Chapter 79, I Won’t Lose
After the game against Taiwan, countless interview requests came to me.
“Do you think Korea can beat the United States?”
As always, I answered simply.
“We will.”
Everyone had doubts about Korea.
I did not deny that those doubts existed.
I simply had the ability to prove them wrong.
And I still felt guilty about Cho Seung-hun.
He had suffered an orbital fracture and was ruled out for the season.
They were still running detailed tests to check for an additional concussion.
Even if it had only been an accident, his smile remained in my memory.
“How do you think you can win?”
“Just intuition.”
Manager Heo Jun and the other players were always too humble.
Things like,
“You never know until you play.”
Or,
“It’s an honor just to face the American world all-stars.”
I did not like those answers very much.
They should confidently say they would win.
I could only sigh whenever I heard responses like that.
5-2.
Japan lost badly to the United States by that score.
Hoshino Yuki could not pitch.
Japan’s other starter gave up five runs in two innings.
The problem was Noah.
A young hitter who would later be called one of the greatest Major League legends of all time.
Even now, his talent was obvious.
At the end of the first half of the Major League season, he already had thirty home runs.
His baserunning sense was also excellent, and he had fifteen stolen bases.
Some people were even wondering whether baseball might see its first 60-home-run, 60-stolen-base season.
In short, he was a monster.
Even I had given up home runs to him several times.
“Hi.”
After I finished a short interview at the hotel, Noah approached me with interest.
In my previous life, we had argued with each other often enough.
Blond hair.
Blue eyes.
He had the classic handsome American image and was incredibly popular.
His starting point was completely different from mine, someone who had spent years fighting constant racism.
He represented both the present and future of American baseball.
Later, he would become a symbol of American baseball itself.
“What do you want?”
He also only cared about baseball.
He was strangely pure.
He never touched performance-enhancing drugs.
He practically worshipped the sport.
I neither liked nor disliked him.
He had always felt like someone far away.
A legend who won MVP four years in a row.
Someone who won Gold Gloves every season and eventually became baseball’s Michael Jordan.
And now that person had suddenly come to see me.
Why did these guys keep wanting to meet me before every game?
“I wanted to see you.”
“Why?”
“Just felt like seeing you before the game.”
Noah was not holding a bat.
He was not in uniform either.
Still, he naturally carried a powerful presence.
Noah grinned.
“That interview was cool.”
I shrugged.
“I trust my ability.”
Noah stepped closer and lowered his voice.
“Yeah. Even watching your pitches on TV, I could tell. They were perfect.”
“Tomorrow’s pitches will be better than today’s.”
“Then tomorrow, my swing will be better too.”
Noah immediately answered back.
When we entered the elevator, I realized we were heading in the same direction.
The training facility.
After that, both of us fell silent.
It was the kind of silence made only by people who had already entered tomorrow’s game halfway in their minds.
The same type of fire burned in both our eyes through the elevator mirror.
It was hot, yet steady.
Almost cold in its clarity.
As we approached our floor, Noah spoke first.
“Tomorrow, I’m hitting a home run off you.”
I tilted my head.
“If you can.”
“Then promise me one thing.”
“What?”
“Challenge me directly.”
I laughed briefly.
“I always challenge hitters directly. If I don’t, it’s because they aren’t good enough to deserve it.”
The doors opened.
Noah stepped out first.
Before turning away, he raised one hand.
“See you on the field.”
The doors closed.
A moment later, my heart also shut itself tightly.
For tomorrow.
I buried myself in training.
Again and again, I imagined facing Noah.
Morning of the final.
My body felt strangely light.
Not because I had slept well.
My mind simply felt empty.
I moved through my routine one step at a time.
Light running.
Short catch.
Then the final bullpen session.
“Want to make a separate strategy today?”
Yoon Jae-jun asked while receiving my pitches.
There was no tension on his face either.
He looked as calm as if we were preparing for an ordinary league game in Korea.
“Seven four-seams, two sliders, one screwball.”
“More straightforward than usual.”
“I prepared my condition for this exact day. I have to beat Noah.”
Yoon Jae-jun smiled.
Against Noah, I could not hesitate from the first pitch.
[Noah, Grand Slam Against Japan, vs Choi Seong, Reaper of the East]
[Young Stars Clash, Who Will Smile, Noah or Choi Seong?]
[Noah Batting .700, Can His Olympic Rampage Continue in the Final?]
[Choi Seong Batting .400 with 0.00 ERA, Creating Korea’s Miracle]
[Korea Can Win First Olympic Gold Since 2008, Everything Depends on Choi Seong]
The media had already focused on Noah versus me.
The final had been sold out for a long time.
I made a promise to myself.
I would throw my best pitch into my best location.
No excuses.
I would defeat both Noah and America here.
The game began with my bat.
Top of the first.
I stepped in as the third hitter.
The American starter’s first pitch came fast.
I swung without hesitation.
CRACK!
The ball cleared the left-center wall.
1-0.
