Chapter 43

Neighborhood Loop -1-

#

Bae Young-han tried to recall when he had last run this hard.

Back when he won the championship three seasons ago, he was passionate about baseball.

No, it would be more accurate to say that his passion overflowed.

He enjoyed baseball and wanted to get better. It was a period when his competitive spirit was overflowing. He wanted to win more.

Although he told Kang Geon-woo that he came to Oceans to meet a Busan girl, it was actually a decision made in a fit of anger.

Two consecutive runner-up finishes after the championship.

After winning the Korean Series, with two consecutive years of poor performance, there were many negative comments suggesting that Bae Young-han was past his prime.

Comments like, "He's getting old and his swing and speed are slowing down," or "He's playing defense with an empty mind."

However, he didn't pay much attention to such criticism.

He was simply tired of the desire to do better. He wanted to take it easy and enjoy life.

So, he decided to come to Oceans.

One reason was that they offered more money than other places, but more importantly, he felt that the one gnawing at him was himself, not the criticism or the gaze of others.

"I can just let go and play it easy here until I retire."

That was his plan.

He intended to just manage his personal performance and quit when the time came. Although there were high expectations from his surroundings, he believed that no one would think this team would become a championship contender just because he joined.

But watching that guy reignited his competitive spirit.

At 30 years old, a baseball player is in his prime.

There was still room for improvement, but after two consecutive runner-up finishes, the passion in Bae Young-han's heart had disappeared.

"That guy is really a genius."

This was his simple impression when he first saw Kang Geon-woo, and it has continued to this day.

The difference now is that watching Kang Geon-woo keeps inspiring him.

He had always heard that his swing was beautiful, but Kang Geon-woo is on a different level.

He wants to steal that.

Actually, he had only drunk a fraction of his usual amount yesterday, and the creeping desire for baseball was surprising.

So, he sprinted.

After an ankle injury, he had avoided aggressive base running, but perhaps his body was too hot to hold back.

Feeling a bit of excitement, Bae Young-han, after the game and a brief feedback from the coach, tidied up and looked for Kang Geon-woo.

"Where's our baseball genius?"

No Kyung-woo, who had been a bit dejected due to his lackluster performance today, replied.

"He went to meet Yoo Ri."

"Already?"

"As soon as the game ended, he took off."

Bae Young-han laughed helplessly.

"Without the rookie."

Well, Kang Geon-woo, despite being the rookie, was leading the team, and the atmosphere at Oceans wasn't that strict.

It could be seen as a lack of discipline, but on the bright side, it meant no one was causing trouble.

Of course, that's when the team was doing well.

As a consolation, Bae Young-han targeted Yang Daegun, who roared in joy when he slid into home differently than usual.

"Yang Cap."

"Good job."

"Want to have a light beer with me? Just one."

Yang Daegun stared at Bae Young-han and scratched the back of his head.

"I promised to eat chicken with my wife at home..."

"What?"

"Starting tomorrow, we have another road trip..."

"..."

"For a week, I won't see her..."

Bae Young-han just laughed and grabbed No Kyung-woo's shoulder.

"Just one beer?"

"Bro."

"Yep."

"If one beer ruins your defense, you were never good at it to begin with."

"Bro."

"Why?"

"Last time, you said one beer, but you ended up drinking a lot."

Bae Young-han said, bewildered.

"Without the rookies. Ah, forget it. I'll drink alone!"

"Bro! I'm fine today! Find Lee Si-wook!"

"I'm going home."

"Ah, why?"

#

"Hey, you're completely cocky, aren't you?"

Yoo Ri chuckled, and I answered confidently.

"Sis, the fans told you to listen to them."

"So?"

"20,000 Oceans fans shouted in unison. Responding to the fans' demands..."

Yoo Ri, who had been glaring, suddenly lunged at me. I naturally embraced her, and her breath touched my nose. And the wish of 20,000 Oceans fans came true.

What was I saying again?

Yoo Ri pulled away slightly and smiled slyly. Where did she learn to smile so strangely?

"Hey."

"Yep."

"You didn't hit a home run, but you gave me a bonus."

"I don't need a home run to get one."

