Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 197

#196. Let’s Get Started

“Hey, senior, what’s it like playing in the States? Are they really that good at baseball?”

“I saw on TV that their bat speed is insane. Is it really that different?”

“You faced Lucas Anderson last time, right? How did it feel, man?”

“Alright, one at a time, one at a time. What’s with all the questions at once? Jeez, it’s making me dizzy.”

At Angel Stadium, where the Korean team was assigned to train, Ryu Han-gyeol was surrounded by his juniors.

Ryu Han-gyeol, who joined the LA Angels after the last season with a posting fee close to $30 million and an average annual salary of $7 million.

Having stayed in the United States before immediately joining the national team, he was bombarded with questions from his juniors.

Unlike other countries filled with Big Leaguers, Ryu Han-gyeol was the only one in the Korean team.

It was only natural since he was the only Korean player in the Big Leagues in the first place.

Gone are the days when Korean baseball produced numerous major leaguers and competed for the world’s top spot.

If it weren’t for Han Su-hyeok, they wouldn’t even be confident of passing the first round, a clear underdog.

That was the current state of the Korean national team.

“Me first! Senior, what’s the biggest difference when facing American hitters?”

Kim Yong-jae, a junior who had maintained a decent relationship with Lim Jun-yeong when he was in Korea, asked.

Ryu Han-gyeol paused for a moment to gather his thoughts before answering.

“Mistakes.”

“Mistakes?”

“Yeah, in Korea, I didn’t really care even if I threw a bad pitch. I just thought, ‘I’ll throw the next one better.’ But it doesn’t work here. If you slip up for a second, it’s a home run right away.”

“Ah.”

“So, it’s hard to pitch for long. The bench manages the pitch count, but I get tired because I’m focusing on every single pitch. Plus, there are way more games in the first place. Anyway, I think I need to work on that part intensively when this year is over.”

“I see… mistakes, mistakes…”

Kim Yong-jae, who would be a key pitcher for the team, muttered something and took a step back.

Next in line was Seo Hyeong-ju, one of the youngest members of this national team.

“Senior, I need to discuss it with the coaches a bit more, but would it be better to position the defense further back?”

“I’m not a professional outfielder, but if you judge by the sound of the bat like you do in Korea, you might get confused. The ball travels further, but the speed of the batted ball itself is incomparably faster.”

“Ah… ball speed…”

“Yeah, so even if you position yourself however you want, you should always keep in mind that the ball will come faster than you think. Hey, the coaches will tell you all this anyway.”

Seo Hyeong-ju nodded, realizing Ryu Han-gyeol was right.

He was making such a fuss because he was a little excited at the thought of facing Big Leaguers in his first-ever adult national team game, especially on such a big stage as the Olympics.

Ryu Han-gyeol, the only active Big Leaguer in the Korean national team, answered each of his juniors’ questions, then gulped down the drink he was holding and turned his gaze somewhere.

And he said in a calm voice.

“Hey, guys.”

“Yes, senior.”

“There’s nothing exaggerated or inflated in what I’ve said so far, but don’t be too scared.”

“Yes?”

“You guys have already experienced someone worse than a Big Leaguer.”

Ryu Han-gyeol’s fingertip pointed somewhere.

There, Han Su-hyeok, with his hands behind his back and a look on his face like an old man looking back on his past, was wandering around the ground.

“I don’t know why that guy is playing the old man in the corner over there. But in my opinion, there’s no one better at baseball than him.”

“Huh?”

“Maybe… well, I haven’t faced all the players, but… oh, I faced Lucas Anderson when we played the Yankees a while ago…”

“And…?”

“He was worse than that guy over there. Skill aside, what should I say, the pressure he puts on the pitcher? Anyway, it wasn’t as much as Su-hyeok.”

“Ah…”

“So, just think like this when you play the game: guys who are a little worse than Han Su-hyeok keep coming up to bat. I’ve never been at bat against him, so I don’t know much about pitcher Han Su-hyeok.”

At Ryu Han-gyeol’s words, the players’ eyes focused on Han Su-hyeok once again.

Han Su-hyeok, who had been strolling around Angel Stadium with his hands behind his back, suddenly stopped in front of the dugout and stared at the stands with a distant look.

No one knew what he was doing, and Han Su-hyeok wasn’t the type to answer personal questions anyway.

In any case, all the national team players had the same thought.

Ryu Han-gyeol’s advice – that they’d be facing players who were about 80-90% of Han Su-hyeok – made the Big Leagues feel a little less intimidating.

And the thought that it might be worth a try began to pop into their heads.

Of course, it wasn’t that they thought they could win simply because there were incomplete Han Su-hyeok knockoffs on the other side.

It was more that they had the real, 100% Han Su-hyeok on *their* side, even if the opponents had weaker imitations.

