The Genius Pitcher Dad Throws for His Daughter - Chapter 28

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 28
#28.
I spent as much time as possible with my Daughter.
That evening, my Parents and I went out to eat together for the first time in a while.
“Oh! Kang Ho-jin?!”
We’d chosen a small meat restaurant near our home, and to my surprise, a fan recognized me the moment we arrived.
“I became a fan after watching your game recently.”
“Wow! You were really amazing!”
“Wow! Kang Ho-jin, could you sign something for me?”
The atmosphere suddenly became lively and bustling.
Fortunately, there were no other customers, though this could have been an inconvenience. I felt a twinge of guilt toward the restaurant owner.
“Incredible! Kang Ho-jin!”
The Restaurant Owner suddenly rushed out from the kitchen and pulled several sheets of A4 paper from the counter, handing them to me.
“Please sign these! I’ll hang them up in the restaurant.”
Only then did I get a proper look at the interior of the shop.
It was filled with merchandise related to the Busan Dolphins—clearly a devoted fan.
While no players had visited in person to sign anything directly, I could see uniforms of former teammates who’d had successful careers, along with their autographs on the clothing. It was clear this owner had been a loyal fan of our team for a long time.
“Haha, of course I will. Thank you so much.”
I signed autographs for the Restaurant Owner and his family at their table.
Though we’d come to eat, the atmosphere felt awkward given the commotion. When I glanced at my Parents, they were smiling warmly—a look of pride in their son that caught in my throat.
‘It’s the same expression they used to have back in high school…’
Now that I thought about it, it had been quite a while since I’d seen that look on their faces, especially after Ye-jin came into my life.
Moreover, all my games had been away games, so I hadn’t been able to invite them properly. Even for home games, since my appearances weren’t guaranteed, it felt awkward to extend an invitation.
And with Ye-jin lying in the Hospital Room, they probably couldn’t even consider leaving her side.
‘In the second half, I’ll definitely transition to being a starter.’
I resolved that when that time came, I’d show my gratitude to my Parents more properly.
After signing, I took photos with them as well.
“Here’s your grilled pork belly. And this is a service from us as fans.”
The Restaurant Owner brought out high-quality neck meat, along with jowl and brisket cuts.
As he served the neighboring table as well, he spoke to them.
“I didn’t realize you were from the same region. You seem to enjoy baseball too—please come by often. We always have the Dolphins games on.”
“Great! Baseball with grilled pork belly and soju—I’ll bring my friends by sometime.”
The Restaurant Owner and the neighboring family had already struck up a rapport.
Once all the food arrived, the Restaurant Owner carefully placed my autograph into a frame. The reverence with which he treated it—as though it were a precious treasure—actually made me feel grateful instead.
Here I was, just a pitcher who’d thrown three times professionally, yet he treasured me so deeply. I could only feel immense gratitude.
He then displayed it in the most prominent spot in the restaurant and took a photo.
“Haha! I’ll have to post this on the restaurant’s social media and brag about it!”
Seeing the Restaurant Owner’s genuine joy, I felt my own energy surge.
While I play baseball for my Daughter, moments like this remind me that I must work even harder for fans like this who cherish me so sincerely.
“Do your best.”
“Yes, Father.”
Father seemed to sense it too and spoke those words, and I acknowledged him before pouring soju for him.
The alcohol I drank after so long still tasted bitter.
Yet, drinking it alongside my father and among my fans somehow made it feel warm.
The next morning at dawn.
I hurried down to Busan.
Midweek home games.
To prepare for the three-game series against the Changwon Griffins and the match against the Incheon Serpents, I threw myself into training once more.
* * *
The Changwon Griffins, facing a three-game series midweek.
Because Busan and Changwon were geographically close, even though it was an away game, they could commute from home—and on Monday evening, the Manager, coaching staff, and Front Office of the Changwon Griffins were deep in thought.
“The atmosphere has definitely picked up, hasn’t it?”
At the question from Kim Eung-bin, the Manager of the Changwon Griffins, everyone nodded.
Four consecutive wins.
A victory after a grueling six-plus-hour battle and a sweep of all three games in the series—the momentum of the Busan Dolphins was soaring to the heavens.
“Well, it’ll just be a brief flash anyway.”
There was not a trace of worry on Manager Kim Eung-bin’s face.
And for good reason—the Busan Dolphins had always been this way.
A team that rides the momentum of their soaring confidence and charges forward madly. Conversely, when their momentum drops, they plummet just as quickly.
Hadn’t they set a remarkable record last year? A miracle team that achieved a 5% miracle, a team that set fans’ hearts ablaze not like a roller coaster but like a meteor falling from the sky.
Last year was like that, and this year is no different.
Dead last, no less.
Manager Kim Eung-bin couldn’t help but think it foolish to worry about the Dolphins.
“First, here’s an analysis of the four pitchers who recently joined the 1st Team.”
At those words, Manager Kim Eung-bin reacted.
“Huh? Those guys? I thought they’d be used briefly and sent back down? The Clutch Team pitchers are fine as is, aren’t they?”
“Well, that’s true.”
The head of the scouting analysis team agreed with Manager Kim Eung-bin’s assessment.
