A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 433

94. The Place I Need to Be (2)

I’ll come visit sometime.

Of course, you have to come.

It was two days later that Jisub kept his promise to the KH Cannons people.

Specifically, on February 11th, he was able to clear his schedule for that one day amidst his busy schedule.

‘The Cannons players also said it was their day off…….’

Although he had met Chun Jinwoo recently, it had been a long time since he had faced Go Changdeok and the Cannons people.

So Jisub hurried to prepare from early in the morning. He checked the car as he had to go for quite a while and filled the trunk with gifts.

With such an excited heart, he headed to Port Myers. As usual, John Ramer accompanied Jisub on this day.

“I wanted to meet them at least once. Kim’s Korean colleagues.”

He said, sitting in the passenger seat.

“And I think it’s necessary for our Future Strategy Planning Division’s project.”

“Necessary?”

“Yes, Charles Flex said so, didn’t he? This time, he wants us to get ideas from Korean professional baseball.”

“Ah.”

A groundbreaking and decisive move to try during the upcoming exhibition game period by the Future Strategy Planning Division.

Jisub was quietly smiling inside at John Ramer’s story of accompanying him to get that idea.

‘Hehe, John Ramer is now doing his part quite well, isn’t he?’

It felt like watching a promising player, who was thought to have no answer, pick out a walk [baseball term for drawing a base without hitting].

The feeling when a backup member, who you wondered how to use, hit an infield hit [a hit where the batter reaches first base before the ball can be fielded].

While turning the car’s steering wheel with a secretly pleased feeling, John Ramer looked at his phone and asked.

“Kim, is it a right turn here?”

John Ramer was looking at the navigation on his phone.

“Port Myers Sports Complex……. The navigation says we need to go straight?”

“Ah, that’s based on the main gate.”

Jisub replied briefly.

“This facility is incredibly large. If you go through the main gate, you’ll have to go around quite a bit. To get to the Cannons’ spring camp, you need to go through this side gate…….”

Vroom.

As Jisub turned the steering wheel again and passed through a small entrance, John Ramer, who was sitting in the passenger seat, exclaimed, ‘Oh.’

A large banner hanging next to the indoor training facility came into view.

[Welcome!]

[KH Cannons Spring Camp]

The destination was reached in the blink of an eye.

John Ramer smiled as he put his phone in his pocket.

“Wow, as expected, a former Cannons employee is different, isn’t he? You completely know the geography of this area?”

“Of course, isn’t it obvious?”

While parking the car in the spacious parking lot, Jisub was blankly looking around for a moment.

The Cannons’ spring camp didn’t seem to have changed much. So, old memories came flooding back.

The exciting feeling when he first arrived here, the time he ran around looking for a pig’s head needed for the ritual [Korean tradition for good luck], and the time he came up with ideas for the Cannons’ YouTube channel.

Memories that come to mind as vividly as if they were yesterday, even if he just closes his eyes now. It had been a long time since he felt this way.

“But…… why is it so quiet?”

While unfastening his seatbelt and getting out, John Ramer looked around.

“I thought the Cannons people would come rushing out to wait for Kim to arrive.”

“Hey, don’t even dream about that.”

Jisub chuckled.

“They’re probably all out of their minds right now. They’re taking care of all the players and coaching staff with less than 20 people.”

“Wow, is that really true? The number of front office staff in Korean professional baseball is really small?”

“Yes, if you include the staff in Korea, it would be 50 people……. But not everyone can come to the United States.”

Looking back, it was dizzying.

How they were able to run the spring camp with so few people.

Perhaps his old colleagues are still suffering in a similar situation.

I should really treat them to a delicious lunch today. While thinking that, he opened the trunk door.

Brrr- Brrr- Brrr-

A phone call coming in.

Jisub quickly answered the phone after confirming the name [Go Changdeok].

“Yes, hyung [Korean term for older brother or older male friend]!”

At this time, Jisub’s voice was filled with joy.

-Oh, Jisub!

Go Changdeok’s voice, Jisub’s KH Cannons rookie classmate, was the same.

-Where are you coming from? It seems like it’s about time to arrive?

“Haha, I’ve already arrived a long time ago.”

Jisub started taking out the gift packages with his phone tucked between his shoulder and ear.

“I’m in the parking lot behind the indoor training facility. Where are you, hyung? Should I go to the cafeteria?”

-What, you’ve already arrived?!!

Go Changdeok sounded flustered.

-How did this happen? We were guarding the path you were coming from…… Ah!

Side gate!

Go Changdeok shouted.

-Jisub, you came in through the side gate? Oh my, I didn’t think of that!

It was at this moment that Go Changdeok’s urgent voice was heard through the phone speaker.

Telling them to fold the banners, bring the carts, and that Jisub had gone astray.

Jisub couldn’t help but ask Go Changdeok, who was causing such a commotion.

“Hyung, what’s wrong? What’s going on?”

-What’s going on! You got one over on us. We were waiting in front of the main gate……

Anyway, you have a good memory.

How did you remember the side gate.

Go Changdeok laughed and continued in a serious voice.

-Anyway, just wait there! Don’t move! We’ll be there in about 10 minutes.

“No, I mean, why?”

-Man, it’s obviously a welcoming event!!

Go Changdeok said in a loud voice.

