36. Etiquette (4)
Saturday. Before the Titans team headed out to the Dragons' home stadium.
"Yuha, you got any plans to apologize?"
Titans manager Jeong Hyeonho came looking for me in the dorms, where I had to stay behind.
"Me? To who?"
"You know damn well who... So you're saying no?"
That was exactly right. I hadn't done anything wrong.
"What do you think, Manager?"
"Me? Well..."
He trailed off for a moment before breaking into a grin.
"Obviously no need. They crossed the line first."
Truly a great manager.
"And honestly, it's kinda bullshit. Fake apologies, pretending to be buddies for the cameras, snapping photos all smiles. No thanks."
He said he had zero interest in seeing pics of me grinning through a headlock from Yang Soyeol or Byeon Jaeyu.
"Just rest up here. Go hang out with Jihun somewhere. Jeonju's got plenty to see."
"Oh yeah, James mentioned wanting to check out the hanok village."
"Nice. You guys go together then."
Club staff came by saying it was time to head out, and Jeong Hyeonho stood up.
"...Hope this doesn't blow up into a big deal."
I overheard him mutter that to himself as he left.
Worrying over nothing.
"Manager."
"Yeah?"
"It's fine. Nothing to worry about."
I meant it. The Titans would be just fine.
Right before game time, Dragons manager Jo Du-hyeon bellowed at the reporters.
"Tch! How the hell is there a guy with no sense of hierarchy like that? Kick trash like him out of baseball already! Didn't you see the kids all hurt? They're in the hospital, and that bastard hasn't even apologized once, the fucking prick."
"Everyone babies him 'cause he's Jin Yusung's son, so he's gotten spoiled rotten. If I were Titans manager, I'd—bam! Just like that!"
The topic was, naturally, me.
Wasn't it the Dragons who started it?
A lot of reporters were thinking that inwardly, but they all kept their mouths shut in front of Jo Du-hyeon. Not out of fear, but because his heated rants were pure clickbait gold.
"Argh... Even the commissioner’s covering for him 'cause he's hot right now. Baseball world's full of entrenched corruption these days, total corruption!"
"Manager! Does that mean you're refusing to accept this KBO punishment?"
"You call that a question? Of course!"
His genuine rage even namedropped the KBO commissioner, guaranteeing massive views for the press.
Some familiar faces are missing, huh? Where'd they go?
A few reporters noticed the no-shows but shrugged it off.
Probably went to Jeong Hyeonho instead.
But then.
"Anyway... that Jin Yuha punk better get a massive suspension! Come crawling to us with a real apology and—"
"Whoa! What the hell!"
One reporter's shriek cut him off mid-sentence, proving how naive that assumption had been.
"Jin Yusung interview dropped!"
The real scoop wasn't here.
[Q&A with Korea's Baseball Hero Jin Yusung]
Q. It's been a while.
A. Been holed up in the States since retiring. Barely any chances for Korean media interviews.
Q. Say hi to the fans then.
A. Hello. Jin Yusung here, former baseball player. And father of Jin Yuha.
Q. Introducing yourself as Jin Yuha's dad.
A. That's how folks in Korea call me more these days. Makes me think I should've played here.
Q. Fun thought. What if Jin Yusung, who went straight to the majors after high school, had played in the KBO?
A. Probably wouldn't have ended well. Learned a ton in the States, y'know? Plus, my temper's no joke. Bound to cause a huge scene eventually.
Q. That's quite the loaded statement.
A. Is it?
Q. Yesterday, your son Jin Yuha threw a beanball mid-game, sparking a bench-clearing brawl.
A. Saw it. Did great. If it'd been me, I'd have half-killed 'em. Kinda disappointed the kid held back—he's too nice.
Q. Serious?
A. You think I'm joking?
Jin Yusung's face was dead serious as he shot back.
A. Dragons started it. Two beanballs and a deliberate bat swipe at one player—a high school rookie no less. And that player's Yuha's close buddy. I'd have been pissed if Yuha hadn't retaliated.
