Translator: Wan ED/PR: novio
18. Children’s Day Jamsil Baseball Stadium derby match (1)
Seoul Songpa district, where the Olympic sports facilities and Seoul combined sports fields were located.
There, the Ju-Oh Dragons and TC Knights’ home-ground, Jamsil baseball stadium.
“It’s big…!”
Maeng Hyodon, who was moving with me from the dormitory, exclaimed in awe.
As it was the first time since he visited a baseball stadium, Maeng Hyodon was excited before we even arrived.
When we drew near the general field area, the number of people in uniforms with excited and thrilled faces I saw increased.
Today was Children’s Day so there were many family units of baseball fans and thanks to them, the mood was even brighter.
“Did all the people here come to watch baseball?!”
Even the blue paint looked like the sky poured down.
100m of left and right fence, 120m of left and right middle fence, 125m of middle fence, the fence height was 2.7m, that was Jamsil baseball stadium.
It has the lowest possibility to hit a home run in Korea, because of its width, and could accommodate 26 thousand people.
For around 15 years, tickets have always sold out for the Children’s Day’s rival match.
Seeing this place and all those people for the first time was naturally overwhelming.
“Hyodon, Uisin!”
“You came early.”
“I had many people to greet, so I came earlier. Let’s go eat lunch. I’m hungry.”
At the promised place, before the ticket office no. 2.
Ju Su-hyeok was waiting for the two of us, as he had arrived before us.
‘Ju Su-hyeok knows quite a lot of people among those related to the Ju-Oh Dragons club.’
There was a description that Ju Su-hyeok often visited Jamsil baseball stadium before today’s incident occurred.
It seemed there was even a scene of Ju-Oh Dragon club’s owner and Ju Su-hyeok greeting each other in a friendly manner.
“Let’s go. I’ll introduce you to a delicious restaurant.”
“There are even restaurants at the baseball stadium?”
“Yeah. There are many places to eat together, let’s go!”
Ju Su-hyeok walked in front while guiding us.
In the baseball stadium, big brand convenience stores, cafes, and various franchise restaurants gathered.
But even between each existing restaurant and franchise restaurant there are cases when the taste differs sometimes depending on the owner.
So in this baseball stadium, there was also a distinction between restaurants on whether they’re good.
“The grilled anchovy rice balls over there are delicious. We have to eat sesame fish cake here. And it’s a bit far, but if we go to the 3rd hall, there is a place where they sell sweet and sour peanut garlic chicken…”
Following Ju Su-hyeok’s perfect guide of delicious stadium restaurants, the three of us traversed around, experiencing all kinds of foods.
‘Ju Su-hyeok and Maeng Hyodon are both foodies, huh? I guess friends resemble each other.’
As we moved while eating, we naturally toured the baseball stadium and also became tourists.
The entire stadium was filled with curtains and posters printed with the faces and numbers of today’s home team Ju-Oh Dragons members and there were various souvenirs exhibited for the baseball fans. There was nothing boring.
“Let’s slowly head inside.”
“Okay.”
An hour before the game starts.
We moved towards our seats.
I saw the grounds for relay, catch, and tug-of-war targeted towards the young fans as players finished stretching their bodies.
To commemorate Children’s Day, both teams’ players wore old uniforms and hats.
The electric board was streaming the home team, Ju-Oh Dragon’s, activities.
‘Can’t find a seat?’
I suddenly sensed someone stopping behind me.
There was no murderous intent, so I decided to leave it alone.
At that moment.
“Boo!”
Someone yelled behind the three of us.
As if both Ju Su-hyeok and Maeng Hyodon knew about it just like me and decided to leave it alone, they weren’t particularly surprised and turned around.
“Um… You’re not surprised.”
Of course, because we didn’t feel a killing intent or something, but we were aware of everything. Why should we pretend to be surprised?
None of the three of us had any particular reaction.
After seeing that, the person wearing a deeply pressed TC Knights baseball hat, spoke with a sullen voice.
I got a good glimpse at the face under the hat and felt a sense of deja vu.
Why are you here?
‘… it’s a Military Academy’s 1st place and Jang Namuk’s roommate, To Sihu!’
When Yu Sang-hun and I made a video call with Jang Namuk, he was the guy who popped out and replaced Jang Namuk.
“Sihu, it’s been a while since you came to the baseball stadium.”
As if Ju Su-hyeok was familiar with To Sihu’s useless jokes, he greeted him without a great reaction.
It’s a bit suspicious.
‘To Sihu didn’t appear during today’s event. Why is development suddenly different from the game?’
