Chapter 38 – Episode 38. Do All Pros Train Like This?

“Huck, huck.”

“14 minutes and 46 seconds.”

“Huh, huh. How about it? Is this enough?”

“You have to work a little harder. It’s okay for a high school student.”

Hump, hump. Still, it was at the top of our school. But it was not easy for her to say the words to her cold face. Are real pros on a different level?

The first time she ran 4km, she had a good time, cutting it to the inside of 15 minutes.

“Then, since the warm-up is over, shall we move on to the next measurement?”

“Are there any more?”

“I told you. It’s called fitness. I don’t think you want to just run and finish.”

“Oh, can’t we just take a little break?”

“These are tests that are actually measured by the club. You can’t fall down like this.”

Fuck.

“The next test is the side step shuttle run. Side step shuttle run, you know?”

You know, I’ve done it at school. Was that an agility test?

“… How many are left?”

“I’m thinking of finishing it with a flexibility test and even a shuttle run.”

“… Today is not the day to do aerobic exercise….”

“Isn’t it good to do a fitness test before joining the club?”

Damn, got it wrong. I came here with the intention of swinging a bat a few times!

*

‘Certainly, the physical is a monster.’

Flexibility was slightly off, but overall the record wasn’t bad. The first record for the 4km long run was 14 minutes and 46 seconds, and few players in the first team ran like this.

136 for shuttle runs and 80 for 2 minutes for side step shuttle runs. In terms of athletic ability, it could be seen as the highest in all areas. Although it lacked some flexibility.

However, a strange resentment remained in Soyoung’s heart. Physical fitness was good, but what can I say? Is the attitude toward the test annoying?

‘Could I be someone who believes in the theory of grit and eyes like the old boys in the club?’

At that thought, Soyoung’s arms gave rise to goosebumps. It was because Soyoung hated baseball the most, because he was a gutist and an eyeballist.

‘Is it because I have a prejudice that I can’t read the good records even though they show me?’

“Is it true that real pros train like this? I think I’ll fall behind….”

“Even if it’s not every day, I do a fitness test like this.”

It was true. The physical fitness test conducted to join the spring camp tested the players in this way. Of course, the players panted like ferocious tigers after the test.

Haha. Are you sure?”

“Yes. The club does not take players to spring camp who do not pass the physical fitness test. Fierce player. If so, should I try a little harder? Wouldn’t it be a little embarrassing if the first nominee was eliminated from spring camp?”

The record was good, but it was obvious that if they said it was good here, they would be satisfied with it.

‘The test results are good, but I can’t let Ji Maeng-ho be satisfied like this.’

“Then, is today over?”

“No. Test is test. Training is training. I also have to practice batting. The physical strain felt by the players is so severe that a fierce tiger player cannot imagine it. The physical burden of players who play every day can be seen as similar to that of Maengho.”

“Ha, what kind of monsters are pros, swinging a bat in this state?”

If Maeng-ho had been able to ask Ros-by a question, she would have known that So-yeong was lying, but unfortunately Ros-by is no longer there. After the physical fitness test, the players also took a rest for the day.

However, Soyoung wanted to see what kind of performance Maengho, who had lost his stamina, would show. Professional baseball is a sport that requires extreme physical strength, playing 144 games a year. It was quite important what kind of performance you show when your stamina is low.

“If I can’t do it, I can’t help it. But as the head of operations for the AT Thunders, I have no choice but to inform you.”

At Soyoung’s words, Maengho, who had been stretched out in a large (大) on the floor, stood up with his hands on the floor. No, it wasn’t Soyeong’s words that caused the fierce tiger. The real reason why the fierce tiger happened was So-young’s pathetic eyes.

Originally, Soyoung’s expression was expressionless, so he didn’t actually look at him that way, but it seemed so to Maengho.

‘Fuck, fall in front of a woman. I can’t be like this.’

Maeng-ho calmed his trembling hands and searched for a baseball bat. He seemed to feel secure in his grip of the baseball bat.

“Then, since you seem to have had enough rest, let’s go to the batting range, right?”

“I think it’s because I’m young, so my recovery is quick. Feeling like the first nominee?”

A smile bloomed on Maeng-ho’s face at So-young’s words.

‘It’s cute to wake up even though you feel like you’re going to die. For a moment!’

At that moment, a thought passed through Soyoung’s mind. Combining the behavior peculiar to men who cheat and answering women through stargrams, I began to think of something.

‘Are you saying I’m in front of you?’

Even in the midst of gasping for breath, seeing Maengho making an expression that he thinks is cool, his thoughts change to confidence.

“Then shall we gohaha.”

“Yes.”

‘I think I can grow a little more. Well, it’s better than the staff who ignores women. But it’s cute because you can see it like that.’

Seeing the fierce tiger walking ahead with wobbly legs, Soyoung laughed inwardly. In addition, I thought that Maeng-ho Ji’s image of going to the end despite the unreasonable demands to confirm the limits of how far he could follow was not bad.

‘Maybe he’s a better player than I thought. First of all, I have to send the results today so that Maeng-ho Ji can come up with an optimal exercise program for his physical condition.’

