The Extra in a Baseball Novel

Baseball is truly a fascinating game. A game that seems impossible to win can suddenly turn around when you catch the right momentum.

In that sense, momentum is incredibly important in baseball…

“Strike! Out!”

Watching Lee Seungtae pitch today, it doesn’t seem like that momentum will shift anytime soon.

After striking out batters one through three in just nine pitches, Lee Seungtae calmly walked off the mound.

“I’ll get on base for you, so get ready.”

Jin Myunghwan, the first batter, confidently left the dugout and…

-Smack!

“He actually hit it…”

The second batter, Ji Chanwoo, followed…

-Smack!

…with a clean infield hit.

Did everyone suddenly level up just to put Daesangogo in its place?

The concentration was intense.

The next batter, Lee Taehyung…

“Ball four! Walk!”

…managed to get a walk as the pitcher seemed to start losing his cool.

…If I hit it now, there’s no way they’ll recover.

The entire Dongshin team must already be shaken by Seungtae’s surprise appearance. A grand slam in the first inning? Only someone with a mental fortitude like Jin Taehyun could withstand that.

As I walked up to the batter’s box, I suddenly heard…

-Waaaaah!! -Cha Taehyun! Cha Taehyun!

The unexpected cheers from the crowd made me laugh.

How much must they have been holding in to cheer for me, the one who crushed Cheongshingo’s hopes of winning?

With this much support…

“Guess I’ll have to hit a home run.”

Ah, I said it out loud again.

This bad habit from my major league days always seems to come out when I step into the batter’s box.

Well, it’s a good thing the catcher didn’t seem to care.

No, rather than not caring… he probably couldn’t. His mind must be so overloaded it’s about to explode.

Bases loaded in the first inning with the cleanup hitter at bat.

Should they walk me… or pitch to me…

Let them think about it as much as they want.

I took my stance and stared at the pitcher.

The windup began, and as the pitcher rotated his arm, I caught a slight tremor in his fingertips.

The fingers meant to brush against the ball were shaky. Instead of brushing, they… slipped.

This kind of pitch is usually called…

-Smaaack!!!!

…a mistake.

The moment I swung the bat wide, the moment I felt the ball connect with the bat…

-Waaaaaah!!!!!!

A loud crack reverberated through the stadium, and thunderous cheers filled my ears.

Watching the ball sail far into the sky, I tossed my bat as soon as it cleared the fence.

-Waaaaaaah!!

The explosive cheers surged through the stadium once more.

“You’re watching, right?”

I smiled toward the stands, thinking of Ms. Miyeon watching over me, as I rounded the bases.

—

The semifinal match against Dongshin ended more easily than expected.

It made sense, given that Seungtae’s return was phenomenal. He pitched a complete game shutout, something rarely seen since the pitch count limit was implemented, allowing only two hits.

Despite that, the MVP was…

“Cha Taehyun! Wow, this is absolutely incredible! A grand slam in the first at-bat, a two-run homer in the second! And wait, everyone, don’t be shocked! He hit a solo homer in his third at-bat! Is this even real?”

└ Damn, is this guy on steroids or something?

└ Hey, stop with the ‘steroids’ talk.

└ Honestly, it’s starting to look like doping. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

└ What doping in high school baseball, are you out of your mind?

└ But still, this is just ridiculous, lol.

└ Did you see Sweet Taehyun’s smile after that grand slam? It was so heartwarming!

└ I usually hate fangirls, but Sweet Taehyun was legit today. I’m a guy, but I swooned, lol.

└ What do you mean ‘I’m a guy’? That’s gross, get out.

“Haha… The viewers are also sending in their enthusiastic responses! Now, we have to ask Cha Taehyun about the finals, right? Cha Taehyun? Are you confident about the finals?”

As soon as he heard the announcer’s question, Cha Taehyun’s lips curled into a smirk.

Noticing this, the announcer excitedly pressed further.

“What’s the meaning of that smile? Is it that you’re not nervous at all about the finals?”

The announcer had expected a typical rookie’s bravado, but he froze at Cha Taehyun’s reply.

“Nervous? I am looking forward to the next game. Did you all see Daesangogo’s interview? They crossed the line… I think it’s time to make them realize their place.”

└ Wow, it’s over, Taehyun is pissed off, lol.

