Chapter 76
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Hyoksan High Derby
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The sight of pitchers from the same high school reuniting on the pro stage, squaring off as starting pitchers.
How romantic a picture this is.
It would make for a fine documentary or short film.
And right now, in this very moment, Lee Seung-tae and Kim Chang-hyun are playing their starring roles to perfection.
Inning after inning, they maintain their pitch command, rack up strikeouts, and allow no runs.
The slugfest typical of the Dark Korean Series has vanished, giving way to a pitchers' duel.
Just filming Lee Seung-tae and Kim Chang-hyun roaring in triumph at the end of each inning would make for a guaranteed cinematic scene.
No edits or embellishments needed—it would look like a full drama to the fans' eyes.
[Ahh... what is this? The left fielder and center fielder both go for a high pop fly, crossing paths and dropping the ball. It's like watching a decalcomania...]
That is, if not for these deadly supporting actors hell-bent on drifting the genre into comedy.
Today's etching a happy defense legend lol fuck
Volca-decalcomania fuck lol
“Hyung, go get it.” “No no, you get it.” lmao
Just fuck whoever grab it!
Kim Chang-hyun covering his mouth with his glove again lmaooo, he’s definitely cursing 😭
"Pfft! Puhahaha! Father, Volcanoes sure know how to make baseball fun. I can't stop laughing."
Lee Si-ha and the Phoenix fans burst into laughter watching the happy defense,
[The ball pops high into the infield. Third baseman Shin Tae-seop goes for it... ah! He drops it and takes a hit to the head! That looked dangerous... but luckily, Jin Gyu-hyun seems fine. He's even laughing in bewilderment.]
but the Phoenix players upheld the honor of the Blunder Alliance with not just a boner play, but a genuine header.
LMAOOO did Lee Seung-tae’s infield really think it was safe? Nah—“3B Shin Tae-seop has been deployed.” 💀
That header play was insane, damn
Yeah well Tae-hyun God isn't omnipotent, can't fix everyone else's defense...
Fact is without Tae-hyun God we'd see plays like this twice a day
For real she's a fairy lmao
"Hahaha! Si-ha, Phoenix makes baseball fun too, huh? Never seen a header in baseball—or soccer, for that matter! Hahaha... haa..."
Lee Dae-jin and Lee Si-ha, who had been teasing each other and laughing, both sighed at the same time.
"Si-ha, you've only seen one game. Get out of that team quick."
"Father, you should stop being so happy with that team and drop them..."
Silence fell over the skybox.
The dilemma of realizing your supported team is messed up but being hypnotized into not giving up anyway.
Volcanoes fans and Phoenix fans alike must feel much the same.
I'd heard plenty about the Dark Korean Series notoriety and half-expected it, but...
Isn't today a bit much?
By error count alone: Volcanoes 2, Phoenix 1. Not quite an all-time legendary blunder party.
But each one is pure gold.
Especially Gyu-hyun sunbae's header with the baseball... even MLB's long history probably doesn't have that.
Still, ironically, these are the KBO's 1st and 2nd place teams despite the dismal defense.
Today's flubs stood out, but they're much improved from last year, and both starting rotations are solid.
Lee Seung-tae himself is holding it down to 1 run through the 8th.
The issue is that 1 run could become 2 right now...
Two outs, runner on third.
Lee Seung-tae, looking a bit fatigued, wiped the sweat from his brow, as cleanup hitter Kang Woo-cheol stepped in.
Kang Woo-cheol, who signed for 10 billion yet gets called the fans' good son.
In other words, he's been hitting lights-out lately.
Even today, in 3 at-bats: a single and a double.
No sign from the bench to walk him. So it's up to the pitcher, Lee Seung-tae.
His choice: challenge. A fastball away.
—Crack!
Kang Woo-cheol fouls it off on the first pitch, right toward me.
I was positioned perfectly, ready for the hop.
But baseball's a game where a rolling ball can do anything.
