episode_0023

“Wow, look at that foreign car. Impressive.”

“Aren’t you concentrating?”

“Oh, sorry, Nuna.”

“Isn’t the car Maengho is driving right now better?”

“Korean cars are still the best. And among them, Hyojin Nuna is the best.”

“Then, would you like me to drive faster?”

“Sure, I’ll start the engine.”

As they looked out over the wide sports field from the school rooftop, intending to enjoy the thrill of outdoor sex, a vibration rang from the pocket.

“What? Hold on, Nuna. I have a call.”

It was Wonho. What’s up with this guy?

-“Hey, where are you? Who came looking for you?”

“In the bathroom. Who is it?”

-“Sigh. You keep skipping training and slacking off like this, you’ll be screwed.”

Did he really skip that much? Well, with Hyojin Nuna who occasionally comes to school and Hyuna, my 5-minute standby partner. Training was inevitable to enjoy a sex life with both of them at school.

“It really hurts. So, who is it?”

-“I’m not sure, but wearing sunglasses, a bit of a career woman vibe? Looks a bit tough. My gut feeling says she’s an agent. Most people with that atmosphere are agents.”

Is she finally here? I did perform well in Golden Lion, after all.

“Okay, thanks. I’ll hang up and go down. Ending the call.”

-“Sure, take care.”

After hanging up, Hyojin Nuna’s expression, full of mischief, turned sour.

“What? You’re just going to end it like this and leave?”

“Oh, Nuna. It’s a matter of life and death. Right now.”

“Still…”

“Oh my. The leader of the men is at a crossroads in life, and here comes the wife!”

“Ahaha, Maengho, are you crazy?”

…I felt a little intimidated by the sudden change in Hyojin Nuna’s expression from laughter to seriousness.

“Anyway, you heard the call, right? That’s it for today.”

“Ugh. Fine, Nuna should understand. How about tonight?”

“I’ll contact you after reporting the situation.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

“But Nuna, where did you get the rooftop key? It’s always locked here.”

“I made it a long time ago.”

Indeed, Hyojin Nuna.

“Then I’ll go down first.”

“Sure, I’ll wait here for a bit, Nuna.”

Leaving Hyojin Nuna behind, I descended from the rooftop. It was a bit disappointing, but while there were plenty of opportunities for sex, chances of an agent showing up were rare.

“Huh. Calling you an agent, you little punk. A sign of the world’s end.”

“Does Ross know about agents too? Were they around before he died?”

“No, they weren’t.”

“But how do you know?”

“I know everything.”

“Come to think of it, it’s amazing to converse in Korean.”

“Idiot, we’ve been together for almost a year now. Is it surprising now?”

“…Ghosts are a bit scary. Where’s the wonder in that?”

“Heh, you scaredy-cat. Seems like your balls have shrunk.”

“Oh? Are you admitting I’m big?”

“Yeah. If you’re at that level, then I’m not…”

While walking towards the location mentioned by Wonho during the conversation with Rossbi, Rossbi suddenly disappeared. It was a first for me, so I panicked and called out loudly for Rossbi.

“Rossbi!”

“Shut up. I’m not gone, so keep quiet.”

What’s going on? I was a bit anxious, but Rossbi disappeared again after those words. Relieved that he didn’t completely vanish, I still felt uneasy and called out to Rossbi once more.

“Rossbi?”

However, there was no response from Rossbi, and a woman I had never seen before spoke to me. She seemed to be about 165cm tall, wearing sunglasses that obscured her face, but even with just her sharp nose and lips that seemed kissable, it was clear she was a beauty.

Moreover, her business attire suited her well, and her figure, visible under the suit, enticed curiosity with its curves and contours.

“Who…?”

“Hello. I’m Cheon Soyoung from SY Agency, representing Ji Maengho.”

The woman handed me her business card. I could tell right away that her passing hand was quite soft, indicating she wasn’t an athlete.

“SY Agency, is that correct?”

If it’s the SY Agency, I’ve heard of it before. It was an agency that had been signing promising players and sending most of them to the major leagues for about 4-5 years.

“Yes. It’s the agency that has sent many players to the majors and also has many All-Star caliber players.”

“But there’s no title on the business card?”

