Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 202

#201. Someone’s Trace

“Going out? Hmm, alright. Good thinking. A change of pace is important. An operations team member will accompany you… Should I send a translator with you too?”

“A translator isn’t necessary, Manager.”

“Alright, then be careful and have a good time.”

For the players’ protection, a two-day break was given between the group round and the semi-finals.

Most of the players rested in the dorms or went out in small groups.

And Han Su-hyeok, who Manager Gu Yong-sik was most concerned about, also expressed his intention to go out.

Gu Yong-sik, wanting to encourage him to improve his mood, welcomed the idea with open arms.

No matter how good he is at baseball, he’s still just a twenty-year-old young man.

He knew from experience that young people at that age change their minds dozens of times a day for no reason.

Having received permission for a solo outing, Han Su-hyeok headed to the hotel where Min Ye-rin was staying.

“Oppa [Korean term for ‘older brother’ used by females], I looked into what you asked. Everyone recommended this place.”

“Thanks, Ye-rin.”

“You’re welcome. Shall we get going then?”

Han Su-hyeok, Min Ye-rin, her manager, and an operations team member dispatched from the KBO [Korea Baseball Organization] set out.

The place they headed to was a small atelier located on the outskirts of LA.

“This is the person. Everyone says there’s no better artist than him around here.”

“Okay, I got it. I’ll take it from here.”

“Okay, then I’ll go have a cup of coffee outside.”

“It might take a while, so you can just go first.”

“No, I’ll wait.”

Han Su-hyeok chuckled at Min Ye-rin’s firm gaze.

It was the first smile he had shown in days since the last Korea-Japan match.

With everyone except Han Su-hyeok gone, a white-haired man came in and sat down in front of him.

“You want to draw a composite sketch?”

“Yes.”

“Alright, before we start, I want to tell you that my drawing skills are important, but the result will depend on how detailed you can be in your description. No refunds if the image in your head is different from the drawing.”

“Understood. Let’s begin.”

“Alright, then tell me.”

“First, the face shape is oval, with a slightly thinner jawline than average. The forehead line is positioned slightly high and forms a perfect circle… The eyebrows are probably trimmed, but they’re more crescent-shaped than straight. Her eyes are a bit large for her face, giving her a cool look, and the corners of her eyes droop slightly. The nose is……”

As Han Su-hyeok explained, the artist’s hand began to move.

The reason he came here today was to create a composite sketch of the woman who had recently come to mind.

The man, recommended by Min Ye-rin and known as the best composite artist in LA, carefully transferred Han Su-hyeok’s thoughts into a drawing.

How much time had passed?

The artist, who had stopped working several times and pondered something, finally seemed to have finished and showed the drawing to Han Su-hyeok.

“So, what do you think? Does it look similar?”

“……”

The moment he saw the picture, Han Su-hyeok couldn’t say anything.

There she was.

The only regret and remorse left in Han Su-hyeok’s heart after going through two lives.

She, who had disappeared without a name, was alive and breathing in the picture.

“Why… don’t you like it? Like I said before, no refunds. If something’s wrong, it’s your fault, not mine.”

“It’s excellent.”

“Hmm?”

“I like it. No, I like it very much.”

“Hmph… that’s a relief.”

A moment of silence flowed.

Han Su-hyeok, who had been looking at the picture for a long time without saying anything, spoke to the artist again.

“I think I need to ask you for one more favor.”

“One more? Well, let me hear it. As long as the pay is right.”

“The woman in this picture is in her early 30s. Is it possible to create an image of her in her late teens based on this picture?”

“Hmm, that’s very simple. Give it to me.”

The artist took the picture back from Han Su-hyeok and headed to the next room.

After a while, the sound of some machine operating could be heard, and the artist returned to the room.

“Well, in the past, I would have had to draw another picture, but these days, machines do this for me. This is what AI predicts the woman in this picture would have looked like in her late teens. What do you think, do you like it?”

Han Su-hyeok took the two pictures he handed over.

And holding them carefully in his hand, he bowed to the artist.

“Thank you. This has been a great help.”

“Good, I’m glad it helped. This is a service.”

Han Su-hyeok, who put the two pictures in the paint tube that the artist gave him, came out to the living room where Min Ye-rin was waiting.

“Oppa, are you done?”

“Yeah, I told you to go first, but you really waited.”

“How could I go first? I’m hungry. Oppa, shouldn’t we talk while eating something?”

“Okay, shall we do that then? Manager, and Manager-nim [formal Korean title]. I’m sorry, but I’d like to talk to Ye-rin alone……”

“Ah, yes, yes, then we’ll just go to the restaurant together and sit at another table. That would be okay, right?”

“Thank you.”

The four of them went out to eat.

Just as Min Ye-rin was about to open her mouth, Han Su-hyeok pointed in one direction with his finger.

“You like pasta, right? Let’s go that way. There’s a good place.”

“Yes? Ah, yes. Okay, Oppa.”

‘That’s strange.’

‘Has this oppa ever been to LA before? Why is he so familiar with this place?’

Min Ye-rin had a slightly strange thought, but she didn’t bother to ask and followed Han Su-hyeok.

Han Su-hyeok, with one hand in his pocket and the other holding the paint tube, strode forward.

“This is the place. Their cacio e pepe is pretty good. Should we order that?”

“I’m fine with anything, Oppa.”

The food was served, and Min Ye-rin’s eyes widened as she put the pasta in her mouth.

It was really delicious.

She had traveled all over the world for performances and had been to all the famous restaurants with local celebrities, but this pasta was one of the best.

The only downside was that Han Su-hyeok didn’t seem to have much of an appetite and barely ate.

But there was one good thing.

