Chapter 98 – Episode 97. Revenge With Japan. (One)

[In the first inning, Japan’s attack. Japan’s lineup is No. 1 hitter, Genda Sosuke. Batting second, Sohei Ohtani. Batting third, Munetaka Murakami. Batter 4, Yamakawa Hotaka. Batter 5, Seiya Suzuki. Batter 6, Yoshitomo Tsutsugo, batter 7, Shugo Maki. Batter 8 is Masataka Yoshida, batter 9 is Takuya Kai. Japan’s lineup doesn’t seem to have changed much from the last game against Korea, right?]

[You’re right. Actually, Japan doesn’t have to change the lineup. However, the difference is that Ohtani went into right field and Yoshida changed to designated hitter.]

[Then, I will explain Korea’s defensive position. Seong-hyeon and Lee Yong-ki’s battery, Goo Jin-mo at first base, Ji Maeng-ho at second base, Choi Joo-tae at shortstop, Kim Su-ho at third base. The outfield is left fielder, Ki Sang-joo, Lee Eun-chong, and Joo Seung-cheol.]

[The battery of Seonghyeon and Lee Yong-gi is the same as the last game against Japan, but there is a difference that Eun-chong Lee entered the center field.]

[What do you think is the cause?]

[Anyway, left-handed hitter Lee Eun-chong was put in the lineup to shoot right-handed Darvish, right? In fact, excluding Choi Joo-tae, the built-in No. 1 hitter, Lee Eun-chong, Ki Sang-joo, and Koo Jin-mo. It is a picture of preparing for Darvish, a right-handed pitcher, by attaching three left-handed hitters.]

[Yes. Okay.]

[Under…. Seonghyun should show a good side…. He only needs to turn 1 over. Seonghyun, who has passed the 1st inning, is a different pitcher.]

[In fact, in the last game against Japan, didn’t you have a lot of trouble in the first inning?]

[You’re right. It should go well this time….]

*

Widely!

Fuck, are you getting hit again? Please reach out!

I just chased after the hit ball.

“My ball! My ball!”

And running center fielder and right fielder. I stopped right after hearing the call, but the hit ball that was savagely hit landed in a position where all three of us couldn’t catch it. And right fielder Joo Seung-cheol picked up the ball. He bent down right away to make it easier to throw, but the runner on second base had already gone home.

“Ha, fuck. Even if it wasn’t just two outs.”

Joo Seung-chul’s low murmur. The number went up again on the display board. In the top of the first inning, two outs. The score is 3:0.

… Seonghyun collapsed.

Runners on first and third base with consecutive hits by first hitter Genda and second hitter Ohtani. And a hit that would not be strange even if it became a home run became a sacrifice fly and scored one point. Otani, the runner on first base, advanced to second base, and after Yamakawa, the fourth hitter, walked, Seiya hit again, and Japan added one more run.

Somehow, the 6th batter Tsutsugo was struck out, but now the 7th batter, Maki, hit the Texas Rangers, bringing the score to 3:0.

‘Seonghyeon-ah, no, Seonghyeon sunbaenim. Please stop it!’

If more points are scored, today’s game is effectively over. I looked at Seonghyeon with a desperate heart.

“Base on Balls!”

And walks. Two outs now full base.

“It’s okay! It’s okay! You’re doing great! Since it’s Takuya, the next hitter, let’s get out and go to the dugout!”

Choi Joo-tae encouraged Sung-hyeon, but Seong-hyeon, who was sweating, didn’t seem to be listening.

And the manager came up to the mound.

“Hyunah. It’s Kai Takuya. Even in Japan, he is a hitter who hits 20%. A defensive catcher. Let’s calm down and focus.”

“… Yes.”

Seonghyeon’s tone without confidence. Damn, a pitcher who won 95 majors! Unknowingly, I walked up to the mound where the manager and the battery were talking.

“Senior. If you don’t have confidence, you fall out.”

“Yes?”

“Ji Maeng-ho! What is he saying now!”

“…….”

As I stepped onto the mound, other infielders began to gather. Damn, yes, if you draw a knife, you should cut the mura.

