001. Reunion

My baseless hope that I’d snap awake and find myself back a few years had already been crushed hundreds of times over.

Of course, when I opened my eyes, the clock hands had long since run off, and the circles on the calendar kept marching forward, one by one.

March.

Normally, this would be the time to get my body in shape and make sure the manager put his stamp of approval on me during the exhibition games.

But now, that was something completely unrelated to me, not even by a smidgen.

“Anyone would think I was a gangster.”

A left-handed pitcher whose shoulder got busted twice and has a visible knife scar… a philanthropist willing to pay for treatment like that simply doesn’t exist in this world…

Actually, they probably do.

If I really wanted to, there might be a team or two willing to take a gamble on me.

But I know my body better than anyone.

Never again,

can I return to that shoulder I once had.

That I wouldn’t cut it in the pros anymore.

I, who stood on the mound, know that best.

“Haa…”

I pull down the T-shirt sleeves to cover my shoulder and finish getting ready to leave.

I’ll just take this month to sort things out, and then I’ll seriously look into delivery work or being a fitness trainer.

My life might be over, but I can’t just starve to death.

It’s about time I moved out of this neighborhood, where the rent is damn expensive.

The only good thing about being in Mokdong is the school district for kids, but what meaning does that have for a guy who can’t even date, let alone get married?

Leaving the corner of my room, which I won’t be seeing much longer, I head towards the gym I always go to.

As soon as I unconsciously tapped the sports news tab, I saw our Director Seo smiling brightly through the screen.

“…I can’t stand the sight of him.”

…Revenge.

I’d do it if I could, but I don’t hate him enough to want to kill him and stake my life on it.

He was just doing his job; I don’t believe he’d just discard me like that based solely on his daughter’s word.

But separate from that, I really can’t stand listening to him spout hopeful words like some saint.

Bastard, you got your own daughter a nepotistic entry into the team.

Whether she quit or whatever, she was at least with the team until I got released.

And when she kicked me out, she made sure to show that her obnoxious attitude was hereditary.

She probably thought she was being polite in her own way, but I could tell from her eyes.

How the other person felt about me.

‘Kang Joo-hyuk player. I’m sorry, but due to the team’s circumstances, renewing your contract will be difficult.’

‘…Well, yes. I understand.’

‘Thank you for your hard work.’

‘…Yes.’

‘Don’t be too discouraged. A player like Kang, if you recover your velocity, many teams will take you.’

‘…’

Anyway, he sure knows how to talk, just like someone who got his daughter a nepotistic entry.

If my velocity recovered, many teams would take me, so what does ‘renewing the contract is difficult’ even mean?

It means it’ll never recover, so get lost.

If you take it at face value, it’s just unavoidable pruning, but that’s how I read it at least.

Simply living in competition since I was young sharpened my instincts in that regard.

Being cast aside like this, I thought it would be easier to just not know, but…

“…What the.”

Sometimes it is.

A familiar yet unfamiliar face sat on the bench, sweating profusely but with truly expressionless eyes.

And those emotionless eyes met mine.

“Ah, seriously…”

Then, along with a sigh,

I felt the emotion ‘contempt,’ which I’d only ever read about once in my life,

directly through my body once again.

Why you’re here isn’t really important.

It’s just that.

What the hell did I do wrong to make you hate me so much?

The thought that I absolutely had to hear the answer to that filled my mind.

---

Thump thump.

In the not-so-empty gym, I walk over to the woman who particularly catches my eye.

The woman, who was sweating profusely while drinking water from her tumbler, seemed to notice me approaching, scowled, and glared at me with contempt.

Those eyes seemed sharper than they were a few years ago.

Standing straight in front of the woman, who tightly shut her lips and tied up her long, messy hair, I spoke in a low voice, just like the first day I talked to her.

“Seo Haeun-ssi, are you?”

“…Then who else would I be?”

“What a coincidence. Running into you here.”

“I know, right? I wish we never had to meet.”

“I agree. On that.”

It feels like quite some time has passed since we last spoke, but she’s remained unchanged.

Ah, but her figure seems to have improved.

Maybe it’s because she’s wearing thin clothes, but even while feeling disgusted by her, my gaze unintentionally drifts to her chest.

Did she notice that gaze? The woman wore an even more displeased expression and shot words at me.

