The Extra in a Baseball Novel

Seo Jia was not always a helpless bystander.

“Um… Senior. No matter how you look at this, it’s not training, right?”

“It is training.”

“…What?”

“I’m trying to improve Gwanghyun’s defense. Why, is there a problem?”

She had even spoken directly to Lee Seungtae, the ringleader of the abuse, but he only ignored her, laughing it off with a reply like that.

“Coach… This is really serious. It’s basically the same as school violence.”

“I heard it’s training.”

“No, but! Gwanghyun’s body is covered in bruises! It’s more than just a few injuries. How is this supposed to be train—”

The coach even sided with Lee Seungtae.

There was nothing more she could do.

“They… They all know it’s not training…”

The coach probably wasn’t ignorant of the truth. He had witnessed the abuse a few times himself.

However, with his retirement just around the corner, he couldn’t afford to lose his star pitcher, Lee Seungtae, if he wanted to win a major tournament like the Golden Lion Tournament.

So, unless things crossed a very big line, he chose to turn a blind eye.

Knowing this all too well, Lee Seungtae cleverly tormented Hwang Gwanghyun.

He treated him like he was invisible, subtly isolated him, and disguised bullying as “training.”

Through such despicable methods, he continued to harass Hwang Gwanghyun.

“What… what am I supposed to do…”

As Seo Jia was picking up baseballs and putting them into a box, she hugged her knees and bowed her head.

As the lunch bell rang, the students quickly stood up and headed to the cafeteria, while I got up and walked to the window seat.

The moment I sat down, I opened the window and leaned out, fixing my gaze below.

To others, I might look like some lunatic, but for me, this was important.

It’s because the first episode of StrikeHeart, which I like to call “The Day Lee Jiho Becomes a Loser,” was about to start.

Of course, that’s not the real name of the episode, but it pretty much sums up the plot.

After the seniors graduate, Lee Seungtae, who becomes obsessed with power plays, subjects Hwang Gwanghyun to all sorts of injustices.

Naturally, our protagonist, Lee Jiho, doesn’t just sit back and watch. Like a true protagonist, he stands up to Lee Seungtae.

As a result, Lee Jiho ends up becoming the new target of Seungtae’s torment instead of Gwanghyun.

Wait, the protagonist gets crushed by the villain and becomes a loser? Does that even make sense?

Well, it really happened.

No matter how skilled Lee Jiho is, he’s still a batter.

Meanwhile, Lee Seungtae is the ace pitcher.

From the coach’s perspective, he would never give up a player like Seungtae.

Well, it was probably a buildup by the author to develop the romance line between Miyeon and Jiho, so it didn’t get too much criticism.

Lee Jiho falls into a slump, moping around, saying, “I’m useless…” “If I had been more valuable than Seungtae, the coach might have changed his mind…” Then, kind and understanding Miyeon comforted him, helping him overcome the slump. After that, their relationship deepened significantly.

Yeah.

So, of course, I…

…would never let that happen.

Before Jiho can step up, I’ll be the one to block Lee Seungtae, erasing this entire episode that serves as the starting point for Miyeon and Jiho’s relationship.

I still can’t forget…

The scene where Miyeon watched Jiho’s wedding and ended up crying in the bathroom.

“I can’t let that happen…”

I would never let Miyeon go through that again.

“Here he comes…!”

At that moment, I spotted Lee Jiho heading toward the indoor practice area.

I immediately pushed back my chair and sprinted after him.

“Gwanghyun, are you hungry?”

With Hwang Gwanghyun in a headlock, Lee Seungtae asked, to which Gwanghyun replied in discomfort.

“N-No, I’m not.”

“Really? I’m hungry. But… we haven’t trained today, have we? Let’s finish up quickly and eat. Okay?”

“Y-Yes, sir!”

Only then did Lee Seungtae release him from the headlock, leaving Gwanghyun coughing and gasping. Seungtae pointed toward the storage room.

“Gwanghyun, go get a catcher’s glove.”

Though it was a sudden request, Gwanghyun didn’t argue and ran to the storage room, fetching a catcher’s glove.

“Um… Senior, why do we need a catcher’s glove all of a sudden…?”

“Why? It’s for catching practice today.”

“…What?”

“Gwanghyun, you know catchers are getting paid really well these days, right? You should prepare yourself as a backup.”

“N-No… I don’t plan on being a catcher—”

“…What?”

The cold tone of Lee Seungtae’s voice pierced Gwanghyun’s ears.

“Not planning to be a catcher…?”

Seungtae approached Gwanghyun, staring directly into his eyes as he asked again.

“What did you say about not being a catcher…?”

Unable to endure his gaze, Gwanghyun eventually lowered his head.

“I… I’ll be a catcher. I’ll practice catching…”

“Good. That’s the right choice. It’s all for your benefit, after all.”

With that, Gwanghyun moved toward the storage room to fetch the catcher’s mask and protective gear.

But Seungtae grabbed him by the arm.

“Where are you going?”

“I was going to get the mask and protective gear…”

“No. We’re only doing it for a bit, so just go without.”

