A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 411

The Super Rookie of the Baseball Team is Too Good 411

90. The Greatest Showman (5)

As December arrived, the area around Tropicana Field became noticeably deserted.

The players had all returned to their hometowns after the season ended, and the staff members were also gradually taking their year-end vacations after the Winter Meetings.

About two-thirds of the entire office was dark, giving Tropicana Field a somewhat desolate atmosphere.

However, exactly one week after Ji-seop returned from the Dominican Republic, the Tampa Bay Rays’ front office was bustling with activity for the first time in a long while.

“Alright, let’s hurry a little more! They’ll be arriving soon!”

“Hey, Richie! Where should I put these documents? I brought them all as you asked…….”

“To the Future Strategy Planning Department! Take them to the conference room in the Future Strategy Planning Department. I heard the meeting will be held there.”

Slightly past 1 p.m., a dozen or so team employees were busily moving around inside and outside the office.

Most of them were from the marketing department, and almost all of them were wearing suits.

It was rare for so many people to come to work at the end of the year, and it was also rare for Tampa Bay Rays people to wear suits.

What was the reason for these unusual events happening one after another?

“For those of us who make a living in marketing, it’s like meeting a legendary rock star in person.”

Said R. J. Higgins, the current Vice President of Marketing for the Tampa Bay Rays.

He was also holding a large box in his arms as he entered the conference room of the Future Strategy Planning Department.

“A legendary rock star?”

“Yes, like Metallica, the Rolling Stones, or Nirvana? He’s in that kind of position for us.”

Vice President Higgins smiled.

“The great showman of Nevada……. Charles Phleg, that is.”

“Ah.”

That’s right. It was this day.

The day Charles Phleg, the legendary marketing expert of the Tampa Bay Rays, was returning to Tropicana Field.

When the news spread that he was visiting his old workplace for the first time in almost 20 years, Vice President Higgins and the marketing department couldn’t hide their excitement.

“I used to carry Charles Phleg’s marketing case studies around like a textbook in college…….”

Vice President Higgins, narrowing his eyes as if recalling his school days.

He lightly tapped Ji-seop’s shoulder with his fist and bowed slightly.

“Kim, thank you so much.”

Higgins even gave a slight wink.

“It would have been enough to just say hello for a moment, but to even arrange a meeting like this……. Thanks to you, I’m much less worried about next season’s marketing plan.”

“It’s been agreed that he’ll visit Tropicana Field once a week for now.”

Ji-seop continued.

“He’s scheduled to visit every Saturday, so please feel free to ask if you have any questions. I’ll learn a lot from listening to your conversations.”

“Haha, good things happen because Kim is paying attention to the marketing side! We in the marketing department are just grateful, but…….”

Higgins wasn’t oblivious.

He cautiously looked back at Ji-seop and asked.

“Is something wrong? You haven’t looked too good since a while ago.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Was it all over his face?

He thought he was managing his expression.

A bitter smile spread across Ji-seop’s face at that moment.

“Well, it’s nothing special.”

Ji-seop continued.

“It’s just that…… Charles Phleg suddenly started posting new things on his SNS [Social Networking Service] account.”

“SNS? New posts?”

Higgins tilted his head.

“Is that…… a problem?”

* * *

It was this morning.

To be exact, it was around 9 a.m.

As Ji-seop got out of the car and walked towards the office, he suddenly heard an alert sound from his phone.

[Chuck.F_01 has posted a new post.]

Breaking the silence that had lasted for over two months, a new post was uploaded.

The content itself was nothing special. Just a photo of a hotel breakfast taken at a plausible angle, with a very short comment.

[A new beginning..]

The reactions of the Future Strategy Planning Department colleagues to the post, which had nearly 30 comments in about an hour, were as follows:

-Wait a minute, didn’t Kim say that Charles Phleg doesn’t post on his SNS account when he’s in a relationship? Then this is…….

Swish.

I think this was the first time I saw John Ramer clench his fist.

-No, what is this guy really? When did he say he met his lifelong partner and all that…….

Is it okay to hit him?

Isn’t this innocent even if you hit him?

I never thought there would be someone who would hear these words from the great John Ramer.

While Ji-seop was inwardly admiring, David Wilson stroked his chin and said this.

-But you never know.

David was cautious.

-I don’t think the situation would have changed drastically in those few days……. Shouldn’t we just take this post literally?

If someone asked you which side you were on, Ji-seop was also close to David Wilson’s opinion.

Rather than having that thought, it would be more accurate to say that he was praying that his opinion was correct.

Charles Phleg, nicknamed ‘The Nevada Hound Dog in Heat.’ He was a man who had lived his life staking everything on love.

That kind of person got dumped? Even in the midst of talk about getting married?

It was obvious that he wouldn’t be able to use even half of his abilities if that happened.

Ji-seop was just hoping that his trip all the way to the Dominican Republic wouldn’t be in vain, but-

“Charles Phleg has arrived!”

Around 2:30 p.m. on this day.