└ I’ve never seen Cha Taehyun this mad before, lol.

└ People who know Taehyun’s personality must be shocked, lol.

└ Honestly, Daesangogo really did cross the line.

└ Agreed.

└ Agreed.

The announcer, who finally regained his composure, reached out to take the microphone from Cha Taehyun, but he pulled it back and spoke again.

“Kim Sinhwa, or whatever his name is? I have something to say to you right now.”

‘Uh… uh?’

Sensing that this interview might damage high school baseball’s image, the experienced announcer prepared for the worst.

“When I step up to the plate, you better walk me.”

“Unless you want to be remembered as the team that helped me set a new record.”

The announcer, who felt his mental state crumbling, latched onto the keyword “record” to regain his focus.

‘Alright… if this is how it’s going to be, let’s make it big!’

“Wow! Are you referring to the world record of five consecutive home runs?”

“If it’s five at-bats, then yeah, five consecutive homers… If it’s six, then six consecutive homers. Basically, I’m telling Daesangogo to prepare to find their place.”

└ Lolololololol

└ Taehyun: If you don’t walk me, I’ll hit a home run.

└ This is when Taehyun teaches them a lesson with his bat, lol.

└ I can’t believe a player like this is coming to Phoenix; I’m so happy!

└ Agreed, Taehyun is the legend Phoenix needed.

└ ?

—

Cha Taehyun’s interview caused quite a stir, both good and bad.

Cheongshingo fans, thrilled by his words, began spreading the interview video everywhere.

Initially, the association, worried that this would harm the carefully built image of high school baseball, eventually decided to embrace the hype and started releasing special videos to promote the event.

As a result…

“Hey! Cha Taehyun, you’re on TV!”

Cha Taehyun, who was texting at the lodging, snapped his head around.

“What nonsense… Wait, why am I really on TV?”

“Wow, look at you, a star already!”

Cha Taehyun’s interview even made it to the news.

He could understand why his interview was gaining traction, but when Kim Hosan, a national star in Major League Baseball, appeared right after, even Cha Taehyun couldn’t hide his confusion.

– “Recently, I’ve been keeping an eye on a player who gave a fiery interview. Yes, I’m talking about Cha Taehyun.”

– “If you’re keeping an eye on him, does that mean Cha Taehyun is a player with that much skill?”

– “Yes. Well… anyone who follows high school baseball probably already knows this, but for those who don’t… I can confidently say he’s a player who will definitely go to the majors.”

“…Is this guy serious?”

—

The day of the highly anticipated Blue Dragon finals, fueled by my interview, had arrived.

I boarded the bus heading to the stadium after packing my gear when my phone vibrated.

[Little Sis: (Photo)]

It was an unusual text from Jihyun. She had sent a picture of a four-leaf clover.

[I found it on the road. Looks like a good omen for your finals, Oppa.]

The warmth in her message made me smile without resistance.

Then, I noticed something odd in the photo. The background was grass, and there was a bit of dirt on her hand…

“You didn’t just find it on the road…”

Maybe she was worried I’d feel burdened if I knew she took the time to pick clovers for me.

The thoughtfulness made my heart warm up.

“Myunghwan.”

“What now?”

“Be good to your family.”

“…What are you talking

about all of a sudden?”

“I’ve been realizing how precious family is lately.”

—

Under a cloudless blue sky, the sun baked the ground.

The two teams, who had fought their way to claim the Blue Dragon trophy, now stood facing each other.

In what had become a tradition, the handshake ceremony began, and the one shaking hands with Cha Taehyun was, of course, Kim Sinhwa.

“I saw your interview.”

Kim Sinhwa spoke with a stoic expression.

Cha Taehyun responded just as calmly.

“I saw yours too.”

For a split second, Kim Sinhwa’s lip twitched.

Cha Taehyun didn’t miss it.

“Must be tough pretending to be cool, huh?”

“…You, on the other hand, must feel a lot of pressure… with that outrageous claim you made.”

“Did you think it was an outrageous claim? Just something I said in the heat of the moment?”

Before Kim Sinhwa could respond, the handshake ceremony was called to an end.

Though Cha Taehyun didn’t get to hear his final words, he had a good idea of what he was going to say.

‘He’s wondering if I meant what I said…’

No, it wasn’t something I said out of anger.

Today, you’re in for a real lesson.

—