Aftershock
"Sorry, I'm a bit late."
Baek Daegi, the young slugger from the Rhinos, bowed his head.
"Hey, Busan from Changwon is so close you could touch it if you fell over. Why are you so late?"
The one ribbing Baek Daegi like that was Lee Hyung, an infield prospect who'd shown solid play for the Warriors this season.
"No... Do-hoon isn't here yet either. And he's from Ulsan."
"Kid, Do-hoon's family home is in Gyeonggi-do. He's late 'cause he's coming from there."
"Tch. What about the others?"
"They all arrived first and went in. I came out to meet you."
"Thanks."
Lee Hyung and Baek Daegi bantered as they entered the barbecue joint.
"Whoa... Rhino's big gun! Daegi, Daegi!"
Je Yeongho, picked second overall in the 2040 draft by the Pistols, welcomed Baek Daegi.
"Whoa! Superstar! Superstar!"
Yang Wonwoo, third overall by the Castles and weirdly hyped up, clapped at the sight of Baek Daegi.
"Man, seeing everyone after so long makes it feel extra good."
Baek Daegi scanned his seated friends.
"Has it been since high school that we're all together like this?"
Today was a rare reunion of the 2040 draft class, starting to be called the golden generation.
"Beomjun? Anyone hear from him?"
"You think he's in any state to answer calls? His mentality's probably shattered."
Their conversation naturally turned to baseball—or more precisely, to their draft classmates still active in the unfinished regular season and the Korean Series.
"Yeah... the whole world's going nuts right now."
"Honestly, after Game 2, I thought the rest day was a blessing for Beomjun. But nope."
This season's Rangers Kim Cheolhyeon, who'd been taking starter lessons in Double-A, recalled the news he'd seen on the train.
"If I were on the Guardians, I'd regret making the Korean Series."
"Says the team that got swept by us and missed the championship."
"Man... Daegi, clips of you striking out to Yuha are still all over the communities."
A day had passed, but interest in Korean Series Game 2 hadn't died down. If anything, it was growing.
That was the weight of the first perfect game in Korean baseball history.
"Heh... anyway, eat some meat first, guys. It's delicious."
"Why's Wonwoo looking so happy? He's a Castles fan."
"Why? He's a Busan boy. Lifelong Titans diehard—how could he not be thrilled?"
"Oh, right."
Yang Wonwoo from Busan was grinning ear to ear.
"Sigh... if Yuha keeps doing this well, I'm the only one suffering again."
Je Yeongho, from the Pistols' vaunted bloodline, let out a deep sigh.
"Fans expect too much just 'cause I was drafted after Jin Yuha... I'm not on that level."
"Who said that nonsense? Yuha's been a different league since high school."
"Tch. True, but hearing it so bluntly doesn't feel great."
"Gotta own what you gotta own to grow."
Everyone there had always sensed Jin Yuha was on another level, even back then. They'd been sure he'd succeed in the pros too.
"But not this well..."
"Right? A perfect game's insane."
"He no-hit no-runned too."
"Hey, Hansu's here. No-hit no-run victim."
"Huh? I'm a pitcher, so whatever. That's on the bats."
Still, no one had predicted this level of dominance.
"Hanseong's impressive too. Back in high school, he was behind Beomjun and Yunho."
"His defense was always the best of the three. Yunho admits it."
"True. I debuted in the first team, but not like Jeong Hanseong. His D was better than our starters."
Kang Yunho of the Wolves nodded, munching meat.
"Beomjun's good too, but..."
"He'll be shaken now, right?"
The same-year high school big three catchers: Wolves' Kang Yunho, Guardians' Kim Beomjun, Titans' Jeong Hanseong.
Of them, Kim Beomjun had shone brightest in the pros first. Neither backup Kang Yunho nor Jeong Hanseong, who handled just two pitchers, had matched him.
But his classmates were convinced he wouldn't shine in the remaining series.
"No way he's mentally fine after that."
"Guardians don't have a catcher to replace him. He's just gonna grind himself down."
"Ugh... Jin Yuha, you ruthless bastard."
