Peaceful Bullpen Life [EN]: Chapter 190

I believed.

BBAAM-! BBABABAM! BBABABBAM, BBAAM- BBABAM, Yun! Seung! Joo!

And thus, I was saved.

The fact that we scored 2 points in the bottom of the 4th inning. Considering there were five more offensive and defensive changes to come, it might not seem like much.

However,

“Nice, niceee!!”

“Get in there, get in thereee!!”

Click!

Click!!

These meager two points were steering the flow of the game, the flow of the series, the flow of the season in a slightly more significant direction.

THWACK-!

“He’s going, Seonghoon is going!!”

“Seonghoon hyung [older brother or respected male figure] is going!!”

What is this significant direction, you ask?

THWACK—

“Seongmoon is going, keep going!”

“Seongmoon, three base, three!!”

What else.

THWACK—

“Uh…wait a minute…go!”

SWISH—

“Safe!”

It’s victory.

“Niceee!!”

“Keep going, keep going!!”

“Let’s gooo!!”

By scoring a massive 7 points in the 4th inning alone, the Wonha Challengers hammered a stake right in front of their opponents.

POW-!

“Shiaaaak-!”

That we would win.

THWACK—

“Two two!”

“Second, quickly!”

“Plenty of room at 1st base!”

SMACK—

Out—

“Hoooh!”

“Well done, well done, Wonha is doing well!!”

7 points.

The butterfly effect that started with two points was clearly licking at the flow of the game.

Lick.

THWACK-!

“Seonghyun is going too!”

“Going far!”

“Not going far!!”

This taste is the taste of victory.

After the shocking first half of the game ended, during the brief cleaning time, the players expressed their excited emotions to their hearts’ content.

Jinhyung, high-fiving everyone he sees passing by.

Gyuijin hyung, trying to postpone the taste of victory for a moment, loosening his shoulders.

Myeongjin, unable to hide the taste at all, acting like a crazy person, horollololo.

“Wait a minute, everyone gather around. Seungjin, bring all the guys from the bullpen too.”

“Ah, yes!”

Feeling a somewhat bustling atmosphere, I briefly gathered the team members.

There are many guys who joke around with me a lot and talk a lot of nonsense, but they still seem to think of me as the captain,

“What’s the matter, teacher [term of respect, often used for coaches or senior figures].”

“Why why, what is it.”

At least they gather.

“Right now…it’s 9 to 0. It’s a big point difference, that’s right. If we just don’t make any mistakes here, we’re the champions, that’s right.”

As I spread hopeful stories, pride surges on the faces of the team members looking at me.

“That’s right.”

And dissatisfaction quickly surges again.

“Just calm down a bit, and let’s focus on the game itself for now.”

Why? Isn’t it practically a victory? Then shouldn’t we be happy already? What’s the problem?

“Everyone is so caught up in the victory right now, but what if we make errors, give up walks, and strike out awkwardly in chances? What if the game flow becomes ambiguous then.”

Of course, I have the same thoughts as them. That’s why I can say this. Also, that’s why I have to say it.

“I don’t know about saying the game isn’t over until it’s over, or that we have to show the fans a great performance until the end. I don’t know about that.”

The one who wants the taste of victory the most is none other than.

“Let’s finish it quickly. Let’s finish it quickly and win as soon as possible. As soon as possible. Let’s be happy comfortably as soon as possible.”

It’s me.

“Okay!”

“Yessss!!”

“Let’s go, let’s go, defense out! Block everything, block everything!”

The short speech was definitely effective.

THWACK-!

SMACK-!

“Out!”

Blocking,

POW-!

“Shiaaaak!”

Throwing,

THWACK-!

“Seongmoon run, run, keep running!!”

“Come in!! Come in!!”

Running.

The Sangsoo Tigers did everything they could.

It’s just that,

WHOOSH-!

“Swing, out-.”

What the Wonha Challengers could do was just a little more than what the Sangsoo Tigers could do.

That’s not to say that the Sangsoo Tigers were just spacing out either.

