Chapter 14
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By the time I noticed, time had flown by, and spring, the season of blooming flowers, had arrived.
On the streets were students wearing school uniforms on their way to school, and some were fidgeting with their collars as if they liked their new uniforms.
‘…Damn.’
And there I was, squeezing onto a fully packed bus with a look of horror.
‘Thank God the bus depot is in Nowon. If I had to get on this route midway… that would be a nightmare.’
Usually, when you imagine riding a bus, you think of students squeezing through a crowded bus, struggling to get to school.
In reality, my father drives to work, while my mother is screaming in frustration at the traffic jam right now.
But the city bus that goes to Haneul High School starts its route at a depot in Nowon-gu.
That means I can board early and claim an empty seat before the bus fills up.
‘And it only takes four minutes by bike to get to the depot from my house.’
The method was simple: ride my bike to the depot, take the bus, and ride it all the way to Haneul High School. Perfect.
The bus ride takes exactly one hour. So, even if traffic jams paralyzed the roads, by leaving an hour early, I would still make it to Haneul High.
‘Even so, buses are always crowded.’
I sat comfortably in a single seat near the wheel well, scrolling through my phone. Before I knew it, it was close to 8 a.m., and the bus had cleared out a bit.
Somewhere along the way, Haneul High students in school uniforms had gotten on the bus.
[Next stop, Haneul High. Haneul High. Next stop, Samseong Station…]
‘Time to get off.’
-Beep!
After tapping my transportation card, I leisurely walked toward the main gate.
The uphill path was hellishly steep, probably because they built the school on a mountain. But, of course, money fixes everything—there was an escalator installed on the slope.
Today was a day to see how corporate sponsorship could truly transform a school.
As I rode the escalator up the hill, students who looked like they had come from the dormitories started to appear.
I had already visited the school last week for the entrance ceremony rehearsal.
Still, standing at the main gate on March 2nd, the actual opening day, gave me a strange feeling. Like the other students, I slowly made my way to school…
“Yeah, no matter how many times you think about it, the first day of school really sucks.”
“Mhm, I agree. It’s a day that always brings new and annoying pain.”
“……?”
“Hello?”
“Jeez, could you not pop out of the bushes like that and scare people?”
Why was Yang Eui-ji appearing from the garden bushes in front of me?
“Well, it’s because this is the quickest route from the dormitory.”
“No, but on the first day of school, you’re probably the only one wearing a gym uniform instead of the school uniform.”
That’s right. Despite being a second-year student, Yang Eui-ji was attending the opening ceremony in his gym uniform.
“Well, I’m in my second year, so I don’t need to attend the first-year entrance ceremony… Plus, I need to play baseball right after class, so gym clothes are more convenient. Most sports kids will just wear gym uniforms today anyway.”
He wasn’t wrong. The school didn’t enforce a strict uniform policy for students in sports programs, so they could freely wear gym uniforms.
‘Back in my previous life, nobody cared what we wore either.’
I was reminded of the past when they didn’t confiscate phones, citing student rights. Come to think of it, Haneul High doesn’t confiscate phones either.
“I guess that makes sense…”
As I was about to agree with Yang Eui-ji, he briefly glanced at the sky and spoke.
“Shall we head to the auditorium? You’re a special recruit, so you’ll have to take an oath like Kang-min did, right?”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
Haneul High operates a special recruit system.
In name, it’s called special recruit, but in reality, it’s no different from being a scholarship student.
The system selects the most outstanding individuals through entrance tests in various sports—baseball, soccer, basketball, table tennis, badminton, taekwondo, shooting, ice hockey, and archery.
With the title comes full scholarships and captain positions, making it a dream for all Haneul High students… but I didn’t particularly want it.
Special recruits are constantly exposed to the media.
At Haneul High, Korea’s top prestigious school, failing to live up to the special recruit title invites criticism from the media. Scouts from Major League teams show up just because you’re wearing the Captain’s Wing.
‘I guess my dream of playing baseball comfortably is pretty much over…’
I had never shown any leadership qualities, and since most of the students came from Haneul Middle School, they’d probably listen to Kim Si-hoo more than me.
I don’t know why the coach gave me the special recruit position. Actually, if I had held back during the entrance test, Kim Si-hoo would’ve gotten it…
‘But how could I resist showing my History-grade skills?’
If they want to pay attention to me, I might as well enjoy it.
