Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Translator Wjin
Chapter 07
Even Seo Ji-ah hadn't been a passive bystander from the beginning.
“Um… Senior. Isn’t this a bit much, even for training?”
“It is training.”
“It… is?”
“I’m trying to improve Kwang-hyun's fielding. Is there a problem?”
She had even confronted Lee Seung-tae, the ringleader of the bullying, but he just smirked and ignored her with a dismissive response.
“Coach… this is a serious problem. It’s practically school violence.”
“I heard it was training.”
“No, no! Kwang-hyun is bruised! He has more than one or two injuries. So how is this trai—”
“You get bruised and injured during training. Go back. …Or what, do you want to quit? We don’t need a manager who makes a fuss over a little training.”
The coach even sided with Lee Seung-tae. There was nothing she could do.
“You… you know. You know it’s not training…”
The coach probably wasn’t unaware. He had witnessed the bullying several times. But with his retirement approaching, he couldn't afford to lose Lee Seung-tae, his ace pitcher, if he wanted to win a major tournament like the Golden Lion Flag.
So, unless he crossed a major line, he was taking a hands-off approach. Lee Seung-tae knew this and had been cleverly tormenting Hwang Kwang-hyun with subtle methods like the silent treatment, ostracism, and bullying disguised as training.
He had been consistently tormenting him with such petty methods.
“What… am I supposed to do…”
Seo Ji-ah, who had been collecting baseballs in a box, hugged her knees and bowed her head.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
As the bell signaling the start of lunchtime rang, students quickly got up and headed to the cafeteria. I got up and went to the window seat.
As soon as I sat down, I opened the window and looked down, my gaze fixed. Others might wonder what this crazy person was doing, but it was an important matter for me.
It was because it was about time for the first episode of Nemesis, ‘The Day Lee Ji-ho Became a Loser,’ to begin. Of course, the actual episode title wasn't that, but that was the gist of it.
After the previous seniors graduated, Lee Seung-tae, who was drunk on power, started bullying Hwang Kwang-hyun. Our protagonist, Lee Ji-ho, naturally didn't just stand by and watch. He stood up to Lee Seung-tae. And as a result, Lee Ji-ho became Lee Seung-tae’s new toy instead of Hwang Kwang-hyun.
‘The protagonist gets pushed around by the villain and becomes a loser? Does that even make sense?’
But it was true. No matter how good Lee Ji-ho was, he was ultimately a batter. Lee Seung-tae was the ace pitcher. The coach would never get rid of him. But well, it was the author’s build-up to connect him with Ms. Miyeon, so it wasn't really criticized.
Lee Ji-ho would whine, saying, ‘I'm a loser…’ ‘If I were more useful than Lee Seung-tae, the coach would have changed his mind…’ and fall into a slump. Then, the kind-hearted Ms. Miyeon would comfort him and help him overcome it, and their relationship would deepen.
Right. So, of course, I… would never let that happen. Before Lee Ji-ho could step in, I would stand up to Lee Seung-tae and eliminate this episode, the starting point of their relationship. I still couldn't forget the scene where Ms. Miyeon cried in the bathroom after watching Lee Ji-ho’s wedding.
"Absolutely not…"
I wouldn't let her go through that again.
“He’s here…!”
At that moment, Lee Ji-ho, who was slowly walking towards the indoor practice facility, came into my sight. I immediately kicked my chair back and ran.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
“Are you hungry, Kwang-hyun?”
Lee Seung-tae asked, putting Hwang Kwang-hyun in a headlock. Hwang Kwang-hyun replied with a groan, “N-No, sir.”
“Really? I’m hungry. But… we haven’t trained today. Let’s do that quickly and then eat. Okay?”
“Yes… yes, sir!”
Hwang Kwang-hyun, finally freed from the headlock, coughed, and Lee Seung-tae pointed to the storage room.
“Kwang-hyun, get the catcher’s mitt.”
It was a sudden request, but Hwang Kwang-hyun didn’t question it and immediately ran to the storage room to get the mitt.
“Um… senior. Why the catcher’s mitt all of a sudden…?”
“Why? Because we’re doing catching practice today.”
“What…?”
“Kwang-hyun. I heard catchers are in high demand these days. You should start preparing now, as a backup plan.”
“N-No… I’m fine. I have no intention of being a catcher—”
“…What?”
A chilling voice pierced Hwang Kwang-hyun’s ear.
“No intention of being a catcher…?”
Lee Seung-tae approached him and glared fiercely into his eyes.
“What did you say about being a catcher…?”
Hwang Kwang-hyun finally lowered his gaze and bowed his head.
"I… have an intention of being a catcher. I’ll do the catching practice.”
"Right. That's what you should do. Good thinking. This is all for you, you know?”
Hwang Kwang-hyun, who had been separated from Lee Seung-tae, headed back to the storage room. He was going to get the catcher’s mask and protector. But Lee Seung-tae’s hand stopped him.
“Where are you going?”
“Um… to get the mask and protector…”
“No. We’re only doing it for a bit. Just do it.”
“But… I’ve never caught before, so I might miss the ball—”
“Then that’s a shame. Isn’t it?”
