Back to the Low Swing
Before the next game even started, his head was already spinning. What should he do? But he couldn't keep struggling like this... He couldn't just collapse now. He had to find some kind of breakthrough. Today, no high launch angles, he decided. I'm a ground-ball hitter at heart, winning with weird grounders and quick feet. Let's go back to that. That's my style of hitting.
He resolved to return to that low swing that had produced such good results before. Just like always, naturally. But reverting to it wasn't easy. His first and second at-bats produced poor results. He made contact, but weakly. One was snagged by the shortstop on a grounder to his left, the other a grounder to second. He sprinted to first, but arrived half a beat late.
But it was okay. There was potential. Before, he'd been a full beat late—or even two in bad cases. Now, he was practically back to his old self. Just a little more... Seeing the possibility made him actually look forward to his next at-bat.
Third at-bat. With the count 1-2, a pitch came in low and inside. Without hesitation, he swung. Tick!
- Batter pulled it.
It wasn't a hard-hit ball, but a slow roller past the first baseman, rolling like a bunt. The ball hugged the line.
- Ball rolls along the line; first baseman rushes out to field it.
The first baseman charged forward to grab it, and the pitcher covered the bag. Ignoring all that, Kim Hu-seong ran full tilt. His toe nearly slipped as he touched the bag—
"Safe!"
Yes! His first hit in ages.
"Hoo... hoo..."
"Nice one, Kim Hu-seong. Keep doing that."
As he overshot first and jogged back, the first base coach stuck out his fist. Hu-seong let out a sigh of relief, bumped it, and slowly removed his gear. Hitting that single melted away the stress that had built up, like ice thawing.
Yeah, this is it. The frustration eased a bit.
* * *
After the game, stepping out of the dugout, he felt strangely light. He'd gotten a hit for the first time in forever! Awesome! That one hit unclogged the knot in his chest a little.
"At least that's a relief..."
Muttering to himself as he walked, he spotted someone ahead struggling awkwardly.
"Why won't this come out?"
"What's going on?"
He approached slowly.
"Oh! H-hello..."
A familiar face.
"Um... I... realized I never asked your name."
"Oh! I'm Seo Ha-yoon."
"Ah, Seo Ha-yoon... Pretty name. Need a hand?"
"Yeah... My carry-on's wheel is stuck here, and it won't come loose..."
He checked. The wheel was definitely caught in the drainage grate below.
"Hold on... One. Two..."
Pop!
"There!"
He yanked the carry-on firmly from underneath, and the wheel popped free.
"Phew... I thought I wouldn't make it home."
"Really? Glad it worked out. Well then..."
He was about to say he'd be going when Seo Ha-yoon looked a bit down.
"You okay? You seem kinda deflated. Wait, yeah... Practice is over now, so..."
"It's not just practice... We lost again today. The crowd's vibe has been off, the seniors are on edge... I'm kinda worn out too."
Oof. Feels like I share some blame for that.
"Ah... I see."
He tried to play it cool. But Seo Ha-yoon tilted her head and stared right at him.
"Hmm... Hold on. That's tomorrow's problem, but it's also your issue, right, Kim Hu-seong? Why talk like it's someone else's problem?"
He froze for a second.
"N-no, I didn't mean it like that... Just, uh, cheerleaders must have it tough too. That's what I was thinking."
"Huh?"
"Like, you're in the same boat as us."
Her eyes suddenly lit up.
"Oh, really? Then tell me more about those similarities. I'm curious about the players' side too."
He laughed awkwardly and waved it off.
"Players? Right now, I gotta... head in. Training tomorrow and all..."
"Tomorrow's Monday, though? Let's grab coffee and chat. I really wanna hear it."
Her eyes sparkled. Suddenly, Kim Se-rin the cheerleader crossed his mind. He had questions about cheerleaders too—might as well exchange info. And honestly, though tired, her invite strangely lifted his spirits.
"Sure. I've got the car... Know a good spot nearby?"
"Great."
Seo Ha-yoon smiled faintly. "I'll grab my car—wait just a sec."
"Okay."
She brought her car over, loaded her stuff in the trunk, and they headed out. Seoul's streets glowed with lights, but nearby coffee shops were shutting down one by one.