They tried bunting, stealing bases, and even running hit-and-run plays, doing everything they could in their own way.

Those attempts weren’t entirely useless.

2 points.

The fact that they managed to score as many as 2 points through various tactics is certainly worthy of praise.

But,

Your love is a wildcard, Folding is the hard part―

That’s it, guys.

Waaaaaah-!!

Kim Hanwool is out, it’s Kim Hanwool!

Kim Hanwool! Kim Hanwool! Kim Hanwool!

Quickly.

The desire to finish the game quickly and lift the trophy with peace of mind created a justification for a game that didn’t even need me to pitch.

To decorate the end beautifully?

To hear the fans’ cheers one more time?

To torment the Sangsoo hitters until the very end?

Those are all plausible justifications, but the desire to finish quickly was truly desperate.

If I step up, can’t I finish the game a little faster?

“Ugh!”

POW-!

I keep chanting to keep my head calm, serious, solemn, and all that, but my body doesn’t listen at all.

I feel unnecessarily distracted and my heart is pounding.

“Hoo!”

I took the ball that Gyuhak returned and stepped back behind the mound for a moment.

Calmly, seriously, solemnly.

With a short deep breath, I looked back and saw that the fielders were diligently carrying out what I had said earlier.

Hooni, bouncing up and down in the farthest left field position.

Seongmoon, pressing his lips tightly, trying to concentrate until the end.

Kiseong, persistently catching the ambiguous bounces that Seonghoon hyung throws.

“…Okay.”

2nd batter, second baseman Kang Daehyun—

I thought I was getting better, but as the first batter of the top of the 8th inning appeared, a smile spread across my face again.

Trying to hide the smile, I quickly covered my mouth with my glove. Fortunately, it’s similar to the posture I usually take when choosing a sign during the windup, so it probably doesn’t look too strange.

“Play!”

At the same time as the umpire’s play call, I nodded diligently and put both hands behind my head.

“Hoo….”

And then,

“Ugh!”

I throw with all my might.

POW-!

Towards the catcher’s mitt that Gyuhak is holding out.

“Shaiiik-!”

Kang Daehyun, who watched the first pitch, tilts his head, but still doesn’t show much discomfort on his face.

If it’s this much…….

It’s closer to bewilderment than discomfort.

“Ugh!”

WHOOSH-!

“Swing-.”

Why can’t I hit this?

He’s openly displaying such curiosity, and if you know the answer to that, isn’t it human nature to tell him right away?

“Keueuk!”

Why can’t you hit it.

WHOOSH-!

It’s just that I’m pitching well.

“Swing, out!”

Starting the inning with a clean strikeout, the tension and frustration I had felt until just now flew away in an instant.

This is it. This is baseball. This is pitching.

“One out!”

“Okay, one!”

Kiseong, who decorated the end of the inning, held up one index finger and signaled that one red light had come on.

As I wiped the ball I received from Kiseong and stepped on the plate,

3rd batter, designated hitter Lee Yongho—

The next batter appears without a break.

“Ha…it’s you again.”

A smile appears on my face, with a slightly different meaning than when I saw Kang Daehyun a little while ago.

This time, I didn’t even try to hide the smile.

Look, this is how I think of you.

I lightly smiled, meaning to show him openly, and Lee Yongho’s expression seems to be rotting away. It seems that quite a bit of strength has gone into his shoulders, as his expression is sour and the wrinkles on his batting gloves have deepened.

In this case, there is one result that is more effective than a strikeout.

“Time…okay.”

In just two times, the exact pitch I wanted appeared.

With a happy heart, I nodded,

“Keukeuk!”

I point exactly where I will throw with my index finger held straight.

There!

THWACK—

Lee Yongho, who flinched at the curve that floated above his head, swung his bat to try to do something, but,

SWISH—

The batted ball, flying with moderate bounce, moderate speed, and moderate height, simply returns to me as a moderate pitcher’s ground ball.

I caught the ball that flew to my chest and slowly walked towards first base.

