Chapter 74
Chapter 74
The moment the last pitch landed in the mitt, every Marines fan exhaled the breath they had been holding.
“Waaaaaahhhh---!!!”
It was the long-awaited championship, yet no one could put the feeling into words.
They simply let the emotions accumulated over the season pour out, celebrating in their own ways.
The players felt the same.
Every player roared and stormed onto the field.
One goal.
“Si-wooo!”
“You crazy bastard! Kyaaah!”
Park Si-woo, who had pitched a perfect game in the first match, seven scoreless innings in Game Five, and a six-inning perfect performance in the decisive Game Seven, had carried the team to victory.
Without him, this miracle would never have happened.
Though the players had always celebrated his records cautiously, wary of him getting hurt, today was different.
They ran to him, unleashing all the emotions they had kept inside.
They restrained themselves from going too overboard, instead turning their attention to Song Min-seok beside him.
“Senior, gurg… wait, it’s me, senior!”
Song Min-seok, suddenly at the center alongside Park Si-woo, called out desperately but was quickly swallowed by the crowd of players, unable to escape.
“Phew. Finally, I feel relieved.”
As Kim Min-ki and others, looking satisfied, began to disperse, Park Si-woo and Song Min-seok at the center were finally freed.
“You okay, hyung?”
“Yeah. You alright?”
Seeing each other’s disheveled faces, the battery shared a laugh before running off to join other players.
After a while, all the Marines members had changed and were waiting for the awards ceremony.
“I’ve looked forward to this every year. Every year I realized how despairing hope can be. Over time, I thought the word ‘champion’ didn’t suit us. Yet, I cheered anyway. And now, it’s time to enjoy the reward for that wait! The 2037 champions are the Busan Marines!”
“…With words like that, isn’t he basically a Marines fan?”
The ceremony began with a phrase that perfectly captured the feelings of the fans.
The Game Seven Daily MVP went to Ha Seo-jin, who had delivered a decisive double and daring base-running to score.
“Sorry for keeping you waiting so long.”
Ha Seo-jin bowed to the fans, unable to lift his head for a moment.
“Honestly, I gave up. I thought winning was impossible. But someone proved me wrong.”
He glanced at Park Si-woo.
“I want to sincerely thank Si-woo. And thank you to all the fans who’ve supported us.”
It was now time to announce the Korean Series MVP.
Everyone knew the answer.
The reason the Marines could stand here smiling was only one.
“The 2037 Korean Series MVP is! Park Si-woo!”
It was all because of him.
Taking the microphone, Park Si-woo paused, overwhelmed.
It had been a meaningful year not just for the fans but for him as well.
A pitcher who had once lost velocity and fallen into despair had grown, winning the Korean Series MVP.
Though he had set many records before, this moment held the most meaning.
“…Hello. I’m Park Si-woo, pitcher for the Busan Marines.”
An unparalleled roar echoed through Sajik Stadium.
“This year felt like everything I imagined became reality. I threw knuckleballs, regained my velocity, won the championship. Many things happened, but it was a truly happy year. So, I want to ask all of you.”
He made eye contact with as many fans as he could.
“Were you happy this year?”
After a brief silence, fans answered one by one.
“It was amazing!”
“Si-woo! Thanks to you, we were so happy!”
Hearing this, Park Si-woo smiled brightly.
“I was happy because of you too! So let’s make a promise. Next year, I’ll be in this same spot, and I want to hear the same answer from you all. Agreed?”
He promised the fans he would win again next year.
And the fans’ response was unanimous.
“Park Si-woo! Park Si-woo! Park Si-woo! Park Si-woo!”
“Thanks.”
“Yes. Thank you too. Now, please stop saying it.”
It was the first time I realized that Senior Lee Dong-hoon’s repeated words were like drunken rambling.
I had already heard “thank you” more than ten times.
Then suddenly, he banged his head on the table and collapsed.
“Ah, are you okay? Leave him be.”
Startled, I saw that Kim Min-ki’s reaction suggested this was not unusual.
“Every year around this time, he drinks like this. But this year, he’s laughing while doing it.”
Starting with Lee Dong-hoon, one by one, players began to loosen up.
Still, everyone’s smiles remained.
“Hey, you heard Si-woo just now, right? If we want to win again next year, drink only today and train again from tomorrow. Okay?”
The post-season camp hadn’t even been scheduled, yet everyone was fired up.
“Can’t be helped. Honestly, if it weren’t for you, would we even have won? Would fall have passed?”
It was hard to argue with Min-seok.
It might have been like previous years.
“Plus, Senior Ha Seo-jin will post after next year, and there’s WBC early next year.”
“That’s a lot.”
“Oh, speaking of which, you have the posting, right?”
“…Suddenly?”
“If you win WBC and Olympics, you can cut a year? Excluding military service from the Asian Games.”
“How do you know that?”
“Everyone’s talking about it. How could you not know? They’re going crazy asking when you’re going to the U.S.”
I knew that too.
But it was still far off, and I had to play at least three more years with the Marines.
“I’ll think about it only after winning at least three years.”
I didn’t want to expend energy worrying about what hadn’t happened yet.
“Okay, then. What about the upcoming exhibition games?”
The season officially ended today.
Now we had to prepare for next year, with WBC early next year.
The exhibition games Min-seok mentioned were for the WBC.
“We’ll go.”
National team.
I still vividly remembered missing the Asian Games due to injury.
