Peaceful Bullpen Life [EN]: Chapter 96

96. Training, Again, and Again

Jjomulleok – What is it? What is it?

Monday lunch. I received a sudden text while eating.

– What is it?

Jjomulleok – No way!

Jjomulleok – Did Hanwool get a girlfriend?

– Yes

Jjomulleok – Is it that person from before?

– Yes, it’s her

Jjomulleok – Wow… amazing

Jjomulleok – Congrats

– Thanks to coach

Jjomulleok – I’m looking forward to the Americano and chicken combo

– Who are you?

I ended the conversation and checked my profile.

Kim Hanwool♥Kim Minyoung

+1♥

“…Heh.”

A satisfied smile naturally spread across my face.

Minyoung – Have you eaten?

Minyoung – [Lunch photo]

Minyoung – This is my lunch today!

Just in time, I got a text from Minyoung.

I was about to reply that I was also eating, just eating something simple, but,

Minyoung – [Selfie with a V sign next to her face]

“……”

I froze at the single, powerful photo.

No, how is this person a year older than me? She’s so cute.

– I’m eating too. Enjoy your meal, Minyoung

Minyoung – Yes! You too, Hanwool!

Minyoung – I’ll contact you later!

Minyoung – [Rabbit waving a ‘See you later!’ sign emoticon]

Satisfied.

I received related contacts from Eunseo and several other people. Starting with Mom and Dad, and also from friends and acquaintances around me.

Especially to Daehwan, who introduced me to Minyoung, I immediately sent five chicken gift vouchers. My friend, I love you.

After finishing a satisfying meal, I picked up my phone. I went online and touched the sports tab.

As August was slowly coming to an end, the Wonha Challengers had exactly 31 games left until the end of the regular season.

58 wins, 1 draw, 36 losses. The team was cruising in second place in the league with a win rate of 61.7%. They were a whopping four games ahead of third-place Dongsung, so there was little worry of falling below.

But the problem was,

“Sigh… that 1 game, that 1 game.”

It was aimed towards the upper region.

1 game.

The absolute powerhouse of the league, the Sangsoo Tigers, just couldn’t be overtaken. They occasionally followed up to tie for first place, but they couldn’t surpass them there.

I will win the championship within 3 years. To be exact, I will win the championship in 3 years. It was about 2 years ago in October that I made that promise.

Not this year, but only if I do it within next year? I don’t particularly think that way. It’s good to do it when you can.

Even if we’re fighting for first place this year, we don’t know what will happen next year.

While checking various tabs, I moved to the league schedule category and checked Wonha’s schedules.

“Wow… who made this schedule?”

The last two games of the season. Two consecutive matches against Sangsoo, no less. If this trend continues…….

“It’s going to be a bloodbath.”

Wouldn’t it really be two games where someone gets bloodied?

I threw my phone next to the rice bowl and pondered for a moment. What can I do for the team’s league championship?

* * *

After eating and thinking about it, I found something I could do.

To be exact, something worth trying. That is training.

In the first training, my stamina was upgraded by one level, and in the second training, my control increased by one level.

And…….

“Let’s do it one more time.”

I still have one more training opportunity left.

Even if I train ‘myself’ in the game, there’s no guarantee that a quest will appear for me in reality, but wouldn’t it be worth a try?

Welcome, are you ready to start training?

A meeting with the doctor I’ve met maybe twice.

Country country head head.

I selected ‘myself’ in the game, and when asked which stat I wanted to increase, I chose velocity again, just like last time.

Would you like to train Kim Hanwool?

“Hoo….”

When I trained stamina, I ran around aimlessly, and when I increased control, I threw long tosses.

So what will I do for velocity training?

Since it’s related to velocity, wouldn’t I be doing weight training or actually pitching?

Without hiding my tension, I clicked ‘Yes’. After a short loading, I saw a character throwing the ball hard on the mound.

“Yes…!”

