A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 269

Chapter 68: A Cup of Warm Cocoa (1)

Two days later.

Jisub had returned to Boston.

It was to say goodbye to Ryu Jangho and retrieve his luggage from his house.

“So….”

After a late dinner, they each grabbed a can of beer and sprawled out on the comfortable sofa. It was at that moment that Ryu Jangho asked Jisub,

“So, did you meet the team owner? I mean, the owner of the Tampa Bay Rays.”

“No, I didn’t.”

*Chik*

Jisub said as he opened his can of beer.

“I heard the owner had a separate schedule. So, I didn’t see the owner, but I met his chief of staff instead.”

And he received a formal offer.

To join the Tampa Bay Rays.

The position was Assistant Director in the Future Strategy Planning Department.

It was a role to assist the main director, John Larma Taylor.

“As expected, you’re amazing, Hyung [older brother or respected male figure].”

Ryu Jangho took a sip of his beer and said with a ‘Kheu’ sound [a Korean expression of satisfaction after drinking].

“From a player’s exclusive translator to an assistant director in an instant… You’ve only been in the US for three months, but isn’t your promotion rate too fast? Watching from the side, it feels like my eyes are spinning.”

“Hehe, what are you saying.”

Jisub chuckled.

“It seems like your reactions have improved a lot since you came to the US. You couldn’t even give proper feedback to other people’s stories before.”

“Ah, well….”

Ryu Jangho scratched the back of his head.

“These guys here really value the pattern? Rhythm? of the conversation. Even if there’s an interpreter, it’s necessary to give simple answers in time.”

That’s how his conversational reactions naturally improved.

Even after Jisub left Boston, it seemed Ryu Jangho was continuing his efforts to adapt to the major leagues.

Whether it was baseball or things outside of baseball.

‘Now, I don’t have to worry about Jangho anymore. If he’s paying attention to those things….’

Thinking back to his past in the Cannons, when he only focused on baseball, it was a truly surprising change.

It was the very next moment that he heard a reassuring word from the remarkably mature genius hitter.

“Well, I think you’ll take care of things since it’s your job, Hyung….”

Ryu Jangho continued.

“Just in case things don’t go as well as you think, don’t be disappointed and just wait three months.”

“Three months?”

Jisub tilted his head.

“Does something change after three months?”

“It changes, it definitely changes.”

Ryu Jangho’s eyes became serious.

“The manager said he would put me as the 7th hitter in the opening game, but I don’t intend to be satisfied with that. I plan to be in the core batting lineup within three months.”

“Oho.”

“If I become the core hitter for the Boston Red Sox, wouldn’t I be able to get you a director position? I heard there are often cases like that….”

Watching Ryu Jangho firmly express his determination, Jisub was smiling inwardly.

He was grateful. The fact that he hadn’t forgotten him and was trying to help him even after becoming a major leaguer.

But now, Jisub had no desire to return to the Boston Red Sox.

So, Jisub wore a subtle expression and said this.

“I appreciate the consideration, but… can’t you help me in a different way?”

“A different way?”

“Yeah, like, you could swing your bat gently when you play against the Tampa Bay Rays?”

“Ah….”

Ryu Jangho’s expression hardened.

“Even if it’s your request, Hyung, that’s absolutely impossible.”

*Tsk.*

*This kind of joke still doesn’t work on him?*

* * *

Jisub ended his three-month stay in Boston with a can of beer with Ryu Jangho.

It was around noon the next day when he returned to his new base, St. Petersburg, Florida.

*Roll roll roll-*

He unpacked his luggage at the accommodation, which was about 10 minutes by car from downtown, met the building manager, and handed over his personal information.

After a simple lunch at a nearby fast-food restaurant, Jisub drove straight to the Tampa Bay Rays’ home stadium.

Tropicana Field.

‘Finally… I’m here.’

In fact, there were many pros and cons about that Tropicana Field.

Americans like to watch baseball under the sun, but that stadium was unnecessarily a completely enclosed dome.

If you can’t get sunlight, you should at least be able to enjoy watching baseball, but the design itself was not suitable for baseball.

Because of this, the ballpark was even criticized as ‘monstrous’ by the local media, but at this time, such evaluations were not important to Jisub.

‘This is the beginning.’

His life with the Tampa Bay Rays.

His full-fledged career in the major leagues.

The feeling of his heart pounding, just like when he first stepped into KH Cannons Field.

Filled with excitement that he hadn’t felt in a long time, he approached the stadium entrance when-

“Oh, Kim! You’re here!”

That familiar voice.

It was John Larma Taylor.

“I thought you’d be arriving soon, so I came out in advance! You must be tired from the long trip?”

As always, he was all smiles.

Jisub couldn’t help but smile wryly at his expression, which looked as relaxed as a sloth.

“No, it’s not like it was a hardship. It’s something you have to adapt to when you work in the United States.”

“Haha, as expected! Kim’s way of thinking is different! I need to learn that positive attitude!”

John Larma Taylor was more exaggerated than usual.