The grounder veered off my path, bouncing the opposite way.
I could snag it barehanded by whipping the glove around, but Kang Woo-cheol's fast.
Let it go? That's a tie game. With our bullpen, any more runs means loss.
Gotta get it.
Decision made, I dropped the glove. Tracked the erratic bounce with my eyes, reached out barehanded,
twisted my torso, and fired to first with shoulder torque.
—Whoosh!
The crowd, expecting the run, swelled their cheers—
when the batter's foot and
my throw arrived simultaneously.
—Thwack!
at first base.
First baseman Sang-jin sunbae and Kang Woo-cheol both looked to the ump, who glanced at the bag and...
"Safe! Safe!"
raised both arms.
Lee Seung-tae bit his lip.
No, that's not safe?
I immediately signaled vehemently for video review, glaring at the bench.
"What video review? That's blatantly safe!"
"Run scored! Cut it out!"
Ash in the celebrating stands brought flying debris, but.
Blatantly safe? Doubt it.
My gut screams out.
Manager Lee Eun-seok seemed to agree, nodding and calling for review.
Soon, the scoreboard showed slo-mo replay: ball into the mitt, foot on bag, zoomed in.
And the result...
"Out..."
"Whoa... dead even, but that's out?"
"Rewound a dozen times and still can't tell, but Cha Tae-hyun called it instantly...?"
Original overturned. Out indeed.
"Cha Tae-hyun!"
Lee Seung-tae pumped his fist at the call and charged me into a headlock.
"Hey... what the hell."
"Haha! You wouldn't do the same? Today proved it... be grateful. Seeing Chang-hyun snapped me right awake."
Glad you're happy, but...
That much?
Time for regular worship ooh... Tae-hyun God.
Cha Tae-hyun is just oxygen. Without him we'd suffocate and die
Nah Cha Tae-hyun is Earth itself. Without him we'd be lost in space
Brain-dead level ;; but fair Shin.Tae.Hyun
"Man, hyung, that Keystone you're heading to is killer solid. Must feel reassuring."
"Yeah. Phoenix is surprisingly hot lately, might not be bad."
"Exactly. Best revenge is succeeding with Phoenix, right hyung?"
"Just finished rehab, not sure, but gotta try."
Kim Chang-hyun pitched brilliantly today.
Even after Lee Seung-tae left the mound first,
"Manager, I want to finish today."
"What? Why? No need to push. Jin-cheol's ready."
"One more matchup with Cha Tae-hyun."
Kim Chang-hyun stayed till the end, holding the hill,
[Kim Chang-hyun's forkball is excellent. Top of the 9th and still that drop. Tough on the body, yet tireless.]
[Indeed... pity the opponent was Cha Tae-hyun. He pushes this artistic forkball for another double.]
Another hit to Cha Tae-hyun made it 0-for-4, but after the first-inning homer, no more runs.
9 IP, 2 ER. Solid against the league-leading lineup.
But Lee Seung-tae allowed one less, and veteran Kim Gun-hyuk closed the 1-run lead despite three straight outings.
Thus, Kim Chang-hyun took the L.
"Hey, Chang-hyun, what're you doing? Let's go."
"I'll hang back a bit."
"Yeah? Oh, alumni here? Go say hi."
Alumni are here.
Lee Seung-tae, Cha Tae-hyun—names he thought of fondly often.
Today, win or lose, a quick greeting at least.
"Can't be ace with such a petty heart..."
Damn. Am I this narrow-minded?
Losing to Lee Seung-tae,
powerlessness of not stopping Cha Tae-hyun even once—
it surged, keeping him from facing those dear comrades.
Kim Chang-hyun shot up from the dugout, slapping his cheeks hard.
'Better now.'
Head cleared. Lips curved up.
Quick emotional reset—one of his proud strengths.
Now ready to accept defeat cleanly.
"Today's Player of the Game: Lee Seung-tae and Cha Tae-hyun!"
