episode_0371

“Ah!”

Crack! A scream of agony came from behind. It seemed like the practice I had been doing was paying off. Honestly, I didn’t think it would go well from the start, but luck was on my side.

“Am I not a genius after all? Such bat control.”

“I have to admit, this is impressive. Such precision in such a short time.”

While training with Rosby, I had been practicing throwing the bat backwards, and it felt good that it seemed to work well from the beginning. I was worried about hitting the catcher if I threw it wrong, but the accuracy was remarkable. It seemed like I could continue using it in the future.

“Are you okay?”

“Uh… yeah.”

“Sorry. The ball was too fast and slipped out of my hand.”

I offered an apology to the umpire who was groaning on the ground, but unfortunately, it seemed like he couldn’t hear my apology. And here come the medical team and the trainer.

“Are you okay?”

“Check his pupils!”

“He seems conscious, but he should receive treatment.”

“What are you waiting for? Let’s move him.”

After saying something, the medical team lifted the umpire and left the field.

“Why are you staring at the umpire like a hawk?”

Since he received treatment this time, I thought he might judge more attentively with both eyes open next time. I felt proud thinking that I might make a name for myself as a fair umpire.

“Maybe I’ll become a legendary umpire? I’m like a savior of life. Hah.”

While having such thoughts, the tension rose as the percussion instruments were played urgently. Now that the unpleasant umpire was gone, I could focus on the game.

“The bat is here…”

“Yes.”

The bat was ready. Just stepping into the batter’s box with a new mindset felt refreshing, as if starting the game anew.

“But with two strikes, can you do it?”

“We’ll see.”

Clearing one strike with a focused gaze meant there was still a chance. Moreover, being pushed to two strikes after announcing a home run? Given the nature of the universe, I felt I wouldn’t miss such an opportunity.

“Right, Universe? You’re coming in, right?”

The gaze of someone ready to devour prey. It seemed like the answer was yes.

“It’s a fastball.”

As expected. Throwing a fastball right after two strikes? It clearly signaled determination to win. His foot moved, and his arm swung like lightning.

Thwack!

“Oh, damn, that was close.”

I managed to hit the ball further than expected, but a slight misstep could have led to a swing and a miss.

“Did he intentionally throw it far or did he miss?”

I asked silently, but of course, there was no answer.

“It’s a slider.”

“Okay.”

A slider. I struck out on this pitch during my first at-bat. In fact, it was a pitch I hadn’t anticipated at all, even if the umpire had a terrible view. So, there was a possibility that this slider might come inside the zone. Since the slider was around 140 km/h, special attention was needed.

“Here it comes!”

The slider aimed towards the inside sharply broke. I swung the bat according to its trajectory, but…

Thwack!

With a dull sound, the ball bounced off the ground to the left. Second foul.

“Sliders are light, right? Well, fastballs aren’t that heavy either. Hmm… Should I grip the bat a bit shorter?”

If it was Jamsil Stadium, I might be able to get away with gripping it shorter even against a cosmic pitch. It would likely increase bat speed.

“Stop talking nonsense. Act like a man.”

“What?”

“I mean, don’t hope for miracles even if you strike out. It only takes a moment for your hitting sense to deteriorate.”

“…Yes, understood.”

Yeah, facing off against the cosmic pitcher. I seemed to have hesitated a bit.

“It’s a curveball.”

“Yes.”

Since curves didn’t usually come inside the zone, I decided to wait.

“Ball.”

As expected, Jone made a big swing and entered the catcher’s mitt. That makes it two strikes and one ball. Although Sangju or Jinchul seniors behind me provided some reassurance, I wasn’t stepping into the batter’s box looking for a walk; I wanted to hit a home run.

“Just one more hit, and it seems like I can get past this easily…”

Whether it was a fastball or a slider, it didn’t feel that intimidating when hit. Getting past just one more seemed like a piece of cake.

Thunk!

Thud!

“Ball.”

Thunk!

“Ball.”

With that in mind, I swung my bat persistently, and before I knew it, the count was now full with two strikes and three balls.

“Darn it, put it in the strike zone already!”

Certainly, he seemed to be pitching well lately, and there seemed to be a reason behind it. If he threw such a pitch in the 6th inning, it was likely that a straight fastball would come right down the middle, but it hadn’t happened so far.

“…Huh?”

