episode_0052

[Right fielder’s game-ending error!! AT Thunders! Tonghan’s game-ending defeat! The tragic number of fall baseball is extinguished like this. In the end, AT Thunders, who taste the bitterness of fall baseball elimination this year as well, are shaken by the volcanic pepper of the Falcones!]

[To miss such a ball… Right fielder, that is, player Jang Hyeon-ho should reflect. It may sound harsh to say this, but such careless plays, one by one, have led to the dishonor of not making it to the postseason for 20 years…]

Click. The TV turns off. An elderly man in patient clothing throws the remote in anger. Though showing signs of illness, the old man with clear eyes was Cheon Sang-yeop, the chairman of the AT Group.

“We’re done for this year too. Tsk. Even with a foreign coach appointed, it didn’t work out this year. Coach, how many years has he been here?”

“It’s his second year. I’m sorry. His contract expires next year, should we cut ties?”

“No, there’s no point. It won’t work out no matter who comes. Don’t apologize, So-yeong. What fault could our So-yeong have? I feel sorry for passing on such a company to you, my child.”

“No, Grandfather.”

And sitting beside the bed was Cheon So-yeong, the golden daughter of the AT Group.

“So-yeong, it seems Grandfather doesn’t have much time left. Grandfather wanted to see Thunder’s victory before he dies, but it seems unlikely now.”

“Grandfather! Please don’t say that! You’re still healthy. You’ll definitely get better!”

“So-yeong, Grandfather knows his body well. Maybe he’ll last another five years even if he struggles.”

“Grandfather….”

Tears welled up in So-yeong’s eyes. Cheon Sang-yeop gently caressed her head. A warm feeling from his rough hands. But it felt weaker than before.

“Tsk, I thought everything had been achieved, but unexpectedly…”

A tone filled with deep regret… Team owner Cheon Sang-yeop was also a fan supporting the AT Thunders.

In his youth at Dongdaemun Baseball Stadium, during a Korea-Japan match. Until that day, Korea had suffered humiliating defeats against Japan. However, that historic victory over Japan and winning the championship in that tournament were enough to ignite the hearts of the South Korean people, and Cheon Sang-yeop, who witnessed the victory over Japan at Dongdaemun Baseball Stadium, fell deeply in love with baseball.

When his group competed for the top two spots in Korea, he acquired the baseball team he had dreamed of since his youth.

In the first year of acquisition, the AT Thunders won the championship, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call the 90s the era of the Thunders, as they lived up to Cheon Sang-yeop’s expectations with their impressive performance. And Cheon Sang-yeop’s love for baseball deepened even further.

However, in the 2002 Korea Series against Hyun Sung, everything changed. Since that game, the AT Thunders had failed to make it to the fall baseball for 20 years, including this year, and the AT Group had been pushed into perennial second place behind the Hyun Sung Group.

Therefore, Cheon Sang-yeop’s feelings towards the AT Thunders were mixed with affection.

He wanted to sell them, but the home run ball that sank Japan over the wall in his youth and the throne he claimed in the first year of acquisition still made him watch AT Thunders’ baseball, which had now become a part of his life, and prevented him from cutting ties.

“Grandfather! I will definitely show you the victory.”

“Victory? Hahaha. What a funny thing to say. This team will never make it until the end of the world. I support this team out of affection, but I feel sorry that you’re supporting a team like this.”

Grandfather weakens when talking about baseball stories. So-yeong wanted to comfort him.

“No, I can do it!”

And she wanted to prove herself.

“Yeah. Yeah. All the executives said that and went to Thunders. But they all failed. Soyoung. The reason I handed it over was to live comfortably. It meant to throw away all the troublesome things like successor competition and internal politics. Live comfortably, Soyoung. That’s your father’s only wish. I’ve told my sons too.”

Grandfather’s words to live comfortably… Can one be satisfied with such a life? Soyoung wasn’t. Soyoung also wanted to compete as a member of the AT Group. So her mouth moved to say what she hadn’t been able to say until now.

