Chapter 89

Oceans, what the hell -1-

#

“Oh, Kang Geon-woo.”

“Wow, Kang Geon-woo.”

“He’s here?”

“Is that Kang Geon-woo?”

“It’s Kang Geon-woo.”

“Can you give me an autograph?”

“Huh...”

“Hey, aren’t you going too far?”

“Wow, do you know how much I’ve been criticized because of him?”

“Next time, you should pay to do it.”

“...”

“Wow! Who’s this?”

“Is Geon-woo here...?”

While talking to Yurie about the All-Star game, the topic of being invited to the after-party and declining it came up.

Yurie told me to go.

Honestly, I found it a bit troublesome. I’d rather have a few more words with Yurie.

Anyway, I arrived at the gathering place. Despite the time, quite a few people were still there.

“Hello.”

There were quite a few familiar faces. Of course, I knew the names and faces of players I wasn’t close to. This means that some of the players who played with me on the national team before the regression are also playing with me this time.

Before the regression, I didn’t play in the 2028 Olympics. At that time, I was in the minor leagues, and although I hoped I might be selected, it didn’t happen.

“Alright, since you’re late...”

Lee Dae-hoon, the Vikings’ closer, was about to pour drinks into a pot.

“Wait.”

But, Daegun’s senior stopped him.

“Our youngest has an alcohol allergy...”

Daegun’s senior’s eyes were not ordinary. Maybe they were the same age? The Vikings’ catcher, Jo Yong-han, interjected.

“Hey, that’s enough. What are you trying to do, giving drinks to a kid who hasn’t even been out of high school for half a year?”

The atmosphere was about to get a bit strange, but Jo Jun, the senior, grumbled.

“Hey, what kind of home runs does a kid hit?”

The grumbling tone was a bit unusual, so the gathered players burst into laughter. This made Jo Jun grumble even more.

“Did you see what he did? In the All-Star game, he pretended to throw a ball, stepped back, and tagged the runner out. Did all the kids freeze?”

“Is Jo Jun pissed off?”

“Wow! I never thought I’d see Jo Jun like this!”

“Jo Jun, if he did it, he would show off, but when he’s the one who gets it, he grumbles. Look at him.”

The atmosphere improved. Amidst the noise, Seung-gi’s senior glared at me and said,

“Kang Geon-woo.”

“Yes?”

“...Come sit next to me.”

“...”

#

“Hey, how can you hit that there? Who are you trying to ruin?”

“Hey, did only you get hit? I got hit, Kwon Jong did, Seung-gi, Yong-jae, wait. Is there anyone here who didn’t get a home run from the youngest?”

The Thunderbirds’ closer, Bong Jae-seok, and the Vikings’ closer, Lee Dae-hoon, were bickering, and Lee Dae-hoon looked around at the pitchers present.

The room fell silent.

“Hey, is there no one? Really? Raise your hands! Those who didn’t get hit!”

Engines’ Chae Ji-sung looked away, and when Meteors’ Hong Jeong-soo awkwardly raised his hand, Irons’ Yong Jong-hyuk also raised his hand.

“Wow, only the underhand and sidearm pitchers didn’t get hit. What’s the secret? Is the youngest weak against underhand pitches?”

“I’ve never faced him...”

“Actually, I haven’t either...”

Meteors’ starting pitcher, Hong Jeong-soo, and Irons’ setup man, Yong Jong-hyuk, strangely had never faced him in the league.

Seeing Chae Ji-sung of Engines looking away, Angels’ Jung Su-ho quietly said,

“Why is Ji-sung acting like this?”

Seung-gi’s senior chuckled and said,

“He only gave three walks when he faced him once.”

“Wow, Min Seung-gi. Are you a pervert? How do you know that?”

“Really? Wow. Most of the kids here are not ordinary. So, what? Everyone except Ji-sung, who avoided facing him, got hit?”

“No, Su-ho senior. Why would he avoid?”

“Then what?”

“Well, it was a strategic choice...”

