Chapter 43
Chapter 43
Translator Wjin
Chapter 43
Although Kim Shin-hwa had given up a run, he finished the top of the second inning without any further damage.
He was a bit of a maverick who didn't listen to the manager and was a little clueless, but he was a pretty good pitcher. I didn't know how he managed his mentality, but he was mentally tough.
“It was just the wind, it wasn't supposed to go out. I'll win next time.”
See? He had given up a run, so he should have been more careful and walked the batter, but he was making a witty joke like that.
…He wasn't serious, was he?
Anyway, since they had scored a run, we had to get one back. As I was about to grab my bat, I chuckled at Kim Shin-hwa’s words.
“Cha Tae-hyun, get us one run back first.”
Even if his mentality was fine when he was pitching, it seemed he was afraid of losing to Japan.
“Alright. Just watch. I’ll be back with a run.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇;
Japan’s starting pitcher today was Kubo Daisuke. A rare left-handed fireballer with a max velocity of 155 km/h, he was considered the top prospect before Yamada Ryuji came into the spotlight.
“Ganbare, Daisuke!”
Since Japan was the host country, many people had come to cheer for them. If he could strike out Cha Tae-hyun, who was drawing as much attention as Ryuji, he could prove his own worth, which had been overshadowed by Ryuji.
Facing Cha Tae-hyun was an opportunity in itself. Of course, he wasn't planning on a head-on confrontation. He had realized that was a crazy idea after analyzing the US game.
He would try to pitch on the corners as much as possible and avoid throwing anything in the zone by mistake. He had already discussed it with the catcher, who had called for a low curveball.
Daisuke nodded, wound up, and threw the ball. The feeling at his fingertips was good. The location was exactly where he wanted it, just below the borderline, and the curveball had an ideal break.
There was no way the batter wouldn't swing at this.
‘Right, he can’t not swing!’
As expected, the batter swung, and Daisuke raised the corners of his mouth. Even if he barely made contact, it would be a ground ball to the infield, or a swing and a miss.
“What?”
But the bat was slowly, slowly adjusting its trajectory and was about to make solid contact with the ball.
Craaaack!
A terrifying sound. Feeling a chill run down his spine, Daisuke quickly turned his head to follow the ball. The left fielder was running with all his might, kicking up grass and dirt with every step.
“Ha…”
It was a futile effort. The ball, without losing momentum, sailed over the fence. The Japanese spectators were so shocked by the first-pitch home run that they couldn't close their mouths.
Even to them, ordinary spectators, it was a clearly low pitch, but he had scooped it up and sent it over the fence.
Daisuke, who was also laughing hollowly, muttered, "I think he's better than Ryuji…"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇;
The Japanese spectators, who had been ecstatic after Ryuji’s home run in the second inning, were getting quieter as the game progressed.
It wasn't because Japan was playing poorly. The problem was that it seemed difficult to expect a run unless Ryuji hit a home run. Kim Shin-hwa’s pitching was that sharp, and…
“It’s a crisis. There are runners on first and second with one out. He’s managed to get out of it so far, but if the momentum shifts here, it could be dangerous. Now… I hope Kim Shin-hwa can induce a double play with a good breaking ball… Ah! He hit it well! This ball that seems to be going through! Aaaah! Good! Cha Tae-hyun makes a clean catch and turns a double play to get them out of the crisis!”
“It’s that Cha Tae-hyun guy again…”
“His defense seems more stable than Ryuji’s…”
“It would have been a run if that had gotten through…”
“I can’t even expect a hit unless it’s a long ball now.”
Whenever an opportunity arose, Cha Tae-hyun would erase it with a spectacular play, and the spectators were so frustrated that they were about to explode. Not only his defense, but his offense was even more terrifying.
Craaaack!
“Damn it! Does that guy hit a home run every time he swings?”
“What happened? Didn't they say Ryuji was better than Cha Tae-hyun?”
“Are these not the first-string players today?”
“Waaaaah! Mommy, I hate that person!!!”
Every time he came to bat, it was at least a single. If the pitch was a little off and came into the zone? Then it was a home run.