“If, if I lead AT Thunders to victory?”

Soyoung’s determined expression, resembling her granddaughter’s determination, made Cheon Sang-yeop feel like he was looking at his younger self somehow.

“Is this because of my bloodline?”

Cheon Sang-yeop felt a discomfort washed away by his granddaughter’s bold ambition, which he had felt when he was eliminated from autumn baseball.

“…Do you think you can do it?”

“Yes.”

“It’s harder to revive Thunders than AT Electronics. But can you still do it?”

“Yes. Please believe me.”

“Hahaha, alright. If you’re a descendant of the heavens, you should have such aspirations.”

Now is the time! Soyoung seized the moment when her grandfather was in a good mood and finally spoke out the words she hadn’t been able to bring up until now.

“Grandfather. If I lead AT Thunders to victory, please grant me one request.”

“If you win, I’ll grant any request. Haha, if this old man sees only victory, even if I die, I won’t have any regrets. What is your request?”

“…I also want to compete with my brothers and sisters.”

“What did you say?”

“With that level of ability, wouldn’t I have the ability to make AT the number one in South Korea?”

The victory of AT Thunders is a miracle that does not happen in reality. The person who brings about such a miracle can lead the AT Group well. Although management of the group and the baseball team are different, as the saying goes, ultimately they are connected in a broader sense.

The leader of the group doesn’t necessarily need to lead the company professionally. Leadership that provides direction is all that’s needed. And to become the best in the industry, more than just luck is required.

If no one has succeeded in winning AT Thunders, then leadership and proving one’s luck are sufficient.

And Cheon Sang-yeop, who had reached the pinnacle of the South Korean business world, knew this fact.

“Hahaha, but you are already very late. You know that, right?”

“I know.”

“Yes, and you shouldn’t be any later. My health isn’t good. At best, I have five years left. My condition could worsen anytime; it wouldn’t be strange if I died next year. And the later it gets, the less support I can give you from behind. You know that too, right?”

“Please don’t say such things. Grandfather will definitely get better!”

“Even if it’s just words, thank you. But the fact that you must lead Thunders to victory before I die remains unchanged. That way, I can support you. Can you do it?”

“Yes. Please watch over me. Within three years, I want to open the era of AT and participate in the group’s successor competition.”

“Grandfather will always support you. Even if what I’ve passed on to you doesn’t change, I always prioritize you.”

“I know that too. Thank you always, Grandfather.”

“So how much support do you need?”

When Cheon Sang-yeop talked about support, he wasn’t talking about operating expenses for the team but about the money needed to sign big players. Cheon Sang-yeop wasn’t a stingy team owner who considered team operating expenses as support.

“I’m thinking about 25 billion won for free agency.”

“25 billion? I haven’t heard of a player in Korea deserving such a large sum of money.”

“This time, a star player is returning to Korea. I plan to sign that player.”

“Kisangju? Is that the player who went to the majors three years ago? The one-season wonder Kisangju?”

Kisangju. The best hitter in professional baseball before going to the Major Leagues. A precise hitting ability that can hit over .300 every year and the power to hit more than 20 home runs while using Jamsil as his home field.

In his first and second years in the Major Leagues, he recorded a batting average in the mid-.200s and double-digit home runs, earning a starting position. However, in his third year, he struggled with persistent defensive issues and weaknesses, hitting around .200 and eventually chose to return.

“My eye test rates him at 55/55. A case of not fully showcasing his skills due to bad luck. If the coach had believed in him a bit more, he could have achieved better results and stayed in the Majors. It’s a good thing for me. Luck… follows me!”

Kisangju, tired of the coach’s lack of trust and favoritism, recently expressed his intention to return through an agency. It’s a situation that can only be described as lucky.

Soyoung was confident she could catch Kisangju. She helped Kisangju enter the Major Leagues, and the agency she is currently part of was SY Agency.