This time, I intended to prepare thoroughly to avoid that.
“Good. Yeah, we need to show other team fans what our pitcher Park Si-woo can do.”
“What am I, food?”
“You know what I mean. Every time we lost, now we can cheer for the national team. So there are tons of people saying they’ll support you in the U.S.”
“Really, that’s the reason?”
“Do you think so? They just want you to go to the U.S. or anywhere quickly.”
“We just won, so talking about it now feels premature. We need at least three more championships.”
Hearing that, Min-seok started chuckling.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Until recently, we couldn’t even say we won. Now you’re saying it so easily.”
“That’s true.”
“But the funny thing? It sounds convincing to my ears. I must be crazy too.”
Afterward, Min-seok and I reminisced for a while.
Then we drank with Senior Lee Dong-hoon, who woke up to thank us, and Kim Min-ki, who had finished cleanup.
The next thing I knew, I was home.
“…I think this has happened before.”
Last year, Senior Park Chan-hyuk had dragged me home after a team dinner.
The difference this time was how light I felt.
Back then, there was the Choi Myung-jun incident, and Park Chan-hyuk had ordered me out immediately.
And there was the lottery.
“…Hmm. Should I sleep more?”
I lay back down.
I woke up because the team director called to ask if I would participate in the WBC exhibition games.
“Yes. Yes. Understood.”
When the national team manager, Choi Kang-il, hung up, the pitching coach asked hurriedly.
“What happened?”
Choi Kang-il nodded, and the meeting room became celebratory.
The Marines were KBO champions.
How many players participate affects the national team’s performance.
And the most important player was, of course…
“Park Si-woo is coming too?”
“Yes.”
No matter what anyone said, it was Park Si-woo.
This wasn’t the WBC proper, just exhibition games.
Given how many pitches he had thrown this year, no one would criticize him skipping this.
“However, he’ll play only one game.”
A perfectly reasonable condition.
Choi Kang-il hadn’t planned to use him in many games anyway.
“We’ll send him against Japan.”
The Japan-Korea matchup.
Eternal rivals, but not in baseball.
The last time we won? Too long ago to remember. It had been mostly one-sided losses.
‘The batters are fine.’
As long as the national team had him pitching, they wouldn’t fall behind in hitting.
The real problem was always pitching.
Especially the absence of an ace who could perform in big games.
That had been the national team’s biggest problem.
But Park Si-woo’s presence eased their concerns.
‘That doesn’t mean everything’s solved.’
The teams to watch at the WBC were the U.S. and Japan.
Kelly Eden and Nathan Wilson were confirmed for next year’s WBC.
Given that, the U.S. was likely the team closest to winning.
‘But we can’t give up.’
Single-elimination tournaments have many variables.
If Park Si-woo could carry the team in crucial games, achieving more than expected was possible.
‘Of course, we’ll see how he does in the exhibition.’
Choi Kang-il was confident Park Si-woo would deliver.
While the national team awaited the Marines players in a tight schedule over the coming week…
“I am proud before the Taegeuk flag—”
“Hey, stop him. Hah. Has he ever been on the national team before?”
“Yes! It’s my first time!”
“…Never been to the youth team either?”
“Yes!”
“…Alright. Carry on.”
Song Min-seok’s bright voice made Park Hyun-woo shake his head in surrender.
Anyway, a few players selected for the national team, including Park Si-woo, gathered at Lee Dong-hoon’s house.
“Why am I here if I’m not on the national team… huh, whatever.”
Six Marines players were selected: Park Si-woo, Song Min-seok, Ha Seo-jin, Cha Jae-hoon, Park Hyun-woo, Park Jung-won.
More players were chosen than usual for the exhibition, and not all six would make the final roster.
The most likely were Park Si-woo, Ha Seo-jin, and Song Min-seok.
“Wow, lining up perfectly to get on the national team.”
“Yes! That’s right!”
Song Min-seok’s confidence left Park Hyun-woo speechless.
He was essential for Park Si-woo’s knuckleball.
That applied to the national team too.
Song Min-seok wasn’t just sitting around waiting to benefit from Park Si-woo.
During the Korean Series, he had sensed something unusual.
I asked Kim Min-ki about it, and he looked puzzled but shared his experience.
“Huh. I’ve felt that too. Hard to explain, but as a catcher, moments like that come. Your eyes open.”
You could vaguely sense where the ball would go.
Not enough to impact hitting significantly, but still positive.
‘…I can’t just receive forever.’
Song Min-seok knew his role.
It didn’t matter now in Korea, but soon, Park Si-woo would face bigger stages.
To not be a burden, he needed to push himself even more.
“Senior! I’ll catch the pitches!”
“Alright. Try it.”
“You bastards! Is this a pitching area? Get out!”
Park Si-woo watched, smiling.
Time passed, and at Jamsil, where the national team set up a temporary camp, the Marines players finally arrived.
“Good job getting here. Training starts tomorrow.”
After the Marines players arrived, Manager Choi Kang-il scanned the rest of the team.
‘The atmosphere has changed.’
Especially the pitchers showed a remarkable shift.
And the reason was one: Park Si-woo.
‘His pitches are better than expected.’
Veterans like Heo Min and young players like Oh Garam were inspired.
Seeing Park Si-woo pitch fueled their own growth.
If watching him alone could create this much change, training together would bring even more.
‘This is exciting.’
Choi Kang-il already looked forward to it.