“Are the players faking illness?”

“Yes, if I put it that way, they would say no, but if I put it bluntly, wouldn’t it be feigning illness? Even the youngest today is like that. haha.”

Director Oh Jae-yoon, who was sitting across from Kang Tae-han, burst into laughter and picked up a paper cup filled with coffee. Kang Tae-han smiled and nodded.

“I think that can be enough.”

People who are passionate about their work are much better than people who are not passionate about their work. It is natural.

So, what would a passionate baseball player be most interested in? It is to live up to the expectations of the fans by producing even a little good results in the game.

Of course, faking an illness isn’t adult-like behavior, and it’s not a desirable way… Still, it is a part of the will that I want to do even a little better.

‘Because it’s normal to be coveted if there’s a means to improve my skills even a little bit.’

No one says that the Murim people who search for elixirs to improve their internal energy are disrespectful. However, it is necessary to have the precondition that you do not neglect training on a regular basis.

“Yeah, I understand. I think it’s because everyone saw the virtue of Mr. Kang. It’s to the point where I just want to put off all the players’ orders and get a massage here.”

“Then can I take a look at your back?”

“Uh, yes? Now?”

In an instant, Oh Jae-yoon’s eyes shook.

It’s because my body was getting stiff again these days.

It was a word that came out without much thought, but it was heart-wrenching to say that it really gives a massage. But that doesn’t mean the director can’t set an example. The moment you try to say the words of rejection at the end of your decision.

“It’s a joke.”

“… I knew you would.”

Oh Jae-yoon nodded and took a sip of coffee. I pretended to be okay, but deep inside I felt a sense of regret.

“By the way, then how about changing the order of massage a bit?”

He knew very well that there were many players who wanted to be massaged by him. Even these days, there were times when players sent me KakaoTalk messages to send me gifts and ask me to take care of myself.

“Now, unless you’re in really bad shape or injured, you won’t be in such a hurry to need a massage right away.”

As the number of times Kang Tae-han went on business trips increased, all of Han-ha’s players went through Kang Tae-han’s touch at least once.

The main players as well as the substitutes once, and those who are injured or going through a slump twice. In other words, Kang Tae-han has already released almost all of the factors that can greatly affect the game tension.

“Hmm, the teacher is right.”

The coaching staff checks the condition of the players every day, organizes it, and leaves it as a document. The contents are, of course, passed on to the director.

In the meantime, I’ve been checking the contents, it was obvious that the players’ physical condition has improved a lot these days. as well as the condition.

That’s why, as Kang Tae-han said, the number of people who had to receive a massage as the top priority immediately disappeared.

In the past, Kang Tae-han’s massage was at the level of turning a rusted and broken bicycle into a completely new one, but since the rust had already been removed and the broken one had been repaired, there was nothing much to do.

‘Of course, the effect is still crazy.’

Among the players these days, there was a saying, ‘If you got struck out on the day you got a massage from the teacher and came down, you should just boy the ball.’

It was a story made just to tease and laugh among themselves, but Kang Tae-han’s massage was still having a great effect. It’s not that the players are faking it for nothing.

“Then how do you talk about changing it?”

“It is not that the coaching staff finds and selects the necessary targets, but selects the players who have worked hard. It’s kind of like motivation.”

“… oh! That’s a good idea.”

Kang Tae-han’s words are perfect for Oh Jae-yoon! and snapped his fingers.

If opportunities are limited and the number of people needed is high, the simplest and most effective way is to add a competition.

The content that is the basis of the basics in management to the extent that I wonder why I just remembered it now.

It was an idea that I hadn’t come up with because I had a fixed idea that ‘massage is a means for managing physical condition’.

“This file here was the condition management list for the teacher today, but then… … .”

The two players whose condition deteriorated noticeably were left on the roster, and the rest began to be organized again based on whether they had diligently participated in training.

Players who were conceited that their grades had improved lately, and players who unnecessarily relaxed themselves by saying that everything was OK as long as they got a massage were naturally excluded from the list.

“Minwoo!”

“Yes, Director. Did you call me?”

“Please rewrite the document with this and print it.”

Oh Jae-yoon smiled as he handed over the file.

I often saw guys who believed in a massage and relaxed, and I thought it would be a good motivation for them.

“Wait a little. I’ll probably bring it soon.”

Kang Tae-han nodded quietly.

Oh Jae-yoon, who was examining Kang Tae-han’s appearance, opened his mouth in allusion.

“By the way, I’m just grateful that you’re thinking about how to improve the team.”

“I am also interested in this team. Sometimes the taste of watching baseball is better than I thought.”

At Jaeyoon Oh’s words, Kang Taehan smiled and said.

More precisely, it was the taste of watching the players who were managed by him play an active part in the game.

“But it seems that your shoulder has been bad lately.”

“… Hey, do you know just by looking at it?”

“If you look at something like posture, you can see it. Then, I think I have some time left. Can I take a look?”

“Oh, really!”

Oh Jae-yoon’s expression turned bright at Kang Tae-han’s sneaky words. Kang Tae-han glanced at his watch and happily stood up.

“It’s kind of like making a joke before and then sneaking over. It’s only for five minutes, but I’ll take a look.”

With that, Kang Tae-han grabbed him by the left shoulder and began to press hard on his back with his right elbow.

“Hugh!”

A different level of intensity compared to finger pressure!

At the moment when I was about to burst out screaming without realizing it, Oh Jae-yoon kept his lips shut. If you scream here, the staff outside will hear you.

