Chapter 16: Social life starting from Zero

Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks was the only team in the NPB to have a 4-army system.

The purpose of this 4-army system was to use their abundant financial resources to collect and develop promising players from both within Japan and abroad.

As a result, they were stigmatized as the NPB’s version of the “Evil Empire”.

However, young players, especially those from Latin America, sometimes preferred the Hawks over Major League teams.

Kawasaki Munenori, the manager of the Hawks’ 3rd army.

A franchise star of the Hawks who also played in the Major Leagues.

He was a renowned shortstop with a career batting average of .292, an OPS of .720, 267 stolen bases, and a fielding percentage of 98%.

As he got dressed and prepared for work, Manager Kawasaki’s expression seemed particularly bright today.

“Honey, is something good happening?

You’re humming a tune since morning.”

“A new foreign player is coming today.

I heard she’s a very special kid, so I’m excited.”

“Is she throwing 170 km/h or something?”

After spritzing on some cologne, which he rarely used when going to the baseball field, Kawasaki left the house.

Kawasaki arrived at Chikugo Baseball Park, the home field of the 3rd army.

The players, who had arrived early for individual training, all stood up and greeted their manager.

“Good morning, babies.

Hmm, hasn’t the newbie arrived yet?”

“No.

Are you talking about the Korean female pitcher?”

It seemed like everyone had already heard the rumors.

Come to think of it, look at these guys.

Everyone seems particularly spruced up today, for some reason.

Yamada even shaved, which he doesn’t usually do!

Of course, the players were having the same thoughts about Kawasaki.

What’s up with the manager?

Why did he put on cologne when he never does?

A little while later.

The main character everyone had been waiting for with bated breath, after getting themselves physically and mentally prepared.

The Korean female pitcher, Jeong Su-hyeon, finally made her appearance.

‘This is a 3rd army training ground?

It’s just an indoor baseball field.

Money really is the best.’

Su-hyeon walked into the indoor training facility, guided by a team staff member.

A man in his 40s also followed Su-hyeon in.

But the attention of the Hawks players was solely focused on Su-hyeon.

Gulp.

Wow.

Sugoi ne.

Ah, sugoi sugoi.

The team staff member began to introduce Su-hyeon.

“This is Jeong Su-hyeon from Korea.

She will be joining the Hawks’ 3rd army starting today and will be with you all.

She just arrived in Japan, so please help her a lot.”

“Hello, my name is Jeong Su-hyeon.

I’m 21 years old, I bat and throw right-handed, and my position is pitcher.

Nice to meet you!”

Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!

“This is Kim Dae-joon.

He is a trainer who came from Korea with Su-hyeon.”

“Nice to meet you all.

My name is Kim Dae-joon.

My position hasn’t been decided yet, but for now, I’ve been assigned to the 3rd army.

Nice to meet you.”

Clap clap-

After the introductions, Manager Kawasaki was the first to extend his hand to Dae-joon.

“You’ve developed many good players in Korea.

I look forward to working with you.”

“Yes, I’ll do my best.”

Finishing the handshake at lightning speed, Manager Kawasaki immediately turned to Su-hyeon and extended his hand.

“Welcome.

I’m the manager, Kawasaki.

Su-hyeon.

That’s a bit hard to pronounce.

Would it be okay if I called you Hyon-chan?”

Su-hyeon reached out and shook hands with Kawasaki, then replied.

“Of course.

Manager, you’ve played in the Korea-Japan international matches before, right?

Your face looks familiar.”

“Heeh?

Hyon-chan knows who I am?

Not many of the babies here even remember me playing.”

Oh, right.

It was the old Jeong Su-hyeon who remembered this guy.

I need to come up with something.

“Manager, you were very popular in Korea!

Because you’re so handsome.

I saw you on YooTube, you know.

Algorithm, algorithm.”

“Really?!

Maybe I should have tried to make it in Korea.

Why didn’t you tell me sooner!”

Sorry.

I was just kidding.

Anyway, the cheerful Manager Kawasaki probably wouldn’t care whether it was true or not, so I felt relieved.

“Hyon-chan, for now, just start by imitating what the seniors do.

It’s probably your first time with team training, so don’t push yourself too hard.”

“Yes, I understand!”

Leaving aside the fact that she was a woman.

She was the winner of the Greatest Baseball Tournament, but she was an “unselected” amateur with no experience in a professional baseball team.

The fact that they brought her in with a salary of $1.5 million meant that the front office saw her as someone who could contribute immediately.

But being a pro isn’t easy enough to succeed just by throwing the ball well.

Manager Kawasaki’s thought was that she needed to learn the basics step by step.

“Manager, look over there.”

The pitching coach was pointing at Su-hyeon, who was warming up.

Boing~ Boing~

“Hey, now.

I know it’s distracting, but this is a sacred ground, you can’t be doing that.”

“No, not there, look at her warm-up routine.

She’s no newbie.”

Manager Kawasaki, who had been deliberately avoiding looking at Su-hyeon because it was embarrassing to watch.

As the pitching coach said, Su-hyeon was expertly warming up according to her own routine.

“You’re right.

She looks like an old man who’s been exercising for 30 years.”

“Let’s watch a bit more.”