While feeling regretful, Jang Woo-joo presented a gripping fastball in front of me, just like in the first inning.

“Why is this guy acting like this since earlier?”

Then, suddenly, memories from the Asian Games resurfaced.

– “Hyung, why do you do that?”

– “What?”

– “You know, the thing. The predicted home run.”

– “It’s cool, isn’t it?”

– “But isn’t it embarrassing if you miss?”

– “I’ll hit it though?”

– “Hmm… that’s true. Hey, should I try making one too?”

– “Hey, your hit rate is 100%, but if you try, won’t you just get hit by the pitch?”

– “Ah, tough luck.”

Woo-joo’s expression seemed envious of my predicted home run. Remembering that expression, I felt like I could understand why he was acting that way. And the strikeout in the first inning. Despite the dubious call, it was still a strikeout.

He seemed to want to create his own sign like me. I also seemed to understand why he was doing something he hadn’t done before in front of me. Being a pitcher himself, he seemed like a show-off, wanting some attention by trying to outplay me, the league’s top hitter.

“He wants to create a strikeout sign and use it whenever he feels important, right?”

And I became his first sacrifice. If I struck out here too…

“Darn it, that can’t happen.”

Was my thought correct? As our eyes met, he smirked at me.

“This guy is so cocky.”

“It’s a fastball.”

“A fastball?”

Earlier, the sign was for a slider, but this time it’s a fastball.

“Was he planning to put it inside the strike zone earlier?”

His audacity made me chuckle involuntarily. Well, apart from that, I could completely understand his desire to compete with me. Perhaps he was even imagining explaining the meaning of that sign in a post-game interview.

“What a dreamer.”

I adjusted my swing timing around 160 and waited for his pitch. Ignoring the runner, he started his wind-up. As his foot rose to chest height, he swung forward, and at almost the same moment, I swung my bat.

Crack – Thud!

With a light sensation in my hands and the clear sound of the wooden bat, the ball was already flying towards the outfield before I could confirm it. And the cheers of the crowd echoed.

“Ji Maeng-ho! Ji Maeng-ho! Ji Maeng-ho!”

“Woo-joo!”

Through the cheers, Woo-joo, who had hit a big hit and lowered his head, looked at me with his arm on his knee.

“Hyung, darn it.”

With those words, I casually tossed the bat aside and walked to first base. A two-run homer to tie the game. I was happy to have hit a home run, but more than that, I was pleased to have shattered Woo-joo’s ridiculous thoughts in the early game.

“Wow, wow. Can’t celebrate here. Hold it in, Ji Maeng-ho.”

The feeling of rounding the bases after adjusting my swollen crotch and moving my pants was an immense pleasure.

“That guy, he’s still shaking his head.”

Hitting a home run isn’t something to be embarrassed about, so why am I feeling this way? With that thought in mind, as I step on home plate, Jeong Hwi-cheol, who was waiting with my bat in hand, greets me warmly.

“Hyung, wow, how did you hit that ball? It seemed like it went over 160, right?”

“I told you. Swing fast.”

“Ah… Did you know a fastball was coming?”

“Of course, I knew.”

“How?”

“Could you hear the voice?”

Should I call it a voice? If only I can hear it, is it not a voice? Well, no one has told me, ‘That’s not a voice,’ even though I think of it as one. So, I guess it’s okay to think of it as a voice.

“Oh… Strong inspiration. Well, is that it?”

“Hey, stop thinking like that and do some weights to build your body.”

“…Yes. Congratulations on the home run.”

“Well, you hit them all the time.”

“Ah… Yes.”

I didn’t particularly want congratulations for hitting home runs all the time. However, contrary to my thoughts, unlike me, other teammates who were tightly bound to Jang Woo-joo seemed to think differently.

“Ji Maeng-ho! Ji Maeng-ho!”

“Wow! Maeng-ho!! Are you crazy!?”

“Wow, what’s up with this guy’s swing?”

Amidst the intense celebration of my teammates, fist bumps echo, helmets clinking.

“Stop, stop! Stop hitting me! It hurts!”

The celebration continued until Jang Woo-joo threw a new ball,

Thud!

Seizing the moment when Jang Woo-joo faltered, Giseong-ju hits a single while at bat. And at the plate stands Choi Jin-cheol, who led the glory of the Future Buffaloes.

“Senior Jin-cheol’s hitting sense has been improving lately… Can he do it?”