The reason for that came the very next moment.

“Kim, thank you so much.”

John Larma said.

“For helping with season ticket sales, for allowing my father to praise me greatly, and most of all….”

For joining our Future Strategy Planning Department.

John Larma looked at Jisub with a rather moved expression.

“I was so nervous when Kim was talking to Mr. Hendrick. I was worried that you would say you didn’t like the Future Strategy Planning Department, or that you wanted to go to another department….”

“Honestly, I did have those thoughts. Future Strategy Planning Department… I didn’t really have a good sense of what that department does.”

Jisub continued.

“But what Mr. Hendrick Morton said? That was quite appealing to me.”

He was like the Tampa Bay Rays’ standby group. That’s what the owner’s chief of staff had told Jisub.

From ticket sales to gathering preliminary information for FA [Free Agent] acquisitions, they were involved in all areas where additional manpower was needed.

It was probably because of the good-natured personality of the main director, John Larma, but Jisub had no reason to refuse.

“I wanted to experience as much of the major league team’s work as possible, and in a variety of ways.”

“Aha!”

“And of course, I also wanted to work with you, Taylor.”

“Oho!”

John Larma was just happy, his mouth gaping open at Jisub’s words, which seemed to scratch his itch.

He ran ahead of Jisub and forcefully opened the glass door of Tropicana Field.

“Come in! Let’s talk in detail while enjoying the cool air conditioning!”

The atmosphere was very good up to this point.

However, in the very next moment, Jisub didn’t miss the fact that John Larma’s expression slightly hardened and then relaxed.

“Ah! B, but, Kim….”

John Larma looked at Jisub cautiously and asked very carefully.

“Did you like the accommodation I prepared for you?”

Of course, Jisub could also hear his inner thoughts.

[Damn it, at least he should have liked the accommodation….]

Hmm?

* * *

About 10 minutes later.

While heading to the Future Strategy Planning Department’s office, John Larma kept talking about Jisub’s accommodation.

“It’s a bit embarrassing to say this myself, but it’s a house that I managed to get with some difficulty!”

John Larma continued.

“The surrounding environment is clean, the view is good… Ah, right! It’s also an advantage that it’s very close to the baseball stadium! It only takes about 10 minutes by car, right?”

In a short moment, John Larma seemed to be possessed by a real estate agent.

He said that Jisub’s accommodation used to be provided to minor league players who were called up to the major leagues a few years ago.

He also said that a certain player who was acquired through a trade two years ago stayed there until he found a house.

He was trying so hard to promote Jisub’s accommodation.

‘Why is this guy doing this?’

It was a grateful thing.

That was definitely true.

Even though the Tampa Bay team said, ‘You have to find your own accommodation,’ John Larma took the initiative and found a house with his own money.

He could get support for housing expenses if he requested it from KH Cannons, but it was still good that he didn’t have to wander around looking for a suitable house.

‘What is it? Is he trying to emphasize how much he cared? Or does the owner’s son think that the house is too shabby?’

Jisub tilted his head and followed John Larma.

It wasn’t long before he realized the intentions of the Tampa Bay team owner’s son.

“Ah, right! If you go a little further back, there’s a famous pub! It’s called ‘Screaming Mickey,’ and it’s famous among Tampa Bay fans….”

The more John Larma’s promotional comments continued, the more the two were heading to a secluded place.

When he was talking about a pub famous among Tampa Bay fans, it was the hallway next to the employee lounge.

When he was talking about a Chinese restaurant with great fried rice, it was the stairs leading down to the basement.

And when he passed the ‘Basement 1’ sign with an explanation that there was a park perfect for jogging.

“Taylor, that’s enough.”

Jisub raised his hand and stopped John Larma’s talkative explanation.

“It seems that the Future Strategy Planning Department’s office has been moved to a rather dark place?”

According to what John Larma had said before, the Future Strategy Planning Department was a place where employees who liked to slack off came to eat tea and snacks.

But no matter how delicious the tea and snacks were, there was no way they would walk all the way down to the second basement floor.

Jisub could roughly grasp what was going on.

“The fact that you’ve been buying season tickets with your own money… Hasn’t the team owner completely forgiven you yet?”

“H, how did you….”

When John Larma’s eyes widened, Jisub gave a faint smile.

“It’s okay, Taylor.”

Jisub comforted him with kind words.

“What does it matter if the office is in a sunny place or in a dark basement? As long as we can work. And if we’re lucky, we might be able to move to a better office.”

So cheer up.

Jisub even lightly clenched his fist.

“You don’t have to worry about me because of the office location. Let’s hurry! It’s my first day today, and I shouldn’t make my colleagues wait too long, right?”

As he said that and waited for John Larma to move, a heavy silence fell on the second basement floor hallway of Tropicana Field.

“…….”

“…….”

“……Wait, could it be?”

Hey, you’re kidding, right?

Jisub waved his hand with an awkward smile, then hardened his expression and continued.

“Are all the team members gone too?”