Peaceful Bullpen Life [EN]: Chapter 109

Thud-!

In the fifth game of the Korean Series, the last batter for the Wonha Challengers listlessly watched the breaking ball pass through the strike zone.

“Strike-!”

The result was a called strikeout.

The ice pressed against my right shoulder, a constant reminder to keep my emotions in check.

“Let’s go.”

Win, loss, win, loss, loss.

Except for the second game, I pitched for one inning in every match, but all I got on my report card were two holds [a statistic in baseball awarded to a relief pitcher who enters in a save situation and maintains the lead].

“Good work.”

Good work.

Everyone did well. Pitchers, batters, defense, base running, tactics, everything. It’s just that the result wasn’t good.

I know it would sound like self-justification if a pro, for whom results are everything, were to say that, but what else can I do? It’s a fact.

“Haa….”

I started the car and sat there blankly. The weight of my head on the headrest felt heavier than usual.

Ding—

“…What is it?”

Just as I was about to leave, a text message arrived. Checking the sender, it was Hyun-jin.

[Good work.]

Feeling utterly taken aback, I sent a reply.

[Thanks.]

After sending a simple reply and releasing the car’s parking brake,

Ding—

Another text message came.

[Can I call you for a moment?]

Hyun-jin even wanted to call, as if he had something to say. With the text message still on the screen, I tapped the screen a few times.

– Senior, hello.

A blunt voice, somewhat muffled by the noisy surroundings, filled the car.

“Yeah. What’s up? Why the sudden call?”

– Just…….

“Just.”

– …I just wanted to hear your voice, Senior.

If I were just reading the script, it would sound like a canned response. Now, just by looking at the line, Hyun-jin’s voice automatically plays in my head.

“Is something wrong?”

But the intonation was definitely different, and therefore, I could clearly sense his emotions.

– It’s not that something is wrong.

“You surprised me. You sound so down.”

– Are you heading home now?

“I have to. Go home and rest… I need to rest.”

Click, beep beep beep—

With the button on the gear stick pressed, I pulled it down one notch, and the view from the rear of the car was displayed instead of the embedded navigation.

– Aren’t you going to eat?

So, that was the purpose, you cute little rascal.

The thought of my junior, who made me feel so warm, pulled the joystick of my mood back up.

“I have to. Are you out right now?”

– Yes, I am.

“Let’s get some food. Where are you?”

– I’m behind you, Senior.

“What?”

Behind.

With just one word, my gaze unconsciously went to the lower right. A handsome face could be seen through the car’s rear camera.

“…….”

At the breathtaking sight that left me speechless, I quickly moved the gear stick back up.

“…Get in.”

– Yes. Thank you.

A few seconds later, the passenger seat door opened. Happy to be riding in his respected senior’s car again, there were cracks in the fortress of his stoic expression.

“…You know.”

“Yes, Senior.”

“I think you’re really crazy.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Argh!!

“Hoo….”

After calming my mind with a deep breath, I asked if he knew of any restaurants worth going to. As if he had prepared for that too, he showed me his phone.

“…Did you make a reservation this time too?”

“Yes.”

“Okay… let’s go….”

We drove for about 10 minutes on the night streets of Seoul, where everyone who needed to be somewhere had already gone, and arrived at a fairly decent-looking Chinese restaurant.

Hyun-jin gave his name, and as we were seated, the basic tableware was set.

“Are you really not having any problems?”

“Yes. I really don’t have any problems, I just wanted to talk to you, Senior.”

“Talk?”

“Yes.”

I stared at the table, where no food was yet visible, and waited for Hyun-jin’s words.

“How was it facing Sang-soo?”

“He’s tough.”

It was a question that brought a hollow laugh from the start.

“He’s really tough. It’s not that we’re weak… Ah, I don’t know. I think we’re doing well too.”

“Yes. Wonha is doing really well too.”

“Right. The starters and relievers are all doing well, and they score when we need them to. And the defense is beyond words.”

“But Sang-soo, how should I put it… Don’t you get the feeling that you don’t really know what he’s doing?”

“Oh, right. That’s exactly it. He’s good. Really, really good. He’s good, but it’s like you don’t know what he’s good at.”

When I think about it, Hyun-jin, who’s right in front of me, probably has more animosity towards Sang-soo than our Wonha does.

How many times has it been in the last five years? Three or four times, we’ve lost to Sang-soo every time.

“Hey, give me some tips.”