Choi Jin-cheol had been struggling, hitting only four home runs before my return, but since my comeback, he had suddenly started hitting home runs, increasing his total to nine. My expectations couldn’t help but rise.

Swish – Crack!

And without disappointing my expectations, a crisp hit splits the night sky of Champions Field.

-Wow!!!

“Jin-cheol, hyung!!”

“Choi Jin-cheol! Choi Jin-cheol!”

“Wow, did this old man turn back time?”

“As expected, Captain Choi!”

Choi Jin-cheol’s game-changing two-run home run.

‘It’s over.’

It could almost be said that the game had tilted after this. Perhaps, seeing me hit a home run and then consecutive hits, it seemed like my home run had an effect. Jang Woo-joo continued to face the remaining batters and struck out the side in the 6th inning, but the score had already been reversed.

‘Well, practically speaking, it’s over.’

[Hello! Player Ji Maeng-ho!]

[Hello. This is Ji Maeng-ho.]

[Today, you came to bat five times, recording 2 hits including a home run and a double, along with a walk, earning you the Player of the Game title. How do you feel?]

“Well, winning always feels good.”

“I see. Let’s talk about the home run today, shall we?”

“Hmm, it seemed like Woo-joo would throw a fastball inside.”

“Why did you think that?”

“When I struck out in my first at-bat, he made that gesture. Gripping the seams and showing it to me.”

“Yes, he did make that gesture, right?”

“Woo-joo once envied my predicted home run, thinking he wanted to try something like me. So, it seemed like he would throw the ball inside to strike me out.”

“Oh, I see…”

“Woo-joo. It’s nice to follow in someone’s footsteps, but you know it’s ridiculous even if you think about it, right? It would make more sense to try it on other batters first before copying me. Hope you pitch well next time.”

“Oh, hahaha. You’re famous for being close with Jang Woo-joo, right. Yes, Ji Maeng-ho’s surprise! Video message. Um… Oh, that… There was another unfortunate incident today.”

“Yes? Ah… That? Ah. Well, I hope you’re not too hurt. Woo-joo’s pitch was too fast, and as I swung the bat quickly, it slipped from my hands.”

“I see. Such an incident should never have happened. Was Jang Woo-joo’s pitch that powerful?”

“Yes. Perhaps because of such trial and error, he didn’t hit a home run? Haha.”

“Trial and error?”

After all the KBA games had ended, Baek Kyung-ho turned on the highlight program to get a rough idea of the league standings. He was taken aback by the interview with Ji Maeng-ho that was playing.

“Oppa?”

His wife responded to his words, but due to the anger and fear welling up in his mind, he couldn’t hear her.

“Trial and error? What nonsense. How can such a psycho be playing baseball? Now not only the catcher but even the umpire is biased. Looks like he hit a home run just because the head umpire wasn’t there, huh?”

It was certain. When he searched for the game footage after the incident, he felt Ji Maeng-ho’s malice in the way he threw the bat. The malice that one could never notice unless they were the victim. Moreover, it was difficult to realize it was intentional even after being the victim, which was his characteristic.

At the moment of impact, due to the pain, he couldn’t understand what had happened, and when he watched the video after being hit, it looked like a normal play. Unless someone who had observed Ji Maeng-ho for a long time like himself would have known. And as he thought about it, his injured side began to itch.

As breathing became difficult, Baek Kyung-ho’s wife spoke again in a gentle tone.

“Oppa, what’s going on?”

“I don’t know.”

“What?”

Although his wife continued to ask, Baek Kyung-ho didn’t want to answer. His wife had questioned how someone could do that deliberately even on the day he was injured. Knowing that his wife also knew the truth about Ji Maeng-ho, Baek Kyung-ho suddenly became irritated.

“Don’t know?!”

However, Baek Kyung-ho, who had a sense of Ji Maeng-ho’s malice, failed to notice that his wife was angrier than him.

“Fine! I don’t know, right? You’re always at home resting! Just lounging around and wasting time!”

“Huh? I’m not resting because I want to… I’m in pain…”

“What’s hurting you? You’re just lounging around at home. If you’re in pain, at least play with Ye-na! What do you even do at home?! Just go out! If you’re going to do nothing at home and just play around, then leave!”

“…I’ll leave.”

Thus, Ji Maeng-ho’s bat throw caused a minor discord in the peaceful family, but it wasn’t anything significant.