Teased for the Cheerleader Praise Video
Even though it was the day of the All-Star Game, after finishing morning practice and catching my breath during a break, I turned on my phone. I wanted to see what the fans had been talking about in that video. I opened YouTube, found the Turkeys' official channel, and the most recent upload's thumbnail caught my eye right away.
The thumbnail featured cheerleaders Seo Ha-yoon and Jeong Su-a beaming with bright smiles. Hmm...? But the title read Turkeys Player Spotlight: Kim Hu-seong Edition. Using the cheerleaders' faces instead of mine for the thumbnail? Brilliant choice.
As the title suggested, the video was mostly about me. It covered analysis of my playing style, base-running smarts from recent games, defensive contributions, and even practice footage. Half of it was straight-up praise, while the other half corrected the misunderstandings that had been spreading among fans lately. At one point, Seo Ha-yoon was huffing indignantly as she spoke, which even caught Jeong Su-a, the team leader, looking a bit flustered. I couldn't help but feel my lips twitching upward as I watched. It put me in a good mood—though a little embarrassing too.
But then worry started creeping in. So that's why fans were waiting at dawn. They'd officially revealed my arrival time here... What if fans kept showing up at that hour from now on? I showed up with bedhead and half-asleep eyes... The thought of them seeing me like that made my chest tighten for no reason. Sure, players had an image to uphold, but looking like a total bum wasn't great...
"Ha... whatever."
I grumbled and stretched out to prep for afternoon practice. But just as I started, I heard someone sprinting toward the stadium. It was a staffer in a vest with the team logo.
"Player Kim Hu-seong!"
"Yes. What's up?"
The staffer panted as he shouted, "The manager says... stop training right now and go home! Or he'll bench you from now on!"
I blinked, not getting it. "What? Bench me? Why?"
He shrugged, still catching his breath. "The manager said to rest today... but you showed up again. He must've heard you're out here training. Just got the call."
I scratched my head awkwardly. "Hmm... but since I'm already here, can't I do a bit more before heading out? I'm kinda curious if he'd really bench me."
The staffer's face went pale at that. "Sh-should I relay that exactly to the manager?"
Half-joking, half-serious, I said, "Yeah, go for it. If he still says no, then whatever..."
Reluctantly, he pulled out his phone and called the manager right away. He had it on speaker, so the manager's voice boomed out.
"What? What'd he say? Kim Hu-seong said that?"
The staffer cautiously repeated it. "Since he's already here, he wants to train more... and check if you're really gonna bench him..."
A beat of silence, then an explosion. "Put him on! Hey, Kim Hu-seong!"
Startled, I grabbed the phone and held it to my ear. "Yes, Manager...?"
"Go home!! Right now!!! If you're not out of the stadium in 10 minutes, I'll really bench you! Wanna test if I'm joking in the next game?"
"Ah... no, sir. Heading out now."
Manager Kim Young-ho added one last thing. "If I say rest, you rest! Resting is part of training too!"
The call ended. The staffer sighed deeply and shook his head wordlessly.
"Too bad. Better head back before he gets even madder."
"Yeah, you go ahead."
In the end, I packed up my gear bag quietly and left.
Riiiing.
As I was leaving the locker room after showering to head home, my phone buzzed. The screen showed Hwang Do-yoon sunbae.
"Yeah, Do-yoon hyung, what's up?"
His first words were unexpected. "All-Star rejects, let's grab some food."
I checked the time: 2 p.m. Felt a bit late for lunch, but not bad. Especially since I hadn't eaten properly yet.
"Got it. Where to?"
"Where?..."
A bit later, I arrived at a rundown but oddly cozy meat joint. The sign looked weathered, tables scratched up, but it had that authentic hole-in-the-wall vibe.
I pushed open the door and spotted Hwang Do-yoon, Gu Min-seok, and Kim Jin-ho sunbaes already grilling at a corner table. I approached with a greeting.
"Hello, sunbaes."
