Chapter 21
***
Just as I was about to have ramen for lunch, Han Yuna called me.
-Want to have lunch together?
"You're asking me to come all the way to your company?"
-No. I just happen to have a business trip near Jongno.
It did come with the caveat that I'd be a little late.
About three o'clock, more or less.
No problem.
I still had about two hours, so I could burn off a bit of fatigue.
After making plans to meet Han Yuna, I logged in to play a game.
BaramKalnal : If hitting a single is a batter's job, shouldn't these bastards not be getting paid?
UrijipGangaji : You bastard sons of bitches! Break it up!!
HaeyongineunHaeronghaerong : Sir;; the season hasn't even started yet;;;
MereulJjujjuppalgosipda : Ah~! I wanna suck Merle's boobs!
GoranineunGorangorang : Keep that in your head, idiot.
The guild chat was going wild over baseball.
I don't really watch baseball, so I don't know the details, but the guys in the guild who liked it were making a huge fuss.
BeoseotkeoneunBeoseotBeoseot : What's up?
BaramKalnal : Usan bastards got caught going to a club and partying lol. Ugh, do I really have to keep rooting for these bastards?
Mm. That's understandable.
When I checked the internet, it was burning hotter than the Forest of Yireung.
According to the details, they'd gone to throw a birthday party for a baseball team staff member, but who would accept that when fans were this angry?
-You bastards, why the hell are you going to an employee's birthday?
-You trashed the place that badly last year, and now you're drinking?
-Honestly, with last year's standings, I'd want to drink too lol. How nervous must they be lol.
-Instead of wasting time getting drunk there, swing the bat.
-Could you even swallow booze after last year's ranking?
-At least Juhyung isn't there.
-Don't touch Juhyung.
-Just leave Juhyung alone.
-Juhyung's doing well at the WBC...
Baseball really is harmful.
Seeing the criticism and abuse in the comments made me think I should never live like that.
"Hm?"
That was when it happened.
While I was looking at photos of the Usan batters, I suddenly saw the future.
***
Kim Juhyung was a fairly skilled left-handed batter and thrower.
He took pride in that himself.
But the world of the pros was unforgiving.
No matter how hard he trained, it was difficult to show results.
Then someone approached him.
'There's a drug that will never get caught.'
It was a rumor quietly circulating among the players.
That there was someone who could make an excellent cocktail.
There were even rumors that some former MVPs had used his services.
Naturally, nothing showed up in the tests.
He was anxious.
If he stayed like this, he'd be pushed down to the second team, and then it would only be downhill from there.
But he couldn't bring himself to touch drugs.
So he refused.
And threw himself into training.
And that's when his talent began to bloom.
He hit singles.
He hit home runs.
He led the team to victory with super saves.
Endless training and effort.
And it was the result of sweat poured out in proportion to his talent.
The team liked it, and the management was pleased.
He gained more fans too.
Kim Juhyung thought nothing but smooth sailing lay ahead.
Then came an offer to throw games.
If he would just make a few mistakes.
If he would just help drag the team even further into the gutter.
Then they'd give him 5 billion won.
But could he really do that?
But was it really okay to touch that?
Desire and anxiety pressed down on his chest.
So.
In the end, he didn't do it.
Because it was embarrassing.
Because it was something he shouldn't do.
But...
"I-I didn't do it."
A sudden summons from the KBO.
He panicked when he heard there had been a tip that he was involved in match-fixing.
Of course it was true that he'd received such an offer, but this mistake had absolutely not been intentional.
He'd never accepted money or any favors, either.
But the investigators and the management didn't believe him.
A defensive blunder at the crucial moment.
And the mysterious 500 million won that had been deposited into his grandmother's bank account after that game.
No, he said.
He said he'd never received money like that.
He denied it and resisted over and over, but they wouldn't accept it.
In the end, his claim was accepted.
Not guilty.
But by then, he was already battered to pieces.
His mind and body were so exhausted he could no longer continue playing baseball.
And so.
A young baseball player broke down.
***
"Hmm."
Kim Juhyung, huh.
Looking it up online, he was a Usan player who had struggled at first, but whose performance soared as he gained experience.
He was also diligent—unlike the players in the club photos from earlier, Kim Juhyung wasn't among them—and because his stats were good, fans liked him too.
For someone like that to get caught up in a match-fixing scandal.
If I hadn't seen it at all, I wouldn't know, but since I did, I feel like I should tell him.
But how am I supposed to tell him this...
While I was thinking it over, before I knew it, it was time to leave.
When I went outside, Han Yuna's car was there.
"Hello."
"Good afternoon. Though I guess it's a bit late to call it lunch."
"Sorry. I feel like I made you wait for nothing."
"No, it's fine. I was just playing a game anyway. So, what are we eating?"
"There's a good galbi place nearby. I'll treat you, so let's go."
I followed her into the galbi restaurant.
Maybe because lunch hour was long over, it was fairly quiet for a famous place.
"What were you doing?"
"Playing games."
"Don't run too far ahead on your own."
"I switched to another character, so don't worry. Come on after you get off work."
