Chapter Index

    “…Safe!”

    The long-awaited call from the umpire was “Safe!”

    “Hoo!”

    Without realizing it, I shouted and threw a punch at the anticipated preemptive point against Otani!

    Thud!

    …But before that joy could fully sink in, a pop fly to the second baseman ended the inning.

    “If only it had been a hit, it would have been 3-0…”

    “…Sorry. It was the shift.”

    Gisangju bowed his head deeply as he offered an apology.

    ‘What can you do? I have to understand.’

    In truth, Gisangju’s hit was legitimate. It was surprising that Kang Han-beom managed to get a hit. Anyway, it was 1-0. If we could hold onto this lead, the gold medal would be ours.

    ‘Now, Uju needs to perform well.’

    Of course, it wasn’t going to be easy. However, with Jang Uju in good form, there was some hope. From what I could see, even though he seemed like a guy who threw straight fastballs, today he kept throwing pitches near 100 miles per hour.

    “Mangho hyung! What’s up! Seriously!”

    “I got it. Kid.”

    “As expected! Ji Mangho!”

    As we returned to the dugout, Jang Uju greeted me, patting my shoulder.

    ‘Why is this guy so excited?’

    It was a good situation, no doubt. When would there ever be a chance in Jang Uju’s life to win against Otani in a starting pitcher matchup? But he seemed overly thrilled. A pitcher’s virtue is to hide their emotions on the mound. Most pitchers who show this much excitement usually end up saying similar things.

    ‘Well, as long as he keeps pitching well.’

    But I was hesitant to say anything. Most likely, other seniors felt the same way. In an Olympic final, no one would dare disturb a pitcher who had pitched three innings without allowing any runs.

    And considering Jang Uju’s personality, maybe getting excited made him pitch even better.

    ‘Alright, just keep throwing strikes, Uju.’

    And so, the bottom of the fourth inning began.

    “Strike!”

    Jang Uju’s fastball against the leadoff batter Otani clocked in at 101 miles per hour. Indeed, there were players like that. Players whose performance improved when they were in a good mood.

    “Strike!”

    Once again, Jang Uju’s powerful fastball hit the zone. Otani couldn’t even move against the 100-mile-per-hour fastball! This time, the speed recorded was 100.4 miles per hour. He had thrown two consecutive pitches over 100 miles per hour.

    “Damn! Uju! You finally did it?”

    It was expected for me to take a hit away from Otani, but I hadn’t even thought that Jang Uju would do this. A tailwind towards the gold medal was blowing.

    “Well, Uju was the guy back in high school who was debating whether he would go to the Major Leagues or not.”

    I heard that the chairman personally came and allowed him to board the WBC as a condition for staying in Korea. It was a seal that could explain why the chairman went to such lengths to keep Jang Uju in Korea.

    Jang Uju shook his head. Yong-gi’s sign was for a curveball. Uju rejected it. Even I felt like I would want to throw a fastball. With every pitch exceeding 100 miles per hour, there was no need to throw anything else.

    Honestly, hitting a 100-mile-per-hour high fastball was difficult. When it came at eye level, it was hard to tell if it would enter the zone or not, and even if you made contact, it was hard to produce a good hit. Jang Uju’s ambiguous curveball was much better than a 100-mile-per-hour fastball.

    Even watching from behind, the thrilling 100-mile-per-hour fastball excited me! Jang Uju’s fastball had the power that no batter could touch right now, regardless of who stepped up to bat.

    ‘Yes, Uju. Keep up that momentum until the 9th inning…’

    Thunk – Ack!

    “…Shit!”

    ‘…Huh?’

    The sound of the bat shaking the stadium and Jang Woo-joo cursing with his glove covering his mouth. Ohtani’s hit flies like an arrow. Turning to chase after it, center fielder Ju Seung-cheol and right fielder Kim Jung-hyun just stood there blankly without any intention of going after it.

    Thud! Ohtani’s hit hits the advertisement board above the outfield stands and drops. It was unbelievable that the score became tied right after making a run. After standing dazed for a few seconds, I realize this is reality as I watch Ohtani walk past me calmly after hitting a massive home run.

    “Damn it. Why did that fast pitch bastard believe in throwing three consecutive fastballs? Is he crazy? No, damn it, just throw as your courage tells you to, wow… he’s insane, really.”

    Although I wanted to retaliate against Jang Woo-joo’s trash talk immediately, I held back.

    “Yeah, it’s still 1-1….”

    Swish – ouch!

    “Shit!”

    Deja vu? Did they put the replay screen on?

    The outfielders are frozen again this time. While earlier the ball hit the advertisement board, this time it falls at the top of the stands. Ohtani and Murakami’s back-to-back home runs. My head was spinning. Moreover, this time, the batter walks past me with his hand raised high, ranting.

    After hitting consecutive home runs, Lee Yong-gi steps up to the mound.

    “Woo-joo, let’s take it slow.”

    “I’m sorry…. I…”

    “No, no. It’s okay. You were doing well.”

    Lee Yong-gi comforts Jang Woo-joo. He awkwardly smiles, but his eyes have a fierce look as if he could kill someone. Well, rejecting the sign he gave and then giving up a home run by throwing one right down the middle to the next batter would make any catcher give such a look.

    Still, it seemed like Jang Woo-joo didn’t pick up on that tension probably due to his obliviousness. His trembling shoulders, shaking with excitement, finally settle down.

