Genius Pitcher Hides 170Km [EN]: Chapter 391

#390. Complete Recovery

“Fortunately, there are no particular issues. I think we can declare you completely recovered at this point. Congratulations.”

“Ah, thank you. Thank you so much, doctor.”

After Han Su-hyeok, a bombshell, dropped into the peaceful Korean baseball scene, there were several individuals who grew beyond their original destinies, influenced by him.

Seo Hyeong-ju, who had stepped on the threshold of the major leagues even before Han Su-hyeok’s regression but was just one of the ordinary outfielders, grew beyond the Seattle Mariners to become the top player among all major league second basemen.

And Ahn Chi-wook, who couldn’t even secure a proper position as a third baseman in the KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] due to defensive and mental issues, was now preparing to challenge the world stage beyond Korea.

Besides them, there were many others who grew under Han Su-hyeok’s influence.

Including Choi Jae-min, who wouldn’t have been able to live through baseball at all if he hadn’t met Han Su-hyeok, as well as juniors like Choi Ma-ru and Park Dong-seok, and seniors like Jo Seong-oh, Lee Man-sik, Im Jun-yeong, and Cheon Sang-jin, were able to become much better players than their original destinies.

It wasn’t limited to just the players.

Park Seong-hoon, who would have wandered around small sports agencies and succumbed to a serious illness if it hadn’t been for Han Su-hyeok’s regression.

Now, he had established himself as the owner of the KBO’s most prestigious club, the Seoul Warriors, thanks to Han Su-hyeok. He left the hospital with a light heart.

“I should tell Su-hyeok first, so he doesn’t worry anymore.”

At first, it was just annoying.

Why was he so worried about his health when he was still in his vibrant twenties? Why did he keep talking about health whenever he opened his mouth?

One day, after being unable to resist Han Su-hyeok’s persistent advice and recommendations to take care of his health and get regular check-ups—specifically, five years ago from now—a very small tumor found in his stomach completely changed his mind.

A cancerous lump in the intermediate stage between benign and malignant, that is, in its early stages.

Even if it was in the early stages, cancer was still cancer.

The moment he heard those words from the doctor, his legs gave way and he collapsed, and when he told his family the news, he burst into tears without realizing it.

And before he could even sort out his feelings, he told Han Su-hyeok the truth.

‘Hyung [older brother or close male friend], just wait.’

Han Su-hyeok’s voice was surprisingly calm.

He thought it was because he was too busy or tired since the first half of the major league season was just ending.

He temporarily entrusted the club’s management to General Manager Park Jae-cheol and submitted a leave of absence. And he started preparing for surgery.

It was when he was lying in bed looking up information about stomach cancer surgery.

[Major Leaguer Han Su-hyeok Suddenly Returns to Korea After Declaring Absence from All-Star Game… What’s Going On?]

[Han Su-hyeok’s Trip to Korea, Unknown Even to His Team, What’s the Reason?]

[Han Su-hyeok Meets Reporters at the Airport: “I’ve Come to Take Care of One of the Most Important Things in My Life. Please Don’t Ask Any More Questions.”]

The day after the first half of the major league season ended, Han Su-hyeok returned to Korea.

He rushed straight to Park Seong-hoon’s house from the airport, and Han Su-hyeok said.

‘Hyung, don’t say anything and just do as I say.’

‘Huh? What?’

‘It’s okay, just hold on.’

Han Su-hyeok’s face was frozen. It was a face that even Park Seong-hoon, who had been with him his whole life, had never seen before.

And the next day, Park Seong-hoon was surprised once again.

He, who was preparing for surgery at the hospital where he had been examined, had to cancel all his plans.

The best American surgeons who had flown to Korea at Han Su-hyeok’s call, or rather, at the call of a huge sum of money.

The best doctors in Korea and experts who were among the best in the United States formed a team to prepare for Park Seong-hoon’s surgery.