"Okay."
I'm hunting with Han Yuna, keeping our levels matched.
If I rush ahead alone, Han Yuna gets left behind.
So I just hunted on my main character instead of the new one I was raising.
"It's done."
Perfectly cooked meat was placed on my plate.
One bite in... wow, this is seriously delicious.
"How is it?"
"It's really good. How did you find a place like this?"
"The department head at my old hotel liked going to famous restaurants. I didn't really care for it, though."
"Why not?"
"I just wasn't interested in going around to famous restaurants."
But since it was also part of working life, I followed along without saying much.
Thanks to that, she said confidently that she knew Seoul's good restaurants pretty well.
"I know a pretty good mulhoe place. Want to go together on the weekend?"
"Sure."
A faint smile appeared on Han Yuna's lips.
She was enjoying herself.
While I was eating meat with her for a while, there was a commotion near the entrance.
Seeing what looked like filming equipment come in, it seemed like there was a shoot here today.
"Uh?!!"
"Hm?"
"Could it be... Noa hyung?"
No, calling a guy who looks older than me 'hyung' is a little much.
"Ahahaha! I didn't expect to run into you here... oh. Were you on a date?"
"I-it's not a date."
Han Yuna said hurriedly, flustered.
She babbled awkwardly that we were just having a meal together and that I was only treating her because I was grateful she waited, so I left her alone for the moment.
"You're Ppeuhongi... right?"
"Hahaha. Yes. It's an honor to meet you like this. Ah, don't worry, we're not filming right now."
As you'd expect from a million-subscriber YouTuber, he was quite friendly and knew how to win people over.
Still, the fact that he'd come here meant he'd accepted my advice.
"Thanks to you, I didn't waste any time. Apparently the chef at the Bupyeong branch suddenly got sick."
"You must have sent someone over, then?"
"Haha. Yes. I'm going to apologize for changing the shoot and work out the next filming schedule."
But then the chef suddenly got sick there, which meant the future I'd seen had matched up again.
"If we'd gone to Yangpyeong... whew."
Then we would all have ended up lying in the emergency room together.
"Since we got out of it alive thanks to you, I'll pay for your meal today, Noa hyung."
"I came out today expecting to be treated, too."
"Wow. From someone that pretty?"
"She's my friend."
Han Yuna said with a faint smile.
"And you bought me a meal at the manga café last time, Mr. Noa. Anyway, I'm paying today."
Ppeuhongi smiled warmly at her as she fumbled over her words.
A beautiful woman who looks so cold acting all shy like that was pretty cute.
"Then I'll treat you next time. I mean it, not just empty words."
"I'll gladly accept."
"Haha. Yes. Well, I have to get back to filming now. Enjoy your meal."
With that, Ppeuhongi walked away.
Han Yuna, watching him leave, flipped the meat over again.
"It's going to burn. Eat it quickly."
.
.
.
After finishing the meat and briefly greeting Ppeuhongi's filming crew, we headed to a nearby café.
We chatted and hung out there, and by the time I'd cheered her up about having to go back to work, it was time for me to head home.
I could see Ppeuhongi's filming crew coming out of the galbi restaurant.
"Oh?! We meet again?"
"Looks like filming's over?"
"Haha. Yes. But, Noa hyung."
"No, 'hyung' is a bit..."
"I'm a fan of yours now, too. Ever since your last stream, I've been sneaking in with an alt account to watch."
"Ah."
If that's the case, there's nothing I can do.
"Anyway, hyung. Are you thinking about a collab stream?"
"A collab stream?"
"Yes. I'm thinking of making the next broadcast a special episode."
"A special episode, huh. What kind?"
I'd already been getting quite a few collab offers.
I wasn't particularly interested, so I was turning most of them down.
"This time I'm thinking of doing a special on baseball players. Actually, I'm a Usan fan."
"I don't really watch baseball. But isn't Usan in a bad spot right now?"
In an instant, that friendly face twisted into something demonic.
"Of course, I'd love to line those bastards up and smack them with a bat, but...."
This is why baseball is harmful.
"But Juhyung is different! Juhyung is different!!"
Juhyung.
Kim Juhyung.
He's Usan's future ace, and a player many people cheer for.
"I'm planning to invite Juhyung this time."
It was full of warmth and affection.
"Did you know our Juhyung really eats well?"
"Really?"
"Yes. I heard he can down ten in the 'How many burgers can you eat?' challenge."
"Wow..."
"And yet he's that light on his feet. That just means he trains that hard. Since he's such a hardworking player, I want to feed him something really delicious."
"Oh-ho. That sounds good."
"And I also wanted to get your fortune read. You know, about when it'd be best to enlist."
Kim Juhyung hadn't done his military service yet.
Ppeuhongi was fervently nursing the wishful thought that making the Olympic national team would mean an instant shot at the title, but...
Anyway, he hadn't gone.
"So, would a collab stream be possible? Of course, I'll pay an appearance fee."
A collab stream, huh.
So I'd get to meet Kim Juhyung.
That ill-fated, hardworking genius athlete.
"Sure."
There was no reason to refuse.