First Pitch (2)
"Well, at least we got here fast!"
"Y-yeah…"
I almost let slip something truly awful about my sister's driving—something along the lines of You really shouldn't blame the Busan roads or other drivers… where the hell did you even learn to drive? From a taxi driver?—but I managed to swallow it. Hold it in. Patience. Patience. Patience. There, three times. Good.
You actually held that back.
What am I supposed to do on the way home? Just fall asleep myself? Ah!
Maybe I can take over for you—
No.
…I wasn't even finished talking.
Don't try to act cute.
When did I ever?
Whatever… Anyway, this is the baseball stadium you've been dying to see.
Yeah.
Busan Sajik Stadium. At full capacity it once held a staggering thirty-five thousand people. It was the stadium where I'd always dreamed of standing on the mound and throwing a pitch if I ever became a player. I'd given up on that dream somewhere along the way, but today I was actually going to throw a ball from here. My long-held wish—to stand on the Sajik mound, soak in the roar of the crowd, and pitch—was coming true today.
You're ridiculously excited.
How could I not be?
I still don't get why you're so obsessed with that dumb ball game…
Take that back. Right now!
Taken back.
…What a killjoy. It had been almost half a year since I started living with Jeok Ayeon. This girl was a textbook tsundere. Born from Soyun's memories, she liked me, yet the residue of everything I'd put her through still lingered. After we fought and merged she sniped at me constantly, but she still did what I asked when it mattered.
Anyway, I'm going quiet now. Call me when you need me.
Okay.
After that short exchange I took the hoodie and sunglasses from my sister.
"Alright, turn your head to the side for a second?"
"Okay."
My head turned, and she tidied my hair that had grown long. She simply gathered it and let it hang down. With hair this eye-catching there wasn't much choice. Sunglasses next, then the hoodie, a Whales cap, and a mask to finish. Checking myself in the mirror, the disguise was perfect. Hide the eyes and hair and I was just Elementary School Student A walking by.
"But I look super suspicious like this…"
"Apparently lots of girls walk around dressed like this."
"…Okay, fair."
The so-called criminal look. I'd seen it a lot in winter, though it was spring now. Still, at under 140 cm nobody was going to feel threatened by me. If I'd still had my original body it might have been different. For now there was no need for the full disguise, so I stuffed the sunglasses, hoodie, and cap back into the bag we'd brought.
"Okay… done. One second."
My sister pulled out her phone and made a call.
"Ah, hello. This is Seol Hayeon, older sister of today's first-pitch thrower, Ayeon."
"Ah, yes. Have you arrived already? You only needed to be here by four, but you're early. It's only one right now."
Because my sister is a certified grandmaster of speeding, sudden braking, and lane-cutting… I really thought I was going to die. I silently repeated the complaint that would never reach anyone's ears. The fact that the person who completely changes personality the moment she grabs a steering wheel is my sister… this is hell. And I can't even drive in this body.
The man on the other end was Min Hongtaek, the self-proclaimed and universally acknowledged madman of the Whales. He was the one who had suggested I throw the first pitch today in the first place. He'd visited me in the hospital long ago, and he'd come to Soyun's funeral and cried with us. No matter how you looked at him he wasn't a bad person—kind, just someone who loved stirring up attention. Of course, it was also true that he was a little unhinged.
"My little sister was so excited we came a bit early. Sorry."
"Not at all! Hmm… today's first-pitch thrower is a complete secret. You shouldn't go anywhere the crowd might gather…. I'll come find you myself. Since your sister is really into baseball, if you're okay with it you can look around the training facilities while you wait. We've prepared dinner separately, but lunch hasn't been arranged yet, so if you haven't eaten you can join us in the staff cafeteria."
"That sounds awesome!"
"She says that sounds great."
"Glad to hear it. Just wait a moment. You're at the staff parking lot I told you about, right?"
"Yes."
"Got it. Be right there."
The call ended, and not long after Min Hongtaek appeared. We got out of the car and exchanged greetings.
"Hello."
"Hello, Ayeon. You should say hi too."
"Ah… hello…"
This was already the third time I'd met Min Hongtaek, yet it still felt awkward. Hard to avoid when I was the actual person involved in the infamous "police station fan meeting" story that always came up whenever people talked about the madman Min Hongtaek.
"Have you had lunch?"
"No, not yet."
"Hmm. The shops inside Sajik Stadium aren't open for business yet, so you'll have to eat at the staff cafeteria. There's a convenience store, though."
