A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 7

The Newbie in the Baseball Team is Too Good – Episode 7

Chapter 3: No Retreat (3)

Kim Ji-seop didn’t have anyone he could call a ‘close friend.’

“…….”

He thought he had some when he was younger.

But after he gained the ability to read other people’s minds, those good friends all drifted away.

It was unavoidable.

Since he could see all their little lies, he couldn’t maintain the same close relationships as before.

-Ji-seop, don’t be too disappointed. Just because you didn’t get drafted professionally doesn’t mean your baseball career is over.

-Hehe, doesn’t that sting a little to say? You’re secretly thinking it’s all over, aren’t you?

-What, what?! No, I’m trying to comfort you…….

Like that, his really close friends left his side one by one, but ironically, Ji-seop always received the evaluation that he had ‘good interpersonal skills.’

This was also unavoidable.

Since he could see through other people’s minds, he became very specialized in maintaining appropriate relationships with appropriate people.

-Manager, you seem to be in a very good mood today? Did something good happen?

-Hmm? Oh, is it that obvious? Haha, actually, my child won an award at an art competition yesterday!

-Oh, congratulations! Isn’t that really amazing?

-Haha, right? The team is on a losing streak, so I felt a bit awkward bragging about it openly…… You really know how I feel, Kim!

One of the reasons why he was able to continue his career for over 10 years with a 128km/h fastball.

Because of that track record, Ji-seop was confident this time as well.

‘Sakhalin Park, huh…… Well, he’s definitely a difficult person…….’

I can adjust to him enough.

What’s so difficult about it?

If I just do what I’ve been doing, I’m sure I can not only get the set lesson fee but also make extra money by getting other private lessons-

‘……Damn it.’

To tell you the result in advance,

‘Sakhalin Park,’ Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju, was a much tougher opponent than Ji-seop had expected.

“Hey, Qingdao! Can’t you move faster?!!”

* * *

First of all, this old man,

had stamina close to infinite.

“One! Two! Three! Four!”

“Five! Six! Seven! Eight!”

The fact that he was still working on the front lines of KH Group even after passing seventy years of age seemed to be true.

When dealing with middle-aged men in [Superstar Baseball], they would be panting just from stretching properly, but this old man didn’t even twitch an eyebrow even after completing all the programs Ji-seop had prepared.

No matter how much he increased the intensity of the training, he would call him at 4 a.m. sharp the next day, so it was truly a pain in the ass for Ji-seop, who was teaching him.

-Are you incapable of learning? I told you to be out here by 4 a.m.!!!

“I’m going, I’m going! I was putting on my shoes, so why are you yelling so much!!!”

Secondly, this old man,

was constantly finding fault with Ji-seop’s training methods.

“Hey, Qingdao! Why do you keep throwing Arirang balls [a slow, looping pitch]? How can hitting those balls be considered batting practice!”

From warm-up to fielding practice to batting practice, he couldn’t stand to follow anything without complaining.

For the first two days, the time spent explaining ‘why we have to do this training’ was longer than the actual training time.

After Secretary Yang, who couldn’t stand it any longer, added a word, ‘Vice Chairman, you’ve entrusted the lesson content entirely to Coach Kim,’ it got a little better, but he still kept grumbling.

“If you’re thinking of just glossing over things, you should give up early. I may look like this, but I was a member of the Daeyoungsan High School baseball team and even went to the Blue Dragon Flag competition [a prestigious high school baseball tournament in South Korea], and above all…….”

“You’re the first general manager of the professional baseball team KH Cannons, right? Yes, yes, I’ve heard it so many times I’m sick of it, Vice Chairman!”

In fact, up to this point, there were things that could be understood with a hundred concessions.

He must have decided to play baseball at that age because he had natural stamina, and he must have risen to the position of vice chairman because he had a meticulousness that didn’t let anything pass.

However, the most absurd part from Ji-seop’s point of view was this.

The almighty ‘Sakhalin Park,’ Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju, was a tremendous cheapskate.

“…….”