“Well… it’s a position similar to an investor.”

“It seems difficult, doesn’t it?”

“What does an investor’s age have to do with anything? The important thing is the money they have.”

“Oh….”

“I’m not a scammer.”

And then the woman immediately pulled out another business card.

“And I’m also the operations manager for AT Thunders.”

“AT Thunders?”

“Yes. Because if you meet someone from Thunders as an employee, it might be tempering. Today, I came here representing SY.”

“Oh….”

So it seemed even more like a scam. Do teams usually allow dual roles? And can such a young woman become an investor for such a big agency? The scent of fraud was strong.

“Well, it’s a bit awkward here, so I know a place where we can go. Oh, of course, I got permission from the coach.”

I thought about refusing, but the legal loophole intrigued me a bit. And… the woman who introduced herself as Cheon So-young was pretty.

‘Who cares if it’s a scam. If I get scammed once and take advantage of it, it seems much more profitable.’

“Okay.”

“Then, please get in the car.”

As we walked to the parking lot at her words, there was a fancy foreign car, and she pressed the key to open the car door.

“Wow, it opens upwards?”

“Please get in.”

I’m not interested in cars, so I don’t know what kind of car it is, but it definitely seemed expensive. Or maybe she gathered loans to buy the car to pull off a scam.

Once inside the car, the ride quality was unmatched by other cars.

“Let’s get going.”

“Where are we headed?”

“It’s the practice facility run by our agency.”

*

“He hasn’t grown much. Well, it hasn’t even been a month.”

While waiting at the signal, So-young checked Maeng-ho’s stats with her eyes. She had checked it at the Golden Lion Baseball Academy, but at that time, many players were gathered together, and she could only check from a distance, so this was the first time she accurately measured Maeng-ho’s abilities.

-Maeng-ho Ji: 18 years old/RHP/6’2”/205 lbs (188cm/93kg)

Contact: vs L 30/80, vs R 25/80

Power: vs L 60/80, vs R 55/80

Gap Power: vs L 50/80 vs R 45/80

Eye: vs L 30/75, vs R 25/70

Speed: 80/80

Arm Strength: 75/80

Throwing Accuracy: 25/80

Range: 25/75

Fielding: 25/60

Position: SS(30/40) 2B(25/80) 3B(25/35) 1B(20/30)

Overall Evaluation: 35/80

“The contact and eye still seem lacking, but if it’s at league average, it should suffice.”

So-young had confirmed that the average score in the KBA League was 30-35, and unless he was going to play in the majors right away, this level was sufficient. In fact, his abilities were high enough that it was fortunate he wasn’t entering the majors.

“One peculiar point is that his shortstop skills are better than second base, but his potential is higher at second. Should I consider myself lucky to have found my calling at this moment?”

This player clearly fits the bill. So-young’s desire to pick Maeng-ho grew stronger.

Of course, not all players fully realize their potential. However, Ji Maeng-ho was a competitive player in the KBA even in his current state, and if he unlocked all his potential, he could be a player with dreams of conquering the majors.

So-young knew that fact. Upon becoming an adult, she confirmed through the agency she established with her allowance that having high potential does not automatically make everyone a top player. She also made some money on the side.

Many baseball players would be surprised to learn that SY Agency, currently the best agency in South Korea, was established for that reason, but fortunately, the intention behind its establishment has not yet been revealed.

“Hmm. If AT wants to build a dynasty, it would be nice to just grow enough to bomb the league for a lifetime as part of AT, but it might be tough, right? With this kind of historic talent.”

If the agent contract is finalized, there would be no loss even if he enters the majors.

“Alright, I will definitely take him.”

“Um, are you staring at me too much?”

“Oh, sorry. My eyes keep wandering. I guess I’ve been working out hard.”

“Well, I see.”

“Hmm. Is this woman interested in me? It would be nice if Rosby could evaluate well at times like this, but where did he disappear to?”

Whether it was due to the confidence gained from spending enjoyable time with Hye-jin and Hyeon-ah these days, Maeng-ho mistakenly thought that the look in her eyes was interest in men. Moreover, the eyes slightly visible next to the sunglasses were exactly Maeng-ho’s style.