Park Seong-hoon, who had fallen asleep for a while lying on the cold operating table, opened his eyes and saw Han Su-hyeok in front of him.

‘It’s done, Hyung. The surgery went well. So don’t worry.’

That day, Park Seong-hoon saw Han Su-hyeok’s tears for the first time in a long time. It was the first time he had seen them since his mother passed away a long time ago.

That year, Han Su-hyeok missed five games in the second half of the season, including the All-Star Game.

To watch over Park Seong-hoon’s surgery.

Tring.

– Oh, Hyung. Did you go to the hospital? What’s the result?

“I’m perfectly fine. So healthy that it’s strange. I’m completely cured. Hahaha.”

– Really? That’s a relief, really a relief. We should have a celebration party.

“We should. Let’s eat something delicious after the away game. Invite everyone to my house.”

– Okay, Hyung. Then I’ll go prepare for the game with peace of mind.

“Okay, good work. Bye.”

After ending the call, Park Seong-hoon moved towards where his car was.

He still couldn’t understand.

Han Su-hyeok, who suddenly started taking care of his health one day, and the terrible disease that he discovered early because of it.

If it hadn’t been for Han Su-hyeok, the ordeal he faced might have been much greater.

‘What is it, a revelation or something…….’

He still didn’t know why Han Su-hyeok had become so interested in his health, but one thing was certain.

Han Su-hyeok was his most beloved younger brother, and the two would cherish and rely on each other like brothers for the rest of their lives.

That was all that mattered.

* * *

The Seoul Warriors, who had been on a slow decline after Han Su-hyeok left, eventually experiencing the frustration of falling out of the top four.

In the process of the team gradually collapsing, the veteran players who had once led the team at the forefront felt the greatest responsibility and frustration.

Jo Seong-oh, who went from starting first baseman to designated hitter, then pinch hitter, and eventually took off his uniform and became a coach, Lee Man-sik, who chose to retire before he turned forty due to a recurrence of his elbow injury.

And Im Jun-yeong, who was pushed out of the ace position as his velocity and control gradually disappeared, Cheon Sang-jin, whose stats were gradually declining with the passage of time.

Jang Deok-soo, who had completely given up his starting catcher position and focused only on hitting but was experiencing a decline in performance every year, Lee Chang-mo, who chose to retire early, etc.

No matter how great their skills were, they couldn’t stop the passage of time.

The veterans who swallowed their disappointment as they watched the team’s status gradually collapse along with their declining performance, especially those who were still active players, were feeling an unspeakable sense of happiness right now.

Thwack!

“Argh! No… Huff! Got it! Caught it!”

“As expected! Han Su-hyeok!”

“Good job! Nice play!”

In the game against the Seoul Fighters, a crisis situation with runners on all bases with two outs.

The Fighters’ foreign hitter properly pulled the 136km/h fastball thrown by 5th starter Im Jun-yeong.

The three runners who started running the moment the ball hit the bat, and the batted ball flying powerfully towards the right-center field.

The word ‘mass score’ came to everyone’s mind at that moment, Han Su-hyeok flew through the sky.

That’s right. It was an amazing play that could only be described as flying, perhaps only possible for Han Su-hyeok among all the outfielders in the world.

“Su-hyeok-ah.”

“You know that the ball was slightly centered just now, right, Hyung?”

Han Su-hyeok, who overcame the crisis in an instant with a play that was unbelievable even when seen with his own eyes, patted Im Jun-yeong’s butt and entered the dugout.

He felt a strange feeling anew.

After going through the worst slump in his career, but perhaps understandably given his age, Im Jun-yeong lost faith in himself.

An old pitcher whose top speed had dropped by almost 20km/h, and whose grip strength weakened when he threw too many pitches, so he had no choice but to bet everything on his long experience and mental battles with the hitters.

In the midst of all that, he had been contributing to the team by recording double-digit wins every year, but when that last bastion collapsed, he really felt like giving up everything.

