The System Returns
Choi Seungtaek stared at the glowing letters floating in front of his eyes, and an unfamiliar chill crawled up his spine.
*This feels off. Definitely off.*
A mission had just registered itself in the System, and the words pulsed with an unsettling energy. For the first time in his new life as a professional catcher, doubt gnawed at him.
But nothing happened.
The Daegu Eagles series ended without a single glitch. The weekend trip to Ulsan Egrets produced the same result—no mysterious summons, no sudden pop-up windows, no sudden shifts in his world.
*What the hell is this? The System doesn’t just drop random text for no reason…*
Days passed. Weeks. Even after the final game, the interface stayed silent.
Still, the unease never left.
*What is this? Training should be tough, but there’s nothing to fear?*
Then came the next trip.
The Magpies finished the season with a dismal 1-5 record. They’d finally snapped a losing streak with one win over Ulsan, but the damage was done. The dugout felt heavier than usual on that gray Monday.
A low-grade melancholy settled over the clubhouse, yet Choi Seungtaek carried his own medicine.
“Seungtaek~”
The sound of his wife’s voice cut through the tension like sunlight.
Park Gayoung had flown in from Seoul for a surprise visit, and the moment she stepped through the door, every dark thought vanished from his mind.
Spring was giving way to summer, and she looked radiant in tight jeans and a crisp white shirt. Seungtaek couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face.
“Why are you so pretty?”
“Yeah.”
“So you like it?”
“Yeah!”
Hehe. Fine. But what should we do today?
“Hmm…”
They strolled the quiet streets of Daejeon hand in hand, debating whether to grab ice cream or simply people-watch, when Gayoung suddenly spotted something.
“There! Let’s go there!”
“Huh?”
Her finger pointed at a modest building on the edge of the neighborhood. A strange, almost mystical aura clung to it. On the ground floor, small protective charms were taped to the window, and in bold characters: *Sokri Sinnyeo – Fortune Telling and Destiny Reading*.
*Sokri Sinnyeo?*
Seungtaek would have walked straight past on any other day. But Gayoung’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she grabbed his arm.
“Let’s go! I heard couples come here all the time. Even friends go.”
“R-really?”
He was still weak against even light touches. The big man let himself be tugged forward like a child.
The door creaked open. A small curtained doorway sat to the side.
“Hello? Anyone home?”
Gayoung’s voice echoed inside. A soft reply came from the back.
“Come on in slowly.”
“Let’s go.”
Gayoung pushed the door open with eager energy.
Drreeeek.
The bell rang as they entered. A young woman in traditional hanbok sat at a low table, her face calm and composed.
“Please sit in front.”
“Yes.”
They took their seats. The shaman smiled.
“I’m Sokri Sinnyeo. What brings you two here today…”
She glanced at Seungtaek, paused, and her expression shifted ever so slightly.
“You… aren’t from this world, are you?”
“Excuse me?”
The sudden question startled Seungtaek.
“Ah! We’re from Seoul!”
Before he could react, Gayoung stepped in smoothly.
“Um… no, it’s not like that… How is this even possible?”
Seungtaek felt an eerie unease settle deeper.
*“Not from this world”?*
“That’s not what I meant. Just… read our fortunes, please.”
The discomfort on Seungtaek’s face made Gayoung quickly smooth things over.
“Fortune telling? Ah, yes!”
Sokri Sinnyeo shook her head as if the thought was too complicated.
“What kind of fortune would you like? Wealth, romance, love luck?”
“Everything! All three!”
Gayoung’s bold demand earned a nod.
“Hmm… however, it will cost extra. Is that all right?”
“How much?”
“Ten thousand won per reading.”
*Ten thousand? That’s steep.*
Seungtaek winced at the steep price. But Gayoung, who came from a comfortably wealthy family, simply slid sixty thousand won across the table without hesitation.
*Whoa! That’s my Gayoung! She went all out!*
Seungtaek’s eyes widened in awe.
“Make it for my boyfriend too.”
“Ah… that friend…”
Sokri Sinnyeo looked at Seungtaek again, her face twisting. A shiver ran through her. Her tone changed.
“No. It’s not a good feeling. I won’t read for that amount.”
*What?*
“What’s the name of the other person?”
“Park Gayoung.”
“Birth date?”
“Born in ’96, May 6th.”
The shaman pulled out an ancient leather-bound book and began flipping pages.
“Hmm! Interesting!”
She looked back at Gayoung.
“First, the romance fortune. You will only meet one person for the rest of your life.”
“Ah! Really?”
Gayoung turned to Seungtaek with a cheeky smile. He felt his heart flutter.
“And the wealth fortune. You won’t make much money. Just scrape by and live.”
“Ah…”
“But your spouse will do well?”
Gayoung shot Seungtaek a mysterious look. He deliberately struck a proud pose.
Thud!
“Stay calm. Don’t get cocky. You might not be the one.”
Gayoung tried to shut him up, but Seungtaek kept the arrogant expression.