Taking the ball out of my glove, I instinctively grabbed the fastball grip and tossed it,

“Out-.”

The second red light of this inning appears.

“Two outs!”

“Okay!”

Again, Kiseong, who decorated the end of the inning, held up his index finger and pinky finger and signaled two outs.

I nodded with a bright smile,

4th batter, first baseman Park Haejin—

The next batter appears again.

“It’s you again, again.”

A smile appeared on my face with a slightly different meaning than when I saw Kang Daehyun a little while ago, and when I saw Lee Yongho a little while ago.

And this time as well, I didn’t even try to hide the smile.

Look, this is how I think of you.

The usage of ‘this way’ is very different, but if it’s Park Haejin, he’ll probably know the difference well.

Yes, I admit I lost during the last game of the regular season, but I believe that’s not the end of it.

Perhaps if we were communicating with language instead of baseball, Park Haejin’s personality would have said something like this.

“Hoo….”

If it’s a guy like Park Haejin…….

Index finger, hat, elbow, glove, elbow, shoulder, glove.

He’s a guy who deserves me to give him the signs myself.

And,

“Ugh!”

He’s also a guy who is worth throwing with more, more, more strength.

WHOOSH-!

“Swing!”

I threw a reinforced fastball from the first pitch and checked the scoreboard, and it showed 159km.

“…I must want to win pretty badly, me too.”

I laughed hollowly at the surprising buff that I threw and stepped on the plate again.

Index finger and middle finger, elbow, hat, chest, glove, hat.

Quickly, quickly.

I don’t want to lose the flow, and I don’t want to dilute this good feeling I have now.

Quickly, quickly.

“Oop!”

POW-!

“Shaiiik-!”

Tempo quickly, form quickly, and speed quickly.

I took another look at the scoreboard, and this time the speed recorded was 160km.

I briefly checked the speed, and this time I waited for Gyuhak’s sign without sending my own.

Perhaps if it comes to this point, Gyuhak will know well what I want to throw.

“Okay.”

And, Park Haejin probably knows better than Gyuhak what I want to throw.

“Hoo….”

In other words,

“Keueueuk!”

The result of this ball as well,

WHOOSH-!

“Swing, out!”

It means that Park Haejin knows it better than anyone else.

“Sshaaaaak!!”

The first time is difficult, but the second time is easy, they say.

Unlike when I struck out Park Haejin for the first time, I couldn’t believe it at all and kept spacing out, this time a scream came out naturally.

Also, I naturally clenched my fist, naturally waved my fist in the air, and naturally headed to the dugout with a triumphant look.

“Ah, Hanwool is doing well, doing well!”

“Doing well, doing well!”

“Gyujin hyung isn’t growing!”

“You crazy bastard!”

In the boisterous dugout atmosphere, the team members were clearly accumulating one definite emotion each as time passed.

In the bottom of the 8th inning, Seonghyun, who added a point with a solo home run even though he didn’t have to, pointed to the dugout with his finger as he headed to first base.

In the top of the 9th inning, Seungjin, who went up to the mound to finish the game, struck out Heoncheol and made one out.

In the top of the 9th inning, Seonghoon hyung, who caught Hahaejin’s liner-like hit without any fuss, nodded silently and returned the ball to the pitcher.

Two outs in the top of the 9th inning.

“It’s coming…it’s coming…something really big is coming….”

For Wonha’s- victory- today- loudly- shout- let’s go- let’s fight- our- Challengers- for Wonha’s- victory-!

The stands, which had arbitrarily confirmed their victory, were already forcing us to share their feelings by singing the Wonha Challengers’ cheer song in unison.

Forcing?

“It’s all here, it’s all here!”

“Let’s go one more, it’s really all here!!”

Yes, forcing.

This coercive decree was definitely effective.

The dugout was ready to jump onto the field at any moment.

Knowing that the end was near, Seungjin couldn’t easily step on the plate.

Myeongjin was jumping up and down in place with his eyes red enough to be seen even from the dugout.

“Let’s go in coolly!!”

