“Urgh.”
Ryu Jaeyul’s training looked especially brutal today. It had to be because of that comment about him being “ignorant.”
“Ryu Jaeyul, are you not going to do it properly?”
Ryu Jaeyul kept jumping, panting hard.
Catchers spent a lot of time squatting, so strengthening the lower body and core was essential. Jumps, squats, and lunges were inseparable from a catcher’s training.
I did feel a little sorry for Ryu Jaeyul, who had been repeating jumps and squats for thirty minutes straight, but only a little.
My own training was no joke either.
Before getting into the real training, I first had to trim my nails.
So while Yun Donghyeok was giving Ryu Jaeyul a one-point lesson from hell, I diligently trimmed my nails.
After visiting the nail salon last time, I had wondered how much of a difference it could possibly make, but it definitely worked. When my nails touched the ball, there was this sturdy feeling to them, I guess you could say.
On top of that, it was absolutely necessary for knuckleballers like me. Since a knuckleball had to be thrown with the fingertips, I couldn’t help being more sensitive about my nails than other pitchers.
After seeing the nail salon’s effect firsthand, I immediately bought nail strengthener. After practice, I would apply a coat to my nails.
I was still clumsy at putting it on, so it was more like slathering it all over. Still, it was better than not applying any.
Whenever I sat in a corner of the practice field putting on strengthener, the seniors would say something about how fussy I was. Min Hyoseop in particular teased me, saying anyone would think I was a player who had won the Triple Crown.
And I, of course, said that I naturally would.
Everyone seemed unconvinced by my words, but I didn’t care.
From right-handed to left-handed, from fireballer to knuckleballer. I had already done something that difficult, so there was no way I couldn’t do this.
“This should be enough.”
I touched my neatly trimmed nails with my fingertips and stood up.
What training was scheduled for today again?
It was true that from the moment I came up to the first team, the coaches had started limiting my pitch count.
Pitch counts had to be managed starting from training in order to extend a pitcher’s career. It also lowered the risk of injury.
Naturally, if my pitch count was managed, my shoulder would be healthier and my condition would improve too.
But my position was different. Even though overuse had ground my shoulder down, there was one thing I had to acknowledge.
The more effort you put in, the better your pitches became.
So I had to throw.
My knuckleball still wasn’t perfect.
If you were an athlete, you had to acquire things through your body. To make something your own, there was nothing better than repetitive training.
These days, equipment like TrackMan had appeared and made training more efficient, but that was separate from ingraining a technique into your body.
Right now, I had to acquire it physically. I could worry about pitch count management after I had complete control over the ball.
I put on my glove. I got into position and prepared to throw.
“Wait, I’ll catch for you.”
Maybe catcher training was over, because Ryu Jaeyul quickly got into place. He looked pretty exhausted, but his expression was serious as he held up the mitt.
I had been about to tell him to rest, but I closed my mouth. He had the will to do it himself, and it would be better for me to have a catcher receiving my pitches than to simply throw on my own.
“I’m throwing?”
At my words, Ryu Jaeyul nodded.
I calmly drew in a breath. Inside my glove, I raised my fingertips so my fingerprints wouldn’t touch the ball.
The moment my right leg lifted, strength entered my left leg. Even if power transferred, my center couldn’t waver. Not even until the instant I moved.
My breath stopped on its own. The moment my weight shifted onto my right leg, my upper body opened. At the same time, my shoulder, arm, and wrist moved smoothly.
Whoosh.
The ball pushed off my fingertips and drifted forward, as if a thread had suddenly been cut.
The spinless ball trembled faintly, then seemed to rise for an instant before breaking downward all at once.
Thwack.
A dull yet crisp sound rang out from the mitt.
Only after I saw the ball settle properly inside the mitt did the breath I had been holding burst from my mouth.
“Phew.”
I could see my skill improving little by little. The number of balls that occasionally got away from me because I couldn’t command them had also decreased quite a bit.
A knuckleball that could be controlled.
Of course, it still wasn’t enough for me to call it perfect, but this was plenty. At the very least, I’d be able to take the upper hand with the knuckleball.
After that, I threw about fifty more pitches before lowering my glove. Ryu Jaeyul, who had caught every last one, collapsed onto his back right there.
I checked the time. It was a little past three in the afternoon. Some might think it was late, but to me, it was the perfect time.
For a nap.
There was PFP, pitcher fielding practice, in an hour too, so recovery was essential.
I picked a good place to sleep. The training field floor would be cold, and the bench was uncomfortable. So the place I found was the large sofa in the locker room.
The sofa, made in a large circular shape, was big enough for all the first-team players to sit on. In other words, it was comfortable enough to sleep on too.
As I quietly headed toward the locker room, Ryu Jaeyul asked from behind me.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to take a nap at this hour.”
“Of course I am.”
“What are you, a kid? Who takes naps this faithfully?”
“Don’t you know sleep is the best medicine? It’s the best for recovery. You should sleep too. The locker room sofa’s soft.”
“I’m not sleeping.”
At Ryu Jaeyul’s firm reply, I shrugged as if to say he could do whatever he wanted and turned away. Naturally, the place I headed for was the sofa in the locker room.
I fell asleep as soon as I lay down. And precisely when the alarm rang on my phone, which I had set to a one-hour timer, I saw it.
