Perfect Agent [EN]: Chapter 219

“We’re starting the live broadcast now!”

With the producing director’s signal, the broadcast began 30 minutes before the game started.

As our images appeared on the monitor screen, I began to speak.

“Hello, everyone. It’s been a while. The postseason live broadcast is back after a year. Did you all wait long?”

I could see the fans’ reactions through the comments that were rapidly scrolling up as soon as we started.

└ I turned on both the relay broadcast and Dream Agency live stream ㅋㅋ Muted the relay broadcast.

└ Wow, Oh Seok-hoon is here too. The screen itself looks brighter.

└ But actually, the camera seems much better, right? Is it just me?

└ It definitely seems different. The quality of the videos uploaded to Dream Agency’s SNS [Social Networking Service] these days is incomparable to the early days. The camera and editing level are both incredibly high.

└ And it seems like there are more than one or two cameras? There’s even a camera that focuses on each player ㄷㄷ [Korean internet slang expressing surprise or amazement]

└ Last year, it was almost like an internet broadcast, but this year, you could consider it a regular broadcast.

└ Ah ㅠㅠ Seok-hoon. Why are you there? You should be at the stadium.

└ Seeing Oh Seok-hoon like this is both welcoming and bittersweet.

“I’m really thankful that so many people seem to have waited for us. First, let me introduce our players.”

I turned my head to look at the players sitting next to me.

“First, we have the players who were with us on last year’s live broadcast. So Young-joon and Jang Su-young.”

“Wait a minute. No matter what, are you introducing us as a set like this? Aren’t you going too far?”

So Young-joon raised both hands as if he was dumbfounded and looked at Jang Su-young as if asking for agreement.

“You came out last year. You have to understand this year. We’re short on time.”

“Ha……. Should I have taken a season off? This is too unfair.”

└ So Young-joon seems serious ㅋㅋㅋ [Korean internet slang for laughing]

└ Yes, let’s go to the postseason with the Pelicans next year!!!

└ I’ll acknowledge you if you lead the Pelicans to the postseason!

Now, I turned my head towards Oh Seok-hoon and Choi Jeong-hwan and continued speaking.

“And this is the first time these players are participating in our live broadcast this season. It’s Buffaloes’ Oh Seok-hoon and Doubles’ Choi Jeong-hwan! Yay!”

I encouraged applause to raise the atmosphere.

The staff beyond the camera clapped and responded enthusiastically.

So Young-joon, who had been expressing his frustration until just now, clapped vigorously as if nothing had happened.

“Hello, this is Oh Seok-hoon from the Buffaloes. This is my first time greeting you like this. I’ll do my best today.”

As Oh Seok-hoon finished his greeting and bowed his head, comments were passing by at a speed that was on a different level than before.

└ I’m a fan. He’s really handsome!!!

└ I’m a guy, but I have to admit he’s handsome.

└ Is Oh Seok-hoon’s leg okay?? ㅠㅠ [Korean emoticon for crying] Will we be able to see you next year?

└ The possibility of recurrence is so high with a hamstring injury……. It seems like it will be difficult to see aggressive base running.

└ He was a player who could hit home runs and steal bases at any time, but is that difficult from now on ㅠ [Korean emoticon for crying]

└ You have to be careful from now on. If you get injured again while stealing bases, the impact of not being able to play is much bigger.

I read the rapidly passing comments and asked a question.

“Many people are worried. Oh Seok-hoon, what is your current physical condition?”

“I don’t have any pain now. I’ll work hard on rehabilitation and training during the winter to prepare so that I can return without any problems next season.”

└ Oh Seok-hoon fighting! You can do it!

└ Let’s win the Korean Series with the Buffaloes next year!!!

└ And you’re a FA [Free Agent] next year. Shake it all off, do well, and go to the major league.”

I now shifted my gaze to Choi Jeong-hwan.

“Next is Doubles’ reliable closer, Choi Jeong-hwan. Please greet us.”

“Hello, this is Choi Jeong-hwan.”

Choi Jeong-hwan bowed his head towards the camera.

“You recorded 28 saves from your first season as a closer. How do you feel?”

“Honestly, it was tough after getting hit with a walk-off home run by Na Joon-ho *sunbae* [senior/mentor in Korean]. But that was really good medicine. I will block the 9th inning more perfectly from now on.”

└ Thanks to you, I watched the 9th inning comfortably, thank you.

└ Go all the way to the national team closer!!

└ I liked your refreshing fastball, please throw up to 160km/h in the future.”

I looked at my watch and moved on to the next topic.

“Now we have to talk about today’s game. Even if you’re not a Jaguars or Buffaloes fan, I think all baseball fans are very interested in today’s game.”

I turned my head towards So Young-joon while taking a beat.

“So Young-joon, the matchup between the two teams’ starting pitchers in today’s game is really amazing. As a hitter who has faced both pitchers, what do you think?”

“Ha……. Go Ji-hoon *sunbae*, as I said last year, is a very annoying pitcher from a hitter’s point of view. His pitches are too dirty. None of the balls fly straight, and his control is too good. Moreover, he pitched a lot of innings this season. That means he made the opposing hitters *himdeulge* [tired/exhausted in Korean].”

So Young-joon shook his head with a *jillindaneun* [disgusted/fed up in Korean] expression.

“How was Michael Scott?”

“Um……. He has speed and his breaking balls are good these days, but how should I say it? It feels like the timing matches well.”