-Jisub, you’ve returned to Port Myers in triumph, how can we just gloss over that?!

We have to have a welcoming ceremony!

A very boisterous one!

Jisub’s rookie classmate seemed to have been waiting for this moment.

* * *

About 10 minutes later.

The Cannons’ spring camp, which had been quiet due to the day off, was suddenly filled with a lively atmosphere.

“The azaleas on Yeongsan Hill have bloomed, but there’s no news from my departed love~”

KH Cannons’ unofficial cheering song, [Yeongsan Hill Road], was echoing loudly through the large speakers.

Amidst the banners spread out by the Cannons staff, [Congratulations! Tampa Bay Rays Deputy General Manager Kim Jisub’s Visit!] fluttering in the wind.

Jisub, wearing a crudely made flower necklace, was being tossed in the air by his old colleagues.

Jisubaaaa- Welcome!

Jisubaaaa- Welcome!

In response to Go Changdeok’s lead, he was thrown high into the sky and then seemed to plummet to the ground.

Jisub was having a hard time coming to his senses due to the enthusiastic welcome of his old colleagues. He didn’t even know that John Ramer was chuckling and recording this scene next to him.

“Stop, stop, stop! Please put me down now! If I come back just twice, you’ll be holding a funeral!”

After being thrown into the sky and coming down almost ten times, Jisub was looking at Go Changdeok with a slightly resentful look.

Why make such a fuss. There’s no need to call everyone together like this on their day off.

He wanted to nag like before, but seeing his rookie classmate looking at him with a pleased expression, he couldn’t bring himself to say those words.

Instead, the only word Jisub uttered was.

“Hyung.”

Jisub shook hands firmly with Go Changdeok.

“Have you been well?”

“Of course, I’ve been doing well! Jisub, what were you so busy with…….”

Yeah.

Yes, he seemed to be about to say that, but Go Changdeok couldn’t finish what he wanted to say in time either.

Almost at the same time as the two shook hands, the Cannons people flocked around them.

“Jisub hyung!!”

“Jisub ssi [Korean honorific]!”

“Special Advisor Kim!”

They were all missed faces.

Lee Subin, who was once the Cannons’ gluttonous prospect and is now the team’s fourth hitter and captain.

Cha Jongmin, who was once the front office’s troublemaker who only had his eyes on the players’ cars but is now a key member of the Cannons’ operations team.

Here, even Cha Yoonjin, the industry senior who was the scariest mentor in Jisub’s front office life, the ‘Black Curtain Cha Cha’ Cha Yoonjin, was giving Jisub a warm greeting.

“Everyone must be busy, why did you gather like this? I was going to go say hello if you were in the dorms.”

“Hey, how can we do that? Jisub ssi is the pride of our Cannons front office!”

“Special Advisor Kim, doesn’t your face look a little gaunt? Are you eating well?”

“More than that…… Hyung! Jisub hyung! Please look at me! Don’t you think my body management is definitely improving now?”

People were saying a word to Jisub, whom they were meeting after a long time.

At this rate, it felt like the sun would set in this parking lot.

It was Go Changdeok’s skill that sorted out the chaotic situation.

“Okay, I understand that you’re happy to see Jisub……. But let’s move our seats for now! There’s someone who came with Jisub, and more than anything, there are people waiting inside.”

“Ah, that’s right! The manager and coaches were there, right?”

“Didn’t the general manager also return this morning?”

People who are probably waiting for Jisub with their necks stretched out in the office right now.

Knowing their hearts, the Cannons’ players and staff also took a step back.

Taking advantage of the gap, Go Changdeok began to guide Jisub and John Ramer.

“Okay, this way.”

Go Changdeok was constantly beaming.

“Jisub, how long are you planning to stay today? Can you stay overnight?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t think that’ll be possible. We also have one or two Major League-level players joining us from tomorrow…….”

“We’re like that too, but you guys are no joke either. Ugh, when will we be able to have a comfortable cup of tea.”

While exchanging a word or two with Go Changdeok like that, he was moving towards the office where Manager Arthur Freeman and General Manager Seo Changki were waiting, right at that moment.

Crack!

A strong hitting sound coming from the ground.

Jisub and John Ramer stopped as if they had promised.

Crack!

Crack!

When Jisub narrowed his eyes, what came into view was a player wearing a Cannons uniform.

A player with a confident physique at a glance was hitting the batting ball of a training assistant.

“Wow, he’s quite a diligent player, isn’t he?”

John Ramer said.

“You said today is a day off, right? But he’s out here training all alone.”

“That’s right. It’s not just that he’s diligent, but…….”

What caught Jisub’s attention was the player’s tremendous hitting ability.

Every time he swung the bat, a line drive like a clothesline was stretching out towards the outfield.

“Wow, hyung!”

Jisub couldn’t help but tap Go Changdeok on the shoulder.

“That guy is no joke, is he? I don’t think there was a player like that when I was here……. Who is he?”

“Ah, Hojin? He’s a rookie who just came in this year……. Not bad, right?”

“Hey, not bad! At that level, he’s not far behind Ryu Jangho……. Hmm?”

And the very next moment,

Jisub tilted his head slightly.

“Hyung, why do you have that expression on your face?”

And the following words.

“You look like you have a serious concern?”