“You eat well. Do you want some more if you’re not full? Ah, it’s a bit much since I already ate some……”

“No! Give it to me! I’m very hungry!”

The pasta that Han Su-hyeok had barely touched disappeared into Min Ye-rin’s mouth in an instant.

Min Ye-rin, whose face was flushed, barely calmed her pounding heart when a picture was placed in front of her.

It was just a picture, but it was enough to tell that she was an incredibly beautiful woman, a girl so pretty that she was really jealous.

“What… is this?”

“The face of the woman I asked you to find last time.”

“Ah… so that’s why you wanted to go there today.”

“Women’s images change drastically depending on their makeup and hairstyle, so I can’t be sure that this is exactly what she looks like… but it’s better than nothing, right?”

“Of course! You said she’s a singer? Even if she’s not famous yet, this should really help in finding her, right? I’ll pass it on to the detective agency right away.”

“There’s one more.”

“Yes?”

“I think I know where she lives too.”

“You know her house? No, then why didn’t you say so sooner……”

“No, not the house, but I just happened to remember, anyway, I don’t know the details, but there’s a high probability that she lives somewhere in Orange County. She may have moved later, but… I have a feeling she’s still here.”

“In this neighborhood? Wow, then it’ll be really easy, right? Okay, then I’ll just make a quick phone call, no. It’d be better to go directly to the hotel to give her the picture.”

“Ye-rin.”

“Yes, Oppa. Should we just go now?”

“Thank you.”

Min Ye-rin’s heart started pounding again at Han Su-hyeok’s sudden expression of gratitude.

She felt so dizzy that she felt like she was about to fall backwards.

Min Ye-rin bit her lower lip tightly, trying not to reveal her feelings.

“I’m more grateful, Oppa.”

“What for? What have I done?”

“Just, just……”

Min Ye-rin’s last words, that she was grateful just for his existence, didn’t come out of her mouth.

* * *

“Alright, did everyone have a good rest?”

“Yes! Manager.”

“Okay, you all look like you’re in good condition. No special injuries… Seo Hyeong-ju, why are you so excited?”

“I feel like I can do anything!”

“What? Hahaha, good. Everyone, take a cue from our youngest and let’s go, let’s win today’s game and go to the finals. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes, sir!”

Gu Yong-sik smiled pleasantly as he watched Seo Hyeong-ju, who was overflowing with motivation.

He had one concern as he took the helm of the national team for the first time.

The words that the baseball elders, whom he had to meet before leaving the country, had consistently advised him kept lingering in his mind.

Those words, which were more like advice or requests, that the manager of the national team must properly establish the team’s discipline above all else.

Nevertheless, he couldn’t ignore it because it wasn’t entirely unfounded.

It wasn’t just once or twice that the national team, especially the baseball team made up of professional players, had been criticized by the public for the players’ misconduct.

‘Establish discipline first.’

It’s the most primitive method, but it’s also the most effective.

But Gu Yong-sik didn’t want to do that.

First of all, that wasn’t his leadership style, and even more so when he thought about the second-year rookies who were the backbone of this national team.

It goes without saying that the youngest members are the most intimidated when the organization’s discipline is established.

But the youngest members of this national team are a little different from the past.

They are not the kind of players who are huddled in the corner, watching the veterans’ every move to get an exemption from military service.

Center fielder Seo Hyeong-ju has secured the starting center fielder position on the national team with his quick feet and precise hitting, and third baseman Ahn Chi-wook is playing the role of lubricant in the lower batting order with his active hitting, including a timely hit against Mexico.

Above all, Han Su-hyeok, who is the core of this national team in both pitching and hitting, belongs to that youngest line.

But establish discipline?

He didn’t want to, but it was impossible in the first place.

Before the Korea-Japan match, he heard an interesting story through a coach who was close to the veterans.

Some of the veteran players on the national team were dissatisfied with Han Su-hyeok.

To be more precise, they didn’t like the youngest members who didn’t care about their seniors and acted confidently.

‘So what happened? Did you secretly gather the kids without me knowing?’

‘Gather them? They’re just saying that. They can’t touch them.’

‘Why?’

‘Sigh, if they gather the youngest members, they can’t leave out Han Su-hyeok, and if they call him and it leaks to the media? If it becomes known that someone disciplined a 60-home run hitter? He probably won’t be able to play baseball in Korea? You’ll get cursed for not doing your job properly.’

That was it.

Whether he realizes it or not, Han Su-hyeok was making the biggest contribution not only to the team’s power but also to maintaining this lively team atmosphere.

The old-fashioned seniors can’t abuse their juniors because of Han Su-hyeok.

Does that mean the youngest members can do whatever they want?

That’s not true either.

The best baseball player in Korea is leading by example in training and is more serious about the game than anyone else. Rather, when his peers act recklessly, he is the first to step up and crack down on them.

‘Seriously… where did that guy come from?’

Gu Yong-sik looked at Han Su-hyeok with affectionate eyes.

Suddenly, he felt envious of Manager Lee Dae-jun. How good would it feel to play baseball with such a great guy?

“Su-hyeok, you look like you’re in good condition today. Did you have a good rest?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Manager.”

“Good, then I won’t say much. We have finished all the preparations to win. How long has it been since the Olympics semi-finals? For the country, and for yourselves, you must win today’s game. Let’s go!”

The players, who were filled with excitement at the manager’s words, left the dugout one by one and stepped onto the ground.

The team that experts predicted would be eliminated in the preliminary round has advanced to the semi-finals with an undefeated record.

Nevertheless, there are not many experts who still predict Korea’s victory.

But the faces of the Korean players were filled with a strong conviction to win.

The semi-final match between Korea and the Dominican Republic in the 2028 LA Olympics baseball event is just a few hours away.