Already in the Minus
Already in the minus zone, and now she says it makes her want to cry... I could only stare at Kim Se-rin the cheerleader with a dumbfounded look on my face.
"Oh, that expression now kinda looks like Bingoo."
"Ah... that's 'cause you said something weird..."
Come to think of it, that comment had briefly chased away my gloomy mood.
"Hahaha, this one's better. I don't think you need to be moping around. Better to stay all innocent and clueless like that."
"Huh?"
"I'm saying don't get all depressed for no reason. You're beating yourself up, but you're the player the pitchers least want to face right now."
"Still..."
"If you were really worthless, the manager would've benched you or sent you down to the minors ages ago. This is pro ball."
That... was true.
"Still... everyone has their own threshold for frustration. I just want to do well purely on my own skills and get evaluated fairly for them. That's why this slump hurts so much, and I hate it when people hype me up just because I got lucky. Even now, when national team talk comes up... it stresses me out."
Kim Se-rin shot back right away.
"Is climbing up on luck a bad thing? In baseball, luck is a skill. Nobody badmouths a lucky hit. If you get into the national team on luck and flop, they won't call you next time. If you kill it, great. And anyway... aren't you getting picked because you're objectively good? Luck doesn't even factor in then."
Her tone was calm, but her words cut straight to the point. Then she brought up cheerleaders.
"Just baseball? It's worse in cheerleading. Sometimes a girl blows up out of nowhere on pure luck. Pretty girls who dance great don't always make it, and girls who suck at dancing get attention 'cause it's cute."
Kim Se-rin paused to catch her breath before continuing.
"I think grabbing the opportunity when luck brings it is what matters more. If you're not prepared, you'll fumble it anyway—but you were ready, so I figure you're the type who can snag it."
I fell silent, lost in thought. Watching me, Kim Se-rin smiled and said,
"I figured a regretful guy like you wouldn't overthink stuff like this."
"Me? I have my worries too..."
"Is it weighing you down 'cause you're thinking too deep?"
"Well... worries are worries, stats are stats... yeah."
"When you were facing the Pheasants, you looked like a beast charging to smash everything, no thoughts of evaluation. Turns out it was the opposite. Kinda cowardly."
...Cowardly?
"I don't like cowards much."
...?
I had no idea what my face looked like this time. But Kim Se-rin burst out laughing at the sight.
"Hahaha, earlier you had the saddest face in the world, and now it's a whole new one. This is better. Whew, gotta head out now."
Kim Se-rin started walking back the way she'd come.
"See ya."
She gave a casual wave. As she went, she glanced back at me one more time.
"Still... cowards are kinda..."
...?
Damn it...
After parting with Kim Se-rin, I got home to find a message on my phone.
A message from Seo Ha-yoon.
"Hang out tomorrow? Out of the blue?"
I stared at the screen for a while, unable to reply right away. I'd just been sorting through my thoughts in that chat with Kim Se-rin.
I felt like I needed something to break out of this slump, but hanging out now... Whether training, meditation, or just solo time, I needed something to shift my current rut.
So I sent a polite refusal to Seo Ha-yoon.
...?
Players told her to make me? That didn't add up. The second I read it, I called her.
"What do you mean? Players told you to?"
Seo Ha-yoon sounded calmer than expected on the other end.
"I'll explain the details when you see. I'll show you myself."
"What?"
"Movie tomorrow? Or..."
No... I was frustrated and told her to just explain now. But Seo Ha-yoon wasn't backing down.
"10 AM movie, lunch after, then you figure out the rest."
"I'll snag the tickets. Oh! And if you don't show, you're in trouble."
Then she hung up.
...?
What the hell...? I froze solid after the call ended.
What was that cryptic crap? Was Seo Ha-yoon always this pushy? No. Then... why... who... And if it's from players... my seniors? Or maybe someone who hates me pushed Ha-yoon into this to screw me over...
I stood there blankly clutching my phone for a while.
Haa... What do I do?
The words kept swirling in my head. No clue on the situation, total headache. But one thing was clear from her tone: not just a casual hangout.
Guess I'll find out tomorrow. See it for myself and ask straight up?
The next day, I arrived a bit early, parked, and scoped the area. Soon, Seo Ha-yoon appeared from afar. Hat and glasses made her way less noticeable—practically incognito.
I spotted her and waved. She hurried over, grumbling that I was late and we should head in quick.
Still worrying, though...
"What if we get caught on camera again?"
"It's fine. They don't check IDs that strict anymore. Slip in fast, no one'll notice."
I had a mountain of questions, but just said okay and followed her into the theater.
Even crossing the lobby to the screening room, she kept glancing around, not slowing down.
The movie was by a famous director. Set in World War II, centered on an American scientist building the atomic bomb.
I figured it'd be explosions galore like a typical war flick. But nope—from the start, it was dialogue-heavy, heavy scenes, tense but sloooow. Kinda boring, honestly.
I tried focusing, but kept glancing at the seat next to me. Who the hell... and why... for what?
Then Seo Ha-yoon leaned over and whispered,
"Why keep staring at my face? Feels like a date, huh."
My face heated up instantly. Good thing it was dark in there.
I whispered back, denying it.
"No, just... lots to ask."
Then I hesitated and added,
"Well... kinda like a date."
She grinned.
"Actually, not a date. I'm surveilling you."
She pointed two fingers at her eyes, then at me—classic "I'm watching you" gesture.
Hmm... cute...
I tilted my head. Surveilling?
Then it clicked. Son Tae-ho sunbae, Gu Min-seok sunbae, Hwang Do-yoon sunbae. Probably one of those three...
I turned back to the screen. A bit later...
Movie ended, we grabbed coffee at a cafe.
"How was the movie?"
"Eh... everything up to the bomb going KABOOOM~ was meh."
"Same."
"But... whose request was this?"
I mimicked her surveillance gesture.
"Hmm... no idea."
...?
"For real. Gotta ask. Jeong Su-a team leader said players asked her to check if you're resting. Told me to hang out with you."
Hmm... if they're asking for this kinda favor...
Right then—
Bzzzzt bzzzzt.
My phone vibrated.
"Huh?"
Gu Min-seok calling.
"Yeah, what's up?"
"Hu-seong. Your height and weight from the last check—what were they?"
"Height and weight? 185cm, 75kg."
"Crazy. You're already in the danger zone. No wonder you couldn't get out there."
Eh...? That's why I couldn't hit?
"Training room scale was busted lately. Everyone's been reading 5kg heavy till now."
Oh no...
"So you're at 70kg now. Can't play with weight deficiency. Fitness trainer said minimum 75kg."
I thought I'd been holding the line on defense... but I was already in the minus...!?
"Good you went out today. Rechecked everyone—lots on the edge. You're benched a week flat at that weight. Stuff 10 meals a day, gain 3kg. Tomorrow too."
"Got it."
I set the phone down.
Kraaaah. Damn it.