Chapter 460 – Episode 452. Look at These? (2)

Once is a mistake, twice is what? On purpose? Or is it a coincidence mixed with mistakes?

At first, when An Si-Hwon stepped on the back of my hand, I thought it was an accident that could easily happen during a game. Anyone can make mistakes, and accidents can occur in the process of trying to make up for those mistakes.

Of course, other people could have been furious if such a situation came up. However, I am a man who has the patience to be compared to the world’s four greatest saints. I had enough patience to laugh it off.

And the second. Even when Park Joong-ki, who was on base, hit a double play and slid in, aiming for my ankle, I just avoided the slide and laughed it off. For me, who learned baseball from Rossby, avoiding such dog tackles was as natural as breathing.

And I also understood how those guys would act like that if they were in a hurry. Park Joong-ki is a veteran in his mid-thirties. Since he was a person who played baseball in an era when romance still remained, his habits may have developed in an urgent situation.

To be honest, it wasn’t that threatening because my feet were slow. So much so that I can’t even recognize that this was an intentional act. Yes, coincidences like that can happen up to twice.

However, since this situation happened a third time…,

‘What? ‘Do you want to try it?’

Bottom of the 3rd inning with a 3:0 lead. As the leadoff hitter, I walked to first base as usual and, of course, stole second base. And the apology came. A Si-Hwon came in, aiming for my wrist with his knee, pretending to catch the catcher’s throw.

Just as you can tell whether a pitcher is throwing an empty ball or not by standing at bat, An Si-Hwon’s tagging method was clearly strange. There was no reason for the center of gravity of the tagging second baseman to be centered on his knees. Since he was a fellow second baseman, he knew that fact better than anyone else,

There is only one reason why a second baseman’s center of gravity is centered on his knees. Only when I didn’t like the runner. This was also one of the defensive methods that Rossby frequently used, so I knew it better than anyone else.

If An Si-Hwon had not pulled out his left hand before striking with his knee, the ligaments could have been injured.

After going through this ridiculous situation, I realize that the things that have happened so far were done with the intention of putting me in trouble.

“You mean let’s do it now?”

And this situation happened three times, and as I listened to other people talk about why they were so nice, something slowly started to come up.

“W-what do you mean?”

“Ha, okay. It’ll be fun.”

However, the ‘something’ rising within me was not a feeling of irritation or anger. It’s a feeling closer to joy or excitement…

I rather enjoyed this situation. This was a challenge to me. I have been waiting for this opportunity.

The baseball we know and play now was not actually ‘baseball’. Current baseball has changed over the past 100 years. Looking at a piece of paper like a saber, being protected by rules like girls, and having guys called pitchers grab your shoulders after at most 3-4 consecutive pitches, is the current version of baseball like ‘Baseball 3’?

And baseball before that. If the so-called ‘romantic’ baseball, where batters somehow try to increase the number of runs batted in, pitchers throw 150 complete games, and fans climb over the fence and enter the ground and fight, is ‘Baseball 2’.

‘Real baseball’ could be seen as doing your best with a sincere determination to do whatever it takes to win the game. A baseball game where you do whatever it takes to win, aiming for the shin when sliding, preparing to concusse the catcher when going into the groove, and not giving up base.

Yes, it was the ‘baseball’ of those days that I only heard about from Rossby.

The guys at Hancheol challenged me with ‘real baseball.’

So I couldn’t help but be excited.

In fact, very few guys have shown me this kind of sincerity this year. Ever since I broke a few guys’ jaws in bench clearing, very few guys have bothered with me. At least the catcher’s trash talking?

Most players hated bumping into me. Either physically or mentally. However, Hancheol’s guys were different now. Determination to do anything to win. Even if that determination breaks you, you can feel the determination to run for victory.

Today’s game is already close, but he is determined to look at the entire series, not just this one game, and put all his effort into helping his team win. That will is shining brightly in the eyes.

When I realized the truth, rather than being angry because I could have gotten injured, I was happy that I could compete with an opponent like this in ‘real baseball.’ As long as the other person was like this, there was nothing to hesitate about. Trying to injure your opponent means preparing to get injured yourself…

“Two people. Away! “It was a mistake, right?”

“Yes. It’s a mistake. Meng Hao, I’m sorry.”

As the ball continues to be dead, and I look at An Si-Hwon, the second base umpire mediates between us, fearing that the bench may be cleared. However, I had no intention of doing bench clearing. Their goal is to get me out of this stadium.

‘It would be nice to be suspended from business trips. But what? I know everything.’

Well, it was a good operation. For those guys.

If I had fallen for their plan and even swung my fist, something like that could have happened. No, I was planning on swinging my fist until I saw those eyes that looked like they were prepared for everything.

But this was ‘baseball’. And the guys challenged me with that kind of ‘baseball.’ So, if I swing my fist, it means I’m running away from this match! I decided to fight back with ‘baseball’.

‘Okay, let’s compete to see whose [Baseball] Is stronger.’

The game is about how many ‘players’ can be ruled out in a clever way without the referee noticing. Baseball and ‘baseball’ were the same in that they had to be called out.

‘I will win in the end.’

I’m sure Mr. Rossby is rooting for me like this. Please watch over Mr. Rossby!

Hehe.