‘Anyway… Lee Tae-hyun must be starting to gather players for the Daeji High baseball team by now.’
Daeji High School.
Ten years ago, it was strong enough to win major tournaments and regularly competed with Haneul High for championship trophies. But now…
[Shocking! Daeji High baseball team caught entering adult entertainment venues.]
[Neglect or abuse? Player A’s wrist broken after being beaten for throwing a mistake pitch…]
It was about three years ago when the starting players were disbanded after being confirmed for school violence incidents and frequenting illegal entertainment venues.
At that point, the school was on the verge of demolishing the Daeji High baseball field and constructing additional sports facilities for the soccer team and other athletic programs.
However, when Lee Tae-hyun and her childhood friend Kang A-yul entered Daeji High, they revived the baseball team that had existed in name only.
They gathered students who had quit baseball for various reasons, transferred to Daeji High, or given up their dreams of becoming players after losing starting position competitions.
In the process, due to Kim Si-hoo’s provocation, they played the first Cheonji Match [3X3] against Haneul High’s second and third-string players.
The baseball team, which had been looked down upon by other sports students, fought for ownership of the baseball field and succeeded in qualifying for the Weekend League.
From then on, Lee Tae-hyun carried the team on her back in the Weekend League, while the Daeji High baseball team members also awakened during moments when the protagonist fell into a slump, opening the path to national tournaments.
That is the beginning of [3X3].
‘Honestly, no matter how you think about it, ruining the ending like that isn’t easy.’
Afterward, the worst ending awaited—entering the Major Leagues, excelling internationally, and abandoning Kang A-yul to marry a Major League manager.
Anyway, as a special recruit in baseball, I would spend the next three years as the captain of Haneul High, facing Lee Tae-hyun, the captain of Daeji High, in continuous Cheonji Matches.
‘Well, since we’re in different regions, we’d only meet during major tournaments.’
Haneul High belongs to the Seoul A region, while Daeji High belongs to the Seoul D region.
The showdown with Lee Tae-hyun, who would peak in ability, would probably take place at the President’s Cup in the third year.
After organizing my thoughts, I said goodbye to Yang Eui-ji, who had brought me to the front of the auditorium.
“See you later in the baseball club room?”
“Do we really have training on the first day of school?”
“Haha, we just need to introduce ourselves to the third-year seniors and check the starting lineup. If we’re lucky, we might schedule a practice game against a nearby school by the end of this week.”
‘…This really is the best of the best, isn’t it?’
While Lee Tae-hyun and Kang A-yul would desperately struggle to find opponents for practice games, Haneul High received requests for practice games without even trying.
They even scheduled matches against nearby university teams. Today, I was reminded once again of Haneul High’s prestige.
The entrance ceremony itself was simple. I recited the pledge in a lifeless voice like everyone else and returned to my seat.
…
…
…
“Let’s see… is Class 1-A here?”
The school had four main buildings.
One building was designated for each grade—first, second, and third years. Behind them stood a newly built, modern building, which would house the athletic-focused students like me for the next three years.
-Clatter…
When I opened the door and entered, unfamiliar faces turned to look at me.
A few students recognized me as a baseball special recruit and asked which baseball team I supported.
But most of them just did their own thing, watching soccer highlights or idol music videos, like typical students at a prestigious school.
‘They’re working hard. I should, too.’
I promised myself to achieve the professional player’s dream that had been marred by injuries before.
After I went home that day, Epinel hadn’t contacted me, so I hadn’t been able to familiarize myself with Haneul High’s main players.
I had also heard that some successful applicants had transferred to other schools due to behind-the-scenes maneuvers, so some faces might be new.
‘I’ll have to memorize the faces when I get to the baseball club room…’
When I entered the baseball club room, I was greeted by a slogan that read: “Rise, towards the top.”
And there, waiting for the first-years with sturdy, confident expressions, were the second and third-year seniors.
“What’s this? We arrived fifteen minutes ago, but these first-years are acting all MZ…”
“Ack!”
“Yang Eui-ji, we just got here too.”
“Ignore most of what that guy says… There were dirty tricks trying to steal Haneul High’s players, but the strongest Haneul High doesn’t care about such nonsense! Resist temptation, and congratulations on officially joining the Haneul High baseball team!”
Said the very person who had secretly noted the names of schools where defectors had transferred.
Except for Yang Eui-ji, who was already acting suspicious, the baseball team seemed pretty decent.
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