The Extra in a Baseball Novel

Chapter 46

Listening to the coordinator’s excited chatter, Lee Siha headed to the waiting room where Cha Taehyun was. As soon as she opened the door, she was momentarily stunned.

‘Is that really him…?’

For a second, she genuinely wondered if it was someone else because Cha Taehyun looked completely transformed.

His once fierce eyes were now exuding masculinity, harmonized by a hairstyle that exposed his forehead. His facial features had always been good, but with his proportions, and now dressed in luxury clothes, his stunning figure was more apparent than ever.

Lee Siha recalled her sister’s previous comment and smirked slightly.

‘Did she really say he didn’t have a great visual?’

She wondered what kind of expression her sister would make if she saw this look. She even felt tempted to take a photo and send it to her… but that wasn’t part of the plan.

Lee Siha glanced at the coordinator and spoke.

“Um… don’t we need to take a photo first?”

The coordinator was momentarily caught off guard but quickly caught on and nodded in agreement.

“Of course! We definitely need to take a photo. Our new face of Nixon Baseball is here! We also need a shot for Instagram.”

Still looking slightly unsatisfied, Lee Siha’s expression prompted the coordinator to think for a moment before smiling in understanding.

“Oh! And, we should take one with the president too! Just like we did with, uh… the coach?”

Lee Siha nodded, then turned to Cha Taehyun.

“If it feels too burdensome, you don’t have to take it.”

‘I shouldn’t have said that…’

She regretted her words for a moment, but Cha Taehyun soon responded that he was fine with it.

Lee Siha walked over to stand beside Cha Taehyun, giving a subtle smile—a genuine one, not for show.

“It turned out well! Is this good enough, President?”

Satisfied with the photo, Lee Siha whispered to the coordinator.

“Um… Could you please send me the photo file privately?”

“Hehe… Of course.”

While the two shared their little secretive conversation, Cha Taehyun asked,

“Are we starting the shoot now? I need to change into the uniform. Where should I return these clothes?”

“Oh, that’s over-“

“Just take them with you. They’re yours.”

The coordinator’s eyes widened.

‘Everything together probably costs hundreds…’

“This watch too?”

“Yes, of course. Don’t refuse it. We’re, uh… we’re…”

Mumbling a bit, Lee Siha quietly finished her sentence, “…friend partners.”

Cha Taehyun chuckled and extended his fist.

“That’s right.”

It was just a casual gesture for him, but Lee Siha found it hard to control her smile.

A fist bump! Wasn’t this a sign of friendship seen on NewTube?

It really felt like she had made a pure friend, beyond a mere business relationship.

Even if they call it “friend partners,” that was just a joke… well, it’s all the same.

With a pleasant feeling, Lee Siha gently bumped her fist against his and left the waiting room.

[What Equipment Does Superstar Cha Taehyun Use?]

[Not Nixon Sports! It’s Nixon Baseball! Nixon’s Baseball Division Rebranding Shows Signs of Success…]

[Following Cha Taehyun’s Heartwarming Stories, Taiwanese and Worldwide Baseball Fans Begin Pre-Ordering Nixon Baseball Products…]

[Nixon Baseball’s Rising Success Boosts Nixon Sports’ Stock Prices!]

[Yamada Ryuji: ‘I Respect Taehyun, So I Will Use the Same Gear.’ Signs of a Korean Baseball Equipment Boom in Japan!]

[Kim Hosan: ‘I Will Use Our Proud Korean Gear Too! Please Support Nixon Baseball!’]

‘Just how much did they spend on promotions?’

Not only the sports news, but every category was flooded with Nixon Baseball articles.

Clicking her tongue in annoyance, Sieun muttered irritably.

“Did they hire Kim Hosan too? How much money did Dad give him?”

Even Sieun, who wasn’t interested in baseball, knew of Kim Hosan, the national star. For someone like him to say such things, he must have been paid a lot.

Otherwise, why would he praise newly released equipment just because it’s ‘Korean-made’?

It didn’t sit well with her.

“Now that I think about it, isn’t today the shoot? I bet the atmosphere is just lovely~.”

