Chapter 7 – Episode 7. Practice Match (1) – (Modified)

“Now. I’ll call the starting lineup for today’s practice game, so listen carefully. Blue Army pitcher Kim Won-ho, ……… White Army pitcher…… 2nd baseman Ji Maeng-ho…….”

Selection? Am I the pick? Although it was a practice game, the coach put me in the starting lineup. Although Baek’s lineup consisted of 1.5 squads, when I think of the night I cried because I couldn’t even go to practice games like this….

‘It’s hard to like that I started in a practice match.’

I was going to get sentimental, but this person is choking me.

‘It may not be a big deal to you, but it is a precious opportunity for me! Do you know how I feel when I haven’t played a game in three years?’

‘How can a superstar like me know the heart of a high school bench kid?’

‘You look bright for that, don’t you? I guess you’re happy that I’m in the game, too?’

‘I’m glad you fucking monkey. It’s because I focus on baseball and don’t have sex and just train. Run to her house right now!’

‘What is a monkey? The man who thinks of sex on a fictional day is a monkey.’

I decided to ignore Rossby’s words because I thought that further discussion would only drain my strength before the game. Still, after spending half a year with this human, I should say it’s fortunate that I’ve developed the ability to listen to useless words with one ear and let them pass through the other.

“Maengho. Batting 6 today, second baseman. Can you?”

“Yes! Just leave it to me.’

At the head coach’s words, I expressed my confidence with a bright face. Is group 1 different? High school level anyway. With Rossby, I am invincible and divine!

‘It’s a baby monkey. Do you understand my greatness now?’

‘Please! Mr. Rossby!’

And the opponent is Kim Won-ho! The guy who stole my first love. It felt like my baseball skills were doubling.

‘Maybe it’s because she’s young, her pussy looks chewy because it’s closed…. Why don’t you watch the video again?’

‘… ‘Cause I don’t want to see it.’

First love is the most beautiful when it remains as first love. The first love that masturbated thinking of my friend was no longer a first love. I didn’t want to see or even think about it.

‘I’m sorry.’

‘… Right. I’m sick.’

‘It’s nice to see you admit it. Keep acting like an idiot from now on.’

… Shit guy. I swung the bat at Rossby pretending to practice batting. Of course it wasn’t right.

“Fire Tiger! Nice to see you working hard! Let’s go to the game together this time.”

Unaware of my speed, Kim Won-ho came to greet me. Apparently, he felt close to me because he was the only classmate on the team. No, because Wonho was originally close…. Avoiding him is my inferiority complex.

“Okay. Don’t even look at me.”

“Where is the watcher for baseball?”

At that, I put my middle finger up. Kim Won-ho smiled and walked to Cheong-gun’s dugout. When I first saw the video, I wanted to break my head with a bat, but after having sex with Hyejin noona, what can I say…. I didn’t feel as inferior as before.

‘Know that this is all thanks to me.’

Rossby was right. The fundamental inferiority I feel towards him is Hyuna’s work, but the essence is baseball. I envied the guy’s baseball skills, putting his 150 balls into the strike zone.

… But not anymore. Because Rossby was by my side and gave me experience.

‘It’s a nice face. You look like a warrior now. So, what kind of ball is that baby monkey throwing?’

Before the game, Rosby asked me about Wonho Kim’s pitch. Guys who are serious about baseball will say that I play baseball cowardly, but to me, that wasn’t what was important anymore. Ji Maeng-ho, a boy who only knew baseball after watching Hyun-a’s video, died.

‘… All that’s left is a sex-crazed, horny monkey.’

‘Don’t put narration into other people’s hearts at will!’

‘Don’t be shy and tell me something. It’s a baby monkey.’

‘I sometimes throw a forkball at the four-seam and slider base, but I usually only throw a forkball at really important moments in actual matches, so I won’t throw it in practice games.’

‘Hmm, kids these days play baseball like gays. In our days, we cut the ball and smeared it with mud, but he throws a breaking ball with some kind of hand play.’

‘Wasn’t spitball forbidden when you supervised?’

‘I’m sorry. I’m talking about my playing days.’

I couldn’t feel it well because the way he spoke was childlike, but at times like this, I realized that Rosby was a major leaguer who was active 100 years ago.

‘Hmm. The four-seam and slider grips are similar, but….’

‘Ah, can’t Rosby, the world’s horniest, tell me that?’

‘Is this kinky monkey kid provoking me?’

‘Then why are you pretending to be weak?’

‘You motherfucking monkey. It’s because you’ll definitely resent me if you can’t hit it with your mentality.’

‘… It does.’

Rossby shook his head at my words and flew to where Kim Won-ho was pitching the bullpen. Even if he said that, he went to see what kind of grip he was holding and throwing the ball. Is Rossby a tsundere?

‘Shut up you idiot!’

‘… Did you die?’

‘I know. If I saw you playing baseball, I would have been killed if I were your parent.’

Another advantage of living with Rossby was that this scumbag with low personality made his mentality stronger by blowing off padlips and racism without even trying. To the extent that it won’t hurt even with some swearing. Thanks to that, even if I became a pro, I didn’t think I would be able to send a message with a fair amount of swearing.

‘Don’t you think about the times when you were stuck in your room crying? Did you have a bad memory because you’re a baby monkey?’