Holding onto the dugout railing, he shouted with his eyes tightly closed.

Let’s go in coolly.

THWACK—

Coolly.

Waa, waaa!!

Yaaa!!

Coolly.

SMACK!

Coolly.

“Out!”

Coolly.

“Waaaaaaaaak-!!”

“We won!!”

“Euheoaak!!”

Coolly my ass [expression of disbelief or sarcasm].

Seonghoon hyung, who I thought was such a cool person, also screamed as soon as he caught the fly ball coming towards him and immediately ran to the mound.

Seungjoo ran out of the dugout faster than anyone else and was buried among everyone.

Myeongjin, like he did during last year’s regular season championship, shed tears from both eyes at the moment of the championship confirmation this time as well.

Yeah, this is how our kids should be.

Looking at the lumps of Wonha Challengers tangled around the mound, I feel rather calm.

Slowly, I slowly walked in the direction where the team members were gathered.

As if he didn’t like the look of it,

“Hey, what are you doing! Hurry up and come here, where’s Click!”

Seungjoo, who was comforting the sobbing Myeongjin, urged me to come here quickly.

“Ah….”

It’s a bit difficult to just go.

I looked around for a moment and headed towards the stands closest to me.

Waaaaak-!

Wonha, Wonhaaa, euheong, we won…!

Kim Hanwool! Kim Hanwool! Kim Hanwool!

I approached the closest spectator,

“Excuse me, I’m sorry! Can I borrow your phone for a moment! I’ll take a picture of us and give it back!”

I asked to borrow his phone for a moment.

The fan fumbled at my words and rummaged in his pocket to take out his phone and handed it over the fence net.

“Thank you, I’ll bring it back soon!”

“Yes! Take lots of pictures!”

Okay.

I quickly grabbed the hastily obtained camera in my right hand and ran to the mound.

The team members, who were wondering what I was going to do at first, seemed to understand at once when they saw the phone in my right hand.

“Hey hey, strike a pose, quickly!”

“Let’s take a picture, let’s do Click!”

If they understood, they would naturally know what actions they should take.

The guys were competing with each other, pushing and shoving each other to get into the camera frame.

I felt absurd, funny, and proud, and turned on the screen of the borrowed phone, feeling those various emotions, and quickly found the camera.

“Hey, I’m not coming out!”

“Get out then!”

“Reduce your face a bit, you pig!”

Are they crazy?

I didn’t really care what was going on behind me, and I raised my left hand holding the phone high above my head. So that as many people as possible can be captured in the camera.

“Hey hey, I’m taking a picture! When I count to three, it’s Click!”

“Yessss!”

“One!”

Even though the countdown has started, some people in the camera angle are still bickering.

That I’ll come out bigger, that you have a big face so you’ll come out big even if you just stand there, that I don’t come out well, so that’s because you’re short.

“Two!”

That’s the case with Korean baseball teams I’ve seen since I was young, or even overseas baseball teams.

When other winning teams win, they all hug each other in a friendly way or high-five, or something like that, but I don’t know why our team is like this.

“Three!”

But it’s funny, if our team members did that, it would have been very awkward.

Looking at those antics, I felt a greater sense of relief that yes, this is our team, these are our kids, these are our crazy bastards.

“Click!”

Our team is so peaceful.

【 Epilogue 】

“Haaaaam….”

Ah…my head…….

I woke up late and raised my upper body, and drowsiness blocked my eyelids.

“…Augh.”

I have to get up, go out, get ready.

I swept my face and got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. As I received the pouring warm water on my face, I felt like I was coming to my senses a bit.

After showering, I shook off the remaining moisture and plopped down on the chair in front of the computer desk.

The sound of the smack was louder than I thought,

“…When did you wake up?”

Minyeong greeted the morning in a slightly cracked voice from the next bed.

“Ah, I’m sorry. Did I wake you up.”

“You have to get up, eugh…we have to leave soon, right?”

“Not soon. There’s some time.”

“Then let’s eat and go, eat and go….”