“If you don’t have confidence, leave. Ball-ball hits, ball-ball walks. What are you doing? Are the beasts in the back assholes? Or did you throw the game just because you gave 3 points?”

Once he opened the water, the thoughts that filled his head jumped out of his mouth without passing through his brain.

“What are you doing? It’s crazy?”

Gu Jin-mo.

“Hey! It’s enough to be regarded as the youngest! Aren’t you going back to your seat?”

Joo Tae Choi.

“…….”

Kim Soo-ho.

“Director, are you going to leave him out? Is it just welcome?”

Lee Yonggi.

Everyone was cursing at me. However, the director and Seonghyeon didn’t say anything.

“Director. The pitcher doesn’t want to fight, so what does the fielder do?”

Now that you’ve come all the way here, taking it back would look like a piece of shit, right? The die was cast anyway.

Puck!

Goo Jin-mo’s glove hit me in the back of the head. Pain in the head.

“Aren’t you covering your eyes? These are all your seniors! Are you playing baseball by yourself? Are you fine alone? This idiot like a baby… !”

“Stop, stop!”

Lee Geum-hyun shouted. And the referees, who noticed our commotion, were gradually walking towards us.

“First of all, we have to play. Hyuna okay….”

“Sorry. Hearing what the maknae said, I come to my senses. Director. I will do it again.”

After the director stopped talking, Seonghyun opened his mouth. Somehow, it seems that the eyes have changed.

I didn’t mean to think that I had awakened Seonghyeon’s spirit. Because I was just letting my fucking feelings out.

“Hey. See you after.”

“Did you see it now?”

“This bastard is all the way!”

“Gu Jin-mo!”

“Sorry. Director.”

“… Sorry.”

When Gu Jin-mo apologized first, I had no choice but to look at the director and say sorry. Anyway, I didn’t mean to fight now. I just wanted to play baseball.

‘I thought he was just a grandfather, but he seems to have some charisma.’

‘Well, it’s because he’s a coach who treats winning as if he were eating.’

‘But would it be okay to do that to that bastard?’

‘There’s no one to watch if I lose here anyway.’

‘Heh, that’s right. But why didn’t I ask you to do it?’

‘It’s annoying. The fact that a Korean ace came out and was beaten by Japan.’

Seonghyun has been the biggest star ever since I was a child. It’s just annoying that such a player flirts with Japanese players after not being able to compete.

“Now, go back and focus.”

After the manager’s visit to the mound, we all returned to our defensive positions.

‘Please, throw the ball properly!’

You can lose as soon as you get an unlucky hit streak or hit a home run. However, it was unbearable for me to not be able to compete properly on this important stage, and to be trembling and kicking myself. He is also the best pitcher in Korea. A veteran of veterans, Seong-hyun, the oldest.

And Seonghyeon’s helmet started.

“Strike!”

Seonghyeon boldly put a four-seam into the middle.

“Nice!”

“Senior, let’s just go like this!”

“Nice ball, nice ball!”

‘I’ll throw it like this from the beginning.’

Right!

And as shortstop Choi Joo-tae handled the batted ball that flew high in the infield, Japan’s long first inning ended.

“Hey, follow me back.”

When I returned to the dugout, Kim Soo-ho, who had a taciturn personality, called me and dragged me to the back of the dugout. It wasn’t unexpected. But I thought Gu Jin-mo would call if I called….

“Hey. Do you think you’ve become anything since becoming a national team?”

Although he was shorter than me, when the quiet Kim Soo-ho spoke, I felt something rattle in my heart. I feel like something is very wrong….

Yes I was wrong You’re not an amateur, you’re giving a shit to a pitcher on the mound. I couldn’t control my emotions because it was a game I lost once against Japan.

It seems like I was burning up a rivalry with Ohtani by myself.

“… No. Sorry.”

Pak.

Kim Suho’s glove touched the brim of his hat. The weight of his glove lowered his head on its own.

“Are the seniors easygoing because they say yes or no?”

“No.”

Pak.

“Do you want to win?”

“No.”

Pak.

“Don’t be immature. Because every one of your actions is relayed and the people are watching.”