… There were times like that. Big hum.

“White Army! Gather everyone.”

Nice timing! Before the full-fledged black history attack began, today’s head coach, who was in charge of daily supervision of the White Army, called all the White Army.

“Now. It is the last match against Cheongbaek before entering the weekend league. Everyone knows that if you do well in this game, you can start in the weekend league, right? In addition, the starting pitcher is Wonho. If you beat Wonho, it means that he will work unconditionally in the weekend league, so the coach will pay attention, right? Let’s work hard Fierce tigers shout slogans and let’s begin.”

The head coach asked for a fighting slogan from me, who is in the third year and is the oldest.

“The center of Korean sports! Hanchego! Go for it!”

“Go for it!”

All the other guys responded to my dock. It was a bit embarrassing to say that it was the center of Korean sports on the subject of a weak team that was created less than 10 years ago, but the shouts of the members warmed my heart a little.

At the beginning of the first inning, Baek, who played the role of the visiting team, started the attack first. The starting pitcher for the Blue Army is Kim Won-ho, the ace of our baseball team. Naturally, the top of the first inning was a quick run with 10 balls. Kim Won-ho’s highest restraint is 147. It’s spring, but since it’s this much, I think it’s going to be 150 out of 150 in summer. He was also a pitcher that the entire club paid attention to.

“Hey you bastards, look at the ball!”

“Sorry.”

“Done. Let’s get ready for defense.”

‘Mister, I took a good look at the grip.’

‘Okay. If you’re not an idiot, I’ll be able to hit it.’

I put on my gloves and went out into the infield. You can feel the ground under the spikes. The efforts made so far to step on this ground pass by like a kaleidoscope. Although he wasn’t the shortstop he dreamed of, he was on the verge of tears.

‘You sick bastard. During the game, focus on the game. The other person doesn’t even care about your stupid feelings.’

It wasn’t wrong, even if it sounded like shit. I deeply engraved the advice about baseball that Rossby gave me. No, is this your first advice?

‘I will concentrate.’

Okay. For me, who will become the best second baseman in baseball history, this practice game is just the first step. And then it’s just high school level. To expend one’s emotions on a game like this was, as Rosby put it, an idiot.

Baek’s starting pitcher is our team’s second starting pitcher, Park Young-cheol. He was a left-handed pitcher who threw in the low-to-mid 140s.

“Brother Maengho. Take good care of me.”

“Okay. Let’s work hard.”

“I’ll try my best not to send the ball that way. Because it’s my first time running.”

A way of talking that quietly ignores me. Seeing the sophomore kid do that makes me realize how I’ve been treated by the team up until now. Fuck. Someday I’ll make you kneel beneath me

‘Five. How wide is the defense range? But I don’t like what boys do. Don’t share your senses. He’s gay.’

‘What kind of bullshit is that? I just focus on the game.’

“Aren’t you nervous? Brother?”

“Stop talking like an idiot and send the ball towards me.”

After Park Young-chul’s practice pitch, the Blue Army attacked at the end of the first inning. Moderate tension stimulates the muscles.

Does anyone have a hard time playing baseball defense? Aren’t you just standing there? I say this, but just standing there nervously requires a lot of mental strength. In addition, considering the distance that each ball moves, it was not as easy as I thought.

Right!

“Foul.”

I heard the plain foul sound of the defensive coach watching the referee. And a few balls left the pitcher’s hand, and when he threw the ninth, the ball flew toward second base with a clear sound. I flinched instinctively.

Puck.

The heavy feeling felt in the glove. Came in I immediately stood up after diving and threw the ball toward first base without stepping. For me, who handled tens of thousands of batted balls by sharing my senses with Rossby, this level was light.

“Out!”

It was a batted ball handling that I did countless times in training, but to catch an out in a game. Besides, the first baseman didn’t spill my throw.

“Nice second (second baseman)!”

Pitcher Park Young-chul shouts loudly. It warms my heart to see the guy who was ignoring me before the start smiling and praising my hobi… Must have lost If it was the old me who purely enjoyed baseball.

But now there was no inspiration. These pups aren’t a team, they’re just tools to go pro. It wasn’t even funny that it was a team play now.

‘It’s a good attitude. All the other bastards are trash bastards. Is baseball a team sport? Bastards who say things like that should have their mouths threaded. Baseball is a solitary sport. If you match the level of a team like an asshole, you will fall to that level. Remember that wins and losses pass, but stats remain forever! Everyone knows how many home runs Babe Ruth hit, but nobody knows how many wins he won. Baseball is all about stats! More money! More girls! More sexhaha!’

‘Mister. I know you’re excited about playing for the first time in a while, but shut up.’

“Five. Brother! What about Nostep?”

“Maengho hyung said he had good shoulders!”

“Let’s focus on the game. Now there are two outs left.”

“Yes!”

The smiling faces of the guys become serious again at my words. After all, you have to show your baseball skills. If I had said this in the past, I would have laughed at it.

‘It’s hard for a baby monkey to pretend to be charismatic.’

Rossby cursed out of habit, as if he was ashamed of hearing a word from me.

‘Did you have charisma in your eyes? Thank you for the compliment.’

‘…….’

Won It was a good start to catch the first out and let Rosby shut up.