Ding―

– Congratulations, all of Kim Hanwool’s breaking balls have been increased by +5.

“……”

I stood up from my seat, raised both hands high above my head, and froze.

Thud―

That’s the sound the chair made when it collided with my butt.

Clack!

That’s the sound my poor hands made as they fell onto my thighs.

Slap!

That’s the sound my two palms made as they stuck to my face.

“Waaah… I want to throw 150km too [approximately 93 mph]….”

With an empty heart, I immediately turned off the game. The mouse moved and even turned off the computer.

Ding-!

[Pitcher is breaking ball! Breaking ball is practical!]

– Record 3 strikeouts with only breaking balls in 1 inning and allow no runs (0/3)

– Reward – Breaking ball + 5

“……”

Ah, please.

* * *

Whoosh-!!

Please be careful of foul balls. Please be careful of foul balls.

Whoosh-!!

At the Gaya Perfectors’ home stadium, players were diligently practicing batting before the game. Therefore, foul balls inevitably occurred.

Each of the guides had a whistle in their mouth and blew it with all their might.

“I already miss home.”

“Are you crazy?”

The hellish away series has begun.

First, a 3-game series against Gaya in Daegu, then down to Busan for a 3-game series against KP. The following week, after playing a 3-game series against Hanseong in Gwangju, another 3-game series against Seongwoon in Daejeon before heading back to Seoul.

The only comforting thing is that all three teams except Seongwoon, whom we will meet last, are playing at the bottom.

Let’s take full advantage of this and try to overtake first place.

The players were each contemplating whether to go up to Seoul after the weekend series, or just go straight from Busan to Gwangju.

I didn’t have any particular business in Seoul, so it was okay to go or not, but… I want to go if possible.

– No!

– [Rabbit emoticon firmly making an X with both arms]

It’s only been two days since we started dating today. I already miss her so much.

– Hanwool needs to think about his condition!

– This is the most important time!

– [Rabbit emoticon holding and waving a ‘Fighting’ sign]

But I was cut off at the entrance. Unless there’s something else to do, she told me not to come if my only purpose is to see her.

– I miss you too…….

– [Rabbit emoticon with a crying face]

She told me not to invest that long travel time just to see her, but to invest in conditioning.

I was disappointed by her firm stance of drawing a line that it wouldn’t work, but this kind of short separation was something Minyoung and I had already prepared for.

I thought that I wasn’t going to end my baseball career this year, so I was practicing adjusting my lifestyle little by little.

When I was worried about whether I could endure it…….

– [Selfie with a V sign towards the camera]

– Cheer up!

– [Rabbit emoticon holding and waving a ‘Fighting’ sign]

“……”

I had a strong support.

“Hehe.”

“What, why are you smiling like a pervert?”

“Just think of it as the smile that comes out when hyung [older brother or male friend] thinks about his future sister-in-law.”

“Ah, 인정 [in-jeong, acknowledgement/approval].”

The groom-to-be, who has about three and a half months left until the wedding, seemed to fully understand my feelings.

“Are you thinking about marriage?”

Man.

There are so many words that can modify it, but if I list the ones that come to mind first, it would be something like this.

A being that thinks about their lineage up to the third generation with just one smile from a woman they don’t know.

“Of course. I’m planning to have one son and one daughter, and I’ve already thought about grandchildren.”

Yes, I’m also a man.

“Hey, hyung.”

“What.”

“I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it.”

“Please, don’t look at me so pitifully.”

“I’ll try.”

“…Thank you.”

That’s too much.

“Is the wedding preparation going well, hyung?”

“It’s going well. The venue and everything else are progressing nicely.”

“Wow….”

“Why.”

“It’s just hard to believe.”

That brothers, who vaguely aimed for the position of professionals together in high school, are already old enough to discuss marriage.

Marriage.

In some ways, isn’t it the easiest word to distinguish between a true adult and someone who is only an adult in age?

“I know. When did we get this old….”