My doubts were immediately resolved.
“I came with a friend. Remember the time when we played basketball with your school? He said he wouldn’t go as there was not a lot of time until mid-term exams, so I caught him with a VIP middle seat ticket as bait. And thanks to that we came to watch it together.”
“Ah, if you’re talking about the time before the exams, is it perhaps the tall guy from the Military Academy.”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
So the cause was the basketball game between Eungwang School and Military Academy 1st years?
I guess the butterfly effect of Yu Sang-hun and Jang Namuk surviving the entrance exam went that far.
But as I listened to To Sihu and Ju Su-hyeok’s conversation, I was struck by some sort of premonition.
‘… I think I know the guy who was caught by To Sihu.’
Player Military Highschool Basketball Club.
A person who seems to sincerely study before the mid-term exams.
However, it’s also a guy who is simply bought over with a baseball VIP middle seat ticket.
A tall guy who appeared in a basketball match.
‘There is no one beside Jang Namuk!’
After looking in the direction To Sihu pointed, I saw a person standing so close to the middle seat fence he was almost clinging to it.
He was wearing the old uniform and hat identical in design to the one worn by Ju-Oh Dragons during their first year of championship.
A scarf with the Ju-Oh Dragons logo was hanging from his neck and in his hand was an orange cheering stick.
It was a highschool student in a perfect Ju-Oh Dragon’s fanatic attire.
That person was Jang Namuk.
“Hey, Jang Namuk, what are you doing over there!”
He called him loudly. Jang Namuk, who almost lost his soul to watching Ju-Oh Dragons players, turned his head around.
Noticing me, he walked up and spoke up straight away.
“Oh, Uisin! You also came, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s great. Wait a moment, Uisin, why are you not wearing a hat? When watching and cheering baseball it’s easy to be exposed to sunlight, so hats are necessary. Did you not even apply sunscreen?”
Ju-Oh Dragons fanatic Jang Namuk’s nagging was the same as before.
Seeing that scene, Ju Su-hyeok said to To Sihu:
“Is that why you decided to wear a hat?”
“Hahaha, my roommate nags a lot.”
I guess To Sihu also had to live while putting up with Jang Namuk’s nagging.
If it was someone like To Sihu’s type, the nagging downpour would never cease.
I, Ju Su-hyeok, Maeng Hyodon, To Sihu, Jang Namuk.
The five of us exchanged introductions and greetings.
‘It’s unexpected.’
The unexpected developments continued, but it was never in the bad direction.
“Ooo, the seats are also close.”
“They’re almost beside each other.”
“There are four seats on the terrace, so it’s a bit empty.”
“Do we have to sit with a stranger?”
We took out all the packed food and soda drinks and took our seats.
At Maeng Hyodon’s question, To Sihu replied:
“Ah, that seat is for my cousin-twice-removed hyung.”
“Uh, that hyung doesn’t come to watch baseball that often.”
“He whined for me to play with him, because he got dumped by a girl, so I told him to come if he wants. And so, he said he will come.”
To Sihu’s relative is coming?
Then it’s again someone related to the TC group, huh?
I was thinking about that while drinking soda, when…
“Wonu hyung, here!”
“Sihu. I told you not to come early and wait for…”
I almost spit out soda.
The corrupted Playable Character who loses his mind in Yu Sang-hui’s presence.
The Student Council president, Iron Lock Chain To Wonu.
His face darkened and he looked in this direction.
So the guy who got dumped by a girl and whined to play with his younger cousin-twice-removed, was you, huh?
“Wonu hyung?”
After Ju Su-hyeok and To Sihu titled their heads, To Wonu replied with a dry voice.
“That’s… right, hi.”
To Wonu’s gaze was fixed on me and his expression was very sour.
However, was it because he was around relatives and the place was overflowing with reporters?
He restrained himself and sat down.
‘I knew that To Wonu was related to the TC group, but I had no idea he appeared in this event.’
After Yu Sang-hun’s death in the game, Yu Sang-hui threw away both her school work and her daily life, and devoted herself to conquest of different worlds where Demonic Beast category Enemies appeared.
It wasn’t an appropriate situation for To Wonu to ask for a peaceful date. That’s why the current development changed from the game?
‘… It’s gradually going out of my expectations.’
To Wonu was sending me a corrupt gaze, but the situation wasn’t bad.
Soon baseball announcements started.
After the national pledge.
It was time for the first pitch.
“Who is doing the first pitch today? The name wasn’t revealed. Surely, it’s not that they couldn’t decide.”
