’t give Ben a 24-hour bonus time. Instead, I even booked him a plane ticket that departed late on purpose to try to shorten the negotiation time.”

But despite all those efforts, Benjamin Oznovich left for the Philadelphia Phillies.

It had already been a few years since he left Tampa Bay, but John Llama still seemed to feel his absence.

“If Ben were here, he would have given me appropriate advice… No, maybe I wouldn’t have even bought the season tickets with my own money in the first place.”

Unable to resist, John Llama took out a cigarette from his pocket.

Shadows were cast on John Llama’s face as he exhaled white smoke, but Jiseop was quietly smiling inside.

‘Benjamin Oznovich, huh?’

Was he a role model?

Jiseop felt like he had discovered something like that.

He had been worried because John Llama was such a pushover, but hearing that someone had walked this path before him made him feel strangely reassured.

‘Yeah, it’s easier to follow a path someone else has already walked than to pioneer a completely new one.’

Let’s aim for Benjamin Oznovich.

Just like he did, starting as John Llama’s advisor and becoming the most watched front office member in the Tampa Bay Rays.

If he quietly followed the path he had paved, there would come a day when an unbelievable opportunity would come.

‘So, the first thing I need to do is… gain John Llama’s trust?’

With his thoughts reaching this point, Jiseop turned his gaze to the team owner’s son, who was puffing out smoke like a chimney.

And asked,

“Taylor, what’s the most urgent thing right now?”

“Huh?” John Llama turned his head.

“What do you mean, urgent?”

“The sun is starting to set. I can’t just dawdle here forever.”

Jiseop continued.

“But I can’t just abandon Taylor on the street… Tell me the most urgent thing. I’ll take care of it for you.”

“Well, if you’re asking what I need most right now…”

Perhaps it was only natural, but at this moment, Jiseop thought of ‘money’.

John Llama’s credit card was suspended, and his account was frozen. So, the most necessary thing would be money.

Whether it’s to eat or to meet people, you need money to do anything.

But John Llama was American, so he gave an answer that Jiseop didn’t expect at all.

“I wish I had a car.”

“Huh?”

“A car, I mean an automobile.”

John Llama said.

“The place I’m staying at now is in a place where the bus service stops at 4 PM. So, I need a car just to get back to my accommodation, and besides…”

“Besides?”

“If I want to sell season tickets, I need to visit my acquaintances starting tomorrow… So, I need a car to do that.”

They say cars are essential for Americans, and it seemed that was true.

As a result, the answer was a bit different from what he expected, but there was no sign of agitation on Jiseop’s face.

In fact, the ‘solution’ he had in mind could easily handle a car.

“A car… That’s not a big deal.”

Showmanship is important from here on out.

Jiseop said, trying to look as nonchalant as possible.

“That’s something that can be easily solved with a phone call.”

“Re-really?!” John Llama’s eyes widened.

“Do you happen to know someone at a rental car company? That’s a relief. It’s not easy to rent a car when your credit card is suspended…”

“No, I don’t know anyone like that,” Jiseop shook his head.

“I’ve only been here for two days. How would I know someone at a rental car company? And the person who’s going to make the call isn’t me, it’s you, Taylor.”

“M-me? Who should I call?”

“There’s no one else, is there?”

Jiseop continued.

“You have to call your father… Team owner Jeffrey Taylor.”

* * *

John Llama reacted with disbelief to Jiseop’s words.

“Kim, are you out of your mind?”

His voice rose slightly.

“He’s my father! The person who took my credit card away, the person who froze my account, the person who took my car… It’s all my father!”

“I know,” Jiseop nodded calmly, but John Llama seemed even more frustrated.

“No, do you know what you’re saying? To call the person who’s probably grinding his teeth because of me and ask him for a car? Do you really want to see me get kicked out of the house?”

John Llama shouted, his face flushed red, but Jiseop’s face was relaxed as he faced him.

Jiseop had his own information about Tampa Bay team owner Jeffrey Taylor.

‘Team owner Jeffrey Taylor… I heard he was a trader? Like Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju [a character from a previous chapter].’

Having spent a considerable amount of time with Sahalin Park, Jiseop vaguely knew the tendencies of people based in the trading business.

‘Selling what they have, buying what others have… They’ve lived their whole lives like that, so they don’t really like going out empty-handed.’

Even that Sahalin Park with his terrible temper didn’t just push his subordinates to get things done.

He would give them expense accounts, assign people to help, and create a situation where things could work out before getting started.

‘If the Tampa Bay team owner has lived a similar life, he’ll at least provide the basic conditions needed to sell season tickets.’

He even thought that the father might be happy with his son’s request.

Asking his angry father for a car is like expressing his intention to do the job properly.

Of course, he couldn’t explain all these thoughts in detail.

So, Jiseop said,

“The choice is yours, Taylor. I won’t force you.”

“…Huh?”

John Llama had a personality that wasn’t inherently harsh.

When Jiseop came on strong, he quickly lost his momentum again.

“I’ve only told you what I think is the best option. If you have a better idea, you can choose that instead.”

“A be-better idea…”

John Llama stared blankly at the sky, which was starting to darken.

But he didn’t seem to have any ideas.

Turning his head back to look at Jiseop, John Llama’s face had an expression as if he were grasping at straws.

“Kim.”

“Yes?”

“The resume you showed me last time… The contents were definitely true, right?”

“What contents?”

“You know, the one about how you rose to the position of special assistant to the general manager in just two years after joining the baseball team…”

“Yes, I didn’t put any lies in there that would be revealed if you checked.”

“Well, Kevin Prior wouldn’t have introduced me to just anyone…”

John Llama seemed to have finally made up his mind.

He took out his cell phone from his jacket pocket and started making a call somewhere.

Jiseop didn’t bother asking who he was calling. He would know soon enough.

“…Ah, Father?”

He had accepted the advice, but he didn’t seem to want to tell Jiseop the specific details of the call.

As soon as the call connected, John Llama grabbed his phone and turned his body away.

“Yes, it’s… Llama…”

Hesitantly. Tentatively.

Jiseop could feel the team owner’s son’s anxious heart, even from behind.

Just as a few words were exchanged, that was when it happened.

“?!!”

John Llama Taylor turned around with an unbelievable expression.

Jiseop sensed that his journey with this hopeless team owner’s son was officially beginning.