Chapter 14

Magic Spring -2-

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[The Oceans' Unusual Spring Camp.]

[(Through the baseball circle) Our Oceans have changed!]

[Teams to watch in the 2028 season: Meteors' pitching, Oceans' hitting.]

[A wave of change sweeping through the KBO League.]

[Can Meteors build a five-man rotation with only native pitchers?]

[Can Kang Geon-woo lead the Oceans' revival?]

[Busan baseball fans await a comeback.]

[The Angels' spring surge is highly anticipated.]

[The Daegu Engines, equipped with fresh young engines, sweat for a return to the top.]

[The Gwangju Irons, with a legend returning, aim for the championship.]

[Anticipation for the new KBO season as spring breezes arrive.]

- I was wondering why there were so many Oceans articles, when did winter end?

- Is it just me who's excited about Kang Geon-woo?

- Even in exhibition games, is it okay to get carried away?

- Are you watching baseball one-day games??? High school draftees are just rookies, no matter how well they do, you bastards.

- When the season starts, your team will be crushed by Geon-woo, I saw it in the future.

- Don't cry, just write comments.

- Why do Oceans fans always go crazy in the spring? Is their happiness circuit infinite?

- Oceans fans' happiness circuit is not infinite (x) Oceans fans' memory resets every spring (o)

#

In a game against the Pirates, I recorded four steals and had a meeting with the manager.

He said he wanted to confirm my base-running skills and that he would respect my opinion.

"You still have the green light. You can run when you feel good. However, I don't want to see any lackluster running. You're young, but I believe you're smart enough to understand me completely."

In essence, he respects my concerns about injury but doesn't want to see me play lazily. This praise is also a warning that if I don't live up to the freedom given to me as a rookie, something bad might happen.

The manager has a lot on his mind. Even I feel lost, so it must be worse for him.

I'm a player. If I can't perform, I'll be cut. But I doubt that will happen.

I can run as long as I can react to the ball and chase it down. But what about the manager?

He could be fired at the end of this season, or even during it.

If he's let go dishonorably, it will be hard for him to find another job. Of course, Manager Bradman did become a coach in the majors later, but he didn't know that then.

To have a normal season, we need at least one solid catcher, a good second baseman, and as many reliable bullpen pitchers as possible. It sounds like our team is in a mess, but...

I understand why Yurie always complained.

These are things the club should handle, not me. I can't do anything about it and shouldn't worry.

The second practice game against the Pirates was canceled in the sixth inning due to a sudden shower. The score was 3-3.

Practice games don't affect the season, but there was one achievement in the game against the Pirates.

I managed to get the upper hand over them. The Pirates' catcher, Kang Tae-oh, was impressed. He even came to me after the game.

"Take it easy, take it easy."

"Please take care of me."

"Wow. Take care of me? I should be the one asking for that."

"Ah, by the way..."

"By the way, what?"

"Can you sign something for me?"

"Sign? Suddenly?"

"My dad is a Pirates fan..."

"Then why didn't you join the Pirates? It would have been perfect."

"Because the Oceans are at the bottom."

"That's true."

Kang Tae-oh, despite it being a practice game, twisted his body to throw the ball. I don't know him well, but he seems to have a good sense. In the second game, he slightly raised his waist whenever I reached base.

He wanted to throw the ball faster. Of course, I didn't steal in that game, and his efforts were in vain.

Still, Kang Tae-oh even got signatures from other players.

It's finally time to return to Korea.

"Hey, do you need a signed uniform?"

I got signed uniforms and balls from most of the Oceans players at the camp to give to Yurie. Except for No Gyeong-woo.

"I don't really need them."

No Gyeong-woo snorted at my answer.

"You'll regret it..."

I didn't say anything.

When I asked Yurie if I should get No Gyeong-woo's signature too, she replied:

- No Gyeong-woo? Ah, the player who doesn't play much?

He doesn't play much.

- Won't your closet be too full?

That's what she said.

#

"I'm back."

After giving signatures to enthusiastic fans at the airport, I returned home.

"Son, you worked hard."

My father welcomed me warmly.

"Oh, our son looks well-fed. You've put on some weight?"

My mother smiled.