“I also don’t know. I guess there is a situation.”
If even Ju Su-hyeok doesn’t know until now, then I guess the name was truly perfectly hidden.
At the time for the first pitch, no one but people wearing Ju-Oh Dragons’ mascot character, Yong-Yong costume, headed towards the mound.
“No way, is Yong-Yong doing a first pitch?”
“That’s not bad either, but…”
“Isn’t the Yong tribe going to do it like every year? Our kids really wanted to see dragons, so we came…”
I heard a murmur from the audience everywhere.
At that moment, Yong-Yong stood on the mound, he took off the puppet mask.
Under that puppet mask appeared the Yong tribe descendant, Yeom Junyeol.
Woooooow—!
The late voice of the baseball announcer matched with a close up of Yeom Junyeol’s face on the electric board.
The audience cried out in joy.
In particular, children recognized Yeom Junyeol straight away and their voices were really loud.
“Uh, it’s senior Yeom Junyeol!”
“It’s that person we met in front of our class before!”
Even our party was shaken.
Meanwhile, people wearing masks or deeply pressed hats around the VIP middle seats, suddenly swiftly moved.
They took out cameras with enormous components attached, which I didn’t know if they were guns or telescopic lenses.
In the instant, a camera tripod was installed on audience seats.
“Junyeol is wearing a costume!”
“Whose son is it, huh? It’s my son!”
“Crazy. He shines even in that dowdy old uniform!”
Where Yeom Junyeol goes, Yeom Bangyeol and the Yong tribe members naturally follow.
They disguised themselves to not be noticed and came here, so I guess they prepared to take pictures personally.
Even so, what you bought is not a device camera, but a professional camera!
“Uh, those people… aren’t they members of the Red Lion and Yong tribe?”
“Yeah? Uh… Red Dragon is also here so it’s not strange, but… it’s strange.”
On the side, Yeom Junyeol looked towards the audience and waved his free hand in polite greeting.
Until he sent a signal to the catcher, he was smiling.
And then, Yeom Junyeol took a stance.
Paang–!
The fastball resounded and it even reached the audience.
Even without the catcher making any effort, the ball landed in the mitt, showing the outstanding ball control of the pitcher.
Windup, stride, early and late cocking, acceleration phase, to the follow-through at the ball release. There was nothing to criticise about the pitch movement.
‘How much did you train for that one throw…!?’
Me, the audience, the players, everyone was filled with shock and admiration.
As if Yeom Junyeol was satisfied with that perfect pitch, he smiled brightly and stepped down from the mound.
“Perfect. Junyeol!”
“What is that, I think I’m crying.”
“If it’s a descendant of the Yong tribe I lead, it’s natural. It’s natural! Our Junyeol is naturally wonderful!”
Yeom Bangyeol, the members of the Red Lion team, and the members of the Yong tribe, shouted.
‘… Based on the tone and the content, it seems there is even a Jin that is estimated to be the Yong tribe’s head.’
No way, did even the Yong tribe head, Cheongryong, come?
Even the Yong tribe’s head who overflowed with dignity at the 12 Zodiac Alliance meeting, was just a fool in front of Yeom Junyeol, huh?
Looking at them openly making an uproar, I sighed in relief.
‘As expected.’
Everything was proceeding according to the plan.
It seems that until the incident breaks out, I could put my mind to rest and enjoy the baseball game.
‘Preparations are completed. As unexpected people came, I have more power than I predicted. Let’s watch baseball until the time comes.’
Ju-Oh Dragons, who never dropped out of the 2nd place in rankings for years.
TC Knights, who unusually dropped to the lowest rank in the past season and were notorious for bad play.
Even so, if those TC Knights met with Ju-Oh Dragons, particularly when they played at Children’s Day at the Jamsil stadium, they were famous for raising their competitive power and giving a wonderful game.
‘Worthy of one of the biggest karaoke rooms on the Korean Peninsula!’
The fans of both teams sang in one voice. The cheering songs for teams and star players filled the stadium.
While I sometimes tried to clumsily follow singing, the fierce game continued one inning after another.
***
Score 3 to 3.
The beginning was at the end of the 5th inning, in the middle of a close battle.
When the cleaning team started to prepare the ground and the lottery events targeted at children were held…
— Piiiiiiiing!
Dozens of smart devices in the baseball stadium rang out in alarm at the same time.
*~*~*
Translator’s note: … That’s an alarm for an apocalypse. I have no footnotes to make.
Did you see a mistake? 🐞
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