“All right. Could the manager set a date for me? The team leader is probably the one who can figure out both schedules.”

“Oh, yes, of course!”

Kang Tae-han laughed and asked a hint, and Team Leader Woo immediately nodded. The position to receive help is Team Leader Woo. So, making an appointment first was a welcome thing.

This is because they are so active and feel that work is progressing from the moment they set the schedule, so the possibility of getting lost in the middle is considerably reduced.

It’s the difference between saying ‘Let’s have a meal sometime’ with friends and saying ‘Let’s have dinner this Friday’.

He was just about to bring up the story on his side, but it was nice to see Kang Tae-han speak first.

“Then, by any chance, the director, how is your day off?”

“For me, Wednesday and Thursday are my days off.”

“Do you have any other plans besides that?”

“Hmm… I think this month will be a bit difficult because I have appointments here and there. Better hold it for next month.”

“All right. Then I will coordinate with the players and be sure to contact you.”

Team leader Wu said that and started typing the previous story in the notepad of his smartphone. Looking at the experiences of Choi Ah-ram and players who have already been there, it is safe to say that this is actually the most important agenda.

“I… But, Director Kang.”

After making that note.

Suddenly, I had a question, so team leader Woo asked Kang Tae-han insinuatingly.

“Is there any reason why you are so good to me?”

“Do you need a reason?”

“It’s not like that, but… Because I’m sorry. If you need anything, I want to do my best to accommodate it.”

To be honest, there is no reason Kang Tae-han would lend a hand to them like this. It is where he works, but the way the association proceeds is very complicated and frustrating.

It is obvious that it will be difficult to properly prepare even a simple financial reward if you go through the procedures. And Team Leader Woo didn’t think Kang Tae-han was someone who couldn’t guess that.

“Reason… … .”

Meanwhile, at Team Leader Woo’s words, Kang Tae-han pretended to be lost in thought. Of course, there is a reason.

The target of Taehan Kang’s massage this time is the Olympic national team athletes one by one. At least in Korea, it means a person with the most outstanding skills in a particular field.

As such, they will be active throughout the sports industry in the future. This means that they will display their talents in their respective fields, not only at the Olympics, but also after completing their national team careers.

To take the simplest and most direct example, coaches and managers.

You could go somewhere as a professor at a university, and if it’s a sport that’s popular, you can continue your career as an athlete. Either way, he was likely to become an influencer on many people in the industry.

The influence will be divided depending on the sport and the individual, but it is because he is from the ‘national representative’ anyway.

And creating a good image for those central figures is not just about doing good to a few people, it’s about building a reputation in the country’s sports industry.

Of course, the current Cheonma Massage was already full of customers and was rather short of hands… In the first place, it was not a task to proceed with the expectation of short-term results.

‘It will be of great help in the long run.’

There will come a day when this will come in handy when you start stretching out by adding points one by one.

In other words, it is like building a brand image in advance. At least, it might end up opening a store in the Jincheon Athletes’ Village.

“I don’t have much to say about the reason… I just wanted to help players who are working hard.”

However, you don’t have to put these things in your mouth.

Sometimes it’s not bad to say something directly if you want something, but in this case, it’s more effective not to say it.

In the first place, the words he uttered were not completely meaningless.

Helping buds that haven’t bloomed yet is something I really enjoy. It is even more enjoyable if the bud touched by one’s hand can even ignite.

So is it like that?

It may seem trite at first glance, but Kang Tae-han’s voice and face when he said the words were quite serious and contained a sense of weight.

‘He’s a really broad-minded person.’

Perhaps because of that, team leader Woo Dae-seok was touched without even realizing it. I could feel the sincerity in Kang Tae-han’s voice.

“… I am of the same mind.”

Director Woo said in a voice full of emotion.

As a person who once played as a player, he was a person who fully sympathized with players’ difficulties and struggles and tried to listen to them as much as possible.

There was no particular reason or greed for it.