All the pitchers who got hit by home runs mocked Chae Ji-sung in unison.

I didn’t say much since I came here, but I was at the center of the conversation.

There were strange looks too.

For example, Jo... no, Jo Jun’s senior...

“...”

How should I deal with this?

After all, he was the one I was closest to here, so this awkward atmosphere is the most delicate. Knowing his personality makes it even more ambiguous.

Actually, this was also the case with my relationship with Yurie.

Most of the stories we built are gone. To be precise, it’s not that they’re gone. I know them, but the other person doesn’t.

Correcting the wrong choices in our relationship didn’t feel strange. I wanted to be happier with Yurie, and I was changing the choices in my life for that.

But what about other relationships, not just to improve?

Seung-gi’s senior is a bit different. He’s not the same person I knew.

But Jo Jun’s senior is exactly the same person I knew, so this situation feels like I’m acting, and it’s not easy.

“What are you guys doing?”

While I was having complicated thoughts, it might have looked like we were having a staring contest.

The good-natured Bulldozers’ third baseman, Seo Woo-ju, chuckled and said,

“Hey, does Jo Jun feel a rivalry with the youngest? That’s good. Rivals help you grow, right?”

“Like you and Byung-jae senior?”

Song Byung-jae and Seo Woo-ju, representing the rivals, Angels and Bulldozers, have been famous rivals since high school. Both 30 years old, they shared the batting and on-base percentage titles last season, fueling debates among fans of both teams.

“Ah, senior, what rivalry? How can I be a rival with a rookie this year...”

“Hey, if you call him a rival, you should say thank you, right?”

“Wow, senior, I was the MVP last year.”

“Last year’s talk should be left for last year.”

“I want to support Jo Jun, but it’s going to be tough this time.”

“Hey, don’t let our Jo Jun lose his spirit.”

“Yong-gi senior, are you defending him because you’re on the same team?”

“I’ve worked so hard to make Jo Jun a good person.”

“Ah, Yong-gi senior, saying that makes it sound like I wasn’t a good person originally.”

“Hey, Jo Jun, I took care of you more than my own son. You shouldn’t talk back to your senior like that.”

Jo Jun’s senior shut his mouth tightly.

It’s noisy, but it’s not bad.

Well.

Don’t overthink it.

Since I got a chance to live a new life, it’s okay to live it as if it’s the first time.

Deciding to live a completely new and different life, it’s okay to enjoy such situations.

#

“Hey, Kang Geon-woo.”

“Senior.”

“When did you start calling me senior?”

“Senior.”

“...”

“...”

“Shit, just call me senior.”

“Ah, senior.”

“Ma, I told you to call me senior, who told you to use informal speech?”

“Senior, you used informal speech with Senior Son Yong-gi.”

“Is that the same?”

“If it’s different, I’ll apologize. It’s my mistake.”

“Ah, this kid is hopeless.”

“Senior.”

“What!”

“Are you going to the Major Leagues?”

“What’s that all of a sudden?”

“It seems like you are.”

“Ah, of course I have to.”

“Why didn’t you go right away?”

“I fell for the nonsense that going to the Major Leagues right away would increase the chances of failure... Shit. I stayed in Korea to buy a house for my mom. I was afraid I’d spend all the signing bonus on living expenses in America. Ha. Did I drink too much? Why am I telling this to a useless guy like you?”

“Give me your phone number.”

“What? Why should I?”

“Let’s play catch next time.”

“Do you think I have time to play catch with you?”

“Yes.”

“Ha, you’re a strange guy.”

Even so, Jo Jun’s senior obediently wrote down his phone number.

This guy, with his irritable personality, doesn’t have many friends. And he’s especially weak for his juniors. He would do as he was told, even if he spoke harshly.

“Hey, don’t contact me.”

It means to contact him soon.

“Why catch?”

He loves catch. He once said he was disappointed that his team juniors wouldn’t play with him.

“Just wait. When the season ends, I’ll catch up with your stats like a ghost.”