"Ah... At this hour, no coffee..."
He fiddled with his phone map repeatedly before sighing.
"All the cafes are closed."
"Yeah, nothing we can do at this time."
Seo Ha-yoon pondered, then tilted her head. "Wanna grab a drink instead?"
He swallowed hard. Drinks? Like beer? His heart raced a bit. But turning her down awkwardly...
"Sure, why not."
Moments later, he parked and they entered a pub. It wasn't too crowded, so they took a quiet corner table. They ordered two beers and light snacks, and he tried to break the ice.
"Guess I should introduce myself properly."
"Huh?"
"Kim Hu-seong, Gocheok Turkeys rookie."
Seo Ha-yoon bowed with a smile. "Seo Ha-yoon, same team's cheerleader... and fellow rookie."
Wait, slip-up. Saying it like that felt... like a blind date. Did I mess up?
"Oh! We're the same age, so... wanna drop formalities?"
"Sure... Yeah, let's."
"Exchange numbers too?"
"Ahem. Why not?"
He cleared his throat with a grin. They swapped phones and saved contacts.
"Your beers."
"Thanks!"
After a sip, he broached carefully. "Anyway... I was super curious about the players."
"Why not ask someone else?"
"Our team leader said if we so much as meet a player, she'll kill us! Not dating, just asking questions—but she won't even allow contact."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. Says it ruins team morale? Other teams even have players marrying cheerleaders... Ours is way too strict."
"So what'd you wanna know?"
"We finished second last year—why are we struggling so much now? We're dead last at 10th..."
"Uh... well..."
Where to even start? His head hurt. Explaining why his own team sucked... it stung. But thanks to what seniors had told him, he could lay it out.
"Big part is our starters getting injured a lot. That's why they use rookies like me."
"But you did well early on. Isn't that why the manager's using you?"
"Eh, me being in the first team is mostly luck."
He smiled, but bitterness crept into his voice. Seo Ha-yoon looked down, fiddling with her glass.
"That's why it's tough for cheerleaders too. Like I said earlier..."
"How so?"
"We cheer hard, but when we lose, fans trash us. Not directly at us, but... hearing it nonstop wears you down."
Not directly at us... means at the players, huh? He gazed at her a moment before asking.
"So... who gets the most hate?"
She flinched, said nothing, bit her lip, and avoided his eyes. They weren't on him, but he read what they said.
Wait, Seo Ha-yoon. That reaction... Don't tell me.Lie to me if you have to. For my sake.
That was as good as confirming it. More precisely than his own explanation—it pointed right at him.
He quietly drained his beer. They refilled a few times and shifted topics. Started with games and fans, but soon veered to his worries.
Fiddling with his glass, he spoke cautiously. "I'm struggling too."
She looked at him, surprised. "Games?"
"Yeah. I tinkered with my swing for the future... and it tanked everything. That's why I started the season hot but suck now. Sure, opponents adjusted, my weaknesses showed... but yeah."
He smiled through it, but it turned bitter fast.
"So now I gotta choose: keep changing for the future, or go back to what works right now. No clue what's right."
Silence fell. She set her glass down, face serious.
"I'm no player, so I don't know much, but..."
She thought, then continued. "Heard something like that before. Save the long-term for later. Nail it now, and you'll get the chance to last."
"Nail it now... to last longer?"
"Yeah. Gotta catch eyes first. Then you get respect, chances. Back in high school, I was in dance club. Someone filmed me dancing, it went viral online, and cheerleader offers came. I just did what I loved and tried hard—and boom, job."
Simple, but convincing. Nail now for a future. He nodded quietly.
Coach Oh Tae-sik had said the same. Maximize strengths. Defense, speed... and now grounders from that planted stance were strengths too. Hitting everything? A strength.
"Figured it out, huh?"
She noted his expression. He lifted his glass for a sip. Bitter on the tongue, but cooling inside.
She was right. Survive now first. Swing form, future—later problems.
"Thanks. Cleared my head."
He smiled faintly. "Good. Then do great next week. Cheers~!"
Hmm, cute.
"Yeah, cheers~!"
They emptied their last glasses.