As a person who has walked the same path, just looking at it makes me feel like I’m going to go to the middle of the day.

It’s just that in the past, when he was a player, he thought, ‘I wish there was a person like this’, and he just tried to become that kind of person.

Even so, if you have to pick a reason.

I wanted to prevent as much as possible the athletes who polished their skills for one stage, the Olympics, from disappearing without being able to demonstrate their skills properly.

However, in the meantime, I had hardly ever seen anyone who thought the same way as he did, and even that was only a few among the active coaching staff.

But to hear these words from someone who could be called an outsider. For him, it was something he could not help but be pleased with and moved by.

“By the way, can I get up soon?”

However, the story ended there.

Kang Tae-han glanced at his watch sideways and opened his mouth insinuatingly.

“Because it’s time for a guest to come soon.”

“Ah, of course. I’ve been on this for too long.”

Team leader Woo nodded and drank the coffee in the cup all at once. The coffee was lukewarm, as if he had been sitting for quite some time.

“Ah, isn’t this holding onto the busy person too much… … .”

“no. It was lunchtime anyway.”

“Then, as I said earlier, I will tell you the schedule as soon as it comes out. If there are any changes, please let me know at any time.”

Team leader Woo bowed his head, bowed, and left the office. For some reason, the atmosphere seemed more polite than when we first met today.

‘It feels like something has been overrated more than necessary… … .’

It’s not just an expression of gratitude, but rather a deeper feeling… … . Kang Tae-han scratched his head embarrassedly at the change in the atmosphere.

‘Is there anything wrong with it?’

Kang Tae-han shrugged lightly, got up from his seat, and started walking towards the door.

* * *

Hanha Hawks baseball field located in Dong-gu, Daejeon.

Originally, by now, the interest in the opening season of the season had faded slightly, and the number of spectators naturally decreased gradually.

pair, pair, pair

“Choi! river! one! under!”

The sound of cheering that echoed through the stadium was so intense that the whole area literally shuddered. It is comparable to the ranking match at the end of the season.

“Let’s score just one more point before we skip the round!”

“Kim Tae-pyeong hits! Please hit me!”

“Hanha fighting!”

As such, the number of spectators who came to the stadium was quite large. What a lively cheering atmosphere. Even in Hanha’s history, it can be said that Hanha’s fan spirit has been explosive these days.

It was worth it. That would be too… … .

Because Hanha was achieving 1st place in the season!

At the end of last season, they produced explosive results belatedly, but this time, starting with a winning streak from the beginning of the season, they successfully settled in first place.

Of course, since the season has not yet passed half way, it can change at any time, but as a fan of Hanha, it was literally like a dream.

“Kuh! Hanha, who used to be first in the back, is first!”

“To be honest, I am still puzzled. Do you think this is right?”

Fans are amazed at how dream-like it is! However, Hanha was not the only one who was enthusiastic about cheering.

pair, pair, pair

“radish! enemy! do! one!”

The away team playing with Hanha today.

The sound of cheering from the crowd who came to cheer for the Dowon Dragons is also not being pushed back by the home team.

The team that got the most attention this season was Hanhan.

Apart from that, this season itself was the best ever.

As well as Hanha, other teams showed a lot of capacity, and the performance itself was raised to the fullest.

Originally, if there were only three or four scenes worth watching in a single game, at most six or seven.

These days, highlight-level scenes come out in every episode, and the audience cheers every time. It really made the game itself exciting.

Can you say that it literally tastes good?

Fans who had lost interest in baseball began to return one by one, and somehow the number of spectators now increased compared to the beginning of the season.

“Ah, these days baseball is delicious.”

Meanwhile, Kim Tae-pyeong of Hanha was warming up lightly in the corner. He turned his waist left and right and smiled when he heard the sound of ‘Maximum Hanha’.

Of course, when the fans are happy, the players are happy too. The atmosphere is exhilarating, and it may be because of my mood, but I feel more energetic than usual.

And that’s not all.