Cha Tae-hyun was making the Japanese children who had come to watch the game with their mothers cry their eyes out. But Japan, who had passed the group stage in first place, didn't collapse easily.
Although they were trailing 5:3 until the 7th inning, they didn't fall far behind thanks to Ryuji’s continuous hits. And from the 8th inning, they successfully tied the game 5:5 by effectively attacking the Korean team’s relief pitcher with their prepared strategy.
As the top of the 9th inning, Japan’s last chance, began…
“Please! Please let my turn at bat come! Please, everyone!”
Yamada Ryuji shouted desperately to the batters heading to the plate and clenched his fists. It was a far cry from his relaxed demeanor before the game. But his desperation was in vain.
“Strike—out!”
Clack!
“Out!”
Clack!
“Out!”
Cha Tae-hyun’s consecutive spectacular plays meant that Ryuji’s turn at bat never came.
“Damn it!”
Ryuji slammed his fist on the dugout railing and immediately approached the manager.
"I’ll go in as the closer!”
In the bottom of the 9th, the Korean team’s lineup started from the first batter. That meant that even a single hit would bring Cha Tae-hyun to the plate. But to entrust the closing to a teammate?
‘He’ll never be able to stop him.’
It was a little frustrating, but Cha Tae-hyun was an excellent hitter, and he even thought he might be on the same level as himself.
“No.”
“Yes?”
But the Japanese team manager firmly shook his head.
"You don't even have time to warm up. What are you talking about? And even if you manage to close it out with that shoulder, it's meaningless. Think, Ryuji. This is just the first round. The one who wins in the final is the one who gets the medal. So we can't give up the strategic advantage of your surprise appearance in the final."
Ryuji bit his lip but eventually had to nod. Losing in the first round was definitely a blow to his pride, but it was better to win in the final. He sat down and prayed again, watching Kazama, who was coming in as the closer.
'Please… if you just stop them… I can somehow make a comeback!'
Amidst Ryuji's desperation, the Korean team’s offense began.
“Strike out!”
Clack!
“Out!”
Kazama cleanly retired the 1st and 2nd batters. Ryuji clenched his fists in joy, but it didn't last long. The 3rd batter, Jin Tae-hyun, who stepped into the batter’s box, had an unusual look in his eyes.
For some reason, a chilling look that strongly suggested he was about to get a hit. And that ominous premonition was correct.
Clack!
Jin Tae-hyun didn't miss the flat slider and swung, hitting a single just over the shortstop's head.
“Aaaah…”
“Ah…”
A sigh escaped from the stands and Ryuji’s mouth, and their gazes naturally turned to Cha Tae-hyun, who was on deck. The 4th batter, Cha Tae-hyun, was stepping into the batter’s box with a grin.
‘Walking him… is impossible.’
The next batter after Cha Tae-hyun was Lee Ji-ho. A very scary batter, though not as much as Cha Tae-hyun.
The manager judged that it was better to face Cha Tae-hyun now than to walk him and face Lee Ji-ho with a runner in scoring position. He gave the sign to face him, and Kazama also nodded.
└ Of all people, Tae-hyun here…
└ I have a feeling he’s going to hit a home run and end it…
└ Damn it, Kazama! Stop him!
└ www How is Kazama supposed to stop Tae-hyun when even Daisuke couldn't?
└ Tae-hyun-san… the Japanese children are watching. Please refrain from a walk-off ending…
└ Tae-hyun-san’s smiling face is so scary…
└ lol, just get ready lol, Tae-hyun-shin is loading up for a walk-off
└ Did all the net-rightists die? lol. Where did they go?
└ They all disappeared when Shin Tae-hyun started to take over the game lol
└ Only the good Japanese people are left lol
└ Shin Tae-hyun, who even controls the tears of Japanese children lol
Ryuji’s clasped hands trembled, and he couldn’t bring himself to watch. He squeezed his eyes shut.
‘Please! If you just stop him once…! I can somehow win the game!’
As he was desperately hoping to hear the sound of the ball hitting the mitt…
Craaaaaack!
A terrifying sound of the bat hitting the ball, as if to say, “wake up,” struck Ryuji’s eardrums.