A faint smile began to form on Sieun’s face.

Commercials are like that. They may seem easy, but you need to act naturally, understand the director’s instructions, and apply them.

And Cha Taehyun?

He’s just a second-year high school player.

Has he ever even shot a commercial, let alone worked as a promotional model?

She could already imagine the shooting team’s tense atmosphere.

“Looks like I need to go see how my sister’s doing.”

Feeling a bit better, Sieun left her office and headed for the elevator.

On her way to the studio, she glanced at a man who passed by.

Thinking he was unusually handsome, she turned around and called out to him.

“Excuse me.”

“Yes?”

Taking another look at the man’s face as he turned, Sieun widened her eyes.

“Cha Taehyun?”

“Uh, yes? Who are you?”

“Oh, I’m Lee Siha’s sister, Sieun. I saw your profile before, but your appearance seems to have changed a lot.”

“Ah, I guess Lee Siha put some effort into styling me today for the shoot. Does it look okay?”

Of course, it looks fine… no, it’s more than just fine.

Even if it was just for a moment, he had caused the heart of the high-standard Sieun to skip a beat.

‘So it’s true that men look different with the right hairstyle…’

With a slight smile, Sieun asked,

“But where are you going? Aren’t you still in the middle of the shoot?”

Seeing him dressed neatly and not in a uniform, it seemed he hadn’t started the shoot yet.

“Oh, I finished already.”

“…What?”

“The director seemed satisfied. He cut pretty quickly, didn’t take many shots. Anyway, the president invited me to a meal, so I’m heading out.”

‘Uh…?’

“Uh, excuse me?”

Staring at the departing Cha Taehyun in disbelief, Sieun rushed to the studio and asked the director.

“Director?”

“Miss Sieun? What brings you here? Is there another shoot scheduled?”

“Oh… no, that’s not it.”

Sieun looked around.

The staff were busy cleaning up, as if the shoot had indeed wrapped up.

“Did today’s shoot start early? It shouldn’t be over this quickly…”

This wasn’t what she had expected.

She had envisioned a frustrated director sighing over repeated mistakes, yet he was laughing heartily.

“No, I was just as surprised. I expected today to be tough since he’s just a high school player, but wow, he was a total pro. He looked like someone who’d done dozens of commercials!”

As the director continued to shower praise, Sieun found herself dazed.

“What, Sis? Did you come to cheer me on, thinking the shoot would be difficult?”

Lee Siha approached, smiling broadly.

“Even I was surprised. That person could probably be a celebrity. He turns into a completely different person in front of the camera.”

Lee Siha quickly continued speaking, not giving Sieun time to respond as she struggled to keep her composure.

“Thank goodness, right? The shoot didn’t go as badly as you thought it would, Sis.”

A playful, lilting voice.

Sieun’s lips trembled.

“Wh-What do you mean? When did I think that?”

Heh.

A soft laugh, loud enough to be heard, escaped Lee Siha as she turned around.

“Forget it, then.”

Unable to control her expression in that moment, Sieun called out to her sister.

“Where are you going?”

“Where else? I’m having dinner with him and Dad. Oh, and Sis, you can’t come. You weren’t invited.”

Watching her older sister with a slightly opened mouth, Lee Siha smiled contentedly.

It felt as if the resentment she’d been holding onto had finally been washed away.

When the president said he wanted to buy me a meal, I naturally assumed it was a business meeting.

I thought there might be additional contracts or something, but…

“This is a hidden gem of a restaurant. Great meat, good prices.”

“Oh, Dad, why did you bring us here?”

“Hey! What do you mean ‘bring us here’? I told you, it’s a famous place.”

It seemed he really just wanted to treat me to a meal.

Here I was in a simple barbecue restaurant, with the president of a large corporation grilling the meat himself.

It felt strange, but not unpleasant. Actually, it was more comfortable than going to some fancy place.

Maybe that’s why? I found it easy to converse with the president.

He smiled throughout our conversation, and when he asked about my hardships, I added a pinch of seasoning to my story, and he even shed a tear.