It's not fat, it's muscle. No matter how much you adjust your swing speed and launch angle, you can't hit long balls without enough muscle mass.

"The food wasn't great, but it was okay. I was healthy, right?"

"Are you tired? Do you want to rest?"

"We'll help you unpack. Go rest."

"I'm fine. I slept well on the plane."

The time difference between Korea and Australia is minimal, so it's not bad. It's less than the time difference within the U.S. when playing in the majors.

I quickly unpacked. I need to talk to my parents about the camp, but...

"I'll be back in a bit."

I had already made plans to meet Yurie.

"Sure, son. Tell us about Australia when you get back."

"Raising a son is pointless. Are you going to see Yurie?"

"Father."

"Why!"

I held out a shopping bag.

"These are signatures from the Pirates players."

Father beamed.

"What? Why so many? Oh, is that Randler's uniform? Come back quickly. Yurie is waiting."

#

In my late 30s, after losing Yurie, I wanted to see her again.

But now, wanting to see her feels different.

I wonder why.

I can see her whenever I want, but the desire to see her when I can't is more intense.

Or is it just the hormones?

"Hey! Kang Geon-woo!"

"..."

We agreed to meet at the bottom of the apartment building. The reason was that if we went to Yurie's house, we might get stuck with her family, who are big Oceans fans.

As I stepped out of the elevator, Yurie called me. Seeing her slightly frowning face, I was speechless.

"Hey! Come here quickly! Hurry up!"

Yurie waved her hand. I approached her as if in a trance, and I couldn't help but smile.

We hadn't seen each other for a while because of the spring camp.

It felt like I was escaping reality.

"Hey, Kang Geon...!"

I walked up to her and hugged her tightly.

"...What? Why? Why are you doing this?"

I slightly pulled back and looked deeply into her eyes.

"Big sister."

"Hey. Why suddenly? People are watching."

"You look really beautiful today."

"W-What? Hey, what?"

Yurie's ears turned red. She struggled a bit but then stopped.

I held her face with both hands and kissed her lightly on the lips. Her face turned a deep red.

"Hey, you crazy!"

She scowled and grumbled, but I just laughed.

"Ah, I put on makeup... What if you mess it up..."

But she didn't seem to mind. She grabbed my arm and said in a softer tone than usual.

"...You only learned bad things in Australia."

"Do you mind?"

"Ah, I don't know. Just come quickly."

I remembered that around the time of our divorce, Yurie had asked me if I had ever told her she was beautiful.

I wonder. Hmm.

She really is beautiful. Why didn't I say it before?

#

[Hey, I just saw Kang Geon-woo in Seomyeon, it's real.]

He was walking hand in hand with a girl.

- What??? King Geon-woo in Seomyeon???

- Damn, he's dating already after the camp?

- He's still in Australia with the team, this is a fake.

- No, he returned today and got signatures from players at the airport.

- Did you see it wrong?

- What's it to you if he's dating after doing his job?

- Don't Oceans fans have a trauma with Seomyeon?

- I didn't know Geon-woo had a girlfriend. They've been together since middle school.

- The writer is a bastard. It's because of that girl that Geon-woo joined the Oceans.

- I've heard he didn't go to the majors because of his girlfriend.

- If that's true, she's a goddess of the Oceans fan community.

- Is Geon-woo's girlfriend pretty?

- She's a goddess.

- Is that Geon-woo's girlfriend?

- Is Geon-woo's girlfriend an Oceans fan?

- If he messes up this season, it'll be hilarious.

- Don't say that. God Geon-woo will get 20 wins, 800 strikeouts, 50 home runs, 100 steals, and 500 RBIs.

- Haha, that's a joke.

- Let's get them married quickly so our 500 RBI hitter can't go abroad.

- I'm a fortune teller. I just read the stars, and tomorrow is a good day.

- You're a fraud.

- Do you want to get hit with rice at Jokdu Bridge? Come out.

- If you're a fortune teller, find me.

- If you get caught, you're dead.

- You're trying to hit me with a knife, not a fortune.

- Haha, you bastards.

#

"Wow, that lady is really pretty. What do you think in person?"

While our families were having dinner, a video of my interview at the Australian camp appeared, and Yurie asked this question.

Father, who was quietly eating, suddenly opened his eyes wide. Hy