Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 136

#135. A Vexing Rival

“…Yerin.”

“…Yerin?”

“…Yerin!”

“Yerin! Hey, Min Yerin!”

“Huh!”

“Hey, you scared me. What made you fall so deeply asleep while I was just in the restroom? And why were you screaming? Oh, are those tears in your eyes? Were you crying?”

“Tears……?”

“Yeah, geez. What kind of nap makes you so dramatic? Are you still not feeling well?”

At her manager’s words, Min Yerin waved her hands in surprise and replied.

“Not feeling well? No, I’m fine now. I just had a bit of a nightmare.”

“…What kind of nightmare do you have on the sofa while we’re talking about work? Anyway, go wash your face. It’s a mess with tears and sweat.”

“Okay, I got it. Just a moment.”

Min Yerin got up and went to the restroom, splashing cold water on her face.

Her dazed mind finally started to clear.

She had dozed off while having an important conversation with her manager.

At most 10 minutes? No, 5 minutes?

She had a dream in that short amount of time.

A horrific scene of a truck running over a child, and then a sturdy man appearing from somewhere, hugging the child and getting hit by the car instead.

Min Yerin couldn’t do anything in front of it.

A child she had never seen before, and the back of a man she didn’t recognize.

She screamed and wailed as she watched the massive truck run over them.

Then she woke up.

She didn’t know why she had such a dream, or why her heart was pounding so hard.

‘…Let’s take care of the urgent matters first.’

Min Yerin, having barely composed herself, came back to the living room and said to her manager.

“Oppa [an honorific term used by women to address older male friends or brothers], are you sure everything is ready for today? There’s no second chance. We have to succeed in one shot.”

“Hey, Yerin. Are you okay now? Your face is pale. You really look sick.”

“No, it’s just because I washed my face with cold water. Anyway, go to the stadium and double-check everything one last time. Oh, and take care of the staff’s meals and snacks again.”

“I know, I’m not a rookie. Do you think I wouldn’t have checked that? Anyway, I’m going to the stadium… but are you really okay? Your father told me to contact him.”

“I’m fine, and I’ll contact Dad.”

“Sigh… Okay, I understand. By the way… is it really worth spending all this money for just 5 or 10 minutes?”

“It’s my money. What’s it to you?”

“Ha, that’s true… Okay, I understand. I’ll head over first. Call me immediately if you feel unwell.”

At Min Yerin’s urging, her manager shook his head as if he couldn’t help it and left the house.

Min Yerin, looking a little thinner than usual, let out a soft sigh.

Her dazed mind was now slowly finding its place.

The dreamlike time she spent in the United States passed in an instant.

Han Su-hyeok recording a save in the first Korea-Japan match, breaking through the first round, crushing Cuba, and smashing Japan again in their second encounter.

In the WBC [World Baseball Classic] finals, which they reached for the first time in 18 years, Han Su-hyeok pitched a no-hitter.

And not only that, but he even hit a walk-off grand slam at the plate. It was truly a game by Han Su-hyeok, of Han Su-hyeok, for Han Su-hyeok.

The ensuing victory celebration was quite splendid.

Min Yerin, who was already dissatisfied with the modest victory celebration and return flight prepared by the KBO [Korea Baseball Organization], was looking for something she could do for Han Su-hyeok.

Expanding the scale of the celebration, inviting artists with connections in the United States, and upgrading the players’ economy seats to business class.

It wasn’t easy. No matter how much it was Min Yerin, there were limits to what an individual could do in another country.

But then, out of nowhere, a young master from America’s top family stepped in and solved everything.

She felt a bit disappointed, but she tried to swallow that disappointment, thinking that it was all for Han Su-hyeok.

And at the very end of the celebration, she even stood on stage and sang a song for Han Su-hyeok and the players.

-And you’ll finally see the truth That a hero lies in you…….

At the moment when her song was reaching its climax, she made eye contact with Han Su-hyeok.

She didn’t know. She couldn’t understand.

Why did tears well up whenever she made eye contact with him?

Seeing Han Su-hyeok with a lonely look in his eyes, alone in that time and space where everyone was rejoicing, was so painful yet, at the same time, she was grateful.

That’s how all the time in the United States came to an end.

Returning to Korea with her father, she immediately checked into the hospital for a thorough examination.

And yesterday, she finally returned home after completing all the tests.

Han Su-hyeok’s first starting debut on the domestic stage.

She couldn’t miss it. If she thought she couldn’t see today’s game, she would have escaped from the hospital in her patient gown.