“We’ve only lost, so what kind of tips would I have?”

“Still, you must have noticed something while facing him repeatedly.”

“Hmm….”

Water and tea came out.

The tableware was set.

The dishes came out.

Even after quite a bit of time had passed, Hyun-jin didn’t express his feelings rashly.

“Senior.”

“Huh?”

By then, my concentration had waned, making me feel like his calling me ‘Senior’ was out of the blue.

“With my meager skills, I’ve experienced the national team several times, haven’t I.”

“…Don’t go around saying ‘meager’ this and that. You’ll get stoned [criticized harshly].”

“No. I still have a lot of shortcomings.”

I know too well that he really thinks that way, not just being humble, which gives me goosebumps.

“So.”

“So, there’s one thing I’ve noticed.”

“What is it?”

“Hae-jin’s presence is too big.”

In the end, it’s Park Hae-jin…….

“In terms of the season, hitters are much more important than pitchers.”

“Of course.”

“But in terms of one game, hitters can never be more important than pitchers.”

“That’s also obvious.”

“But… Hae-jin feels like he’s surpassed that.”

“Sigh….”

Once Sung-hyun’s words, ‘We have to take him down first,’ overlapped in my mind, all I felt was frustration.

It’s like facing the final boss and feeling like, ‘How are we ever going to beat that guy….’

“But I believe in you, Senior.”

“Why is the conversation going that way?”

“If there’s Hae-jin on the hitter’s side, you’re on the bullpen side, Senior.”

“Are you trying to say that I’m the Park Hae-jin of the bullpen?”

“No.”

At the question I threw out with a smirk, he shook his head firmly.

“You’re more than that.”

Then he nodded firmly.

“…….”

As I stared at him with a pathetic look, Hyun-jin seemed to feel the need for additional words and immediately continued.

“Senior.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you know why I respect you?”

“…Not really?”

Come to think of it, I’ve only heard him say he respects me, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard the specific reasons.

“During your elite years, you were a truly perfect pitcher, Senior.”

“Not perfect….”

“Except for the speed, that is.”

“…….”

You little….

“Surely the elements required of a pitcher aren’t just speed, control, and breaking balls.”

“Of course. Defense, pickoffs, mind games, stamina, etc., etc., etc. There are many.”

“That’s right.”

He’s probably not just going to say something obvious…….

I quietly waited for him to pick up a piece of sweet and sour pork and eat it.

“But you left out the most important thing among the things you just mentioned, Senior, and one of your most powerful weapons.”

“What is it?”

“You have a mental fortitude that no one can ever match.”

“Mental fortitude, huh….”

Suddenly, I remembered the name of the trait I was assigned for the first time after learning about this system.

“…It’s on the strong side.”

“It’s not just a matter of being strong or weak.”

“Then?”

“I dare say, as a pitcher, your mental fortitude is unmatched by anyone.”

It’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it’s something that even I, the person in question, acknowledge to some extent.

“Do you remember when you were in your third year, Senior?”

“When in my third year?”

“I think it was during the Presidential Cup [a national high school baseball tournament in South Korea].”

“Ah, that time. I remember, of course.”

As the summer of 12 years ago came to mind, I felt both nostalgia and pride at the same time.

“Back then, Yang-an High School was truly the strongest, wasn’t it.”

“Yeah. They were really strong.”

With me in the pitching lineup and Woo-suk in the batting lineup, Yang-an High School was truly the strongest.

Yeah, if you think about Hyun-jin and Sang-soo’s Park Hae-jin being on the same team, that would be a fitting analogy.

Among them, I, Kim Han-wool, was really… really amazing.

The power of Kim Han-wool, a high school student who was already famous not just in the district but nationwide, didn’t just end with one game or one match.

Hey, is that Yang-an High School where Kim Han-wool is?

Hey, is that Kim Han-wool?

I started to show promise from my first year, and by my second year, I was already considered to have dominated the high school level.

As a third-year student who was already recognized as super-high school level, I was truly invincible. I couldn’t lose even if I wanted to.

“But you ended up finishing as runner-up.”

Except for the Presidential Cup final.

“…Right.”

A hollow laugh came out once again.

0 points. Or, reeeeally occasionally, 1 point.

The only game where I, who didn’t allow any runs at all, collapsed with 7 runs. But it was a game where I didn’t have a single earned run.

“Why is that? Frankly, that final wasn’t anything special. It’s not like I was anything great. Did it look cool that I kept pitching even after getting hit?”

