Carrying the Violin
The weekend league wrapped up, and the Blue Dragon Tournament kicked off. To qualify for the Blue Dragon, you had to post solid results in the second half of the weekend league, and then it was two straight weeks—14 or 15 days—of non-stop games. Unlike the usual once-a-week weekend league, the schedule was packed tight.
Busy as it was, it had its perks for me. No afternoon practice the day before a game meant I got home early, which meant more days I could walk with Yoo Sera. And on those early days, I'd always ask her to come along.
"Jeong-ui, I've been thinking..."
"Yeah? About what?"
"Hear me out on this."
Yoo Sera pointed at her violin case.
"...? This?"
"Yeah. It's heavier than it looks. So carry it to the practice room for me."
I picked up Yoo Sera's violin case just like that. It wasn't light, but not ridiculously heavy either.
"Hmm... yeah, it does have some weight to it."
"Right? You'll keep carrying it from now on?"
"But is this okay? The thing inside is precious, isn't it?"
Precious. What I meant was, it's expensive, right?
"Oh...! Yeah, I guess you could think that."
"Of course. I'm a special admissions kid too... I know how important gear is... Though I treat my glove kinda rough..."
"Rough? Baseball gear isn't cheap either, you know."
Baseball gear is expensive. A high school player's glove runs about 300,000 won on average. Step into elite territory, and it's around 700,000. Spikes can easily hit 200-300,000 if you're using good ones, and for hitters, add in bats and batting gloves—costs pile up fast.
"Mine's an old glove my dad used, but it's still worth about 700,000. Thing is, it's consumable, so we have to handle it rough."
As I explained, a sudden wave of unease hit me. This thing I was holding right now... it wasn't cheap, was it?
"How much... is this?"
Yoo Sera bent her fingers into a zero shape.
"Add one more zero to that."
...700,000 won? No—seven million?
"Here, take it back. Too scary to hold."
I thrust the violin case back at her quick as I could. But Yoo Sera pulled her hands fully behind her, refusing.
"The Jeong-ui who messed up should carry my violin."
She grinned cheekily.
...Playing the cheat key card, huh. Dirty.
I had no choice but to pick up the case again.
"Heehee. You'll keep carrying it, right~?"
Dirty. I needed some comeback ammo.
"Yeah. Sure."
But that was the only response I could muster.
And so, I ended up carrying Yoo Sera's violin case all the way to her practice room.
"You don't hate carrying it, right?"
"Nah. It's fine."
Not hate it at all. If anything, I liked having another excuse to walk together.
"Then hand it over when you get sick of me. Got it?"
"...?"
"Kidding, kidding. Hmm... Tournament's on now, right?"
Yoo Sera smoothly shifted topics.
"Yeah. Blue Dragon right now."
"Doing well?"
"Got a good draw this time, so it's manageable. Just win five games for the championship. We've got two already—three more to go."
"Ooh~ Sounds confident."
I nodded.
"Of course."
Seoul Jeon-san High was running two pitcher rotations now. They split the 3rd-year ace Lee Seok-hyeon and the 2nd-year ace Kim Jeong-ui, pairing the less experienced 2nd-year Lee Ha-neul with Lee Seok-hyeon. Naturally, that left me with the other 3rd-year pitcher, Cha Hyeon-jin, stabilizing our rotation. Thanks to that, we'd already won our first two games.
"If you play well, finals are in reach?"
Finals, huh...
"Feels like we might get the chance. Gotta see how it plays out, though..."
"Yeah? Then I'll come watch the finals. And you have to come to my concerto, got it?"
"For real? I can actually go?"
"Yeah. I'll clear a day. You make time somehow."
"That's tough."
"So you won't come?"
"I'd come even if you told me not to."
Before I knew it, we'd reached her practice spot.
"Already here. Give it. I'm heading in."
...I just stood there holding the violin case.
"Huh?"
"You said... give it when you get sick of me."
...Yoo Sera froze for a second, then her eyes went wide as she got it.
Whack!
"Ow."
She smacked my arm.
"You and your smooth talk. Not yet. Wait longer. I'm still mad."
Her face flushed a bit as she snatched the case back quick.
"Go on home. I'm off to practice."
"Yeah. See you tomorrow."
...Nailed it. Got one back on her!
The next day, we headed to Sinwol Stadium for the round 3 game. Everyone else was out warming up, but with low odds of pitching today, I was chilling in the locker room.