*

‘Your stamina has gone down. I didn’t smoke….’

Her hands trembled and the bat flew into the safety net.

“Why am I wasting so much time….”

The happy times with Hyejin noona and Hyuna pass through my mind. … Come to think of it, isn’t it wasted time?

“Is it very difficult?”

When I was thinking stupid thoughts while copying the lines of a cartoon character I saw when I was young, Cheon So-young, who had been watching my betting, walked slowly.

“Ha, sorry. The bat fell out of her hand. Can I have some spray?”

“No, from my point of view, I’d better stop here for today.”

Do real pros swing their bats after these tests? My hands are shaking. However, it was embarrassing to show myself like this in front of a woman, so I hid my trembling hands and opened my mouth.

“I can do more.”

“It’s okay. I think I’ve seen enough of this.”

Chun So-young’s eyes are cold.

“Are you disappointed… ?”

He was the one who tried to pick me up, but I felt a little sorry. Have you neglected your training lately?

“No. She wasn’t disappointed. However, as you know, exercise is not good if you overdo it, right? That’s why I said it.”

Haha. I’m not normally this bad, but it’s strange todayhaha.”

Her face turns red The feeling of being exposed. If I had Rossby, I would have been able to cheer myself up by cracking a joke, but it’s a pity that I don’t have one at a time like this.

‘That woman is too difficult.’

I hate to say this, but most women approached me with goodwill. Except for Hyuna. Well, Hyuna was also friendly when we first met.

Anyway, in my opinion, I was handsome in my own way, and I was physically good, so I wasn’t used to receiving such cold eyes from a woman. Besides, while I was in the baseball club, I didn’t have much contact with women, and I only got to know women after meeting Rosby.

That said, should I say that dealing with a woman without Rossby is a little difficult?

‘I don’t know if it’s because I don’t have Rossby, but when I’m in front of that woman, it feels like I’m going back to my old self….’

I feel like I’m going back to the days when my self-esteem fell to the ground as a batting ball pitcher. Being hit directly by her cold eyes made me feel like my self-esteem was being eroded just like that time.

“Then, as you said, I’ll do it for today.”

Even if I tried more, I wouldn’t be able to concentrate, and it felt a little overdone, so I thought it was right to do it this far. Because I can’t afford to get injured.

“Maengho player. I want to manage my diet based on the medical test I did the other day and the fitness test I did today, is that okay?”

“Manage your diet? No, aren’t you busy? Take care of my meal….”

“What are you talking about? Of course, it’s provided by the club, but you didn’t think that I would manage the diet of the Fierce Tiger players myself, did you?”

Ugh, it seemed that even the air around it would freeze as it became even colder than the eyes I had seen before. When I heard that I was managing my diet, the words came out without going through my brain.

Haha. No, because the club is busy….”

He blunted his words again with an awkward laugh.

“First of all, ask the director how the menu is served at Hanche High School, and we will provide lunch and dinner. Losing weight bothers me a little. Also, I don’t know about the training, but I would like to adjust the exercise routine as well, in consultation with an expert, is that okay?”

“Oh, good. I am okay.”

“And.”

“And… ?”

“The fierce tiger player’s overall physical ability is very good, but the test results show that his flexibility is a bit disappointing.”

“Ah, flexibility.”

“How are you doing flexibility exercises?”

“Just stretching before training, like we do at school… ?”

“Well…. Fierce tiger players have a large body and a lot of muscle mass, so exercise to develop flexibility is more important. Besides, since I am an infielder who throws a lot, I think it would be good to do flexibility training separately.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes. Something like Pilates.”

“You’ve never done Pilates before, have you?”

Pilates, isn’t that what women do?

“Looking at his expression, he doesn’t seem very happy.”

Are you so pissed off?

“I understand. There is still a perception that Pilates is an exercise for women to cultivate their body. However, there are quite a few clubs that include Pilates as a required exercise course. Our AT is one of them.”

“Ah yes.”

“From now on, I think it would be good to train here in the morning on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and learn Pilates on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.”

“All right. I… But where do you learn? I don’t know where.”

“I think we can learn separately at the center run by the team’s instructors. I will tell you.”

“Oh, thank you.”

“What. It’s the club’s first nomination. As I said before, I have high expectations for Ji Maeng-ho. Both at the club and personally.”

“Isn’t that expectation broken after seeing me today?”

“No.”

“But his expression was so cold that I was actually a little scared.”

“Oh, my expression is like this, so you don’t have to worry about that part.”

Wait a minute, you were prettier when you smiled or when you made a vague expression. After I thought about that and didn’t say anything for a while, she opened her mouth first.

“Then we go with that pattern until finish camp. Except for competition day. I don’t want to have them run in competitions, but that can’t be the case, right?”

“Maybe the school will object?”

“As expected. Not even a pitcher.”

“All right. Then, we will train according to the leader’s words. Then I will go wash up.”

It’s Pilates…. It seems a bit useless, but it wasn’t too bad to take care of it as the first nomination. I take care of my diet and plan an exercise routine. I think you can see how much the AT Thunders care for me.

‘Well, it’d be better if they paid for it rather than training like this, though.’