Moreover, he is perfect as both a hitter and a pitcher.

Some say Han Su-hyeok has not yet been verified in the Big Leagues.

Even some of the scouts who stay in Korea and follow Han Su-hyeok’s games have such foolish thoughts.

But the Korean players who are playing in the same league as him know very well how absurd that is.

‘Verify that monster? Pfft, who’s verifying who?’

They knew that someday that monster would leave narrow Korea and head to the United States.

When that happens, those so-called experts will understand.

If there is a disaster in the baseball world, it is Han Su-hyeok.

Seo Hyeong-ju, who had a determined look on his face and had not yet given up on getting Han Su-hyeok to play with him, shouted.

“Hey! Monster!”

“……”

“Can’t you hear me? Han Su-hyeok! Han Su-hyeoooook!”

“Speak, I’m not deaf.”

“Stop acting like an old man and come throw some balls.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Why?”

“I’m feeling depressed.”

“What are you talking about…”

A few trivial words exchanged between Han Su-hyeok and Seo Hyeong-ju lightened the mood for the national team’s young players, the players who will lead Korean baseball in the future.

Yes, the monster who was more annoying than anyone else when we met as enemies is on our side for a while.

They didn’t know how good the Big Leaguers were at baseball, but they had Han Su-hyeok.

The players, whose expressions were brighter than when they first stepped into the stadium, scattered to return to training.

Goo Yong-sik, who had been watching the scene from afar, said to the coach.

“We did well to just leave him alone, right?”

“That’s right.”

“In the future, if the kids seem discouraged, let’s turn their attention to Su-hyeok.”

“Good idea.”

Even the strongest person, even the person with the strongest will, sometimes needs a place to lean on.

A belief that someone can support you when you fall, that makes a human being stronger.

For the Korean national team players, there was a reliable presence named Han Su-hyeok to take on that role.

* * *

“Go away and swing your bat one more time. Go away, shoo.”

“You bad bastard…”

I shook off Seo Hyeong-ju, who kept bothering me to throw the ball, and walked towards the outfield.

My national teammates, and the coach and coaches, seemed to expect something from me, but I needed some time alone for now.

The moment I first set foot here, something came to mind.

Something I had forgotten for a long time.

Step by step.

Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

The home stadium of the LA Angels, which opened in 1966 and was remodeled in 1999.

A baseball stadium located in the middle of Orange County, the safest city in the United States, and therefore popular with celebrities and businessmen.

And the place where she lived, who left unforgettable memories and left.

That’s right.

I just remembered now.

The woman I’m looking for.

The woman I must meet at least once to shake off the last regret left in my heart.

Her house was right here.

‘Han, whenever it is, I hope you’ll come to my house. The sea view from my house is quite spectacular. I’d love to have a drink with you there, oh, you don’t drink. Okay. I’d be so happy if I could just have a cup of coffee with you.’

It goes without saying, but I never accepted her invitation.

I ignored her as if I didn’t hear her, and yet she followed the games I played.

Just like Min Ye-rin now.

Looking at those stands, I remember.

Whenever there was a game here at Angel Stadium, she would always sit in that seat.

Now that I think about it, she showed me unilateral affection and interest, and even when everyone turned away from me after my shoulder injury, she stayed until the end to cheer me on.

I turned a blind eye to such a person and pushed her away, and in the end, it became regret and lingering feelings that remained in my heart.

I don’t know.

I don’t know if it’s lucky or unlucky that I’m now recalling fragmentary memories of her here.

What will happen if I pass this information on to Min Ye-rin, who is looking for her whereabouts with only very small clues?

There was nothing I could know.

To be honest, I don’t even know if it’s right to look for her, who is probably living well now without any feelings or memories of me.

What would it mean to meet her, who was two years younger than me and therefore still had a girlish side to her, and tell her the words in my heart?

What if, by any chance, I am overwhelmed by emotions that I cannot take responsibility for when I see her face?

What if I have different thoughts due to lingering feelings for the past, or due to my regret or pity for her?

“Hoo…”

A sigh came out without me realizing it.

In the end, nothing will be resolved in this state.

I will pass on the information about her house to Min Ye-rin.

These small pieces will come together to complete a picture someday.

And when that moment comes, I think I have no choice but to leave it to the future me to decide what choice I will make.

“Su-hyeok! The manager is calling for a meeting! Let’s go!”

Someone is calling my name.

The players, who had been warming up with running, stretching, and light walks, were now gathering in one place for full-scale training.

Suddenly, I felt strange.

I felt a hot heat rising from my chest, and I felt like I couldn’t stand it unless I released it somewhere.

Well, okay, let’s think about that later and achieve the purpose of coming here first.

Where’s the first game?

Mexico?

Who’s there?

I don’t know. I’ll just blow them all up.

Okay, let’s get started.