If you can, try it.

#

After the All-Star game, the final Olympic team roster was announced.

[2028 Olympic Baseball Team Final Roster Announcement.]

―Pitchers (10)

-Right-handed: Min Seung-gi (Diamonds), Park Yong-jae (Meteors), Bong Jae-seok (Thunderbirds), Son Yong-gi (Pirates), Chae Ji-sung (Engines)

-Left-handed: Kim Kwon-jong, Lee Dae-hoon (both Vikings), Jung Su-ho (Angels)

-Underhand/Sidearm: Hong Jeong-soo (Meteors), Yong Jong-hyuk (Irons)

―Catchers (2)

Jo Yong-han (Vikings), Baek Jun-sub (Engines)

―Infielders (7)

Yoon Tae-ho (Thunderbirds), Lee Hyun-dong (Engines), Park Jeong-shin (Irons), Seo Woo-ju (Bulldozers), Ok Si-kyung (Pirates), Yang Dae-geun, Kang Geon-woo (both Oceans)

―Outfielders (5)

Jeong Bu-won (Engines), Jeong Jo-jun (Pirates), Yeh Ji-ho (Bulldozers), Bae Young-han (Oceans), Song Byung-jae (Angels)

There are always controversies with such selections. From the number of military-exempt players included in each team to who should have been selected instead of whom.

[Olympic Baseball National Team Manager Choo Sung-tae, ‘Military service status had no impact on selection.’]

No matter what controversy arises, it’s already decided and won’t change.

[Olympic Baseball Team with 8 new faces.]

└Why is Jung Su-ho in?

└He’s better than Seo Hyun-woo.

└Why is Seo Hyun-woo out?

└Jung Su-ho is in because he’s a lefty. Choo Sung-tae, that’s just it, damn.

└I can’t understand why Choi Ji-yong is out.

└That’s because you’re a Pirates fan.

└What about Kim Man-jae, Yun Se-hwan, and Kim San, not Ok Si-kyung? What’s up with him?

└Kim Man-jae’s batting average this season is 0.233, and can Kim San play defense like Ok Si-kyung? And Yun Se-hwan, forget it.

└Ok Si-kyung can play second and third base. He’s a versatile infielder, so it’s reasonable to include him.

└Why isn’t Byung-seong here...?

└Byung-seong should be in.

└Explain why Hoon isn’t here, damn.

└???

└Which Hoon are you talking about?

└Yoo Si-hoon? Jung Jong-hoon? Park Ji-hoon? How can they be in?

└With Lee Dae-hoon?

└Hoon must be Oceans’ Hoon, you idiots.

└Leave Hoon alone.

└Shit, what the hell are you saying? You’re talking like Hoon, shit.

Senior Hoon was embarrassed by the Hoon fans in the article. No Kyung-woo was a bit disappointed at not being included, but being selected for the All-Star game might have made him think he would be on the national team.

It’s too early, kid.

“...Geon-woo, good luck.”

Daegun’s senior achieved his wish. This season, other first basemen were generally underperforming, but Daegun’s senior’s performance was quite good.

Batting average 0.305, on-base percentage 0.415, 14 home runs.

There’s no reason he shouldn’t be selected, but he seems to lack confidence.

“What did I say?”

“I really didn’t expect to be selected.”

“They needed a bench specialist...”

“Hmm.”

Daegun’s senior looked at his left fist with a satisfied smile and stroked it with his right hand.

“Show them, Daegun.”

“...”

“...Hey, it’s a joke. You know that, right?”

Anyway, in my judgment, it’s not a strange thing at all.

Oceans’ rise was due not only to the stability of the starting rotation but also to the cohesion of the 2, 3, and 4 hitters, including me.

Bae Young-han, originally a national team outfielder, played as the second batter with a 0.340 batting average and clever base running, significantly contributing to the team’s momentum. Daegun’s senior is doing his job well, no, more than well. If Daegun’s senior had been struggling or