Still, they seemed likely to continue performing after coming up from the 1st Team, so he’d prepared the materials, but Manager Kim Eung-bin’s reaction was lukewarm.
“With Manager Bong’s style, he’ll use them briefly and send them back down once the other guys recover, or use them for long relief.”
“But, still…”
Manager Bong Jun-sik’s style was similar to Manager Kim Eung-bin’s.
He frequently used the pitchers he was already using, and continued to use those he’d once trusted.
To put it kindly, it was trust-based baseball; to put it harshly, it was favoritism. Surviving in the 1st Team meant he judged them to have the experience and skill to do so.
“Well, they threw the ball aggressively. Against aggressive pitching, we’ll respond aggressively. Let’s start with analyzing the batters called the Cannon Corps.”
“Yes, understood.”
In this midweek three-game series, the 4th, 5th, and 1st starting pitchers would take the mound in order.
Essentially, Manager Kim Eung-bin’s thinking was to secure the first two games and, even if they gave the third, minimize bullpen usage to target the weekend three-game series—and the Front Office agreed.
With that, the meeting drew to a close.
“Right, if they’ve soared, they should crash too. That’s the Dolphins, after all.”
Manager Kim Eung-bin finished the meeting, proving that he was sufficiently prepared.
But until now, I didn’t know.
That the rigid Manager Bong Jun-sik had changed his style, and that the Busan Dolphins had altered their strategy in preparation to face the Changwon Griffins.
From Manager Kim Eung-bin’s perspective, a game that would be remembered as the worst three-game series was fast approaching.
* * *
I skipped Monday’s team training and joined Tuesday’s session.
“Hey, you made it?”
“Get some good rest?”
“Let’s do well this week too.”
Several easygoing seniors greeted me first when I appeared.
They were all sweating it out at the gym, preparing for the week’s games.
Their faces were bright, having recovered from last week’s fatigue.
“Hello, seniors.”
I bowed respectfully to them.
Most of them were seniors with families.
Perhaps that’s why they patted my shoulder and encouraged me, knowing that I’d skipped yesterday’s training to meet my daughter.
I could only feel grateful.
“Wow… the closer skips training too.”
“Hmm… lucky guy.”
“Ugh, I’m jealous.”
The seniors running on the treadmills shot sharp remarks at me.
“Hello.”
I bowed to them as well and stepped onto an empty treadmill.
I warmed up my body at a moderate pace, building heat in my muscles.
Then I glanced at the Three Hitters who had just made those bitter comments about me.
‘Well, that’s how it goes.’
Professional baseball is competition.
Only those who survived fierce competition for limited positions earn the right to stand on the 1st Team stage.
In fact, if we’re being honest, everyone here has earned that right.
The problem is the position that right grants.
With the seniors called ‘Triple H’ and the Four Hitters including myself securing spots in the Clutch Team, it was only natural that the previous Clutch Team members’ faces filled with discontent.
But this was also self-inflicted.
If they truly believed their positions were in danger, they should have prepared and trained accordingly in advance, maintaining their bodies with dedication.
But they were different.
Every time a game ended, they worried about which bar to visit, didn’t serve the fans, and their game results were even worse.
I occasionally saw impressive moments, but they showed far more poor performances, making those moments meaningless.
‘If you’re born with talent, you should at least try to bloom it once.’
Before returning to the past.
I nurtured my talent to its fullest in my dreams, supported by my daughter’s cheers.
Through that journey, despite facing despair, ruin, and the worst circumstances, I survived steadfastly and even reached the pinnacle.
It’s so humiliating that I even have to call them seniors when they don’t make such efforts.
Above all, two years later when I properly establish myself in the 1st Team, none of them will be there.
Since they’re like morning dew that will vanish before the rising sun, I simply keep my distance and stay quiet.
‘But if they cross the line….’
I’ll bite like a dog.
That’s how you survive in professional baseball, and it’s how I survived in the Big League.
Let them try me.
* * *
Tuesday evening.
The game between Changwon Griffins and Busan Dolphins began.
“Play ball.”
With Changwon Griffins on offense, the pitcher for Busan Dolphins took the mound.
Choi Jin-ha.
The pitcher who had signaled the start of a grueling battle early last week, and as expected, he took the mound as the fourth starter, trembling visibly.
‘Damn it! I’m going crazy!’
The memory of that game still lingered like an afterimage.
Every pitch he threw was hit by the batters, and as the balls fell where the fielders couldn’t reach them, runners accumulated one by one, and the score kept climbing.
Without even proper treatment, he took the mound and threw his first pitch.
“Ball!”
A ball from the very first pitch.
And with the succession of balls, the roar of fans who had come to Sajik Baseball Stadium to continue the winning streak echoed through the stadium.
“Come on! Throw it in the Strike Zone!”
“Are your eyes broken?! Why can’t you throw!”
“Do something!”
“Why can’t the pitcher throw properly!”
“Come on!”
The roar of fans who had come to Sajik Baseball Stadium after a long time thundered through the air.
And Choi Jin-ha’s face on the mound grew increasingly wet.
The first game of the weekend began with crisis from the start.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————