Q. Dragons claim both hit-by-pitches were mistakes.
A. Tell 'em to quit the bullshit. A real pitcher misses that bad? And besides...
Jin Yusung hesitated, looking unsure if he should spill it.
A. Park Cheongwon gave me the full rundown. That Dragons pitcher's got a nasty attitude, from what I hear.
Q. Yang Soyeol of the Dragons?
A. Yeah. Heard he barged into the Titans dugout pre-game, harassing players. Yuha got it too.
Q. So Jin Yuha had reason to be mad at Yang Soyeol.
A. Damn right. And the guy dragged his dad into it.
Q. His dad? You mean...
A. Yup. Said I was a druggie or some crap.
Q. ...
A nuke had just dropped on Korean baseball.
Jin Yusung is Korea's baseball hero. In nearly 60 years of Korean baseball history, only two have earned that glorious title.
'Korean Express' and Jin Yusung.
Jin Yusung stands among MLB's all-time greats even without the 'Korean' prefix. He voluntarily joined countless international tournaments during his pro career, leading Korea's golden era with their long-awaited WBC win.
So yeah.
Yang Soyeol's words—with a bit of embellishment—had united Korean baseball fans like nothing in ages.
Turns out that was his confession
Jo Du-hyeon and the Dragons got dragged in too, for good measure.
"Eya! This is gettin' proper fucked up!"
The biggest fallout hit Yang Soyeol hardest, naturally—the guy who'd lost teeth and now his whole career. He'd snapped a hospital selfie and posted it on SNS to subtly pressure me, but now his feed was buried under a creative storm of two-word curses. His mind went blank.
No... I never said that!
He posted a direct plea on SNS—comments disabled, of course—but it fell flat.
"Jin Yuha! Is it true Yang Soyeol said yesterday that Jin Yusung used illegal drugs?"
A reporter cornered me while I was strolling Jeonju Hanok Village in hanbok with Baek Jihun and James.
"...Ah. I'd rather not talk about it. Truly heartbreaking."
My furrowed-brow response just piled on more hate for him.
No! Fuck, I really didn't say that!
Every ragged breath whistled through his empty gums. Yang Soyeol seethed with injustice and rage.
But his ordeal was far from over.
The Dragons, true to their dirty, cutthroat team color, cut him loose without mercy.
"Ha... fuck. It's all scattered..."
The career of that once-celebrated underdog sidearm starter ended just like that.
Self-inflicted.
"Yuha! You said nothing would happen!"
Back from sightseeing, Jeong Hyeonho grabbed me, face full of panic.
"Did you guys win today? Missed it sightseeing. Should've watched."
"We won. Dragons were quiet thanks to the pre-game drama... Ah, that drama!"
Oh.
"Good thing you won then."
"That's not the point! Well, it is important, but anyway! That article—you knew about it?"
"Of course."
Dad and I had planned it together after our awkward patch post-Children's Day series.
"Like it?"
"Shocked the hell outta me. Coulda told the club or me."
"I did. Said nothing to worry about."
"And this is 'nothing'?"
"Not for the Titans."
I shrugged and pulled some goodies from my bag.
"Choco Pie? Famous from Jeonju."
"You... really enjoyed yourself, huh."
Jeong Hyeonho gaped, speechless for a sec, then sighed.
"Eh... whatever. As long as it's no biggie for us."
He bit into the Choco Pie I handed him.
"Tasty."
"Right?"
"Got a lot?"
"Purchase limit, but I maxed it out."
"Share with the guys."
"Was gonna."
Jin Yuha might not know Korean etiquette, but no one knew dugout baseball manners better—like treating bench-clearings dead seriously. His schooling of the Dragons felt damn satisfying to every Titan.
But.
"...Ha. How the hell do we fill this gap."
Once the thrill faded, the Titans' brass faced cold reality.