Four-for-Four Fireworks
Can you believe it? Bottom of the eighth, and I stepped up to the plate again as the leadoff hitter. Having already notched hits in all three of my previous at-bats, my mood was through the roof. The opposing bullpen had just sent up Hwang Ui-chan, a decent chase reliever they'd thrown in as the game started slipping away.
Was it just the day going my way? I ignored the count and swung at the first pitch. Crack! The moment the bat met ball, I was already sprinting toward first. I dropped the bat before the vibration even fully registered in my hands. The ball trickled into the infield as a grounder—not your average one, though. It was deep enough that the Phoenix shortstop had to range back awkwardly to field it before firing to first.
Pop! "Safe!"
After touching the bag, the first-base ump's safe call sent endorphins surging through me, a thrilling buzz lighting up my veins.
"Kim Hu-seong! Four-for-four today! All infield hits, but hits nonetheless."
"Seriously, every ball he's hit looks like it's taunting the infielders. He's got some serious luck going."
As soon as I reached the bag, the first-base coach greeted me with a beaming smile. "Kim Hu-seong, great job! But don't get too cocky now—stay focused till the end!"
I caught my breath and nodded. Truth be told, I knew it all too well. Days like this were when complacency or overexcitement could lead to a quick mistake. Still, I couldn't suppress the swell of pride deep down. I'd shown I could perform at this level, and the crowd was chanting my name.
Then, my gaze drifted toward the Phoenix dugout—and up to the cheerleader section above it. Too far to make out faces clearly, but the silhouettes in those red uniforms stood out. Naturally, Kim Se-rin came to mind. Is she working today? If so, she must've seen my performance. Nice. I pulled it off today. Wonder if I'll run into her near home after the game... Today, I could face her with my head high.
My heart raced for no reason, and a smile crept onto my face unbidden.
Crack! Whoa!
But in that instant, a sharp hit echoed through the stadium. I bolted for second on instinct. Glancing at the third-base coach, I saw him waving me back furiously. Heeding the sign, I reversed course toward first.
Pop! As I retreated, I spotted the right fielder snagging a fly ball and gunning it to first.
Shit.
I jolted into panic mode and dashed back. I'd already advanced halfway to second, so the scramble back was desperate. Getting doubled up here would mean a tongue-lashing from the manager—or worse, a demotion to Double-A. No way that's happening!
I hurled myself at the bag, sliding feet-first. My uniform scraped the dirt again, but thankfully, the ump called safe.
"Hoo... haa... haa..."
Only then could I exhale in relief, flashing a sheepish grin. I'd survived, but embarrassment gnawed at me. Almost blew it with a boneheaded play because I zoned out...
* * *
The game ended, and I wandered the field aimlessly. Hitting four-for-four felt amazing, but with no outlet for the high, pacing around like this was the best way to come down. Still, when "Today's MVP: Kim Hu-seong" flashed on the scoreboard, the buzz hit me all over again.
Heat flushed through my body, my face turning beet red in seconds. The crowd's applause and cheers poured down—I was in a daze, barely processing it.
"Kim Hu-seong! Come on, interview time."
I got dragged to the mic in that state. The caster lit up with a grin and greeted me. "Kim Hu-seong, congrats on the win! How's it feel today?"
Tension had my mouth dry; I swallowed hard before managing, "It feels... incredible. Still feels like a dream."
"What a wild performance. At this rate, you could shower in sports drinks, right?" The caster tossed in a joke to lighten things up.
"Ah! With the team's budget woes, no shower... but I could chug a whole bottle right now!"
Laughter erupted nearby. Even the caster cracked up, mic in hand. "Haha, our rookie's got humor too! Looking forward to more interviews."
It's not a joke... I grinned awkwardly, but inwardly, I marveled. Who'd believe a pro team skimped on drinks like this?
Huh? Then Son Tae-ho hyung subtly zipped his lips from the side. Whoa! That's 'keep your mouth shut' clear as day. Oh, right—this is hush-hush!
A chill ran through me, but Lee Seo-jin, the commentator beside him, chimed in calmly. "Great game today. As a lefty with speed, you kept pressuring them—that stood out. Any special reason for this style?"
I took a breath. "As a rookie, I've got tons of weaknesses. During spring camp, I trained to fix my strengths and flaws, and realized speed was my surest edge. It was brutal, but that's how I earned this shot."
I bowed naturally as I continued. "Above all, thanks to Manager Kim Young-ho for putting me on the big-league roster. Despite my shortcomings, his bold call let me have a day like this. And huge gratitude to Double-A Manager Oh Tae-sik for honing me there. His advice to stay diligent got me here—I won't forget it."
The interview area filled with applause again. My face still burned, but those last words came straight from the heart.
The caster smiled. "That's your MVP for today's game, Kim Hu-seong. Keep it up!"
Interview over, tension drained, and my legs nearly buckled. Man... just wanna head home.
* * *
Meanwhile, Gocheok Turkeys First-Team Manager Kim Young-ho stood abruptly after the final out, silent for a beat. His face was a mask of disbelief.
Yet today, Kim Hu-seong had gone four-for-four, absolutely flying. Manager Kim scratched his head, muttering, "Damn... if the 'hopeless hitter' goes four-for-four... what does that make the batting coach?"
The chief coach smirked subtly beside him. "Manager, looks like Oh Tae-sik had good reason to push him. Kid's got that X-factor. Even routine grounders find holes, pressures the defense. Rare talent."
But the analytics team always tempered the mood, sliding over data with lowered voices. "Batting coach wasn't entirely wrong. Stats-wise, nothing shines. Flashy line today, but ball quality was meh—no liners ripping through. All slow rollers, deep grounders, mishandled by fielders. Speed saved some, but luck played huge."
Manager Kim narrowed his eyes, mulling it. The team pressed on coolly. "Keep swinging that poorly, weaknesses expose themselves. Could backfire on the team eventually. Looks lucky now, but once pitchers adjust..."
He shook his head firmly. "Results are results. Can't bench a four-for-four rookie in our situation. He's backup anyway—keep him around. Analytics, ID the flaws and scout fixes."
"Got it."
Then he beckoned captain Son Tae-ho. "Tae-ho."
"Yes, Manager."
Son stood promptly. "That Kim Hu-seong. Rookie killed it today, helped the team. Take him out, buy the kid something."
"Team dinner?"
"With our budget? Nah. But two's fine."
Son nodded with a smile. "Understood. I'll look after him."
Arms crossed, Manager Kim eyed him skeptically but said no more. "Time'll tell if it's real or just luck."