“Yes. Preliminary negotiations are almost complete. 6 years, 15 billion.”

“Yeah, to aim for the championship, that level of support is necessary. How do you plan to use the remaining 10 billion?”

“Good players are available. He’s a starting pitcher playing in a hitter-friendly ballpark, so he hasn’t received proper evaluation. If he plays at Jamsil, he can definitely step up.”

“If it’s a starting pitcher coming out this time…”

“Jang Yoon. With 6 years, 10 billion, he’ll come to our side without a doubt.”

“Jang Yoon, Jang Yoon. Ah, that guy. Sigh.”

“Is Jang Yoon not good enough?”

“He wasn’t that overwhelming. Aren’t there better players?”

“Haha, then it’ll be fun to see if my choice was right or wrong.”

“If you’re so confident, you must have your reasons. Anyway, go ahead and tell us.”

“Thank you.”

“How was this year’s rookie draft? I’ve been busy lately, only glanced at it, couldn’t hear any baseball team stories. It’s been a few weeks, right?”

“We picked good players. We even found a gem on the streets. These players will be the backbone in the future.”

“I’ve already convinced the boss.”

“You don’t need to, he’s already listening to me. Please look forward to next year.”

“Alright, cough. Bye!”

“Grandpa. Are you okay?!”

Just then, the bell rang, and the attending doctor rushed over. After checking Cheon Sang-yeop’s condition, the doctor asked Soyoung to leave for stability.

“Still, I talked to Grandpa today. We’re starting slowly. One step at a time!”

After greeting her grandfather, Soyoung clenched her fist and made a firm resolution to step by step towards the throne of AT Thunder’s victory.

“So… that stalker said he’s going to sue.”

“Yes. He investigated the baseball and Pilates center members to find Maeng-ho’s identity. What should we do?”

Oh my goodness. Soyoung sighed. There’s so much to do, and now they want to sue the first-round pick player.

“So, the Pilates instructor that Ji Maeng-ho goes to was stalked, and Ji Maeng-ho confronted the stalker on his way home? According to the person, he was just holding flowers?”

“Yes. But according to the instructor, it was a knife.”

“What about the CCTV?”

“There are no CCTV cameras around, so we don’t know whose story is true.”

“Really? Good. Inform the legal team and handle it. We need to show the power of Korean justice.”

In such fights, having an expensive lawyer is always advantageous. Moreover, even if a criminal complaint is filed, the stalker’s chances aren’t high. The company’s connected prosecutors were already sufficient.

“Ah, then I’ll inform the legal team of the club.”

“Team? Will that be enough? Contact the headquarters’ legal team. Tell them I ordered it.”

“The headquarters?”

“Yes.”

It was too wasteful to spend time on such trivial matters. It should be easily handled if left to the headquarters. Dealing with such wishy-washy situations was easier than killing a bug with a finger.

Ironically, bugs were even scarier to Soyoung.

“We need to show a taste of justice. Filing a lawsuit claiming stalking. Unbelievable.”

“Is that so? I will make the call. But could this be used for promotion if utilized well? Like the first-round pick that caught the stalker, something like that.”

“That sounds good. Proceed with that.”

“Understood.”

There was no room to spare time for trivial matters. If there is further resistance, stepping in would be the end of it.

“Oh, please bring the director on your way out. I have something to discuss.”

“Got it. I’ll go check.”

“Yes. Thank you for your hard work.”

Click, the door closes. The man leaves, and Soyoung organizes her thoughts once again.

“Recruit Kisangju and Jang Yoon, trade Jang Hyunho whose position overlaps in a triangular trade for a promising player parked in another team’s minor league. And if we explode with Jimaengho, next year’s postseason won’t be a problem.”

And when the potential of the promising players gathered during this time explodes, aiming for the championship! Hopefully within 2 years, at most 3 years late! Soyoung dreamed sweet dreams, waiting for the director to arrive.