Chapter 100

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Translator: Wjin

Chapter: 100

Chapter Title: Yu-gumz Payback

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Today's game was the third matchup against the Winners on the road, so normally, I'd be in Seoul by now.

However, the team had granted my request to wrap things up here as much as possible before heading out, so I was still in Busan.

And in the end, it turned out there was no real need for it.

"I must really have a ton of good people in my corner."

By the time I was set to issue a statement on the thug controversy, Shin Ha-yoon and Teacher Mi-yeon's broadcasts had already sorted everything out.

In that short span, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I'd racked up a mountain of debts.

They all told me not to worry about it, but of course, I planned to pay them back.

Anyway, it was truly over now.

Time to return to being a baseball player—throwing the ball and hitting the ball, just like always.

"Mm... Oppa, you're leaving already?"

As I was heading out the door, Ji-hyun emerged, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

"Yeah, gotta head to the game now."

"Right... Today's the Winners away game..."

"Winners...?"

"Oh, you haven't heard. The Winners went on about having regrets over you without knowing the full story, so the fans started calling them Yu-gumz."

A chuckle escaped me. Yu-gumz—it really rolls off the tongue.

Ji-hyun sidled up and hugged me gently.

"Oppa, I really hate Yu-gumz."

"Me too."

"Then can't you just say something cool and straightforward? You can now, right?"

I smirked and replied.

"One line do it?"

"Mm... Just go wild!"

"Okay, got it! See you later."

"Yeah, good luck, Oppa."

Truth be told, I hadn't mentioned it to Ji-hyun, but I had a press conference lined up before departure.

The goal was to state my position now that the controversy was cleared and thank everyone who'd helped me...

"But Ji-hyun asked for one line—or rather, go wild—so I have to deliver."

Yeah.

Trash talk is part of sports, right?

It might get a little personal, though.

"Yes, and next, a word for Yu-gumz—no, the Winners who expressed regrets toward me. If you're going to criticize me over an unconfirmed controversy, shouldn't courtesy demand at least an apology?"

"Oh, and about Shin Min-seok saying athletes shouldn't act that way—I'll throw those words right back. Don't be the kind of regrettable athlete who speaks recklessly about unconfirmed matters. Is that the spirit of sports?"

'Whoa... Cha Tae-hyun came sharpened. That's pretty intense.'

The reporters were stunned by Cha Tae-hyun's remarks but kept pounding their keyboards.

Every jab at the Winners was a razor-sharp zinger. They were already catching flak from fans league-wide, and if these quotes hit the papers...

"The Winners are gonna eat shit for a while..."

"Just shit? They're playing Phoenix today, and Cha Tae-hyun's starting."

"Then they'll lose the game too—total alert mode?"

"Not just that—you forgot? He's chasing a five-game shutout streak right now."

"Damn... If he sets that record today..."

"They'll be a punchline for the next decade. If Cha Tae-hyun drops some trash talk here, it'd be legendary."

As if reading the reporters' minds, Cha Tae-hyun dove right into the three-game series against the Winners.

"Yes, and we're facing the Winners in game one today. I actually see it as lucky. We've got some buildup, but as ballplayers, isn't this our chance to settle it on the field?"

One reporter raised a hand.

"Does that mean you're confident in a win today?"

"Win? Obviously... and a fifth straight shutout. Oh, and I'll take out my frustrations on Shin Min-seok. With baseball, of course."

That final line sent the reporters into a frenzy, and Cha Tae-hyun strolled off casually.

The press conference content spread like wildfire, reaching even the lamentable Winners' manager.

"Have you ever seen such an unethical bastard!"

The Winners manager was already tearing his hair out over the backlash pouring in the moment Cha Tae-hyun's controversy cleared.

Most grating of all was the 'Yu-gumz' nickname.

Just a nickname? Sure, but in pro baseball, especially derogatory ones like this, they stick around. They can define a team's image.

Case in point: the team called 'Chip' Repents for nearly a decade after their away gambling scandal.

And this Yu-gumz label? Pure 100% fallout from the manager and Shin Min-seok's screw-up...

The sponsoring corporation was probably furious. Major brand image hit.

TL;DR: the manager was on life support now.

One bad stretch in results, and he'd be fired.

"Manager... stick to fastballs in practice today too?"

"Why ask the obvious? You wanna hand Cha Tae-hyun a historic record? You a fanboy? Why not just join Phoenix?"

The manager stormed out, slamming the door. The coach sighed and muttered.

"Jeez... He fucks up his mouth and takes it out on me..."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

What a truly regrettable team vibe.

Even amid the controversy, I'd kept playing steadily.

Not like it was some grand return after a long break.

Yet my teammates were reacting like I'd been out a full month.

"Congrats on purging the wicked heretics, Tae-hyun."

"Heretics...?"

"The scum who dared slander you."

A chuckle escaped. Yeah, I'd taken care of all the slanderers.

Sang-jin hyung followed up with a headlock, fussing over whether I was tired.

