The Second Team Roster

The next day, as soon as Seon Dae-gyu saw Hyun, he fumed.

“Ah, Hyun-ssi! What, did you four eat dinner alone yesterday?”

“Yes? Oh, how did you know?”

“How do I know? Song Him-chan proudly posted it, that’s how! It’s all over the place, you know?”

Seon Dae-gyu roughly slung his arm around Hyun, pushed him into the dugout, and shoved his phone at him. On the screen he held out with a sulky expression was Song Him-chan’s SNS.

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strongchaniii My beloved hyung-nim and Hye-seong hyung, who I became close with today♥ And even the shining Cha Seok-young sunbae-nim.. It takes immense courage to take a photo among these 3 peopleㅋㅋ #ReemergenceDreamers #Dahireon #JungHyun #ChaSeokYoung #JeongHyeSeong #INIX #ChanggeonDragons #AnotherBenefactor #Michael
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backsj_cap Him-chan, are you going to train with Hye-seong from now on? ^^ That’s great.
sundaegyu9090 Why didn’t you invite me ㅡㅡ
inix0comet Throw again and run! Peep Dreamers!]

Hyun narrowed his eyes and looked more closely at the photo. Behind Song Him-chan, who held his phone up high, he saw himself sitting next to Cha Seok-young. His subtly tense smile looked forced.

Cha Seok-young, on the other hand, looked splendidly expressionless. How could he exude such an aura when the background was a galbi-tang restaurant? Hyun stared at the photo for a long time before belatedly snapping out of it. Seon Dae-gyu was snorting loudly.

“What is it? What’s going on?”

A few players already seated showed interest. Seon Dae-gyu shouted loudly, as if for them to hear.

“You kept playing hard to get when I asked you, Cha Seok-young and I, to eat! Are you saying you won’t play with me because I’m old? Hyun-ssi, is our handsome battery relationship only this much?”

“No, absolutely not. Before, it was because I wanted to train more. Yesterday, everyone worked hard late, so I offered to buy dinner…”

Although Cha Seok-young ended up paying for everything.

As Hyun forced a clumsy smile, Seon Dae-gyu pouted his lips. Next to him, Shim Sang-jin reached out his hand.

“What is it? Let me see.”

He casually snatched the phone and held the screen at a distance, looking at it. His narrowed eyes almost glared at the photo.

“Wow, you four seem to have gotten very close, huh?”

“Right, hyung-nim. This won’t do. Shall we make the opening game after-party mandatory attendance?”

“Of course, that’s a given.”

Shim Sang-jin smirked and handed Seon Dae-gyu’s phone back. His somewhat sour gaze obliquely looked up at Hyun.

“Looks good, huh?”

It was clearly a sarcastic remark. Hyun pretended not to notice his true intentions, thanked him, and quickly headed out to the field. He felt a stinging gaze on his back the entire time he stretched his legs and rolled his neck.

Soon, players began to gather for training. Hyun sat on the grass, stretching his legs, and looked around. Cha Seok-young, who was always out early, was not visible today.

‘Is he filming or has another event?’

Just as he thought that, a familiar figure appeared in the distance. The main PD was with Cha Seok-young’s tall, slender silhouette.

Usually, before training began, the coach would make an announcement first. Each specialized coach would briefly explain today’s training, then the groups would split up to warm up. But today, the PD stood at the very front of the team. She seemed to have something important to say.

The players, sensing the mood, stood in formation. Hyun gestured to Cha Seok-young, who was approaching, to ask what was going on, but he casually pointed to the PD with his chin. It was an expression that told Hyun to listen, as she would speak soon.

“We have an important announcement.”

PD Kim tapped the microphone. She cleared her throat and announced in a very clear pronunciation.

“Starting the week after the opening game, our Re-emergence Dreamers will be implementing a farm team system.”

A short silence fell instantly. The players, who had been silently exchanging surprised glances, slowly came to life.

“A farm team, suddenly?”

“What, are we getting demoted?”

“A farm team with an already sparsely populated first-team roster…?”

“Did you scout new players?”

The murmuring spread, and the atmosphere quickly soured. Just before complaints erupted, PD Kim spoke again.

“Please calm down for now. While we call it a farm team, it would be better to understand it as a player development and rehabilitation support system. As you said, with the first team not being abundant, we have no intention of dividing the first and second teams based on performance.”

The camera captured the relieved players and the smiling PD.

“We plan to select two additional development players for each position from the applicants who participated in the last tryouts. If backup players are always ready like this, it seems it will be helpful in situations of elimination or unexpected injuries.”