“… All right.”

Come to think of it, Woo Kwan-hyung said the same thing. I remember being told to be careful because every single action I took in Australia represents the country.

“The reason why you’re fucking with Seonghyun sunbaenim is because you’re confident, right? I hope you show the ability to take responsibility for your words.”

“… Yes.”

“And if Seonghyun-senpai goes down, be sure to apologize.”

“All right.”

Bite – ripe. At the end of Kim Soo-ho’s words, the door to the aisle opened again.

“Hey! Are you crazy? Didn’t this bastard come to his senses even after being scolded once?”

“Hey.”

“… Yes?”

“Leave it because I scolded you. To do it, do it. Because we are playing.”

Goo Jin-mo was slightly taken aback by Kim Soo-ho’s words. And it was the same for me too.

“… Let’s see once it’s over. Just stand out one more time.”

“Senior Jinmo, you have to go to the waiting bat.”

“Already? I get it.”

Coming out of the aisle like that, Choi Joo-tae was on second base.

“Hey, what happened?”

“Brother, what did you do? The seniors are all pissed off.”

“I don’t know. Please explain the situation.”

“Senior Joo-tae walked on base, and senior Eun-chong hit base.”

So 2nd base? The weatherman appeared on the plate. Koo Jin-mo, who came out as the 4th hitter today, quickly gathered his equipment and walked to the waiting at-bat.

“Hey. Cheer loudly.”

Before I knew it, Kim Soo-ho, who had come next to me, was watching me.

“… Yes. Blow away the meteorologist!”

“Aren’t you?”

“Senior weatherman, fighting!”

Even Jang Woo-joo, who sparked sparks because of me, raised his voice. Alright, let’s cheer up!

“Fly the weather spirit!”

Ta-evil!

– Wow!

And the weatherman struck a timely blow that pierced the shift. Choi Joo-tae, who has quick feet, goes to the home… !

“Safe!”

Now, make up for 1 point! The game isn’t over yet. However, Darvish was not an easy opponent. It was because the following Gu Jin-mo was treated as a strikeout and Kang Han-beom was treated as a fly.

However, it was great to follow the first point in the game. Let’s follow this step by step.

*

[Sunghyun finishes episode 2 with 11 balls! The Seonghyun we know is back!]

[Oh, good! Like. The ball is sharper than in the first inning. Certainly, it seems that the infielders gathered and had a conversation in the first inning.]

[What did he say then? It seems that I became a different pitcher from two outs in the first inning.]

[I usually don’t talk much. Seeing that Jin-mo Koo lightly hit the youngest, Maeng-ho Ji, maybe they were joking?]

[I’m so glad Seong-hyeon found his true self. After all, Seonghyun passed the 1st episode!]

[One regrettable thing is that we threw 51 balls in the first and second innings. Now there are only 39 pitches left.]

[The game now goes into the bottom of the second inning.]

“Commissioner, what do you think?”

After the inning, advertising time. Caster asked the commentator a question with a dark expression.

“Ha, that sounds like a bit difficult…. Even if Seong-hyun goes down and Jung Woo-sung lasts 2-3 innings, there is no pitcher to stop him.”

“There are still many other pitchers, right?”

“Oops. Can you survive against the Japanese kids? Well, he throws well in the KBA, but…. To be honest, even a mercenary who was ruined in Japan plays an ace in Korea. Perhaps, it will be difficult.”

“Also…. Then, even on the batter’s side.”

“I have to go to the strike battle. Of course, this is under the premise that Ohtani doesn’t appear. He could even pitch an inning if the situation was critical. Ha, I really want to win.”

“Oh, it looks like it will start soon.”

At the PD’s signature, the caster and commentator put on their headsets again.

[I’ll start with South Korea’s 2nd inning, 6th batter, Joo Seung-cheol.]

[Joo Seung-cheol. As you know, he is the son of Joo Hyung-jin. And what about Hyungjin Joo? Isn’t he the player who saved Korea from crisis by hitting home runs every time he met Japan at the Olympics and WBC? Joo Seung-cheol is like his father…… ]