Mr. Rossby’s laughter seemed to come from heaven. Mr. Rossby’s joy is vivid as if you can see it with your own eyes.

‘… What are you saying? Are you sick? It’s vivid because I’m next to you.’

‘Oh, was it there? I thought I went to see the cheerleaders again. Somehow. I heard it coming from close by.’

Ignoring the pitiful look in Rossby’s eyes, I step on the base and wait for the game to start, and I hear Rossby’s happy voice again.

‘Hehe, now I can finally play real baseball.’

‘Me too. ‘I’m excited for the first time in a long time.’

A competition to see who can express their desire for victory without being noticed by the referee.

Of course, I didn’t want to lose in baseball or ‘baseball’.

*

“Hey, hey. Sis, it was a mistake. Who, what’s wrong with your eyes?”

“Oh, I know. It must be a mistake. I should have soaked it more thoroughly, but if it were me…, … I wouldn’t have done that…, Right? Hmm, as expected…”

An Si-Hwon, who went up to offer another apology after the ball dead, was horrified to see Ji Maeng-Ho muttering something to himself with his eyes half-open.

“What, what? Suddenly I said to myself…”

It was only after I let that surprise out of my mouth that I felt like my heart calmed down… Ji Maeng-ho’s talking to himself stops, as if he heard himself talking to himself. But why? The reason why the sweat from his back does not stop even though Ji Maeng-ho stops talking to himself.

‘This guy. Something is really strange…’

And suddenly, something he heard while drinking with his classmate Baek Kyung-ho comes to mind.

-“Ji Maeng-ho, you too be careful of that bastard.”

-“He plays well. Ha, how will we stop it next season…”

-“No, that’s not the story. “That bastard is really dangerous.”

-“Huh? Of course, it’s dangerous. “He’s a guy who hits .400.”

-“Ha, it’s done. Just have a drink. Ugh, I only feel sorry for the director. How did you happen to touch a guy like that? .”

At the time, I couldn’t understand what Baek Kyung-ho was saying. Because it had been a long time since he had been drinking with his classmate, he didn’t know what kind of person Ji Meng-ho was.

But now you know. This guy was literally dangerous. He’s a dangerous guy, not just in terms of baseball, but in terms of humanity. In the first place, there’s no way a guy who looks at himself with deathly eyes and mutters to himself is normal.

In reality, Ji Maeng-ho was currently in a dangerous state. Communication with Rossby usually takes place only in the mind. Meng Hao, who never spoke out loud about communicating with Rossby unless he was extremely embarrassed, was now saying those words out loud.

‘Shouldn’t this guy be replaced?’

As he watched that scene from the side, he felt as if cold sweat was rolling down his face. And then deep regret came.

‘… ‘I should have sent it first.’

There was a chance to crush Ji Maeng-ho’s hand in the first episode, but he couldn’t. No matter how much he is an enemy on the field, he is a partner outside the field. The moment he stepped on the back of his hand, he was unable to exert much strength and ended up putting his other foot on the ground, fearing that he might suffer irreparable injury.

Still, this must have hurt quite a bit, right? At least for about a month… I watched Ji Maeng-ho with this thought in mind, but it was a big defeat. Ji Maeng-ho’s hands were clearly intact. Instead, he only increased his vigilance.

The knee stab I tried this time was a trap that I had no choice but to fall into. Because it was a strategy to put his weight on his wrist the moment he touched the base with his hand. An operation that can cause at least ligament injuries. But the guy avoided his knees as if showing off. Instead, he only hurt his knee when it hit the ground.

If I hadn’t tried it first, I could have broken the unwary guy’s wrist…

The vague sympathy I felt in episode 1 ended up being like touching the nose hairs of a sleeping lion.

‘Sleeping lion…’

And now it felt like the lion had sensed that he was about to die.

‘… ‘Did you really find out?’

It may be an illusion. No, it must be an illusion. Unless I’m mistaken, I don’t know what this idiot will do.

However, contrary to An Si-Hwon’s wishes, the game resumed. Ji Maeng-ho started running toward third base.

However, unlike when I usually steal a base, the timing of the fastball…

[Ji Maeng-ho’s surprise steal of third base!]

Third baseman Park Joong-ki also notices the situation and goes into base cover. And it felt instinctive. This is out timing.

‘If only I could catch Ji Maeng-ho here, if only I could break the myth of Ji Maeng-ho’s 100% steal success rate!’

… You can bring this series! With such thoughts in mind, Park Joong-ki stood in front of the base as usual, forgetting the manager’s secret suggestion to throw Ji Maeng-ho in, waiting for the catcher’s throw.

‘Nature tag!’

How much practice did you have to throw to catch Ji Maeng-ho! The result of that practice is natural tagging. Considering Ji Meng-ho’s sliding ability, he might miss a big catch if he just touches it. To do his best, Park Joong-ki completely blocked the area in front of the base with his glove.

‘If you just put the glove on… !’

“Not… !”

Contrary to An Si-Hwon’s intention to shout no, Ji Maeng-Ho was rushing to third base. And in front of him, Park Joong-ki was seen waiting for a runner with his glove on the runner in a standard posture.

“… It’s okay!”

And as soon as An Si-Hwon’s shouting ended…

“Quaaaaa!!”

The scream coming from Park Joong-ki’s large body echoed in Jamsil Stadium.