Ryuji’s eyes shot open, and he saw Cha Tae-hyun standing there, watching the ball in his swing follow-through.
The ball soared at an unbelievable speed, went over the center fielder and the fence, and disappeared out of the park. Ryuji’s head dropped. And Cha Tae-hyun dropped his bat. The players started to run out of the Korean team’s dugout.
The game was over.
└ This is it!!!!!!!! lol
└ lol Shin Tae-hyun teaching the Japs a lesson
└ Where did all the net-rightists go? lol
└ Damn it! Kazama! Don’t you dare touch a baseball again!
└ Kazama, you’re Korean from today.
└ Kazama is finally revealing his hidden hometown.
└ Wow lol, the net-rightists are scary. They’re changing his nationality just because he gave up a walk-off.
└ But don’t we do that in our country too…?
└ Except for Ryuji, Japan should walk home!
└ Hey, at least it’s held in Japan, so it won’t take long to walk. lol
└ What? Yamada Ryuji? Has that bastard ever hit five consecutive home runs? lol
└ He only hit one home run off Kim Shin-hwa, what a loser lol
└ But… he did get four consecutive hits off Kim Shin-hwa. Ryuji has a right to be frustrated lol
└ Why should he be frustrated? He should have carried the team on defense and offense like Tae-hyun-jwa. tsk tsk
“Damn it!”
Ryuji, unable to contain his anger, slammed the railing again and gritted his teeth.
‘Right… enjoy it for now.’
“Let’s see if you can still smile like that when I’m on the mound…”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇;
The Korean national team, having defeated the US and Japan, was on the verge of advancing to the final. It was a great achievement, but there wasn't much of a reaction in Korea.
Our young baseball players defeated Japan in Osaka today, greatly increasing their chances of advancing to the final. Especially the performance of a player named Cha Tae-hyun…
“What? There was a Baseball World Cup?”
“I know, right? But if Korea is in first place, it must not be a very tough tournament.”
Just that much interest. It couldn't be helped. Baseball was a popular sport in Korea, but since 2008, they hadn't won the U-18 Baseball World Cup, or even achieved good results, so awareness had naturally declined.
But the news that came soon after…
“What? A Japan-Korea final?”
“When is it on?”
[U-18 Baseball World Cup: A showdown with longtime rival Japan is set!]
[The rising star of Korea, Cha Tae-hyun, vs. Japan’s top prospect, Yamada Ryuji! …Who will be the winner?]
└ I can’t miss a Japan-Korea final lol
└ Hey baseball fans, is this Cha Tae-hyun guy any good?
└ Cha Tae-hyun or something? Are you crazy?
└ We have to win, no matter what.
└ If they lose, the national team should just swim back.
└ Swimming is a bit much, so I’ll give you a rubber basin. You can come back on that.
└ A rubber basin would be harder than swimming lol
As the news of the final against Japan spread, internet news, online communities, and TV news were all filled with the U-18 Baseball World Cup.
“Mi-yeon, your favorite baseball is on.”
“Yeah…”
Lee Mi-yeon, who had come home for the vacation, was also watching the news.
“Why is our daughter, whose only strength was her energy, so down?”
“Yeah… no. I’m full of energy…”
Contrary to her words, Lee Mi-yeon was slumped on the sofa like a melting ice cream.
Pressure for the final? Not really. We’ve already beaten them once. We just have to beat them again.
As Cha Tae-hyun’s face appeared on the screen, she seemed to regain some energy for a moment, but she slumped down again when the screen changed.
As Lee Mi-yeon was staring blankly with her mouth open, Cha Tae-hyun’s face suddenly appeared in front of her.
“Gasp!”
She jumped up and rubbed her eyes. Of course, Cha Tae-hyun’s face was gone.
‘This… won’t do…’
As if she had made up her mind, Lee Mi-yeon jumped up and shouted, “Mom, I’m going to Japan!”
“Huh? What are you suddenly talking about?”
“I don’t know, I’m going!”
She had endured as much as she could. Now that she was even seeing hallucinations, she might really go crazy if she endured any longer.
‘Right… it can’t be helped. I have to live too.’
Lee Mi-yeon hurriedly went to the storage room and started looking for her suitcase.