Next up was catch and long toss practice.

Boing~ Pow!

“The ball has life.

And her control is accurate.”

“Is this… a newbie?”

Following that, Su-hyeon participated in the pitchers’ fielding practice.

“Did we get a new infielder?”

“That’s strange.

I thought she was a pitcher.”

The winner of the 2023 KBO Fielding Award for pitchers, Chickens’ Jeong Su-hyeon.

Her fielding skills, befitting her nickname of “Pitcher-Fielder,” remained sharp even with a changed body.

Boing boing~ Dash dash dash Shoo Pow!

Flawless footwork.

Clean glovework.

Fast and accurate throws.

Everyone watching was impressed by Su-hyeon’s unique fielding style.

Manager Kawasaki made a decision.

“Hyon-chan, I know it’s not right to do this on your first day, but would you be able to do some simulated batting?”

Simulated batting, where a pitcher practices as if in a real game with runners and batters.

Manager Kawasaki knew he would have to change the entire training schedule, but he was too curious about Su-hyeon’s pitching to wait.

“Yes.

I’m all ready because of the tournament.

I’m good to go!”

Before the simulated batting, Su-hyeon was doing some practice pitches on the mound.

The velocity of her four-seam fastball was fluctuating around 130 km/h.

It didn’t look like an unhittable pitch.

But it was the pitch of the Greatest Baseball Tournament winner.

There must be something special about it.

Su-hyeon’s first opponent was Hawks’ 3rd army infielder, Yamada Genta.

He was a player who could be a starter in the 2nd army based on his hitting, but his defensive instability kept him in the 3rd army.

[The Boing Boing (EX) trait is activated]

Whoosh-

Thwack!

“Swing, strike!”

• A swing and a miss on the first pitch, a 129 km/h four-seam fastball.

Yamada couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the number on the radar gun.

‘This is 129 km/h?

Is it broken?’

Some players chuckled as they watched Yamada whiff at Su-hyeon’s slow pitch.

But that laughter didn’t last long.

Boing~

Whoosh-

Thwack!

“Swing, batter out!”

After Yamada struck out swinging, the players who had been watching quickly gathered around and started asking questions.

“What’s going on?

Did you go easy on Hyon-chan because you want to impress her?”

“Was it too slow, so your timing was off?”

Yamada, who had finally snapped out of the illusion of her bouncing chest, replied.

“It’s no joke.

It’s hard to explain, but it looks incredibly fast.”

The next opponent was Hawks’ 3rd army outfielder, Jose Araez.

He was a young player who lacked power but had a knack for making contact.

Boing~

Whoosh-

Thwack!

“Swing, batter out!”

Despite managing to foul off three pitches, he still struck out.

Jose Araez in the batter’s box was laughing in disbelief.

“How long has it been since Jose struck out?”

“I don’t think I’ve seen it in the last six months.”

Now there was only one opponent left.

Just as Su-hyeon’s last opponent was about to step into the batter’s box.

Manager Kawasaki, who had been watching, called for a halt.

“Pinch hitter, me.”

“……Manager, you’re pinch hitting?”

Manager Kawasaki had been known as an eccentric character since his playing days.

He was often criticized for his frivolous behavior.

But he was a man who was serious about baseball, having played in an independent league until he was 46.

In the face of the first-ever female pitcher’s pitching.

Kawasaki’s competitive spirit began to burn again.

“You want me to pitch to the manager?

What if you get hurt?!”

“Hyon-chan!

I may be 50, but I never miss my morning training!

Don’t even think about going easy on me!”

This guy is serious.

A lose-lose situation where my evaluation will drop whether I get hit or strike him out.

Su-hyeon looked at Dae-joon as if asking for help.

But Dae-joon was just watching from afar with a big grin on his face.

‘I have no choice.’

Su-hyeon made a decision.

A decision to play the social game.

[The Boing Boing (EX) trait is activated]

Thwack!

“Strike!”

Su-hyeon’s 127 km/h Boing-Linker aimed at the low and away corner to the left-handed Kawasaki.

Kawasaki didn’t even dare to swing his bat.

‘This speed, this location, this movement, that movement!’

Boing~

Whoosh-

Thwack!

“Swing, strike!”

A combination of the Boing-Linker and change-up, a reliable combo against left-handed batters.

There was no way Kawasaki, who had been retired for over four years, could catch up with his bat.

‘Even in the Major Leagues, this kind of change-up is rare.

Hyon-chan, you didn’t win by luck after all!’

In a disadvantageous 0-2 count.

Kawasaki Munenori, setting up his own defeat flag.

“Nice ball!

Hyon-chan, the loser buys dinner tonight!

Give it your all!”

Making the newbie buy dinner on her first day?

Is this… Japanese culture?

But, I have plenty of money!

[The Boing Boing (EX) trait is deactivated]

Boing~

Su-hyeon’s Boing-Rider flew towards the middle of the strike zone.

Please hit it, Manager!

Crack-!

Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!

“Munering!

Munering!”

Cheers from the players erupted for Manager Kawasaki, who roared in triumph after getting a hit off Su-hyeon and reaching first base.

On the mound, Su-hyeon also applauded enthusiastically towards first base.

It was a social play.