"Watching you."

"What should I do?"

Yoo Ri laughed loudly. When she calmed down, she was cute.

"Hey, but we can't go to the playground anymore."

"Why?"

"My mom saw us."

"So what if she did?"

"Are you crazy?"

"She might be watching us right now."

"So what if she is?"

"Didn't you just call me crazy?"

"Are you crazy about me, our Geon-woo?"

"Ah."

We walked around the park near her house, chatting. Starting tomorrow, we have a three-day road trip to Changwon for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

"You know we can't lose to the Pirates, right?"

"Of course, of course."

"At the very least, we have to do better than Jeong Joogoon."

"Of course, of course."

Jeong Joogoon was the MVP of the previous season and a close friend of mine before that.

That guy is a good baseball player. He has a bit of a bad attitude, so I remember Yoo Ri didn't like him much.

But after he fell into a slump and Yoo Ri helped him with his form, he almost treated her like a god.

"Do you know I like you?"

"Of course, of course. I like you too."

"..."

"Didn't you say 'of course, of course'?"

You make my heart race and then play word games.

Bro Joogoon.

Sorry, but I can't treat you like a bro tomorrow.

"Sis."

"Yep?"

"I wish you could become an Oceans coach."

"Me too."

"Then we could see each other every day on the road."

Yoo Ri smiled brightly.

How can I be this happy? Being able to see this face up close.

"Hey."

"Yep."

"Then, can you be a big fan of Oceans?"

"Yep."

"Okay. Confidence?"

"Actually, you're much more capable than the Oceans coaches."

"Really?"

"Yep. Really."

"I knew it."

#

The Pirates' home stadium feels much cleaner compared to Sajik Stadium.

"Here, the foul territory is narrow. And the wind makes the ball travel well."

According to senior Yang Daegun, that's the case.

And that might be welcome news for Kirk Simpson, who learned the two-seam fastball much faster than expected.

"Hey, Gangster, how about becoming a pitching coach?"

Thanks to the coach's pronunciation, he's now "Gangster." Well, it's better than nicknames like "Doughnut" or "Bak Yulhyun."

Thinking about it, our team's nicknames are all a bit strange. Senior Lee Si-wook hates his nickname "Fawn."

"Rather call me Choco Si-wook!"

Some fans call him "Choco Si-wook" because of his frequent chocolate pie eating, but "Fawn" is more dominant.

Senior Daegun, because his name is Yang Daegun, is often called "Yang Daegal" or "Yang Daechang." He's also known as "Dungsan," short for "a clumsy giant."

Bae Young-han was called "Gae Young-han" by Oceans fans during his Bulldozers days, but now he's just Bae Young-han. They call him "God Young-han" when he hits well.

"Baseball genius, you're now God Geon-woo. One mistake and you'll become Clueless Geon-woo in no time."

That's how baseball goes.

Sometimes, baseball fans feel like they exist to criticize their own team when they lose. They sincerely call for the team to disband after a loss, but the next day, they return to the stadium to sing the victory song of the Oceans.

It was the same when he played in the U.S. If he hit a home run and won, he was the baseball god sent by Korea, but if he hit into a double play and lost the next day, he became a damn Asian who came to ruin baseball.

Anyway, today's opponent, the Pirates, is fielding their Korean ace, Son Yong-gi.

A crafty innings eater. Because of the age difference, we never played together on the national team, but he was quite famous during his active years and is expected to make a name as a coach and manager.

A steel king style pitcher with good control.

Comparatively, he's a lower-tier version of Meteoros' ace Park Yong-jae but an upper-tier version of Oceans' Korean ace Kim Jeong-yong.

Snap!

The leadoff hitter, senior Hwang Seok-gyu, hit a 4-pitch changeup.

Pirates' third baseman Choi Ji-yong caught the slowly rolling ground ball with his bare hand and threw it strongly to first base without setting his feet properly.

Senior Hwang Seok-gyu is quite fast, but Choi Ji-yong's throw was both fast and accurate.

"Out!"

Choi Ji-yong is a future national team third baseman, a player with power, defense, and a strong arm.