“Michael Scott had a game this season where he gave up 4 runs, and the opponent was So Young-joon?”

At my words, So Young-joon couldn’t control the twitching corner of his mouth and took over the conversation.

“Well, as you all know, that’s right. After the game, I saw that I had recorded 4 RBIs [Runs Batted In] against Scott that day. Why weren’t there any other players who did that? There should have been at least one more.”

So Young-joon still had a smile on his face.

“At that time, Scott was especially in top condition. How were you able to do that?”

“Well… I don’t know how, but the ball just went over the fence when I swung.”

Choi Jeong-hwan and Jang Su-young, sitting next to So Young-joon, glared at him, clearly annoyed.

└He said it just went over when he swung, lol.

└I think he would have dominated the league if his team wasn’t the Pelicans. What a waste.

└Looking at him lately, I think he could get selected for the national team. I’m looking forward to that.

└Just gathering Dream Agency players would make the offense incredible. I’m excited.

“It’s irritating, but he’s already proven it on the field, so I can’t really argue with him.”

I turned to Choi Jeong-hwan and asked, “So, let’s talk about the outcome of today’s game. Which team do you think will win, Choi Jeong-hwan?”

“Ha… That’s a tough question. As far as I know, Go Ji-hoon and Michael Scott are still in top form. The batting lineup needs to hit home runs, but I think the Jaguars have a slight advantage.”

“Oh, the Jaguars? You think an upset is possible?”

At my question, Choi Jeong-hwan glanced at Oh Seok-hoon and continued, “The Buffaloes’ central batting lineup has a few vulnerabilities. In a short series, one home run is crucial, but I think they’ll inevitably fall behind in that area.”

“Um… That’s a shame, but that’s how it is.”

I nodded in agreement.

“Hoo…”

Oh Seok-hoon sighed, looking dejected.

“What about Jang Su-young?”

“I also want to side with the Jaguars. I noticed it when we played them during the season. Once you get past the 3rd and 4th hitters in the central lineup, Donald Watson and Seo Seong-min are solid at 5th and 6th. It’ll be difficult for the starting pitcher to get through them easily.”

“Oh, the Buffaloes unexpectedly received two votes against them. What about you, So Young-joon?”

I turned back to So Young-joon and asked.

“I find Go Ji-hoon more difficult to deal with. I always feel it when I face him, but his pitches are so *dirty* [unhittable, with a lot of movement] that it’s really hard to make solid contact. Especially on days when he’s in good condition, it feels like the ball is alive and coming at you.”

“Scott isn’t difficult to deal with?”

“Well, Scott’s pitches are hittable, aren’t they? Scott pitches well, but honestly, isn’t he not the type of pitcher who’s so amazing that you can’t hit a home run off him at all?”

“Hey, that’s too much.”

Complaints erupted from all around at So Young-joon’s words.

“I’m saying this because some of the fans watching might misunderstand. So Young-joon and Michael Scott are really close. They’re like soulmates.”

I tried to smooth things over as best as I could.

“Besides being close, that’s honestly how it is. If you just time it right and swing well at the incoming ball, it goes over.”

“Ah, really.”

└He said if you just time it right and swing well at the incoming ball, it goes over, lol. He’s not wrong.

└Scott, give it your all when you face So Young-joon next season, lol.

└Scott! Throw up to 160km/h [~99.4 mph]!!!

“Lastly, I think we can wrap it up after hearing Oh Seok-hoon’s thoughts. Which team do you think will win, Oh Seok-hoon?”

“I… I hope the Buffaloes win.”

Oh Seok-hoon replied, looking dejected.

“Is that a wish? Or do you think they’ll win?”

“They have to win. I really hope our players win the Korean Series [championship series].”

“I see. There are a lot of different predictions even here. That means today’s game will be very intense. The game is really about to start…”

I was about to wrap things up, but So Young-joon suddenly cut in and asked me, “Wait, you have to say it too, CEO. Who do you think will win?”

“I… I hope all our players do well.”

“Hey, you can’t just brush it off like that. One team has to win to end it. Pick a team quickly.”

At that moment, the *danggdang* [in charge] producer beyond the camera was signaling with his hand that it was time to end.

“Oh my, it’s already this late. We have to break for commercials. We’ll continue watching the *jun-playoff* [semi-playoffs] first game together shortly. I’ll be right back.”

With those last words, the screen changed, and the commercials started playing.

So Young-joon, who hadn’t heard my answer, couldn’t hide his disappointment.

It was a short break, but the players and I were able to relax for a while.

Now it was time to watch the game in earnest and continue the conversation.

* * *

6:30 PM.

It was finally time for the *jun-playoff* [semi-playoffs] first game to begin.

Since it was the home game of the 3rd-place Buffaloes, the Jaguars’ offense was up first.

“Okay, the game is finally starting!”

Go Ji-hoon was heading to the mound.

-Waaaaah-

-Go Ji-hoon! Go Ji-hoon! Go Ji-hoon!

Even just watching it on the screen, I could feel the Buffaloes fans’ enthusiastic support.

“Is it because it’s the *poseuteu-sijeun* [post-season]? The fans’ support seems to have gotten much bigger.”

Receiving the crowd’s enthusiastic support, the Buffaloes players, including Go Ji-hoon, took their respective fielding positions.

Soon after, the Jaguars’ first batter stepped up to the plate and prepared to start.

-Play ball!

The umpire signaled with a loud call and a gesture.

Finally, Go Ji-hoon started his windup to throw the first pitch.