“No. Ah, of course, that was cool too, but what I’m trying to say is what came after that.”

“What came after?”

“Yes. Including a no-hitter in the first game of the Phoenix Flag Tournament [another high school baseball tournament], you had an ERA of 0 throughout the tournament. Weren’t you the absolute number one contributor to the championship?”

“That’s all in the past.”

I was pretty amazing back then.

“I’m not just talking about the results.”

“Then?”

“I’m talking about the no-hitter in the first game.”

“A no-hitter is… pretty amazing.”

“I would never have been able to do that.”

“Well… I was lucky.”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“The way you didn’t care. I can never imitate that.”

The chopsticks, which had been stirring only the black bean sauce where the noodles had disappeared, stopped.

“You’re taking a long time to say I have good mental fortitude.”

“If I didn’t say it like this, you would just brush it off, Senior, wouldn’t you.”

This guy, he definitely knows me too well.

“So? You’re not just praising my mental fortitude, are you.”

“Do you know that that mental fortitude of yours isn’t just yours alone?”

“What are you talking about?”

“That strong mental fortitude of yours is conveyed not only to you but also to those who are with you.”

“Hmm….”

I don’t really understand.

“Do you remember what happened right after you lost in the Presidential Cup final?”

“No?”

“All the players from Yang-an High School were crying. There were even players who were so upset that they were shouting profanities.”

“Ah. Ah, I remember.”

One of my classmates, who couldn’t control his emotions at the stadium, ended up causing an accident outside the stadium and was expelled.

“But you were the only one who was smiling. You were the only one who comforted all the players.”

“Oh… was I?”

“When you pitched a no-hitter, the players showed more than 120% of their abilities. Both at the plate and on defense.”

“Ah, I remember that. It’s an unforgettable experience in my life.”

The outfielder floating in the air, the infielder flying around, the dancing bat, the catcher who looked as big as a house.

“If I may dare to say, I think Sang-soo will win this Korean Series as well.”

“…….”

Even though I was being told to my face that I was going to lose, I didn’t feel bad.

If this was before the series started, I would have really hit him, but,

“There’s a high probability of that.”

From the perspective of someone who had finished five matches, it just felt like a painful fact.

It’s funny how I talked about ‘probability’ instead of ‘right’ to save face.

“If I were in your position, Senior, I think I would lose motivation next year.”

“But you’ve lost to Sang-soo a lot so far, haven’t you? You’ve done well every time you’ve gone to the Korean Series.”

“Having experienced this for several years and several times, I’ve just gotten used to it.”

“That’s a good thing.”

“It’s hard enough for me to take care of myself. But you’re different, Senior.”

With a subtle smile, I waited for Hyun-jin’s next words.

“You’re probably the only one who will clap and shout that it’s okay, we can win next year.”

When we lost disappointingly. When we lost in an important game. When everyone collapsed.

What Hyun-jin said was the same as my appearance in recent years when Wonha’s major games didn’t end well.

“But how did Park Hae-jin’s story come this far?”

“Didn’t the story about Sang-soo come up before that?”

Ah, that’s right.

“If we look at it as Wonha versus Sang-soo, Sang-soo is likely to win this year, but Wonha will win next year.”

“Are you allowed to say that?”

“Of course, if I go somewhere else, I should say that Dongsung will win.”

Rarely, Hyun-jin was wearing a faint smile.

“Aside from Wonha versus Sang-soo. If we look at it as me versus Park Hae-jin, individual versus individual, what do you think?”

“Is the dream you talked about two years ago still the same?”

“Yeah. I still want to strike him out.”

I gave an answer that didn’t even have a moment’s hesitation.

“You’ll be able to do that as soon as tomorrow or the day after.”

“You’re strong against Park Hae-jin.”

“That’s true in terms of head-to-head record.”

“What do you think about when you face Park Hae-jin?”

“If his recent condition is good, then this at-bat won’t be good. If his recent condition isn’t good, then this at-bat won’t be good either.”

Words I once said to Hyun-jin.

“Not just Hae-jin, but whenever I see the faces of all the hitters I meet, that’s the first thing I think.”

“…That’s interesting.”

The junior who heard the words I said a long time ago, before graduating from high school, has been using them as a motto for life for over 10 years.

“Do you still cherish the words you gave me back then, Senior?”

“…….”

I only left a subtle smile, without giving a proper answer.