"Jeong-ui."
Then Kim Na-seong called me over.
"Yeah?"
He glanced around, then whispered low.
"Hey, you... walking home with Yoo Sera from your class?"
Uh oh...? He saw that?
Oh, right—this guy thinks Sera and Seung-min are dating, doesn't he?
Sudden evil thoughts bubbled up.
"You saw that?"
When I asked back, he answered straight.
"Yeah. Caught it by chance."
I paused a beat, then shook my head.
"Not exactly home... just to her practice room."
"Why're you going to her practice room?"
Kukuku. Sounds suspicious, right? Yeah! So, how to play this?
I checked around again, let out a long sigh.
"Haa... Did anyone else see?"
"Nah, just me."
Only then did I slump my head like I'd been holding my breath.
"Okay... Truth is, me and Sera? It's... complicated."
"Complicated?"
His eyes bugged out at my words.
Man... I kinda wanted to peek into Kim Na-seong's head right now. A messy love triangle exploding in there, him reeling from discovering something huge, agonizing over how to handle it.
"Hold up... need a sec to think."
Yeah, think hard.
"You know what kinda relationship Sera and Seung-min have?"
"Sera and Seung-min?"
I put on an innocent, clueless face.
"What about 'em?"
"Well..."
Kim Na-seong hesitated, face twisting complicated.
Pfft, not yet.
"Oh! Heard they're close. Same middle school, right?"
"Uh... yeah, think so. But besides that..."
"Besides that? Wild."
Not that I know of, anyway.
"Like..."
"No way it's like me and her, right?"
"Like you?"
'No way! Jeong-ui, those two are...' Kim Na-seong felt a bit sorry for the Kim Jeong-ui in front of him. Then another thought hit.
'Wait, no way... Is Yoo Sera two-timing? Then maybe... Seung-min's not what he claims...! Can't trust his word 100%.'
Something clicked—his eyes wavered.
"S-so... Jeong-ui. What're you to Sera?"
"Me and Sera? Ah... it's... hard to explain."
"I won't tell a soul. But c'mon, it's killing me. No normal friends walk like that."
"Who knows. Close friends can walk together anytime."
"True, but... hmm..."
Ah... this is fun. Watching Kim Na-seong desperately fishing for info, I thought.
Twist it a different way?
"Na-seong. You know I trust you, right?"
"Uh...? Y-yeah..."
"Don't tell anyone. You're saying this 'cause you saw me and Sera."
"Yeah! What is it? What's the deal?"
I paused dramatically again.
"Thing is... Sera's got dirt on me."
"What?"
He looked flustered.
"Hard to explain in detail... but yeah, she has leverage, so I'm carrying her violin and running errands. Secret. Don't spill."
"Uh... so... you messed up, she got dirt, and...?"
"Yeah. Helping out till she cools off. Like erasing the board for her in class..."
"Ah... uh... yeah... got it?"
He reacted awkwardly, face complicated.
"Anyway... nothing else? Just... embarrassing, so keep it quiet. Cool?"
"Y-yeah! Got it."
And Kim Na-seong looked relieved.
'Phew... Seung-min. Good thing. Not a big deal...'
...Damn.
I scowled at the field. This wasn't good...
Opponents were Buma High School—supposed to be manageable. Sure, Buma was a powerhouse in Gyeongnam, but just a name these days; their lineup wasn't great, and with our pitching edge, the Director and Coach figured an easy win. Predictions matched our first two games, and results followed.
But... today's game felt off.
"Captain, what happened? Shaking like that all of a sudden..."
Start of the 5th inning top, I said to Lee Seok-hyeon, who'd given up 2 in the bottom of the 4th.
"This stadium's weird..."
"Stadium weird?"
We'd never played at Sinwol before. Mostly Mokdong Stadium, or home/away at our or opponents' fields. First time here this year, and problems cropped up.
"Yeah. Strike zone's narrow left-right. Not calling 'em."
"What?"
High school baseball uses ABS Zone now. But the ump's zone changing...?
"Anyway, this field's strike zone feels tight. Batters were swinging at zone pitches before, but now they know and lay off. Tough matchup..."
...Captain's words hardened my face.
They'd widened left-right zones this year for pitchers. But not here. Problem was, me and our staff targeted those edges—fatal issue now.
Damn it... drop here? Sera's coming to finals...