Just as the luxury sedan provided by the CEO slid into the entrance for 관계자 [related personnel] at Tropicana Field.

Click! Click! Click!

As the team’s photographers diligently pressed the shutter, the back door opened and the person in question appeared.

‘……Damn it.’

Ji-seop, who was watching the scene from one step behind, bit his lower lip without realizing it.

“Charles, hello!”

“Welcome, Mr. Phleg!”

Even amidst the warm welcome from the Tampa Bay Rays people, Charles Phleg’s expression was very dark.

“Ah, yes. It’s good to see you all.”

The reddish, vibrant cheeks were drooping with a yellowish hue.

He was holding a long cane in the hand that used to shake the 다 먹은 홍삼 [all-eaten red ginseng] stick excitedly.

Above all, his eyes, which used to sparkle with burning passion, even looked hollow like rotten 동태 [pollack] eyeballs.

“Oh, Kim! You’re here too?”

The legend of the marketing industry, who seemed to have aged 10 years in just one week.

He found Ji-seop and waved his hand weakly.

* * *

For about 30 minutes after that, Ji-seop felt like his heart was burning up.

He couldn’t help it. Since hearing the story from CEO Brian Sphan for the first time, the project he had invested in for almost a month was in danger of being scrapped.

“Charles, be careful!”

“Ah, I’m sorry about this…….”

Charles Phleg appeared unable to even move properly, let alone work on the project with Ji-seop.

Is this what it feels like to drop your nose in a perfectly cooked meal? Ji-seop was feeling not only frustrated but also subtly angry, but that didn’t last long either.

“……Hey, Kim.”

After greeting the key figures of the Tampa Bay Rays, was it the time to wait for the stadium tour to begin?

The person in question, Mr. Charles Phleg, slowly approached with his cane and patted the back of Ji-seop’s hand.

“I have no face to see you.”

“…….”

When Ji-seop raised his eyes without a word, Charles Phleg quietly came and sat next to him.

“Thanks to you, I was able to propose at the best baseball stadium in the Dominican Republic……. But in the end, I didn’t get a good answer.”

“What happened?”

At Ji-seop’s question, Charles Phleg gave a hollow smile.

“What’s the point of asking why now? It’s just my fault for being inadequate and not understanding that person’s heart.”

He tapped his cane.

“But I loved with all my heart. I expressed myself as much as I could according to my heart, and I properly conveyed what my heart was like. Isn’t that enough? I have no regrets left.”

“If that’s the case…… I’m glad, but.”

Ji-seop looked into Charles Phleg’s eyes and soon clicked his tongue.

On the outside, he said he had no regrets, but on the inside, he had a lot of regrets left.

‘Was it Elizabeth? He must have really liked that lady.’

When he saw the post that came up in the morning, Ji-seop was thinking about how to get Charles Phleg’s mentality back.

He had to join the team with a sound mind. That’s how he could find a way to maximize the Tampa Bay Rays’ success.

But as he looked at his eyes, which were full of regret, Ji-seop’s heart softened again for no reason.

‘……It would be good to give him some time.’

Just because he’s old doesn’t mean he won’t feel the pain of heartbreak.

Just because he’s experienced it countless times doesn’t mean he’ll recover quickly.

Then let’s give him time. Let’s give him consideration so that he can shake off his lingering feelings for Elizabeth and come back. It won’t be too late to use his experience and skills after that.

Just as he was about to turn his gaze towards Charles Phleg while making up his mind like that.

‘Hmm?’

What came into Ji-seop’s view was Charles Phleg’s wide-eyed expression.

The old man, who had been almost dying from the pain of heartbreak just a moment ago, suddenly opened his eyes wide and was half-rising.

“Oh, oh, oh…….”

The legend of the marketing world, spewing out unidentified exclamations as if possessed by a ghost.

‘……What?’

Ji-seop, who turned his head following his gaze, couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh.

“Ramer, how have you been?”

“Oh, Ms. Natalie! Are you in charge of the stadium tour today?”

“Yes, it’s the end of the year and the weekend is overlapping? So it seems like I’m the only one among the volunteers who has time.”

A gray-haired grandmother was greeting John Ramer.

She was a short woman with snow-white curly hair that looked like snow had fallen on it. And her crescent-shaped eyes that appeared whenever she smiled at John Ramer were impressive.

Judging from the color of the name tag she was wearing around her neck, she seemed to be retired and volunteering at the Tampa Bay Rays.

Pointing directly at her, Charles Phleg asked Ji-seop.

“Excuse me…… Kim? Who is that lady who is greeting Ramer over there? Do you happen to know her too?”

……Lady?

There was no time to argue with the sudden title.

Ji-seop could hear his intense inner thoughts.

[Oh, to think that someone with such a beautiful smile would still be left in this dark world!]

And the next moment, Charles Phleg handed the cane he was holding to Ji-seop.

He swept his disheveled hair back with both hands and said one word to Ji-seop.

“Kim, would you wait for me for a moment?”

He said to Ji-seop.

“I need to go ask what that beautiful lady’s name is.”