Of course, So-young’s apparent interest was not that kind of interest.

So-young was the daughter of a conglomerate. Due to her ambition to climb higher, she had never dated or loved a man. There were also no men who caught her eye.

“Here we are.”

“This is…?”

“A training facility operated by SY Agency? Well, something like that.”

As expected, the facility was filled with state-of-the-art equipment for the players affiliated with SY Agency to train during the off-season. Maeng-ho had never seen a training facility with such advanced equipment before, so his eyes widened.

“If I could show what I see, that would be great, but if not, there’s nothing I can do. I can only show data to the scouting team with sharp eyes.”

“Miss, have you arrived? Everything is ready.”

“Since we have guests today, please call me team leader.”

“Oh, sorry. Team leader.”

“The facilities here are nice.”

Maeng-ho tried to talk to So-young somehow, but the response came from another direction.

“Our players affiliated with the agency train here during the off-season. We use the best pitching machine that can reach speeds of up to 180 km/h and adjust the rotation rate, just like the ones used in the Major Leagues. So…”

“I’m Ji Maeng-ho from Hanche High School. I’m a promising player you’re keeping an eye on.”

“Ah, I see. A player that the team leader is keeping an eye on… Then, well, without seeing anything, you’ll become an amazing player. Nice to meet you, Maeng-ho. To explain further, using the HitTrax system, we can analyze things like ball speed, distance, and various other aspects. It’s better than most club facilities.”

“Yes.”

Maeng-ho briefly responded to the sudden interruption from the man who barged in.

“What’s with this guy, suddenly interrupting like this.”

Whether he knew or not about Maeng-ho’s thoughts, the man who seemed to be a staff member continued to boast about the training facility. Maeng-ho was busy stealing glances at So-young’s hip line as she walked ahead.

“Her hands were soft, but she seems to work out consistently, right? Her figure is alive. Of course, she’s not on the level of former athletes like Hye-jin or Hyeon-ah. Still, she seems to handle it well, right?”

While looking at So-young with a sinister gaze, when So-young, who was walking ahead, suddenly turned around and spoke.

“Is Maeng-ho interested in the Major Leagues?”

“Ah! The Major Leagues!”

Mengho was flustered, his voice trembling, but no one burst into laughter. To Soyoung and the man who seemed like an employee, Mengho was a valuable guest.

“I am interested in Major League Baseball. However, there are military issues to deal with first. I decided it would be better to conquer Korea first and then move on.”

In response to Soyoung’s curious question, Mengho honestly revealed the truth.

“Good. Nowadays, in the Major Leagues, they don’t debut young players right away. Top prospects usually debut when they are around 22 to 24 years old, after their bodies have fully developed. And considering service time, the age for full-time appearances will likely be delayed.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Unbeknownst to Mengho, unless they possess exceptional talent that can dominate the Major Leagues, debuting at twenty is almost impossible. Moreover, due to the logic of money governing the Major Leagues, even if a player debuts immediately, teams adjust service time to use the player for an additional year, making full-time appearances challenging.

“It’s better to resolve military issues and earn money in Korea before entering the Major Leagues. If you can’t make it to the Majors after being in Korea, it means you’re just an ordinary player. In that case, it’s much better to pursue a professional career in Korea from the start.”

“I’m confident, though.”

Seeing the confidence brimming on Mengho’s face, Soyoung responded with a gentle smile to Mengho’s words.

“I see that potential in you too. What I mean is starting from the KBA is an excellent choice. That’s why I want to sign a contract with you as your agent. You can definitely make it to the Major Leagues. Shall we discuss this after touring the facilities?”

“Sure. Am I discussing this with Team Leader Cheon?”

‘I don’t want to talk to that boring guy.’

“Of course. I am not just an investor in this agency but also the operations team leader of the Thunders.”

Without realizing Mengho’s sinister intentions, Soyoung replied to Mengho’s answer.

“Team Leader Cheon is not just a simple investor. You could say he’s practically the owner of SY Agency.”

“Enough with the useless talk…”

“I apologize, Team Leader. I talked too much.”

‘This guy… He should talk less.’

Mengho chuckled inwardly at the man listening to the rebuke and moved on, taking his steps again.