‘Today, definitely…….’

Her eyes sparkled.

She had her chance stolen by that young master in America, but this time, no way.

She would give Han Su-hyeok, who was having his official starting debut in the professional league, the best gift.

* * *

The last week, transitioning from August to September.

The evening air, which was still hot when she returned to Korea, had become noticeably cooler in just a few days.

The recent three-game series against Busan was quite lively.

The desire for the professional baseball league, which had been suspended for about 20 days, combined with the desire to see the players who had returned from the WBC, filled the stadium with a sell-out crowd for all three games.

Of course, none of the Busan players had been called up to the national team, though.

Well, let’s put that aside for now.

In a situation where each win was so precious, they achieved a winning series with 2 wins and 1 loss against Busan. And personally, I added two more home runs.

But something felt off.

Why did I feel so empty?

– Everyone! Are you all ready? Are you ready to welcome the hero of the WBC, our eternal hero, Han Su-hyeok?

“Yesss!”

– Louder!

“Yesssss!”

– Good. We’ve prepared a special performance for this moment, so please look forward to it.

“Oooooh!”

– Now, let’s welcome Han Su-hyeok. Everyone, please stand up. Good. Now, let’s begin. We present to you Seoul Warriors’ Han Su-hyeok, who will be making his domestic debut today!

“Waaaaaah!”

The crowd began to cheer in response to the announcer’s signal.

That cheer snapped me back to my senses, and I suddenly realized why I had felt so empty during the last three-game series in Busan.

It was because someone who always stuck to the safety net and looked at me had disappeared.

Ah… what is this. This is troublesome.

– Han Su-hyeok, please come onto the field!

“Su-hyeok, go on out. Hehehe.”

“Yes, I’ll be back.”

A celebratory performance for his starting debut…….

I heard from Seong-hoon hyung [older brother or close male friend] that Min Yerin had prepared this, not the club.

I felt so sorry that I tried to decline, saying it was okay, but her eyes were too earnest to keep refusing.

Well, I’ve never done anything like this in the United States.

I even feel a little embarrassed.

Buzz.

The lights in Jamsil Baseball Stadium went out for a moment, and the stands began to quiet down little by little.

The path from the dugout to the mound.

As I stepped onto that path, one of the laser lights installed in the far outfield shone on me and followed me.

It was then.

Buzzzzz

A sound like a swarm of wasps flying around came from somewhere, and then dozens, no, hundreds of small drones began to fly into the sky above Jamsil Baseball Stadium.

Could this be…….

“What is it? What’s this?”

“What drones? What are they going to do with drones?”

Confused voices came from all over the stands.

And soon they could see with their own eyes what Min Yerin had prepared.

“Oh my god…….”

“This is that drone show they did when they won the WBC.”

“Crazy, crazy…….”

“The Warriors really spent some money. How much would something like that cost?”

Hundreds of drones that had flown into the air began to take their places.

And the lights emitted from those drones began to take shape little by little.

Slowly, but very clearly.

Seoul Warriors No.1

Han Soo hyuk

BATTING : 99

DEFENCE : 99

SPEED : 99

PITCHING : 99

A combination of unknown English and numbers, and a shape of my face made below it.

It’s a player card.

Min Yerin, that crazy woman, had mobilized drones to create my player card in the sky above Jamsil Baseball Stadium.

└ㅋㅋㅋㅋ [laughing sounds]

└Wow, that’s awesome. I can’t believe I’m seeing this in Korea

└That must have cost a fortune

└Isn’t that what the Saudi guys do when they bring in European soccer players?

└They did it at the WBC win last time. I guess they called those guys

└I heard that costs a lot of money… I guess the Warriors can afford it now

└By the way, attack, defense, speed, pitching are all 99 ㅋㅋㅋ [laughing sounds]

└Of course. He crushed all the major leaguers at the WBC

└Only gave him 99? What about hidden traits?

└If Han Su-hyeok is 99, how much should they give the other teams?

└Let’s be honest. Anyone who thinks their team has a player who can go over 50, raise your hand?

└Han Su-hyeok fans are excited;;;

* * *

“I feel like we’re getting pushed back before the game even starts?”

“I’m a little jealous……. When I made my starting debut, fans flocked to SNS [Social Networking Services] and covered it with insults.”

“What did you do?”

“I gave up 4 runs in the first inning, I think.”

“Hehe, you deserved the insults.”

“By the way… how are we supposed to hit his pitches today? Even the Americans couldn’t hit them.”