“B-But I’ve never been a catcher before, so I might miss the ball—”

“Then that’s your problem, isn’t it?”

Hesitating for a moment, Gwanghyun eventually nodded, putting on the catcher’s glove and taking his position.

Soon, his heart was beating so fast that it felt like it would burst.

Lee Seungtae is a fast pitcher with an average speed of 150 km/h, maxing out at 156 km/h.

Even if he didn’t throw at full speed, Gwanghyun, who had never caught before, would struggle to handle it.

“Gwanghyun! Keep your eyes wide open. I’m going to throw hard.”

At that moment, Gwanghyun, still on his knees, collapsed to the ground.

Already tense, hearing that Seungtae would throw hard caused his strength to drain away.

“Hahaha! Gwanghyun! What’s up with the physical comedy all of a sudden?”

Seungtae couldn’t contain his laughter, and Seo Jia, who was watching from behind the door, bit her lip.

Instinctively, she looked around, but of course, there was no one else.

After all, Seungtae had deliberately singled out Gwanghyun during lunch to create this situation.

The only one who could intervene now was her.

In her mind, she envisioned herself boldly confronting Seungtae.

“Stop lying there and stand up, Gwanghyun.”

“Y-Yes!”

“…”

But her body only trembled, refusing to move.

As Seungtae wound up to throw the ball, Seo Jia couldn’t bear to watch any longer and was about to close her eyes—

“What’s this? A real-life case of corruption in high school baseball?”

A sudden voice made her eyes snap open.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Thanks to running at full speed, I managed to catch up to Lee Jiho before it was too late.

I called out to Jiho, who was walking slowly.

“Cha Taehyun?”

“You remember my name? Anyway… well, Jia was looking for you earlier.”

“Jia? Where is she?”

“Uh… in our classroom?”

“Alright, thanks.”

I blatantly lied, and yet he turned around without hesitation. I felt a little guilty.

Forgive me, Jiho…

I couldn’t just stand by and watch you become a player who strings girls along.

In any case, I’ve achieved my initial goal, but there’s still something left to do.

I have to make a definite impression on Senior Seungtae.

I have to become the target of the abuse instead of Jiho from now on.

When I arrived at the indoor practice area, I flung open the door.

Then, as I had rehearsed several times in my head, I delivered my line.

“What’s this? A real-life case of corruption in high school baseball?”

“…Whoever you are, we’re in the middle of practice, so get lost if you don’t want to get hurt.”

I glanced at Hwang Gwanghyun, who was sitting on the ground, trembling. Then I looked back at Seungtae.

“No matter how I see it, this looks like abuse.”

“Aren’t you part of the baseball team? You think you can just barge in and talk about abuse? Get out before I make you.”

Luckily, he responded exactly as I had hoped. Senior Seungtae was reacting just as planned, and a smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

“Are you smiling? Do you think the

baseball team won’t touch civilians?”

Before he could finish his words, I stepped forward and got right up in his face, staring directly into his eyes.

“I’m not a civilian, Senior. I’m joining the baseball team starting tomorrow.”

“…You think joining the baseball team is a joke? You think you can just get in because you want to?”

“I see you bullying juniors every chance you get, and the coach doesn’t seem to care. From what I can tell, as long as you have the skills, the coach doesn’t mind. And I have the skills.”

Seungtae sneered and kicked a bat lying at his feet toward me.

“Then show me those skills first. If you can’t, get lost.”

“Why would I refuse a chance to prove myself when the senior is offering me a turn at bat?”

I picked up the bat, and Seungtae’s mouth twisted into a grin. He probably never thought I would actually accept the challenge.

“Gwanghyun, get up and catch.”

Startled by Seungtae’s sharp tone, Gwanghyun hesitated for a moment but eventually stood up and got into position.

I glanced at him briefly. His legs were trembling so much that he looked like he might collapse with a single push.

“Don’t worry too much, Gwanghyun.”

“…Yes?”

“You won’t have to catch the ball.”

I felt the familiar weight of the wooden bat in my hands.

It was a bit awkward, but there was a catcher in position and, most importantly, my opponent was Lee Seungtae, the top high school prospect.

This was enough to be considered a “turn at bat.”

The exhilaration of being back in the batter’s box filled me, making the corners of my mouth twitch uncontrollably.

Maybe he mistook my pure joy for provocation because Seungtae’s face twisted into a scowl.

He raised one knee, spread his arms wide, and swung them down forcefully.

The ball came flying at a terrifying speed, matching his dynamic pitching form.

Judging by its speed of at least 155 km/h and its heavy feel—

“This guy is already pitching like this in high school…”

It would be difficult for anyone at the high school level to even make contact with this pitch.

That is, if you were at the “high school level.”

Whack!

The moment I swung the bat and made contact with the ball, a crisp hitting sound and an electrifying thrill shot through my body.

And I knew right away.

This was a home run.

Realizing it had gone out of the park, Seungtae froze in place without even bothering to look back.

Thud—

When the ball hit the ceiling, making a loud noise, Seungtae finally dropped his head.

—