Hwang Kwang-hyun hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded and sat down, putting on the catcher’s mitt. His heart started pounding like crazy.
Lee Seung-tae was a power pitcher with an average fastball of 150 km/h and a top speed of 156 km/h. He probably wouldn’t throw at that speed, but even if he threw a little slower, it was questionable whether Hwang Kwang-hyun, who had never caught before, could catch it.
“Kwang-hyun! Keep your eyes open. I’m going to throw it hard.”
Hwang Kwang-hyun suddenly knelt down and collapsed. He had been so tense, and hearing that he would throw hard made his legs give out.
“Hahaha! Hwang Gwang-hyun! What's with the sudden slapstick?”
Lee Seung-tae burst out laughing, as if he couldn’t hold it in any longer. Seo Ji-ah, who was watching this from the crack in the door, bit her lip.
She instinctively looked around, but there was no one. Lee Seung-tae had planned this, luring Hwang Kwang-hyun out during lunchtime. She was the only one who could resolve this situation.
In her mind, she imagined herself bravely stepping out and stopping Lee Seung-tae, but…
“Stop messing around and get up, Kwang-hyun.”
“Yes… yes!”
“…”
Her body only trembled, unable to follow her thoughts. As Lee Seung-tae wound up to throw the ball, Seo Ji-ah was about to close her eyes, unable to watch any longer.
“What is this? The reality of high school baseball bullying? Something like that?”
Her eyes widened at the sight of a man who had suddenly appeared.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
I had been running at full speed, so I was able to catch up with Lee Ji-ho in time. I called out to him, who was walking slowly.
“Cha Tae-hyun?”
“You remember my name? Anyway, what was it… Shin Ha-yoon was looking for you earlier.”
“Ha-yoon was? Where is she?”
“Uh…, in our… class?”
“Right. Thanks.”
It was a blatant lie, but Lee Ji-ho turned around more cleanly than I had expected, and my conscience pricked a little. Forgive me, Lee Ji-ho… I couldn't stand by and watch you become a player.
Anyway, I had achieved my initial goal with this, but there was still something left to do. I had to make a strong impression on our senior, Seung-tae. From now on, I had to be the target of the bullying, not Lee Ji-ho.
I arrived at the indoor practice facility and threw the door open. And as I had prepared, I recited the line I had simulated in my head countless times.
“What is this? The reality of high school baseball bullying? Something like that?”
“...I don't know who you are, but we're training, so don't interrupt and go away.”
I glanced at Hwang Gwang-hyun, who was sitting on the ground, his legs trembling, and then looked at Lee Seung-tae again.
“...No matter how I look at it, it’s bullying.”
“An outsider barges in and suddenly what? Bullying? Get out of here, quick.”
As I had prepared, Senior Seung-tae was taking the bait very well, and a smile spread across my lips.
“You’re smiling? You… you think the baseball team can’t touch a civilian?”
Before Lee Seung-tae could finish, I approached him and got right in his face, looking directly into his eyes.
"I'm not a civilian, senior. I'm joining the baseball team tomorrow.”
“……What, you think the baseball team is a joke? You think they just let anyone in?”
“Seeing as how the coach doesn’t do anything when a senior is harassing a junior all the time, it seems like all he cares about is skill… so I’m confident.”
Lee Seung-tae suddenly chuckled and kicked the bat at his feet.
“Then show me that skill first. If you can’t, then get lost.”
“I have no reason to refuse a senior’s offer to watch me bat.”
As I picked up the bat, Lee Seung-tae’s lips twisted. He probably didn't expect me to actually accept.
“Hwang Gwang-hyun, get up and catch.”
At Lee Seung-tae’s sharp voice, Hwang Gwang-hyun flinched and hesitated for a moment, but eventually stood up and got into position. I glanced at him and saw that his legs were trembling severely. It looked like he would collapse if he were touched.
“You don’t have to worry too much, Hwang Gwang-hyun.”
“Yes…?”
“You won’t have to catch the ball.”
The heavy weight of the wooden bat, a feeling I hadn't felt in a long time. Although it was a bit clumsy, there was a catcher, and most importantly, the opposing pitcher was Lee Seung-tae, a top high school prospect.
This was enough to be considered 'one at-bat,' wasn't it? The exhilaration I had missed so much at the plate welled up, and my lips kept twitching. Perhaps he took my pure joy as a provocation, because his face contorted.
Soon, Lee Seung-tae lifted one knee, spread his arms wide, and swung his arm down forcefully, as if he were crushing something. As dynamic as his pitching form was, the ball flew in at a frightening speed.
It looked to be at least 155 km/h, and not only was the speed impressive, but the ball also had a heavy, sinking quality to it.
'A high school student throwing a ball like this already…'
It would be difficult for most high school students to even touch this ball. ‘At the high school level,’ that is.
Thwack—!
The moment I swung the bat, the moment I made contact with the ball, the exhilarating sound and feeling of the bat hitting the ball surged through my body. And I knew instantly. It was gone.
Lee Seung-tae also seemed to know it was gone the moment it was hit, because he froze without even turning his head.
Thud—
The ball hit the ceiling with a loud sound, and only then did Lee Seung-tae’s head droop.