"Good work, Tae-hyun."

Even the usually quiet Kyu-hyun hyung said his piece before heading to his seat.

"Whoa, Tae-hyun! When'd you get here? You know how tough it's been for Phoenix without you?"

"Andy, I was gone just yesterday. And it was an off day."

"You weren't riding the bus with us. That was pure agony."

"Really? I enjoyed the peace of going solo for once."

"What...?"

Andy froze in shock, sparking a round of laughter. Nice—this vibe wasn't half bad.

Definitely more comfortable in the dugout than my room.

"But Tae-hyun, you really let loose in that presser, huh?"

I smirked at Sang-jin hyung, still in headlock mode.

"They swung first."

"Hahaha! True! Tae-hyun's got some fire in him. Now I'm dying to know—what's this about taking it out on Shin Min-seok? Homers or what?"

Oh, that?

"Spoil the fun if I tell ya. Give me the plate, and I'll show you right then. You'll all love it, guaranteed."

"Whoa!! Hear that, everyone? At-bats for Tae-hyun, and he'll shatter Shin Min-seok's pottery!"

I never said shatter pottery.

Well...

"Yup. Going for the pottery smash."

Close enough.

"Shin Min-seok, no hot-dogging like last time, got it?"

"Yes... I know."

"Good. Fine against others, but with Cha Tae-hyun, throw your best—walk if it looks dicey."

Shin Min-seok, who'd normally push back, meekly nodded and took the mound this time.

He'd seen Cha Tae-hyun's interview.

Fury boiled up, but that's why he'd steel himself even more.

'Think I'll fall for provocation again...'

Last game's flop? He blamed losing composure to Cha Tae-hyun's taunts.

Otherwise, he'd have handled it fine—that was his take.

─Crack!

"Huh...?"

Leadoff hitter crushes Shin Min-seok's pitch effortlessly.

Not Shin Min-seok's fault. A 154 km/h inside fastball is no joke for a batter.

Just...

"Nice, Jin Kyu-hyun! Lee Jun, no double play, and Tae-hyun's up!"

Phoenix hitters hadn't shown it, but they'd been quietly honing their blades over the Winners messing with Cha Tae-hyun.

─Crack!

"Okay! Unless a miracle triple play, it's happening! Andy, hit hit okay!"

They'd even begged to get Cha Tae-hyun to the plate after his ordeal.

League-leading team batting average Phoenix? Plenty to bury Shin Min-seok.

"Ball! Bases loaded!"

─Woooaaah!!!

Cheers erupted in the stadium. Hard to believe from the away crowd size.

Amid the roar, Cha Tae-hyun stepped to the plate.

'Smirking again.'

Part of him wanted to plunk him, but karma weighed heavy. Shin Min-seok nodded at the changeup sign.

─Whoosh

"Hm...?"

Cha Tae-hyun's bat whiffed through air; Shin Min-seok flinched.

'Bat came out that easy?'

Past Cha Tae-hyun would've laid off clean or checked swing.

'Did I nip the zone...?'

Shin Min-seok fired another diving slider—whiff again.

'What... this guy's off today?'

Relaxed, Shin Min-seok smirked and tossed another diving bait ball.

"Ball!"

But Cha Tae-hyun froze solid. Way juicier than the first two, yet taken.

'Over-swung and missed the trigger?'

Convinced his stuff was gold, Shin Min-seok kept going.

"Ball!"

"Ball!"

Only after Cha Tae-hyun took all bait pitches clean did the weirdness hit.

'Those whiffs... just wild swings?'

If so, that was peak underestimation.

Like StarCraft-killing workers at kickoff.

TL;DR: treating Shin Min-seok like trash.

Lips gnawed, he gripped a fastball—but...

'Just take it!'

Bench signaled walk as planned.

Brain screamed smash it or walk—Shin Min-seok switched back to slider.

Manager's 'no ego throws' echoed.

"Feels like shit..."

Glove-mumbled, he unleashed a mega-diving slider, pure take bait.

But

─Tick!

Cha Tae-hyun leaned in, poked it foul.

Fans and Shin Min-seok figured Cha Tae-hyun was just greedy for RBIs.

But three straight cuts in, the mood shifted.

─Tick!

"Foul!"

─Tick!

"Foul!"

─Tick!

"Foul!"

─Tick!

"Foul!"

"Fuck this shit!"

Cha Tae-hyun nudged the 10th pitch foul too; Shin Min-seok baked a fresh loaf of rage bread.

Not dumb, Shin Min-seok got it now: Cha Tae-hyun was toying with him like a plaything.

Teeth gritted, reason gone, full-throttle mode engaged.

Pitcher's pacing? Fuhgeddaboutit.

"Haa... fuck...!"

Another rage loaf from Shin Min-seok,

Record shattered, Cha Tae-hyun raised his bat, pointing to the outfield.

Any sane pitcher ignores that bait.

Cha Tae-hyun knew Shin Min-seok wouldn't.

'So damn predictable.'

─CRAAACK!