Minyeong also got out of bed, stretching out. As soon as she left the room, I heard the sound of clattering.

I smiled contentedly and skimmed through internet articles in the spare time I had.

[KBO [Korean Baseball Organization] 2021 Season, Wonha is still in the lead for the championship this year.]

[What kind of team will the Wonha Challengers be in the 2021 season?]

[Will Kim Hanwool write a legend in the 2021 season as well?]

Ugh, boring.

They always say the same things, so it’s getting boring from the viewer’s point of view.

Well, that’s what I mean.

“Hanwool, let’s eat-.”

“Ah, yes.”

I don’t feel bad that they praise our team and me like this.

Following Minyeong’s guidance, I sat down at the table and saw a pretty fancy breakfast prepared.

It’s a bit late to call it breakfast…….

“Can you eat it all?”

“…….”

It’s breakfast from my point of view, Minyeong.

“Uh…yes.”

But looking at Minyeong’s bright smile, I can’t shake my head.

“Aren’t you eating, Minyeong?”

“I’m okay just watching you eat, Hanwool.”

How can she still pick out such pretty words to say even after a few months of marriage.

Grumble—

“…….”

“…….”

How can she still do such cute things even after a few months of marriage.

“Th, then shall I eat just a little bit too?”

“Let’s eat together.”

“Yes, yesss….”

I picked up my chopsticks, watching Minyeong get up from her seat with an awkward expression and bring the spoon she would use.

“How is it, another new season starting.”

“Actually, I had a lot of thoughts after winning the championship last year.”

“What kind of thoughts?”

“Uhh…how to spend until the next season….”

After confirming the championship, I just rested. I really didn’t do anything and rested.

“What should I do to prepare….”

And a little later, as soon as the date was set, I got married to Minyeong and am now eating together like this.

“I don’t know if it would be okay if it was the end after winning the championship, but it’s not. What should I do from now on….”

The joy of marriage was short-lived, and I attended another spring camp, separated from Minyeong for a while because I had to prepare for the next season.

“And…it’s funny for me to say this, but I did well last year.”

“You didn’t just do well, you did reaaaaally well.”

“Right. But I’m worried if I can do as well as last year this year…that kind of worry.”

I was actually quite worried.

How long will this system that made my current position valid be valid.

For now, it doesn’t seem like I need to worry about that, as I continued to show pretty good performances at the camp.

Speed, changeup, control, and I still don’t have any pain.

“Are your thoughts well organized?”

Minyeong, who listened to my worries until the end, smiled lightly.

“Yes.”

I also smiled lightly at that.

“How are they organized?”

Minyeong makes her smile even thicker at that.

“I think I can just do what I’ve been doing.”

I also make my smile even thicker at that.

“That’s cool.”

“I know.”

“Ugh, what’s that.”

Even while making a disgusted face, the love filter written on Minyeong’s eyes is still clear.

After eating a delicious meal in a harmonious atmosphere, I changed into a uniform in the dressing room and finished preparing to go out…….

“…Oh.”

…Before doing so, I checked the trophies that were newly added to the display case one more time.

2020 KBO Hold King – Wonha Challengers Kim Hanwool

The Hold King trophy I received at last year’s league awards ceremony,

2020 KBO Special Award – Wonha Challengers Kim Hanwool

The trophy I received specially on the same day for recording a season average ERA [Earned Run Average] of ‘0 points’.

Appreciation Plaque – Wonha Group

Wonha Challengers Kim Hanwool

The appreciation plaque that the chairman of Wonha Group personally awarded me on a certain day a little later.

“…Fucking awesome.”

I cast a spell that would allow me to do my best today and left the dressing room.

“Are you leaving now?”

“Ah, yes.”

As I was rustling around, Minyeong ran out to see me off.

“I’ll be back.”

“Come back safely, I’ll be watching.”

Ah, she’s like a puppy, so cute.

SWISH SWISH—

“Hehe….”

Before leaving, I stroked Minyeong’s head and recharged my fuel for the day.

Good.

[End]