    “Yeah, since we’re only tied now… Let’s stop giving up home runs. Aim towards the border line.”

    The next batter is Masataka from Boston. A dangerous hitter, but if today’s Jang Woo-joo can handle it…

    “Ow!”

    “…That must hurt a lot.”

    A 100 mph fastball hits Masataka’s calf. Though he’s the opponent, I involuntarily frown at the pain he must be feeling. Then, Lee Yong-gi signals to the dugout. The pitching coach comes out to the mound with the ball.

    Jang Woo-joo’s mission ends here today. However, Jang Woo-joo’s final pitch wasn’t entirely fruitless. Since Masataka, who took a 100 mph hit to the calf, got replaced by a pinch runner and went to the dugout. He was occasionally in the heart of the lineup for Boston, so it wasn’t all bad. As long as they can avert this crisis.

    “Let’s take it easy, let’s take it easy!”

    The pitcher who replaces Jang Woo-joo is UG Overz’s ace, Kim Sung-gyeol. A complete contrast to Jang Woo-joo who threw 100 mph pitches, Kim Sung-gyeol is an underhand pitcher, a planned pitching change from before the game. He entered the game earlier than expected, though.

    Thunk!

    The Japanese fifth batter barely touches Kim Sung-gyeol’s first pitch, and the ball rolls towards me. I catch it lightly and throw to second base.

    “Out!”

    As soon as I catch the ball and pull it out of the glove, Choi Joo-tae connects to first base.

    “Out!”

    Two outs.

    “Strike! Out!”

    Kim Sung-gyeol secures the remaining outs with a strikeout, ending the lengthy fourth inning. Coming back to the dugout, Jang Woo-joo was crying with a towel wrapped around his face.

    “Sigh, damn it. I knew since I was a kid that boys like girls. Tsk.”

    With a towel around his face, he calmly assesses the situation, holding back the urge to hit something in frustration.

    The score is 2:1. It wasn’t a significant lead in an ordinary game, but this was the Olympic finals stage, facing Otani. The thought that it wouldn’t be easy flashes through his mind.

    “Ha… It would be nice if Seungcheol-hyung could land a good hit.”

    “Out!”

    “Well, that settles it then.”

    In the bottom of the fourth inning, Otani manages to handle Seungcheol with a bunt and proceeds to retire the next three batters, ending the inning with a triple play. Fortunately, Kim Sunggyeol follows after Jang Woojoo and finishes the fifth inning by retiring only four batters.

    “Will Hanbeom-senior do it again?”

    …My hope fades as the bottom of the fifth inning also ends with a triple play.

    “I guess it’s up to me after all.”

    Initially frustrated after conceding points, upon reflection, I felt grateful towards Jang Woojoo. If the game had ended as it was, Jang Woojoo would have undoubtedly become the hero of South Korea, winning pitcher against Otani in the Olympic finals. But now that Jang Woojoo has faltered, it’s my chance to seize all the spotlight.

    “Alright! I’ll turn the game around this inning!”

    “Youngest one, fighting!”

    “Yeah, let’s finish this inning strong.”

    The new pitcher coming in from this inning onwards is Choi Junghoon, Hyunseong’s ace left-hander. The pitcher change was both to target the three left-handed hitters – Otani, Munetaka, and a pinch hitter Ukyo – and part of our pre-planned strategy to counter Japan’s lineup with pitchers of entirely different styles, ranging from right-handed orthodox to right-handed underhand to left-handed fireballers.

    …Yes, a plan. Everyone had a plan. Until they get punched in the face. We didn’t expect that to be us.

    Thwack – Crack!

    Otani hits Choi Junghoon’s pitch.

    “Darn it, if it goes any further, even I’ll struggle…!”

    “Damn it!”

    Choi Junghoon’s voice differed from Jang Woojoo’s, but the emotions contained within were just the same.

    “Is he really a monster?”

    To hit the ball straight out of the park on the first encounter with a pitcher today. There was no one crazier. A striking blow filled with reverence.

    “He sure can hit well.”

    Even Rossbi, who’s usually busy cursing whenever there’s a player worth admiring, acknowledged it.

    “Wow, Junghoon-senior’s pitches are impressive too…”

    Choi Junghoon was indeed a great pitcher, possessing a fastball exceeding 150 as a left-hander. On top of that, a slider with a significant break, tormenting left-handed hitters.

    “Out!”

    “Strike! Out!”

    “Out!”

    Just by watching Otani handle the following batters, it was evident he was throwing excellent pitches. It was unbelievable to see a first-time encounter with a left-handed batter hitting like that.

    “Darn it, there are guys like him too.”

    As Choi Junghoon walks back to the dugout, baffled by how easily his pitches were handled, he mutters in disappointment. The disappointment wasn’t exclusive to Choi Junghoon, who gave up a home run.

    “…”

    “…”

    A completely different atmosphere from just a few minutes ago. Only a two-point difference, but the players seemed to sense impending defeat. It might have been due to Otani’s consecutive home runs…

    …I didn’t like it. Should I step up after all?

    “Alright, everyone! Focus!”

    Right before the inning changes, as a younger member of the team, I raise my voice, prompting my seniors to give me puzzled looks.

    “I’ll tie the game, so instead of looking like you’ve been rained on, cheer loudly, okay?”

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