The Pirates' lineup is solid. Well, they did win the championship last season, so it's expected.

What if Yoo Ri was a Pirates fan?

Hmm.

Would she not have said something like winning the KBO championship when I asked for three wishes?

Bae Young-han was out on a ground ball to the shortstop.

Pirates' shortstop Ok Si-kyung is a defensive shortstop with a small build but agile movements, covering a wide range. His footwork was clean and his throw accurate.

"Out!"

For some reason, Bae Young-han sprinted to first base, but the ball was faster.

"Gang! Geon! Woo!"

And now, it's my turn.

#

The Pirates players believed they needed to crush Oceans' spirit in their first regular-season meeting.

They didn't plan to throw intentional balls.

They intended to win calmly and with focus.

They had seen how other teams had been defeated by Oceans. In professional sports, results speak. Oceans, despite only slightly over 10% of the regular season, was leading the league.

They were the strongest team at this point. Of course, they didn't want to let them be.

The Pirates, who hadn't finished a season lower than Oceans since 2018, strongly believed they couldn't let such a thing happen.

Snap!

But when the starting pitcher Son Yong-gi's control wavered slightly, Kang Geon-woo hit a curveball for a double.

No matter how good a pitcher's control is, it's impossible to divide the strike zone into nine parts like in a comic.

Even Son Yong-gi, known for his excellent control, can make mistakes.

And when Kang Geon-woo hit a double, the internet reactions were worth seeing.

[God Geon-woo didn't hit a home run in his first at-bat, so Son Yong-gi >>>> Kim Park-min]

It's true, lol.

If it's a double, it's a good defense.

He has the qualifications to be the national team's first starter.

Son. Yong. Gi. Kun. Not bad, hitting a double against Kang Geon-woo. Kkkkk.

The concept is trashy.

The Oceans fans' trust in Kang Geon-woo was absolute.

But why is there no runner?

Hwang Seok-gyu is a b*tch.

If he had reached base, it would have been a point.

Bae Young-han, who received 70 billion, should have set a lavish table, right?

At this point, despite hitting .360 and performing well as the second batter, Bae Young-han didn't seem to satisfy the Oceans fans.

Actually, it's not easy to satisfy these fans.

But Yang Daegun drove in the first run.

Snap!

"Yang Daegun! Yang Daegun! Yang Daegun!"

A hit that could have been a double for a fast runner.

Yang Daegun stopped at first, but Kang Geon-woo ran quickly and reached home before the ball.

Hey, Kang Geon-woo is really fast, isn't he?

He seems faster than Kim Ji-ho.

But why doesn't he steal bases often?

He hits more home runs than singles, so there are fewer opportunities to steal.

Still, Yang Daegun is Yang Daegun. He hit a great hit.

Dungsan is really slow.

Honestly, if it weren't for Geon-woo, it wouldn't have been a run.

Well, at least give him credit for hitting it.

Who said he didn't hit it? I just said he's really slow.

There's no batter like Yang Daegun, so why do you keep criticizing him?

Dungsan's mom is showing up again.

Next, it's Wolfpack.

The bat of Wolfpack swung.

Snap!

An enormous sound, but Wolfpack's hit soared high and was easily caught by left fielder Jeong Joogoon, ending the top of the first inning.

Still, 1-0. The atmosphere of the Oceans, who scored the first run, was good.

Inning change, and Kirk Simpson's entrance.

Despite being the Pirates' home stadium, many Oceans fans, drawn by the team's recent good performance and the proximity to Busan, sang and welcomed Simpson.

"Ther-sim-son-!"

"Ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-bam!"

Kirk Simpson, hearing the cheers, stepped onto the mound and turned to Kang Geon-woo.

"Watch closely, Gangster. Watch how Gangster's two-seam fastball sinks the pirate ship."

Kang Geon-woo thought it was fortunate that the pitcher couldn't speak Korean.

"Hey, what did he say?"

"Tell the second baseman not to make an error."

"I know it's not that."

"Then what did he say?"

"Gangster... Paris... Sinking fastball..."

He just shook his head and prepared for defense, thinking that if he had said that in Korean, No Kyung-woo would have made fun of him.