Perfect Agent [EN]: Chapter 69

69. Can We Get Closer? (5)

As soon as Go Ji-hoon returned to the dorm, he devoted himself to weight training late into the night.

“It looks like he’s about to finish soon, right?”

I confirmed that Go Ji-hoon was training and went into the room to get the dinosaur doll I had hidden.

“Ugh. It’s really heavy.”

The large size made it even harder.

I groaned and struggled to get through the living room and stopped in front of the stairs leading to the underground training room.

Wait, is it right to go down now?

Even though I’m trying to give him a gift, considering Go Ji-hoon’s personality, he would probably react more sensitively to being disturbed during training.

I’ll just wait here until he comes up.

He wouldn’t stay up all night, would he?

I sat the dinosaur doll on the sofa and sat down next to it.

About an hour passed like that.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Finally, I heard footsteps.

‘He’s coming, he’s coming.’

I pretended to be resting on the sofa as if nothing was wrong.

Then, when Go Ji-hoon came up, I slowly turned my head.

“Did you finish training, senior?”

“What are you doing here at this hour?”

Go Ji-hoon went to the water purifier in the kitchen, took some water, and gulped it down.

“Are you going home tomorrow?”

“I probably will.”

“Take this with you when you go tomorrow.”

I stroked the dinosaur doll next to me and smiled.

“What’s that?”

As expected, his reaction was lukewarm.

“Tomorrow is your daughter’s birthday. I heard that kids these days like this character.”

“…But why are you giving me a gift?”

“You must have been busy preparing for your starting appearance, and I’m her uncle, so I can give her a gift.”

“Uncle?”

“Of course. I’m her uncle.”

Go Ji-hoon made a dumbfounded expression.

But I continued speaking as if nothing was wrong.

“I can give her this much of a gift, right? Between us.”

“What kind of relationship do we have?”

“We’re family. We live in the same house and eat together.”

“Stop talking nonsense and go rest, okay? It’s late.”

Go Ji-hoon put the water cup he was holding in the dishwasher and slowly walked up to the second floor.

“Make sure to take it tomorrow. She’ll probably really like it.”

“……”

Go Ji-hoon didn’t react at all while going up to the second floor.

But he’ll still take it, right?

I stroked the dinosaur doll sitting on the sofa one more time.

“I’m going to ask you for a favor.”

The next morning, as soon as I opened my eyes, I opened the door and went out to the living room.

It’s not still there, is it?

Still, there’s such a thing as human decency.

He’s not that bad of a person, right?

With a trembling heart, I tiptoed out to the living room.

“Nice.”

The dinosaur doll was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

It had been exactly a week since Go Ji-hoon had gone home.

It wasn’t the first time he had been away from home for a week.

It happened quite often when he went to regional areas for away games.

But strangely, this time felt different.

Was it because he was returning home on his daughter’s birthday for the first time?

“I’m finally here.”

The thought of seeing his daughter and wife made Go Ji-hoon smile.

He got out of the car and was about to go into the house.

“Ah, right. That thing……”

The dinosaur doll he had placed in the back seat caught his eye.

He opened the back door and slung it over his left shoulder.

“Ugh. Why is this so heavy?”

Go Ji-hoon groaned and went to take the elevator.

He was really glad that he didn’t run into anyone else while riding the elevator.

Ding-dong.

As soon as he rang the bell, he heard his daughter running from inside.

Just hearing the sound made the corners of Go Ji-hoon’s lips curl up slightly.

Beep beep.

“Dad!”

“Soo-ah!”

When his daughter ran towards him, Go Ji-hoon lowered his gaze by bending his knees and waist as usual.

‘Huh? My body feels a little strange? I need to be careful.’

He felt a slight pain, but it was bearable for now.

First, Go Ji-hoon carefully placed the dinosaur doll on the floor.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a present for Soo-ah.”

“Wow!”

Soo-ah’s eyes sparkled when she saw the dinosaur doll and hugged it tightly.

His wife, who had been watching from behind with a pleased expression, approached.

“How did you know Soo-ah liked that doll? She’s been begging me to buy it for her lately, so it’s been tough.”

It was a relief that Soo-ah liked it, but…

How did Kang Hyun-woo know this?

“Uh… Of course, I knew Soo-ah liked it.”

“I thought your head was only full of baseball, so I didn’t think you’d know, but it looks like you’re still interested in your daughter.”

“If I’m not interested in my family, what would I be interested in?”

His wife, who seemed slightly sulky, finally burst into laughter.

“Dad, move this for me.”

“Where should I take it?”

“Sit it on the sofa, over there.”

Go Ji-hoon, who was carrying the dinosaur doll again, carefully sat it on the sofa.

Soo-ah stuck right next to it and started talking to the doll.

A smile spread across Go Ji-hoon’s face as he watched this scene.

She’s so happy with just one doll.

I should buy her more often.

“How’s your body now? Is there anywhere that hurts, even a little?”

This was the first question his wife always asked Go Ji-hoon.

It was like a routine conversation that started after the third injury he sustained in the pros [professional baseball league].

“I’m fine. Everything’s okay.”