“Jun-yeong, is your shoulder okay?”

“Yes, Man-sik Hyung. I’m fine for one or two innings.”

“Good, if you say so, then that’s how it is. Then we’ll have the bullpen prepare slowly.”

Nothing had changed.

The injuries he was carrying all over his body were still there, and his fastball speed had dropped even further.

His breaking balls didn’t break well, and sometimes he made mistakes due to lack of grip strength.

But,

“Hey, Ahn Chi-wook. You know that fumble you made earlier was a mistake that even an amateur wouldn’t make, right?”

“What? Hey, isn’t it amazing that I blocked it with my glove?”

“If I had been at third base, that would have been an out no matter what. Do well before I take your spot.”

“…Always me.”

Over there, in a corner of the dugout, Han Su-hyeok, who was playfully scolding his teammate,

Everything changed the moment Han Su-hyeok, his most beloved junior and respected baseball player, returned.

Turning batted balls that would have been hits into ground balls, increasing the number of outs with momentary wit, and putting pressure on the opposing team at the plate to make the game easier.

Even though his physical condition was no different from last season, he became a completely different player just by adding Han Su-hyeok.

Im Jun-yeong, the Warriors’ starter who is showing performances that are hard to believe for his age of 44, recording a 3.78 ERA [Earned Run Average] with 5 wins and 2 losses in 10 starts this season.

He thought that the reason he was able to perform this well was entirely thanks to Han Su-hyeok.

Just standing on the ground together raises the morale of his teammates and enables them to play beyond their skills, like a cheat key.

He felt relieved.

That he was able to hold on until now, that he was able to protect this mound until he came back.

“Ahn Chi-wook, no matter how important power is, if you have that much belly fat, it may become impossible to defend at all. Are you going to compete with Deok-soo Hyung for the starting first baseman position? Or are you thinking of pushing Jae-min out and taking the designated hitter spot?”

“What are you talking about! I’m going to be the third baseman no matter what. I won’t give it to anyone.”

“If you’re going to do that, lose weight. Hey, Dong-seok. Quickly take that Choco Pie that this guy hid in that corner and throw it away. I think he keeps picking it up and eating it when I take my eyes off him, so I have to get rid of it completely.”

“Yes! Senior!”

“Oh, and your swing seemed a bit spread out during your last at-bat. Just throw away the far balls. You’ll lose your balance if you try to hit those too.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for the advice, Senior!”

Han Su-hyeok, whom Im Jun-yeong looked at, was busy as ever today.

Coordinating the entire outfield in defense, sometimes giving defensive instructions to the infielders, going on base two out of three times when he comes to the plate to disrupt the opponent’s defense,

And when he returns to the dugout, he continues to give advice and encouragement to other players, Han Su-hyeok is truly like the Warriors’ lubricant.

Do those guys know?

How valuable the advice Han Su-hyeok is giving them now is, how great an opportunity it is to learn baseball from the best player in the world.

At times like this, he regretted the time that had passed.

If only he had been Han Su-hyeok’s classmate, or even his junior,

So if he could have learned baseball under Han Su-hyeok’s shadow,

Then wouldn’t he have been able to become a slightly better player than he is now?

“Okay, back to defense. Don’t take your eyes off the ball, concentrate!”

“Let’s go!”

The Warriors’ attack ended and Im Jun-yeong’s time returned.

In the distance, in the bullpen, his junior pitchers were starting to practice pitching.

And Han Su-hyeok, who ran out to the ground first, had already arrived at the center field position, slowly rotating his ankles and contemplating the ground.

He felt the strength in his shoulder, which had been gradually draining away, returning.

Even if it was a ball with terribly insufficient power in the eyes of others, he felt confident that he could strike out the hitter.

Im Jun-yeong, who unknowingly smiled, slowly began his windup.

Whoosh

Paang!

“Strike!”