“…….”

The drone show prepared by Min Yerin was over, and the Magicians’ offense was being prepared for the top of the first inning.

The Magicians players thought.

When did the Warriors, who they had been unilaterally crushing to the point where the term Jamsil rivals seemed a waste, become such an uncomfortable opponent?

The trade of Choi Min-seok + Kim Doo-young and Song Ki-tae + Jung Ki-ho, which was already being talked about as the worst trade candidate in history.

The acquisition of Hwang Seong-min, led by the ousted former general manager, and the ensuing disgrace in the bench-clearing brawl.

These were also problems, but the biggest problem was something else.

Han Su-hyeok.

The worst enemy in history, who not only grabbed the Magicians by the neck throughout the first half of the season but also stepped up to make his starting debut in the first rivalry game of the second half.

Maybe, as someone said, it would be right to abandon the games Han Su-hyeok pitches in and go. It might be better to save our strength there and put it into other games.

But for the Magicians, who have the pride of being Jamsil rivals and are aiming to regain third place in the second half, that was impossible.

In the end, the Magicians chose an all-out war today, and the burden was passed on to the players.

“Okay, everyone. Just pay attention for a moment.”

Kim Seong-soo, the most senior player, stepped up to change the atmosphere in the dugout, which was filled with a bit of gloom.

He had participated in the last WBC national team and had built a decent friendship with Han Su-hyeok.

“Yes, senior.”

“Good. I won’t talk long. Han Su-hyeok? Honestly, he’s really good. He’s really crazy. But.”

“But?”

“No matter what, he’s human, and he’ll have the aftereffects of pitching a complete game in the US game. We’re not going to play baseball for just a day or two, and he’s definitely going to control his pitch count today. So let’s just hold on.”

“Hold on to what?”

“Until that guy comes down from the mound.”

“Ah…….”

“If we go to a bullpen fight, we’re guaranteed to be at an advantage. They only have Yang Gi-cheol to entrust behind Han Su-hyeok. Let’s focus on looking at even one more ball and increasing his pitch count.”

“I understand what you mean.”

“Good. I’d like to tell you about his weaknesses if possible, but honestly, I can’t find any.”

“…Is he that good?”

“Yeah, let’s think of him as an SSS-class foreign pitcher who crushed the major leagues and face him. Everyone, fighting!”

* * *

– Amazing. I really enjoyed watching that. Don’t you think so, Commissioner?

– When I look at the Warriors these days, I think about that. The perfect combination of sports and entertainment, and if we want to survive in the competition with other sports at this point in 2027, we can’t help but emphasize sports entertainment. In that respect, the Warriors are perfect…….

– Commissioner, let’s take a look at the starting lineup of today’s home team, the Warriors.

– Good. Here is the lineup for the Seoul Warriors, who have Han Su-hyeok as their starting pitcher today.

1. Center Fielder Seo Hyeong-ju

2. Left Fielder Choi Min-seok

3. 1st Baseman Jo Seong-oh

4. Pitcher Han Su-hyeok

5. Right Fielder Walter Smith

6. 3rd Baseman Ahn Chi-wook

7. Catcher Jang Deok-soo

8. 2nd Baseman Lee Chang-mo

9. Shortstop Yoo In-cheol

– Han Su-hyeok is batting fourth. If my memory is correct, is this his first time after debut?

– That’s right. It’s a placement that shows manager Lee Dae-jun’s consideration to reduce the burden on the plate even a little bit.

– Rookie Yoo In-cheol is in the shortstop position.

– Yes, there is Choi Jin-cheol, who transferred from Changwon, but for now, manager Lee Dae-jun’s choice is Yoo In-cheol.

– That’s strange.

– What is it?

– Han Su-hyeok is out of the shortstop position, but it doesn’t seem like there’s a hole. If you think about the Warriors’ batting order at the beginning of the season, um…….

– Aha, well, you don’t have to save your words like that. The Warriors fans also acknowledge that part. Back then, it was really weak… weak.

– Yes, that’s right. Weak, that’s a very appropriate and correct expression. Anyway, the fact that there are no big holes in the batting order and defense even though Han Su-hyeok is out of the defense shows that the Warriors have become much stronger.

– That’s right. Now, the Warriors are no longer the team that Han Su-hyeok used to carry alone.

– I understand. Then, after a while, we will broadcast the Jamsil rivalry between the Seoul Warriors and the Magicians, which will be Han Su-hyeok’s first starting appearance. This is Jamsil.