"We'll eat at the staff cafeteria."
"Alright then. I'll show you the way."
"Here, little sister. Hand."
"Huh? Uh…"
Does she think I'm a little kid? Well… I kind of am. And I do like holding hands.
"You two really look nice together."
"Oh, you think so?"
"I saw her when she was sick, so seeing her healthy now just hits different. Haha. Hayeon-ssi, how old did you say you were again?"
"Sorry? Ah, I'm twenty-seven."
"Oh? We're the same age?"
"Wait, really?"
…Min Hongtaek. Please no. A strange unease crept over me. That expression of his—smiling like he was genuinely enjoying the conversation with my sister—rubbed me the wrong way. When I stared up at the two of them, a voice spoke in my head.
Whoa, Ayeon. That pretty-boy freeloader totally has a thing for our Hayeon unnie.
…You think so too?
Like eighty percent.
…What do we do?
Shall we take care of him, Master?
What even is that supposed to mean… Look, Min Hongtaek is handsome, and his personality is… fine? Work ethic and fan service are solid, so if the two of them hit it off that's a good thing, right?
Do you actually think that?
Honestly it pissed me off. That's my sister. She doesn't just go to anybody! You freeloading pretty boy! Time for some verification.
Min Hongtaek's younger sibling was the idol Seolgi. That alone meant the looks genes were stacked. And Min Hongtaek himself was a baseball player—talent serious enough that a future Major League challenge was already being discussed. Athletic genes were elite too. Selfish genes, seriously.
"Unnie."
"Hm? What is it, little sister?"
"My legs hurt. Carry me."
"Huh? All of a sudden? Ah, unnie's sorry. I should've walked slower."
"Dunno. It just started hurting. I think I'll be fine if I rest a bit."
"Aigoo, you're just too excited. Not too hot?"
"I'm good."
…But he has selfish genes, so give up on my sister.
I shot him a sharp look for a second. Min Hongtaek, reading the room, gave a nervous little laugh.
"Ahaha…"
Your name is old-fashioned! I won't allow it! Part of me felt a little bad. The mood had been nice until just now. Why am I even acting like this? Did my mind turn into a kid's when my body did? Still… I hate what I hate.
"Hurry up and carry me."
"Why is our little sister suddenly being such a baby? Fine, I'll carry you. Up we go!"
"…Am I heavy?"
"Not even a little~"
"…Sorry, unnie."
"Sorry for what?"
"Just… everything."
Nestled in my sister's arms, I studied Min Hongtaek again. He seemed to have caught on somewhat; he was looking at me with a strange expression. His observational skills weren't ordinary. Looking at it, he was probably a lot smarter than Seolgi.
"Hey."
"Hm? You calling me?"
"Yeah. Can I borrow your ear for a second?"
"Huh?"
Even as he looked puzzled by my sudden request, Min Hongtaek leaned in. I spoke quietly.
"You're doing the ceremonial catch today, right?"
"…Yeah? Since I invited you?"
He matched my volume. My sister was right there so she could hear everything anyway. What was the point of this.
"Prove it."
"Prove what?"
"…Figure that out from now on."
With that I buried my face in my sister's shoulder.
"Why'd you suddenly turn into such a clingy baby, our little sister."
"I don't know!"
"Oh my, I'm so sorry. Her mood swings have gotten a bit worse lately."
"It's fine."
I really don't know either!
Thud.
"Ah…"
I stood on the mound. The mound of Sajik Stadium that I had truly wanted to stand on. So this was what the view from the mound looked like. The distance between the mound and home plate was 18.44 meters. …Had 18.44 meters always been this far? I really had gotten tiny. Until last year I never would have imagined I could stand here.
"Alright. Let's greet the crowd, little sister."
"…Okay."
I had come as the first-pitch thrower, not as a player. But a greeting was still mandatory. That was the pro mindset. First I pulled off the hoodie that had been covering everything, then untied the hair tie holding my hair back.
Shhhk.
It itched a little, so I gave my hair a light shake. The now-familiar white strands brushed past my vision. Next the cap, and finally the sunglasses. One by one. Slowly.
"Here, give me those. I'm putting the parasol away for a second so the crowd can see you. Tell me if the sun's too bright."
"Okay, unnie."
My sister removed the parasol she had been holding over me, and I revealed my transformed self to the roughly twenty-five thousand spectators packing Sajik Stadium.