“I saw the game yesterday, and it looked like your control wasn’t right? Is something wrong?”

His wife was so knowledgeable that she could be called a baseball expert now, but he didn’t want to tell her that it was hard.

“Yesterday, my balance just wasn’t good. There’s nothing wrong with my body.”

“Phew… That’s a relief.”

His wife sighed in relief, as if she had put down a deep worry.

“Is it okay to live in the agency dorm?”

“Yeah. The place to sleep is comfortable, the food is good, and the training conditions are good.”

“What are the players you live with like?”

“Not bad. They all seem nice.”

“Still, they’re the people you live with, so try to approach them first. You’re a senior, so it must be uncomfortable for them.”

“Of course, I’m trying too.”

His conscience pricked.

“But if the agency people are living together, does that mean Kang Hyun-woo is there too?”

“Uh… Uh. He’s living on the first floor with us. Hyun-woo keeps managing the younger hitters.”

“Have you talked to him? He seems like a nice person.”

I have talked to him, but…

“That friend is so busy. I didn’t have time to talk to him for a long time. I had to prepare for my appearance too…”

Go Ji-hoon’s voice grew smaller towards the end.

“Well, everyone must be busy during the season.”

“I guess so. There are a lot of away games too.”

It wasn’t a lie, but it felt like he was lying.

“Then can you sleep here tonight?”

A deep disappointment was cast on his wife’s face.

“Can’t you take a day off from training?”

“The program I have to do today is all set. I’m sorry.”

“Is the agency asking you to do that?”

“No, well. The agency does ask me to.”

In fact, there was no one’s coercion or pressure.

It was a decision Go Ji-hoon made himself.

“I’ll come often whenever I have time.”

“Come and eat first. Bring Soo-ah too.”

His wife sighed deeply, as if she was upset.

Go Ji-hoon massaged his wife’s shoulders a few times and turned his head to the living room.

“Soo-ah, let’s go eat.”

Even with Go Ji-hoon’s call, Soo-ah didn’t leave the dinosaur doll for a moment.

Watching that scene naturally brought a smile to his face.

* * *

“Good morning.”

As soon as I entered the office, I greeted the employees with a bright smile.

Just thinking about yesterday made me want to hum.

I went to the pantry to make a cup of coffee.

The subtle scent of coffee was felt as the coffee dripped down.

I couldn’t give up the leisure of a cup of coffee as soon as I got to work, no matter what.

It was also to get the awakening effect I needed in the morning, but it was also my own ritual to announce the start of the day.

I was about to take a leisurely sip of the freshly brewed coffee when Kim Min-hwan looked for me with an urgent expression.

“Hyun-woo, you were here. Talk to me for a second.”

“Now?”

Please don’t say right now.

“Yeah, right now. It’s urgent.”

Ha… He completely dashed my expectations.

I hurriedly took a sip and followed Kim Min-hwan into the conference room.

“What’s wrong?”

“Ha… Stress.”

Kim Min-hwan frowned and squeezed his hair as if he was about to pull it out.

“What’s going on?”

“Jang Soo-young is making a fuss again.”

“Wolfs’ Jang Soo-young?”

Left-handed pitcher Jang Soo-young was in charge of the one-point relief role, facing hitters who were weak against left-handed hitters in situations where they were leading around the 7th or 8th inning.

“Isn’t Jang Soo-young doing well these days? His pitches were good this season too.”

“Yeah. That’s why he’s making more of a fuss.”

“Yes?”

“He’s been talking to me every time I see him since last year. He said he wants to play as a closer too.”

Jang Soo-young was an ace pitcher who could represent the league.

Jang Soo-young was also an indispensable key pitcher for the Wolfs.

Moreover, he was a rare left-handed pitcher.

Many left-handed hitters have difficulty hitting against left-handed pitchers, so he was playing an important role in every crisis situation.

Of course, in terms of performance alone, he was good enough to play as a closer right away.

But the problem was that the Wolfs had Oh Seung-soo, the league’s best closer who was showing the best skills.

He was a living legend who was breaking the record for most saves every year with skills that rarely deteriorated even as he got older.

Unless he was injured and excluded from the first-team lineup, the possibility of pushing him out and taking the closer position was slim.

“Even so, it’ll be difficult to play as a closer for the Wolfs. Oh Seung-soo has to be an ordinary player to say that.”

“That’s what I’m saying. Hooo-”

Kim Min-hwan pressed his temples as if his head was throbbing and took a deep breath.

“Then what should we do?”

“That’s what I called you to talk about.”

I took a sip of the coffee I was holding.

“Go and meet him in person. Try to soothe him as much as possible and get his mentality in check. And you’re especially good at that, Hyun-woo.”

“Me? Now?”

I almost spat out my coffee.

“Today is a home game, so if you leave right now, it’ll be enough. It’ll be difficult to come back right away at night, so I’ll book a room for you. Talk to him at your leisure and come back.”

To go down to the provinces so suddenly?

How can you say something like a bolt from the blue so comfortably?

Kim Min-hwan looked at his watch once and looked at me with an expression that said, ‘What are you doing not hurrying?’