Vice Chairman Park’s routine was to have breakfast at the KH Group-affiliated hotel every morning at 8 a.m.

The baseball lesson that started at 4 a.m. ended around that time, so Ji-seop also visited the hotel with the old man at his invitation.

It was good until he enjoyed a luxurious meal that was hard to believe was breakfast, but half of the day’s meal expenses were charged to Ji-seop.

“Are you saying…… I have to pay for this?”

Park Hong-ju replied to Ji-seop, who was looking at him with the receipt in his hand.

“Then should I pay for you?”

And adding one more word.

“What have you done that I should buy you food, Qingdao?”

For reference, the thoughts that Ji-seop saw in Park’s mind at this time were as follows.

[What have you done that I should buy you food, Qingdao?]

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone so consistent on the inside and out.

Ji-seop cursed inwardly and took out his card.

“……Damn it.”

* * *

Looking at him as just one person, ‘Sakhalin Park,’ Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju, could never be called a good customer.

He had unnecessary stamina, complained a lot, and didn’t know how to be generous to his subordinates even though he had money to burn.

‘The worst.’

However, ‘Sakhalin Park’ seemed to have some conscience.

Or did the words ‘What have you done that I should buy you food’ mean ‘I might buy you food if you do something’?

Thwack!

It was exactly one week after starting private lessons.

Park Hong-ju, who had modified his batting form under Ji-seop’s guidance, hit a clean long hit for the first time in practice batting.

Thwack!

Thwack!

The long hits didn’t stop at just one.

Every time Vice Chairman Park swung his bat, the ball stretched out with a refreshing sound.

“…….”

Vice Chairman Park, who was staring blankly at the white trajectory that was disappearing into the distance.

He suddenly turned to Ji-seop and said this.

“Hey, Qingdao.”

“Yes, Vice Chairman.”

“Keep your evening free today.”

The moment he heard the following words, Ji-seop couldn’t help but doubt his ears.

“Have dinner with me.”

The dinner location was told by Vice Chairman Park’s secretary.

A Japanese restaurant located on the 29th floor of the KH Group-affiliated hotel.

Ji-seop’s brother, Kim Ji-chang, made a fuss when he heard this news.

“That, that…… it’s a Michelin 3-star restaurant!”

Jackpot, jackpot, total jackpot.

Kim Ji-chang looked at his younger brother, who was having dinner with an executive of a large company, with envious eyes.

“It costs over 700,000 won [approximately $530 USD] for dinner alone…… If you have a drink, it’ll easily go over 1 million won [approximately $750 USD]! Wow, our brother is totally successful!”

“……Successful my ass.”

That’s what he said, but in fact, Ji-seop was also secretly looking forward to it.

A Michelin 3-star restaurant.

A luxury he couldn’t even imagine just a few months ago.

However, the fact that Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju had invited him to this dinner was a bit unsettling.

Considering the old man’s personality, he didn’t expect him to easily give away such an expensive and good meal.

And,

Ji-seop’s prediction was correct.

“Welcome, Coach Kim Ji-seop.”

Ji-seop, guided by a well-dressed employee, entered the room located in the deepest part.

After waiting for a while in a place where he could see the night view of Seoul, Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju appeared.

“Have you arrived, Vice Chairman.”

“Oh, were you here?”

Only Ji-seop and Vice Chairman Park were sitting at the long table.

“Vice Chairman, then…….”

“Well, let’s begin.”

As Park Hong-ju nodded, the employees began to move busily.

What they brought was not an expensive dish worthy of a Michelin 3-star restaurant, but a large projector and a rolled-up screen.

Plug in the cord, install the screen, and after fussing around for a while, he heard the words ‘I’ll start now.’

And the next moment, what unfolded before Ji-seop’s eyes was a video.

-KH Group Special Documentary

-KH of Innovation, 40 Years of Tumult

* * *

The video was produced directly by KH Group.

A documentary about the development history of KH Group, focusing on the life of the late Chairman Joo Tae-san, the founder of the group.

While the documentary was playing, Vice Chairman Park chattered on and on about stories he hadn’t even been asked about.