Most there were so-called "Jin Yuha victims," so a brief venting session ensued.
"I like our Yuha, though."
The only one not chiming in was Titans fan Yang Wonwoo.
"Anyway, tomorrow's game might end anticlimactically."
"Guardians might recover from the shock faster than expected, but..."
Not tomorrow, at least.
"It wasn't just a loss."
One reason the 2040 draft class gathered in Busan:
"What if it ends in a sweep?"
"Then we party again."
To witness the Korean Series stage they'd never reached.
"Hey, heard the guys got together for drinks last night."
"Guys? Which ones."
"High school classmates."
Ah.
"Yeah?"
"Not interested?"
Honestly.
"Nah."
"Figures... you'd be weirder if you were."
I'm not that indifferent. Just now.
"Better to focus on Game 3 than that crap."
Whether they blew a million on meat or whatever, none of my business. Same for Jeong Hanseong.
"You're starting today—got time for distractions? No opponent scouting?"
"...I'll do it."
Especially.
"Travis struggled in the championship. Get serious."
"...What do you think? Tough game today?"
Eh.
"Doesn't feel like it."
Because.
"I shattered the Guardians' mentality. Can't recover in a day."
Jeong Hanseong furrowed his brow at my words.
"All thanks to you?"
"What, you saying no? Cancel that watch order?"
"..."
See? Can't deny it.
As Jin Yuha predicted.
CRACK!!
Korean Series Game 3. The Titans dominated the Guardians.
Their lineup exploded in a way unimaginable after being stifled through Game 2. And.
The Guardians erred uncharacteristically.
"...Tch, it's over."
As Baek Daegi said from the stands.
CRACK!!
The game was already done.
The Guardians had won the Korean Series two years running, but they'd lost in the postseason before. Even this championship series, they'd dropped two.
Each time, they'd bounced back fast. For one reason.
They had Shim Chando.
But.
"This time, even Shim Chando lost."
To a perfect game, no less.
"First time the Guardians face this. Total chaos."
Titans manager Jeong Hyeonho smiled.
"So..."
What the Titans had to do: Hit the dazed Guardians even harder.
"Good thing we're at Sajik."
The frenzied Busan fans would crush the psychologically battered Guardians further.
"...This might actually work."
Jeong Hyeonho felt confident he could deliver on his Media Day promise.
Korean Series Game 4 didn't unfold as easily as Jeong Hyeonho thought.
CRACK!!
Titans starter Baek Jeongsu battled hard, but.
THWACK!!
"Ugh!"
"Batter to first."
He struggled against the fired-up Guardians lineup.
CRACK!!
The Titans didn't back down either. Sky-high momentum, they pressed relentlessly.
Relief pitcher escapes jam with strikeouts. Batter who whiffed last at-bat rips an RBI. Pinch-runner sent to seal it stretches lead. Pitcher picks him off, gains momentum.
A classic fit Game 4 perfectly. The end:
THWACK!!
"Strike three!"
Guardians lost. Meaning.
The Titans were one win from the trophy.
"..."
Silence filled the Guardians' dugout after the shocking three straight losses. No sign of the KBO powerhouse anywhere.
"Grr..."
Manager Won Sangcheol ground his teeth too. Even a legend like him struggled for a turnaround plan.
"Manager."
Then, a player approached.
"Tomorrow, I'll pitch."
Shim Chando.
"...On three days' rest? Sanchez is an option."
"Sanchez is four days too. I'm in better shape. Checked earlier."
Won Sangcheol nodded after long thought.
"Alright. ...I'm counting on you."
"Haha. Hell, let's give it a shot."
The Guardians' ace volunteered to save the sinking ship.
"Yuha. Guardians starter tomorrow's Shim Chando."
"Oh, really?"
Hearing Game 5's starter was Shim Chando, Titans manager Jeong Hyeonho and Jin Yuha both smirked.
"Then shall we get started?"
"Sounds good. Hell, let's give it a shot."
"That the line for this situation?"
"I'm throwing on three days' rest too."
"Heh, true."
.
.
.