“I know. I’m already thirty-one, hyung. We’ve really gotten old.”

Do you want to die?

Ah, no.

I’m sorry.

Don’t talk about age.

I’m sorry.

I’ll work hard.

I greeted the manager who was passing by and sat back down.

“How much money? How much did it cost?”

“Well… I haven’t really calculated it. It just cost a reasonable amount.”

“You have a lot of money.”

“I’m a FA [Free Agent] after this year. They’ll give me a reasonable price.”

“Ah….”

FA [Free Agent].

The Wonha Challengers signed me for 4 years and 5 billion won two years ago, and last year they signed Seonghyun for 4 years and 9.5 billion won. Big spending for two consecutive years.

And this year, Hyung Gyujin and Myungjin are scheduled to become FAs, and after next year…….

“Hey, hyung. How long can we play baseball with these members?”

“……”

The time is approaching when another weakness of the team with the lowest average age of starting members will explode in succession.

“Someone will leave.”

“That could be me.”

“Are you going?”

“Do you think I want to go?”

“Are you going to abandon me?”

“……”

“Really? Are you really going to abandon me?”

“Ah, you’re making me want to sort you out for recycling.”

Hehehe, the two people had a conversation like that.

“FA or whatever. We have to win the championship, hyung.”

“We have to.”

“To win the championship, we have to win.”

“We have to win.”

Gyujin got up resolutely. Today’s starting pitcher slowly started running, the first step of warming up.

* * *

I increased my control with the second training, but I was only able to use it in the game a few days later.

The other characteristics also couldn’t be used right away, and I was only able to confirm them after a few games.

“Hanwool, you’re going up in the 8th.”

“Yes!”

In the case of this third training, I will be put into the game right away, but the process itself was the same as before.

Quest.

I have to succeed in the mission of getting three strikeouts with only breaking balls to get the reward.

The changed appearance of the breaking balls will eventually be confirmed in the very next game at the earliest.

Gyujin, who sucked up FA-roids like Seonghyun last year, had a truly terrifying record this year.

12 wins and an ERA of 2.31. He’s called the 2nd starter, but if you dig into the details, he’s better than the 1st starter Hyukjun.

He proved that the FA-roid drug was still in his body in today’s game. 7 innings, 1 run, 9 strikeouts.

The lineup also diligently scored points, and is currently leading by two points.

Wow, Wonha is doing a good job.

“Geonyeong!”

“Yes!”

I opened the bullpen door and called out my catch ball partner. As if he had received the message, he had finished all the preparations and was standing behind home plate.

“…Quest.”

Ding-!!

[Pitcher is breaking ball! Breaking ball is practical!]

– Record 3 strikeouts with only breaking balls in 1 inning and allow no runs (0/3)

– Reward – Breaking ball + 5

Since the concept of today’s pitching will be breaking balls, all the signs I sent to Geonyeong in the bullpen were breaking balls.

Whether the trajectory of the curve is only large.

Whether the slider is bland.

Whether the splitter is properly released from the hand.

Whether the changeup is too fast.

Whether the rotation of the sinker is released.

“Hyung, what about the fastball?”

“That’s… enough, fastball.”

“Ah, fastball!”

I didn’t intend to throw it, but I couldn’t help but throw a few fastballs because I was aware of the pitching coach who was watching from a distance.

Bang!

How can I pitch without a fastball.

I didn’t think much about it, but after throwing the fastball, I felt a little regret. How should I overcome this difficulty…….

The quests in the previous training sessions were impossible to fail. If I was told to run, I ran, and if I was told to throw far, I just threw far.

But this quest is completely different. Rather, the possibility of failure is even greater.

Strikeout.

No matter how easy it is for pitchers to get strikeouts, there are no batters who will freely give up strikeouts.

“Hanwool, let’s go up.”

“Yes.”

Still, fortunately, Gaya’s attack in the bottom of the 8th is,

3rd batter, Choi!! Jae!! Weon!!