“You said one person only? Then what about me?”
“Hmph!”
Stumped, Gayoung turned back to the shaman.
“Then what about your future luck?”
“You will follow a steady path. Do the work you truly want. Overall, it’s all good.”
The shaman’s words brought a happy glow to Gayoung’s face. She gave Seungtaek a V-sign.
*Whatever, as long as she’s happy.*
Seungtaek watched the exchange, then turned to the shaman.
He was next.
The young woman’s eyes locked onto him with a cold intensity.
“Hmph. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You… no matter how I look at you, it’s strange.”
*Strange? Me?*
“Name and birth date.”
She stared at him sternly but continued.
“Choi Seungtaek, born 1996, June 20th.”
“Hmm… hmmm…”
The pages turned slowly.
The woman began to tremble.
“I received the wrong money. Why did I even start this?”
Gayoung’s face darkened with unease. Just as she prepared to speak again, the shaman cut in.
“You are… no, you are extremely dangerous. I can only show you three things. I will tell you that much.”
Trembling with fear, the shaman finally spoke.
“First, the romance fortune. You are imprisoned.”
“Hah!”
Both Gayoung and Seungtaek exchanged shocked glances.
“I am?”
Seungtaek looked stunned.
“You are imprisoned. This will not change. Of course, you will resist. Every time you fight it, your future self will suffer.”
The words were too clinical to be comforting. Seungtaek felt genuine dread.
“Anyway, too many words.”
His face grew dark. The shaman flinched and fell silent.
“Originally, your charts should be compatible. Fate is fate. Just live normally. You won’t die.”
*This isn’t even comforting at all?*
Seungtaek’s head spun.
“Then the wealth fortune?”
Still frozen, Seungtaek asked. Gayoung stepped in.
The shaman looked at him again.
“What you earn from now on will be nothing but mouse droppings. Just do whatever and do it well.”
*Is she a scammer?*
Seungtaek glared at her.
“What you earn now has no meaning. Just do it well.”
*Scammer. Definitely a scammer.*
“Then the luck fortune?”
The shaman’s expression turned grave.
“Dark. Full of hardship and trials. They are coming soon.”
“And… is there no good fortune?”
“Growth through pain and suffering.”
Seungtaek stared at her blankly.
*What terrible news! This is all she has to say after taking my money?*
---
“Hey, that’s weird.”
Gayoung tapped Seungtaek’s arm.
“Haha… yeah, I guess.”
“Just for fun, so let’s forget it.”
Ding.
“Huh?”
Seungtaek checked his phone.
— Seungtaek. Morning training Tuesday. Be at Daejeon training ground by 7 a.m.
“Ah…”
“What? What’s wrong, Seungtaek?”
“Tomorrow morning training is scheduled. What is this? We haven’t had morning training lately…”
“Really? What do we do? I’ll have to leave early then?”
“No, it’s fine.”
“Fine my ass. I can see you’re already deflated the second you read the message.”
Gayoung wrapped her arms around him and laughed softly.
“Healing right now. If it gets tough, I’ll come see you next week and we’ll fix it together.”
“Really? Am I really that helpful?”
“Of course.”
Since tomorrow was tomorrow, Seungtaek decided to spend the rest of the day with Gayoung.
---
“Goddamn morning training.”
The next morning, Seungtaek groaned as he dragged himself out of bed.
He had never been summoned for early morning practice before, yet the same uneasy feeling from the System flared up again.
*This feeling again.*
And the shaman’s prophecy echoed in his mind—hardship and pain ahead. With trembling hands, he stepped outside.
Arriving at the training ground slightly early, Seungtaek grabbed a sandwich from the convenience store across the street and munched as he walked in.
“Hey! Choi Seungtaek! Long time no see!”
“Hey! Welcome back!”
The field already buzzed with returning players. Woo Jeong-geun stood near the fence.
“Lots of familiar faces today. We’ve all come back, huh?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“By the way, your battery coach was looking for you. Go quick. He’s not mad, but he seems in a hurry.”
“Got it!”
Seungtaek jogged toward the field.
Inside the dugout, many players had already arrived early.
*Whoa… everyone’s back. Senior Woo, Wolf, Ki Youngbae, and even Song Geumho…*
He scanned the rookie call-ups and made his way to the battery coach.
“Seungtaek, hurry up!”
“Yes! I’m here.”
“Here’s today’s schedule. Check it.”
Seungtaek received the training sheet.
“Morning blocking drills, framing in the morning, blocking in the afternoon, framing before the game… wait, night blocking again? Is this right?”
“Yeah, that’s how it is.”
*What the hell… This isn’t spring camp.*
A stunned silence fell, but Seungtaek refused to panic. He needed a way out of this impossible schedule.
“I can’t handle this workload while playing in the games.”
“You’re not playing today.”
“Excuse me?”
“Today’s starter is Jo Oosoo. Tomorrow too.”
“Eh?”
“That means you’re dead to us until tomorrow.”
*Shit. So that’s what this is.*
**End of Chapter**