Ryu Jaeyul sleeping on the sofa opposite me.
***
The BPM of my heart as I ran to the front office was hitting its peak.
Today was finally the day.
May 1st.
Well, there wouldn’t be anything especially dramatic. Since joining first-team training, I had already heard everything there was to hear.
All that remained was for my name to be added to the first-team roster.
Finally!
Bang.
The moment I opened the door to the office, Kim Seoyeon stared at me in surprise.
“Uh, Player Chae Gangu?”
“Has it gone through?!”
“Ah!”
Kim Seoyeon brought over a sheet of paper and said,
“Yes. Congratulations. Starting today, you’re included on the first-team roster.”
The first-team roster list written on the paper. And at the very bottom, my name was there.
[ No. 14 Chae Gangu. ]
ER Hawks number 14, Chae Gangu.
My chest swelled. I was already a professional first-team player, but seeing with my own eyes that it had been confirmed on paper made it impossible to hold back.
“Woooooooooooo!!!!!!!”
I shouted. Finally. My name had been added to the first team of professional baseball, the thing I had waited for so long.
This is insane, Chae Gangu.
“Thank you!!”
I bowed repeatedly to the office staff, who were startled by my roar, and then left.
Back in high school, I had simply assumed I would go pro, so I hadn’t been desperate. But when my shoulder was ruined and the pro career I had taken for granted went up in smoke, I learned what desperation really meant.
From now on, I proudly belonged to the first team.
Would I start tomorrow right away?
I was already swept up in swelling anticipation.
No, this wasn’t the time for that.
I had to tell everyone this news right now.
As it happened, today marked the start of a home series. The players would be gathering in the locker room one after another for the game.
Without hesitation, my feet carried me to the locker room.
“Seniors!!!”
My booming voice echoed through the locker room.
The players’ gazes turned toward me. Seeing me with my face full of emotion, unable to get the words out, Yun Donghyeok spoke first.
“Congratulate him. Looks like he’s joining us starting today.”
At those words, I opened my mouth as if I had been waiting.
“As of today, I’m officially first team!! I look forward to working with you.”
I quickly bowed. Then the seniors’ voices came from all around.
“Weren’t you already first team? Making a big deal out of it now, haha.”
“Oh, Chae Gangu. I look forward to working with you too.”
“Hey, does this mean you’re finally going to start throwing that knuckleball?”
Everyone was sincerely congratulating me.
“Yes!”
And then it happened. Someone naturally slung an arm around my neck.
“How about dancing on the bench as your initiation? We all did it.”
“Don’t lie, Senior Min Hyoseop.”
Min Hyoseop laughed brightly.
“Go change into your uniform.”
Uniform?
“Wait, I’m playing starting today?!”
“Isn’t that obvious? You’re on the roster starting today.”
I was on the roster?
As I stood there in a daze, Min Hyoseop jerked his chin toward somewhere.
“Over there. Your name’s there.”
The spot visible beside Ryu Jaeyul. A uniform was hanging there.
Along with the large number 14, three syllables were written out.
Chae Gangu.
“Uwaaaagh!!!!”
Laughter burst out at my reaction.
“Go get ready already.”
“Wait, wait a second. My glove and everything are still…”
I had only thought about being officially registered with the first team today, so it had never even occurred to me that I might go straight into a game.
“I brought it.”
Huh?
When I lifted my head, Ryu Jaeyul shrugged.
“I figured you’d be like this, so I brought it.”
“Ha, Ryu Jaeyul. Seriously, you’re the best.”
I trudged over to the spot where my name was attached. My glove was really there.
“Wow, seriously. That’s my name.”
[ Chae Gangu ]
My name, written clearly. For some reason, my chest tightened, and I stared at it blankly when Ryu Jaeyul’s voice reached me.
“Change your clothes already. You going out like that?”
“Ah. I need to change!”
It was my first time wearing the ER Hawks’ first-team uniform. I had worn uniforms all through elementary school, middle school, and high school, but now, wearing a uniform with the ER Hawks logo on it, I was more nervous than I had ever been.
I didn’t think I’d even been this nervous the first time I put on a uniform.
As I needlessly fiddled with the clothes, Min Hyoseop said teasingly,
“Hey, Ryu Jaeyul, Chae Gangu looks nervous, so support him when we head out to the field later.”
Yun Donghyeok and Baek Seongchan joined in too.
“Doesn’t look like he’ll be able to dance.”
“Haha, right. Gangu’s supposed to dance on the bench!”
Everyone was laughing and chatting when Coach An Chunghui appeared in the locker room.
“All right, all right. Everyone here?”
Coach An Chunghui lightly scanned the players and spotted me.
“We can’t lose today, got it? Gangu’s joined us too, after all.”
Coach An Chunghui soon continued with a serious expression.
“You know we’re on a three-game losing streak, right? We have to end it today. Stay focused.”
Along with his words of caution, the starting lineup was called.
Naturally, my name wasn’t there.
I hadn’t expected to play in a game right away when I had only come up to the first team today.
Well, substitutions were possible, and since it was my first day, all that mattered was for the team to break the losing streak and win.
“Let’s go!”
At Coach An Chunghui’s words, everyone rose from their seats.
It was finally beginning.
The pitching journey of ER Hawks number 14, Chae Gangu.