However, unlike his mouth, which was holding back a scream, his face, like cotton candy in contact with water, was weak and lethargic.

‘It hurts more than I thought… … .’

More than that, it’s incredibly cool.

Oh Jae-yoon was enjoying the five minutes with a strange face that felt both pain and happiness.

Meanwhile, in front of the players gathered for basic training, the list of players to receive massage today was revealed.

“uh! Does it sound different from what I heard yesterday?”

“Didn’t I say it was my turn to get a massage, Coach?

“Why are you accepting Kwang-ho again! This is the third time!”

It’s different from what I heard at the meeting beforehand. That’s why there was a fuss and backlash among the players.

“The criterion for selecting the list today is the level of participation in training and the level of concentration that has been shown. It was decided by the coach and reviewed by the coaching staff.”

All the players who objected to that statement shut their mouths. It was because it was a convincing result if you listened to the standard.

“haha! That’s why I said it’s always better to train hard! Do you even get rice cakes while you sleep?”

“I recognized you from the time you moved around during training, these guys. Thanks to that, I get a refreshing massage!”

On the other hand, those who were not on the original roster but were added gave the coach a thumbs-up and applause. Among them, Lee Kwang-ho and Kim Tae-pyeong were particularly excited and were teasing other players around them.

* * *

Next monday.

Two of his parents passed away at Park Ho-yeon’s hospital, and about five days had passed since then.

“Is this it?”

Kang Tae-han checked the map on his smartphone once more and entered the store. Then a familiar face poked out his head and waved his hand.

“Taehan, you are here.”

That person is none other than Park Ho-yeon. Kang Tae-han met his eyes and walked to the corner where he was sitting. Then Park Ho-yeon smiled and said hello first.

“Nice to meet you, Taehan. It seems like I haven’t seen you in a very long time.”

“It was nothing. Rather… Thank you for your hard work.

“haha… what is suffering Do you need anything else to drink or eat? I ate one while waiting, but this cheesecake tastes better than I thought.”

Park Ho-yeon said while fiddling with the fork of the empty plate. Unlike the last time I saw him at the hospital, he had a natural smile.

“I’ll have a warm cup of earl gray tea here, then.”

“You seem to like tea more than coffee. Somehow it feels like a good fit. Please sit down for a moment.”

“Oh, I’ll order and come.”

“it’s okay. I told you to come, so just sit down.”

Park Ho-yeon stopped Kang Tae-han from getting up and returned after finishing his order. A quiet time passed between the two, and it was Park Ho-yeon who spoke first.

“For you… All I can say is thank you so much.”

“it’s okay. Didn’t you say thank you enough then?”

“Did I? But I feel like it’s not enough no matter what I do. haha.”

He said with a soft laugh.

A doctor’s job is to save dying people. Therefore, it is also a job that often comes into contact with dying people.

In the meantime, Park Ho-yeon has witnessed many deaths.

Some died in agony, some died alone with no one around, and some even died while siblings were fighting over inheritance issues.

In that sense, the last of his two parents… You could say it was like a miracle.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen someone die laughing.”

He literally died with a bright smile on his face. As for how the two of them ended, that one sentence was enough to explain.

I don’t even need to tell you how grateful I am as a child.

“and… I also had a long conversation with my father. It was something that was only possible in my dreams.”

That’s why Park Ho-yeon was able to smile now.

It would be a lie if I said I had no regrets left for my parents, but at least it was thanks to the fact that I had no regrets left in the moment of seeing them off.

“That’s why I have no choice but to regard you as a benefactor. Isn’t it?”

When Park Ho-yeon spoke with a smile on his face, Kang Tae-han shrugged lightly. I fully understand your feelings, but it’s because I was quite shy as the person concerned.

“I have a drink.”

An employee who appeared at the right time put down each drink in front of the two of them. Kang Tae-han scooped out a tea bag from a teacup, placed it on a tissue, and took a sip of tea.

“By the way, why did you come all the way to Seoul?”

“It’s because of the promise I made with you.”

“A promise?”

Kang Tae-han tried to remember for a while, but he had never promised to meet Park Ho-yeon in Seoul. When he made an expression that he couldn’t guess, Park Ho-yeon said in a voice as if it was obvious.

“I told you I would make a case for you.”

“ah… … .”

It was a promise, so it wasn’t wrong.

“You can give it to me in Daejeon.”

“Anyway, the faster the better. And because of that case, I had some business to do in Seoul.”

Meanwhile, Park Ho-yeon picked up the briefcase he had put on the seat next to him. Then, he handed out an envelope to Kang Tae-han and said,

“What kind of example should I give you to repay this favor? I’ve been thinking a bit It was more difficult than I thought, but I came up with something that might help you.”

Kang Tae-han took out a document from the briefcase and lifted it.

At a glance… It looked like a business plan related to real estate investment.

“There is a building that my father and his acquaintances invested in and put up. As you can see from the plans there, we plan to place cafes and restaurants on the bottom, a hotel on top, and a sauna on top.”

“… It is quite large.”

I didn’t look closely at the documents, but I could tell from the attached picture that it was a high-rise building with about 20 floors.

“It’s a business my father participated in in his later years, and the proportion isn’t that big, but… Still, you can pay for at least one shop where you want. In that sense… … .”

He said, pointing his hand at a spot on the top floor of the photo attached to the document, just below it.

“At this point, how about giving you a massage shop?”