The fact that each team’s performance this season is at an all-time high is the part that the players experiencing with their own body feel the most desperately.

I would say that the overall atmosphere of the field is tense.

It seems that there are quite a few players who feel the pressure here, but… At least Kim Tae-pyeong liked this atmosphere very much. It is a feeling of burning desire to win every day.

“Taipyeong hyung! Come soon!”

“Yes, I am going.”

Now it’s time to get back on the plate.

Kim Tae-pyeong walked forward with a smile on his lips. This at-bat gave me a good feeling. It felt like that.

After a while.

[ah! Player Kim Tae-pyeong! I hit it cleanly!]

[Batted ball flying in a large parabola!]

[Go over, go over!]

[It barely crosses the fence! Kim Tae-pyeong, how many home runs did you have this season!]

Kim Tae-pyeong, who was hurriedly running base, changed his stance to a light leap as if jogging as soon as he saw the ball go over. He had a really bright face.

* * *

“Well… compensation?”

Right in front of a building located in Jincheon Athletes Village.

Sitting on a bench overlooking the running track, a man with a cigarette in his mouth looked sullen. It was an expression of disapproval.

“Did you bring up that story?”

“no. It wasn’t like that.”

“Then we don’t even have to talk first, do we?”

At Team Leader Woo’s words, the man, Na Dae-won, who is in charge of the planning department, asked back in a puzzled way. It was as if it was not natural.

“But still, they are kind enough to lend a hand, so you have to show your sincerity… … .”

“Think about it, Team Leader Wu.”

Na Dae-won was frustrated and intercepted his words.

“Did you say Cheonma Massage?”

“yes. I am Director Kang Tae-han.”

“okay. As you say, he didn’t do him any favors. What did you ask for in return? It’s not.”

“… Yes.”

“Then we’re thankful, it’s just a matter of doing it, so what can we do to increase the work there? Do you really need to increase your work?”

At his words, team leader Woo Dae-seok forgot his words.

I knew he was this kind of person. I knew there would be a similar reaction. However, I didn’t expect that there would be a reaction like this, saying that I couldn’t understand it at all.

Woo Dae-seok was dumbfounded for a while at manager Na’s reaction, which far exceeded his expectations.

“Rather than that, who are you, director Kang Tae-han? Please ask that person more. Can you come often? You have nothing to lose by asking.”

“… No, boss.”

Woo Dae-seok, who came to his senses belatedly, threw the cigarette he was holding into the ashtray and stood up. He didn’t usually get angry, but no matter how much he did, he couldn’t just listen.

However, his words did not follow through.

“You there, were you the head of the planning department?”

A voice calling from the entrance of the building immediately behind. As if it was quite close, the voice I heard was loud.

The voice of a slightly elderly man. But for some reason, there was a hint of anger in his voice, to the extent that he could feel it even without showing his expression.

“… Oh, Chairman!”

Na Dae-won, who turned his head, immediately put down his cigarette and got up from his seat.

It is none other than Jang Woo-young, the honorary chairman of Daecheong Group.

As one of the big players who have been supporting the association since before, it can be said that he has made a huge contribution to the association. In particular, it is safe to say that in some sports, such as weightlifting and handball, it is possible to develop players thanks to this person.

Is it really a VIP among VIPs? I usually have quite a lot of interest in this side, and of course I know that the relationship with the top of the association is very close.

“I didn’t know you were coming. What are you doing?”

“I’m coming to see how the players I sponsor are doing, do I have to tell them one by one?”

what? For a moment, a question mark popped up in Daewon Na’s head.

Perhaps he had gone against his will without even realizing it, and Chairman Jang Woo-young seemed to be in a very bad mood. It seems that he left his anger and became hostile… that kind of feeling.

“Rather than that, I want to hear what you just said again.”

On the other hand, Jang Woo-young said that in a low voice, as if he had no interest in Na Dae-won’s reaction. His voice was calm, but there was still a hint of anger in it.