“There, there, there! It’s there! The person holding the trophy next to Chairman Joo! That’s me! I told you, right? Daeyoungsan High School baseball team! Huh? Hahaha.”

“Oh, it’s there too! The one in the middle is Chairman Joo, next to him is the King of Saudi Arabia at the time, and next to him is me! Hehe, it reminds me of the old days! It brings back old memories!”

The long-awaited meal began after the 1 hour and 40-minute special documentary ended.

However, even the high-end course meal worth 700,000 won per person did not last long.

Just as the appetizer came out and the main course was about to begin, a faint sound was heard from across Ji-seop.

“……Snore.”

It was ‘Sakhalin Park.’

Vice Chairman Park Hong-ju, who had been excitedly talking just a moment ago, had fallen asleep at some point.

With chopsticks in his hand, his head leaning against the chair, the second-in-command of KH Group was sleeping like a dead man.

“He’s doing all sorts of things.”

Ji-seop sighed deeply and called the employee, and Secretary Yang, who received the call from the employee, hurriedly entered the room about 5 minutes later.

“Oh my, this…… Vice Chairman! Vice Chairman!”

Secretary Yang shook Park’s large body here and there, but all he heard was the sound of snoring.

Secretary Yang looked at Ji-seop with a bitter smile.

“He’s not usually like this…… It seems the Vice Chairman has been very tired for the past few days.”

“It seems so.”

It wasn’t unreasonable.

The 70-year-old was doing training that even men in their 40s barely managed to do 3 times a week, for a week straight.

Ji-seop had been secretly surprised by his tenacity, but he didn’t want to boost Park’s ego, so he hadn’t said anything.

“It seems impossible to have any more meals anyway…… Shouldn’t we take the Vice Chairman home quickly?”

“Yes, yes, we should.”

Secretary Yang made a call somewhere, and soon men with good builds in suits entered the room.

Ji-seop felt a bit awkward just watching, so he helped them support Park’s large body.

“Okay, Vice Chairman! Lift your butt a little! You have to go home!”

Ji-seop shouted loudly into Park Hong-ju’s ear.

It must have been right then.

“Hey…… Qingdao…….”

Park Hong-ju’s voice was heard in Ji-seop’s ear.

The next moment, Ji-seop couldn’t help but look at Park’s face once again.

“I…… I really have to do well in this baseball tournament…….”

“I have to show Joo Young-eun…… Joo Young-eun that rude bastard…… what’s what…….”

Did you understand?

With those words as his last, Park Hong-ju was carried out of the room on the back of his escort.

* * *

30 minutes later,

Ji-seop, who had left the restaurant, was getting a ride home in Secretary Yang’s car.

“Secretary Yang, I’m grateful, but…… shouldn’t you be attending to the Vice Chairman?”

“It’s okay. It’s not like I’m with him 24 hours a day as his secretary.”

Secretary Yang continued, skillfully turning the steering wheel.

“Besides…… Coach Kim, you have to guide the Vice Chairman from tomorrow morning, right? So I should take you home as soon as possible.”

“Tomorrow?”

Ji-seop tilted his head.

“Will we be able to proceed with the lesson tomorrow? The Vice Chairman seemed completely knocked out today…….”

“You can bet on it.”

Secretary Yang’s voice was full of confidence.

“The Vice Chairman will call you without fail at 4 a.m. tomorrow.”

“He will come out tomorrow…….”

At this time, Ji-seop felt a slight sense of unease.

Something felt strange.

Why is an old man over seventy so obsessed with baseball?

And what was the story he told himself before leaving the restaurant?

‘I was guessing that it wasn’t just about finding meaning in participating…….’

He felt like there was something more to it.

Ji-seop turned to Secretary Yang and opened his mouth.

“A little while ago.”

“Yes, please speak.”

“The Vice Chairman said that he had to show Joo Young-eun what’s what?”

“Joo, did you say Joo Young-eun?”

Secretary Yang, who always had a gentle smile on his face.

He showed a sign of embarrassment for the first time.