But the interview started, and his smile drooped again.
Before anyone noticed this shameful feeling, go home or not? As he pondered—
"Three Hyoksan High alums today! Fans called it the Hyoksan Derby! How's it feel beating rival Kim Chang-hyun?"
Decision made.
Head home... couldn't face that answer.
No matter his positivity, he's human. Feels inferiority, defeat's sting.
'Congratulate via text later.'
Turning to leave the dugout, he paused at the words.
"We won the game... but did I beat Chang-hyun? Honestly, without him, Chang-hyun might've gone scoreless."
"Hm...?"
What? Without him? Kim Chang-hyun turned back and chuckled.
"That's right. Seung-tae sunbae, without me, you'd have given up 3 today."
"Hahaha! Cha Tae-hyun's defense was phenomenal too. Same school bond?"
Oddly,
that casual joke washed away all prior emotions.
"A true ace has great teammates."
Smiling, Kim Chang-hyun left the dugout, approaching his comrades closer.
Spotting him, Lee Seung-tae smirked.
"Correction: I did beat Chang-hyun. Should've gone for the K."
Kim Chang-hyun chuckled, then bellowed,
"Exactly, Lee Seung-tae!"
"Uh... K-Kim Chang-hyun?"
The announcer startled by his voice, camera swung around.
Why's Kim Chang-hyun crashing Phoenix's MVP interview? lol
Same Hyoksan High lmao. Honorary Phoenix at this point? 😂
What? What's 'that' lol
Reacting to 'should've gone for strikeout'? lmao
But it is that Kim Chang-hyun's only answer besides K-machine, lol
No urge to step up earlier, but seeing comrades up close made his feet itch.
'Alum crashes interview. Fun visual.'
The camera director, catching on, grinned and beckoned him in.
Kim Chang-hyun wedged between Lee Seung-tae and Cha Tae-hyun, hands on shoulders.
He actually crashed it lmao
What lmao. Is that some drunk ajusshi fan?
Chang-hyun coming to Phoenix in 7 years? lol
Oh hi, Chang-hyun from Phoenix lol
Mmm~ Phoenix Chang-hyun
Anyway, crashing the interview, Kim Chang-hyun happily unloaded his pent-up words.
"Lee Seung-tae. Honestly, without Cha Tae-hyun, you'd have lost to me."
True lmao
Just admit Kim Chang-hyun was throwing straight heat lmao 🔥
Come quick Chang-hyun~ Eric Wood's outta here soon
Fr trade Eric Wood for Kim Chang-hyun? lol
Eric Wood over Kim Chang-hyun? Agreed
The sudden intrusion made the interview chaotic, but announcer, director, and the Hyoksan trio—Lee Seung-tae, Cha Tae-hyun, Kim Chang-hyun—kept laughing nonstop.
The seasoned announcer steered the mad interview to the end, tossing the close to Kim Chang-hyun.
"Yes, Kim Chang-hyun, you've said plenty to Seung-tae. A word for junior Cha Tae-hyun?"
Kim Chang-hyun, plainly.
"Did great. Expect more good stuff."
Warm well-wishes.
The announcer beamed, clapping at the heartwarming scene.
'...Is Chang-hyun sunbae okay?'
Cha Tae-hyun eyed him dubiously—was this really Kim Chang-hyun?
Post-game skybox. Lee Dae-jin wasn't too down despite Volcanoes' loss.
'Phoenix was good, but Volcanoes improved for sure.'
Today's happy defense was... frustratingly abundant, but tougher than the team he knew.
Plus, rare outing with daughter.
A drive together would be fun.
Lee Dae-jin suggested it, but.
"No, I want to at least say hi to him."
Still in Cha Tae-hyun jersey, staring at the field.
"Dad goes first then?"
"Yes. Drive safe."
"Really really going?"
"Yes. Really really go."
"......"
Downcast Lee Dae-jin muttered leaving.
"Raising a daughter is pointless..."