They nodded and made space for me. Kim Jin-ho sunbae was a seventh-year pro pitcher. Frequent injuries kept him from sticking in the first team long, but we'd spent plenty of time together in rehab, so I knew his face. Lately, he'd finally recovered and earned a spot in the first-team bullpen. Injury risk meant they didn't use him often, though.
No sooner had I sat than Hwang Do-yoon sunbae stared at my face and blurted, "Hey, something happened to you, right?"
"Huh? Why?"
He pointed at my face. "You know your expression's hilarious right now? Eyes all intense, but your mouth's weird. Like you're dying to smile but holding it back. Spill—what good thing happened?"
"No... idea what you mean?"
Gu Min-seok sunbae glanced over. "Huh, yeah... your mouth looks off."
Kim Jin-ho sunbae chimed in. "It's like... your lips are trying to curl up, but you're forcing them center. Makes it funnier. Eyes and mouth totally unbalanced."
I pressed my lips tight in panic, but that just made it worse—they all started chuckling.
That's when Hwang Do-yoon sunbae set down his chopsticks and pointed. "Hold up... you saw the video, didn't you?"
I flinched. "V-video?"
He looked dead certain. "The one where the cheerleaders praise you. You watched it."
I jerked my head away, fiddling with my water glass. That reaction said it all.
Hwang Do-yoon burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "Knew it!!! This guy's obsessed with that stuff! Hahahahaha!!"
"What, that's it?"
"Ah~ Good call asking the staff to make it. One bit of praise and he can't control his face."
Gu Min-seok sunbae eyed me. Kim Jin-ho sunbae laughed along. "Dude... good thing you're not a pitcher. That face on the mound? Disaster. Stick to hitting forever."
"Hu-seong-ah, you saw it thanks to hyung. Felt good, right? That cheerleader video."
I couldn't deny it anymore and nodded quietly. "Yeah... it was nice."
"Kukukuku."
"Hahaha."
"Hilarious."
The three sunbaes erupted in laughter. Hwang Do-yoon slid a glass my way. "Come on, All-Star rejects—let's eat happy. Hide that grin a bit."
"Yes, hyung..."
We were deep into chit-chat and meat when the All-Star Game broadcast started playing. The screen flashed with dazzling lights, fan cheers, player intros.
Hwang Do-yoon sunbae glanced at the TV with a sigh while holding his chopsticks. "Ah~ The All-Star we couldn't go to~"
Gu Min-seok sighed too. "Sigh... I almost made it once."
"You got edged out by Gwangju Pigeons players, right?"
"Yeah. Too bad. I was killing it then."
I was watching the TV when a familiar face zipped by—cheerleaders. As expected for All-Star, only the top popular ones were invited, so Seo Ha-yoon and Kim Se-rin popped up too. The game split into two teams, and since Turkeys and Pigeons were grouped together, the two stood side by side, cheering the All-Star players.
...How awesome would it be if I were there. Getting cheered by both at once...
I found myself glued to the screen. Then suddenly, Hwang Do-yoon sunbae's voice from the side: "Hey! Meat's burning, Hu-seong-ah~ That into going?"
I startled and flipped the meat quick. It sizzled on the grill.
Kim Jin-ho sunbae eyed my face. "Ah~ Must suck for real. Even if Tae-sin's your classmate and he's good... your recent play's stealing the show. Too bad."
I just flipped meat silently, so Gu Min-seok sunbae piled on. "Totally. Last year Ha-jun hyung got snubbed on votes, so manager pushed him this year. Without that, manager might've pushed you. Bet he'll nominate you next year if you don't make it. He likes you."
I shook my head quietly. "Nah. I gotta earn it myself. And better than manager's rec... get picked on real merit, or skip All-Star for something better."
"Oho~ Nice mindset. Something better like fall ball?"
Hwang Do-yoon sunbae looked at me.
"Obviously. Gotta beat every other team in the second half and climb up."
... Thwack!
"Ow."
Hwang Do-yoon sunbae flicked my forehead. "Brat, tone down the killer glare when you talk. Sounds like you're gonna crush someone. Thought you'd lost some edge, but it's back full force."
Ugh...