“Such a good young man! Reminds me of my own youth. It’s a pity… If we had finished last this year, you’d have joined Volcanoes.”

“Dad… how is that anything to regret? It means they avoided last place.”

Probably not.

From what I remember, Volcanoes lost their second-to-last spot to the Dinos at the end.

It’s odd to say they ‘lost the second-to-last spot,’ but anyway…

“I heard the Dinos were also falling behind.”

“Right. I wonder what’s wrong with them

this year.”

It’s because Nemath is a Dinos fan. To get the protagonist, Lee Jiho, into the Dinos, their ranking had to drop.

If you ask, “Shouldn’t they have finished last then?”

Even the author couldn’t stand the idea of the Dinos ending up last.

So, they added a narrative that the Phoenixes desperately needed a catcher. They skipped over Lee Jiho and picked Lee Younghal, who was supposedly the next big thing.

Of course, Lee Younghal earned his nickname, ‘Zero-hitter,’ after failing in his first five games and eventually vanished, but…

Anyway, the president, after having a drink, asked in a somewhat louder voice,

“You seem quite close with my daughter… What’s your relationship?”

At the word ‘relationship,’ Lee Siha flinched. Feeling playful, I answered.

“Partners…”

“Hmm…?”

Lee Siha widened her eyes at me.

Suppressing my laughter, I continued.

“A wonderful business partner and friend.”

-Whew…

Lee Siha breathed a sigh of relief, and the president looked a bit disappointed.

“Still just friends? My daughter isn’t lacking in any way, you know. You better try harder, Lee Siha.”

“D-Dad! What are you saying!”

“Hahaha! No need to be so embarrassed!”

After a hearty laugh, the president handed me a drink.

“Dad! Taehyun is still a minor.”

“So what? At his age, a couple of drinks are fine. Right?”

I’m known to be a lightweight, but a drink or two should be okay.

This is all part of socializing.

“Of course. A drink won’t hurt since there’s no game anyway.”

“Haha! That’s the spirit! Have a drink!”

“Yes!”

Hmm…

I remember nothing after this.

-Squeak!

Hearing the old front door creak open, Cha Jihyun jumped out of bed and ran to the entrance.

“Oppa…?”

Cha Taehyun looked a bit off today. Usually, even after training all day, his eyes sparkled. But now…

He was in a daze?

“What are you carrying so much of?”

His hands were filled with all sorts of bags. They were paper bags, but they looked luxurious and expensive.

“Oh… this? Presents for you, Jihyun! Open it… open it.”

“Presents? O-Oppa?”

As he handed over the presents, Cha Taehyun wobbled and nearly fell towards her.

Barely managing to catch him, Cha Jihyun dragged her brother into his room.

“Presents… Jihyun… I think this… will suit you.”

His eyes were half-closed, but his lips moved. How badly did he want to give her the gifts?

“Okay, Oppa. I’ll check them, so lie down first.”

After finally getting him to lie down, Cha Jihyun noticed her brother looked different than usual.

“He got more handsome.”

Her brother, who had never bothered to dress up, seemed to have been styled somewhere and looked much more dashing.

“This gift… here…”

“Haha. Alright.”

Smiling, Cha Jihyun checked the presents her brother had brought.

“Oh…?”

She wasn’t an expert on luxury brands, but even she recognized the names of the items filling the bags.

She wondered if they were fake, but with authenticity marks, certificates, and quality that anyone could tell was genuine.

“Oppa, where did you get such expensive stuff…?”

She asked worriedly. Taehyun, who had slowly risen, patted her head.

“Your brother… earns good money now… So if there’s anything you want… just tell me… I’ll get it… for you…”

“But all of a sudden—”

Before she could finish her sentence, Taehyun’s head dropped onto her shoulder.

“I mean it… I’ll make sure you live comfortably… so just accept it…”

After standing still for a moment, holding her brother, Cha Jihyun softly smiled at the sound of his quiet breathing.

Did her brother even know?

That because of him, she had already been living without any envy.

“Thank you, Oppa.”

She whispered gently into his ear and carefully laid him on the bed before leaving the room.

—