“Do you have something you want to say to me?”

“I don’t really have anything, but you suddenly sighed at me. Don’t you have more to say, rather?”

“…What are you talking about, seriously. Move. I have nothing to talk about with you.”

“You haven’t changed.”

Watching her click her tongue in disbelief, I couldn’t contain the disgust boiling up from my chest, took a deep breath, and barely suppressed the rising nausea.

…Hold it in.

People are watching.

This woman is incredibly attractive, and she’s always had a way of drawing my attention.

“Excuse me, Seo Haeun-ssi. You hate me, don’t you?”

“Is there a reason I can’t?”

“What on earth is the reason? I’ve barely spoken to you, and I barely know anything about you.”

“Whether I hate you or not is my business, right? I haven’t harmed you.”

“…Are you kidding me?”

“Huh?”

…But,

I couldn’t hold back the emotions that flared up at that single, shameless sentence.

There’s a limit to such audacity.

Thanks to whose father, my shoulder ended up like this.

It was fortunate I didn’t scream.

Even though my expression was that menacing.

“W-what… What did I do…”

But surprisingly, the woman, terrified by my expression,

transformed into someone exuding a completely different aura than before, trembling as she looked at me.

Startled by the fear-filled irises, I glanced left and right, checking the reactions of the other people.

The glances from people who seemed to be thinking, ‘What the hell is going on in the gym?’ were thrown my way.

Looking at the mirror on the wall behind the people, I saw the scene: a massive, muscular man, 190cm tall, standing before a woman barely reaching 163cm, menacingly cornering her.

…

I didn’t want to get a red mark.

I hated the idea of getting banned from this gym even more.

Although I’ll be moving out in a few weeks anyway.

“…Seo Haeun-ssi. Do you normally come here, or is this your first time today?”

“Why do you…”

“Answer me. If our times overlap, it’ll be uncomfortable for both of us.”

“…It’s my first time. Why?”

“Then come at a different time. I absolutely have to work out during this hour.”

“So why should I? Why should I change my schedule because of you…”

As I returned to a polite tone and continued speaking respectfully, the woman, who had frozen for a moment, quickly reverted to her previous attitude and started complaining to me as if it were obvious.

Her familiar attitude made me let out an involuntary chuckle, but I quickly swallowed it back down my throat.

Fueled by that disgust, I went back to my ‘player’ days, something I hadn’t done in a long time, and whispered softly to her in a low voice.

“Then come. During my time. Make sure you do.”

The reason someone like me managed to cut it in the pros for even a year was due to one specific skill.

I can distinguish a scared bastard better than anyone.

And distinguishing guys who are overflowing with the intent to fight back,

“…What?”

I’m even better at that.

And those two sets have an intersection.

Those who are psychologically intimidated but can’t admit it due to pride and throw a tantrum.

Just like the woman right in front of me now.

“Come during this time. I was bored because I didn’t know anyone here, so it’s good. Now I’ll have someone I know.”

The Director’s daughter?

I’m retired anyway, so what are you going to do about it?

He’s not important enough to lock me up in jail just because I picked a fight.

As I looked down at the woman for a long time with a ‘what are you going to do about it?’ look, Seo Haeun’s pupils, which had been blankly meeting my gaze, gradually filled with venom.

Then, biting her lip tightly, she abruptly stood up, walked to the treadmill without looking at me, and started running furiously, her tied hair flying.

“Come? You definitely will?”

“…Ha, what a weird person.”

“People can be weird. Can’t they?”

“Are you really crazy?”

“I’m not crazy, so don’t go out of your way to avoid me by changing your schedule. During this time, definitely. Got it?”

“…What are you talking about, seriously.”

As if completely ignoring the opponent, I throw a bland fastball right down the middle, bang.

Naturally, the opponent isn’t an idiot, so if they miss a pitch like that, they’ll get furious and try to hit the next one with all their might.

Among the people who gave me that look, not one ever humbled themselves or showed vulnerability like that.

At times like that, right at eye level.

Somewhere that could hit the body if you’re not careful.

All I need to do is throw the fastest pitch I can, right there.

The more they concentrate, or the less they expect it, the harder it is to react.

Devouring an opponent who’s flustered and fumbling,

was originally my specialty.

Both on and off the field.

Always.