“No, then I’ll be on the farm team starting next week, won’t I?”

Shim Sang-jin, who had sharply sneered for a moment, quickly changed his expression to an awkward smile.

“Unfortunately, that will be the case for now. In professional sports, isn’t it a natural process? Injured players are removed from the roster and focus on rehabilitation and recovery in the farm team. Until now, because we had few members, such support was impossible, but now it is. You don’t need to waste time watching training you can’t participate in, and you don’t have to match all game schedules, so you can aim for a quicker recovery.”

When PD Kim finished speaking, most players nodded. The reaction was much softer than at first.

“Well, actually, I feel more at ease. I felt self-conscious just sitting in the dugout when I couldn’t even play.”

“But will the farm team also get screen time?”

“You didn’t even get much in the first team, you idiot.”

The atmosphere completely relaxed with playful jokes and laughter. PD Kim, also smiling broadly, shouted loudly.

“Alright, I’ve taken up too much of your time. Work hard in today’s training too, and let’s definitely win the opening game! Fighting!”

“Fighting!” The players, who shouted along, soon moved according to the coach’s announcement. In the middle of the group splitting into pitcher and fielder teams, Shim Sang-jin still stood stiffly.

Cha Seok-young grabbed Hyun, who was also frozen. The hand that immediately wrapped around his shoulder in a deep embrace was natural. Hyun instinctively held his breath and quietly asked.

“Did you pull some strings?”

“Strings? What for? I’m not even a broadcasting station director.”

‘Right, no matter how much Cha Seok-young he is, he wouldn’t be able to control the program itself.’ Hyun felt strangely relieved and looked back at Shim Sang-jin. He was now glaring at them.

Cha Seok-young, who followed Hyun’s gaze, chuckled briefly. With a light, hollow laugh, he tightened the arm around Hyun. He led Hyun forcefully, muttering.

“Though I did say I had a good idea.”

“What? Then you really…”

“The production team already had a similar idea. Seeing the reactions to Song Him-chan’s post, they thought it would create buzz if they grouped the four of us. The farm team is just an excuse to legitimately keep us together.”

Hyun pushed away Cha Seok-young’s heavy arm and stood facing him. Over Cha Seok-young’s shoulder, he could still see Shim Sang-jin glaring at them. Even from such a distance, the aggressive gaze was clearly felt.

“Don’t tell anyone about this.”

“Why?”

Cha Seok-young, who asked back, seemed unusually pleased. His lips, red like luscious fruit, curved into an arc.

Hyun flinched for a moment, then hastily turned around and replied.

“It’s just better to be careful. Someone who was suddenly demoted to the farm team might hold a grudge…”

Cha Seok-young, who would normally have instantly fought, asking who would do such a thing, was docile. He quickly caught up to Hyun, who had walked ahead, and again slung his arm over his shoulder.

The touch of his warm, firm arm on Hyun’s neck, no matter how often he experienced it, never felt familiar. As he tried to push him away again, a gentle voice made his hand stop.

“Alright.”

It was an uncharacteristically obedient reply. Hyun walked alongside him for a long time with a bewildered expression.

Finally, on the day of the opening game, Hyun got into the sleek black van parked in front of his house. As soon as he sat down, Song Him-chan suddenly thrust something at him.

“Hyung-nim, first, let’s take a Cheongsimhwan before we go.”

The hand offering the round medicine was trembling.

“I think you need it more than me.”

He laughed playfully but silently accepted and swallowed the Cheongsimhwan. Hyun was just as nervous as Song Him-chan, whose fingertips were trembling.

The car was silent the entire way to the stadium. Song Him-chan, who was usually quiet, suddenly gasped, telling him to get some sleep.

“Huuugh, why are there so many people already?”

The entrance to the stadium parking lot was already bustling. Even though it was still early, the number of fans gathered was considerable enough to require barricades.

Their murmuring as they watched the van further intensified the tension. Just before getting out, Hyun gripped his equipment bag tightly and took a deep breath.

“Hyung-nim, really, fighting!”

Song Him-chan looked back with an affectionate and solemn face, as if seeing off a family member going to war. Thanks to him, Hyun chuckled and could step out with a slightly lighter heart.

As soon as he got out, cheers erupted from the crowd, and requests for autographs surged over the fence. Uniforms, hats, bags, and more were thrust forward from everywhere, and there were many hands offering letters, gifts, and flowers.

It was a sight he had never even dared to dream of.

Hyun took a deep breath and slowly began to walk. He felt as if he was walking into a scene from an unreal dream.