MWFL 8

8. Their Own Lights

The meeting with the club officials attended by Cha Shin-woo wrapped up in just thirty minutes.

Shin-woo briefly greeted the staff, listened to a short breakdown of the training schedule leading up to the start of next season, and then took his leave, mentioning that he was going to say hello to the players currently training at the stadium.

Ha-rin stayed behind in the meeting room to face the general manager and the head of club operations.

“General Manager, I assume you heard from the operations head why I asked to see you?”

Speaking in a crisp, sharp voice, a faint smile hovered on Ha-rin’s lips.

“When you smile like that, Director Ju, it honestly scares me. What kind of demand are you about to make this time with a smile like that?”

“It’s not a demand—it’s a negotiation.”

“To call it a negotiation, I’ve always been dragged around doing whatever you wanted. What is it this time?”

“Player Cha Shin-woo’s salary and signing bonus. You must have already heard about it.”

Before qualifying for free agency, Shin-woo had posted for the Major Leagues. Because of that, upon his return to Korea, he had to play four more seasons with his original club before he could earn his FA status.

“The club discussed it thoroughly and put forward an offer that isn’t disappointing by any means, so what is there left to negotiate?”

“Then why do I feel so disappointed? That’s why I think you and I need to talk a bit more, General Manager.”

Without losing her smile, Ha-rin finished speaking and pushed the tablet PC she had prepared toward the general manager.

“Before you look at the materials, let me mention in advance that Player Cha has a four-year contract with our agency. That means when FA negotiations roll around, I might be sitting across from you just like this.”

Of course, that could change if Cha Shin-woo cancels his contract. Swallowing those trailing words inside, she continued her explanation.

“I haven’t explained the details of the amount and terms I plan to propose to the club to Player Cha Shin-woo just yet.”

“…”

“I thought presenting it as the club voluntarily taking the initiative to treat Player Cha with proper respect would be far better for building a positive image for both you and the organization.”

Listening to Ha-rin’s words in silence, the general manager let out a dry laugh.

“Look at this. This isn’t a negotiation—it’s blackmail.”

“Blackmail? Absolutely not.”

Ha-rin opened her eyes wide and even shook her head.

“Four years from now, we’ll also be in the position of renewing our agency contract with Player Cha Shin-woo.”

“…”

“As someone in the same boat as you, General Manager, you shouldn’t misinterpret my sincere intention to find a win-win path together.”

This time, the general manager shook his head.

“Anyway, no one can win an argument against you, Director Ju.”

“Shall we begin the real negotiation now, then?”

With a bright glint in her eyes, Ha-rin lightly tapped the tablet PC screen with her fingertips.

. . .

Ha-rin stepped out of the meeting room a little over an hour later.

Walking down the quiet hallway, she let out a long, silent sigh.

When facing an opponent in a negotiation, the most critical thing was maintaining a humble yet relaxed demeanor without losing momentum.

It hadn’t been that long a meeting, but the intense focus had brought a rush of fatigue washing over her.

The general manager didn’t give an immediate positive answer to Ha-rin’s conditions, promising instead to give an answer after internal discussion.

Normally, she would have felt a bitter taste in her mouth for not securing the desired outcome on the spot.

Today, however, she felt good. Beyond just feeling good, a surge of overwhelming emotion welled up deep in her chest.

‘Ha-rin, I heard KBO is introducing an agent system like overseas. You be my agent. Negotiate so I get the absolute best treatment in the industry.’

Just as you wished so long ago, I became someone who can do something for you.

‘To do that, you have to be successful first. Go to the Major Leagues, succeed, and come back. Then I’ll make those demands with full confidence.’

And you kept your promise to me.

Even though you don’t remember a single thing, it was okay.

Even if we couldn’t shine together the way we had dreamed.

You in your place, and I in mine.

Because we are both shining beautifully without losing our own lights.

It really didn’t matter if my heart hurt a little.

. . .

At the same time, Shin-woo was chatting with a few players resting in the players’ lounge after training.

“So, are you really not going to tell us why you came back?”

“I told you earlier. I felt I hit my limit.”

“A guy who hit his limit stole 30 bases this year? There aren’t many guys your age who can run like you.”

“I came back because I thought I’d get more money coming to Korea. Does it make sense now?”

Just as he was thinking he should make his exit since uncomfortable topics kept coming up one after another, Dong-goo called his phone.

“Hyung, hold on a sec. Let me take this call. Yeah, where are you?”

— Director Ju said her meeting finished up. Where are you, Hyung?

“The lounge. Where should I go?”

— Come to the entrance connected to the parking lot. Director Ju said she’d head over that way too.

Hanging up the call, he immediately pushed himself up from his seat.

“I’ll be taking off now.”

“Why? Stay and grab dinner with us. The catering company changed, and the food is amazing.”

“I’m going to get sick of eating it from now on, so I’m good.”

“Alright then, go on. See you during training.”

After exchanging farewells, he immediately left the lounge and started walking down the hallway.

Zzzz. Clang! Clang! Zzzzz.

From somewhere, the sound of drills and metal clashing echoed through the air.

Having been open for over thirty years, the stadium facilities showed clear signs of age all over. He knew they conducted internal repairs every year for that reason.

“They should just remodel the whole thing or build a new stadium altogether.”

Frowning at another burst of noise, Shin-woo glared discontentedly at the construction materials piled up in the hallway.

“They said they moved the locker room, so where on earth is it?”

Checking the long, stretched-out corridor, he moved his steps forward. Shortly after, with his eyes fixed elsewhere, he whipped his body around toward the hallway connected to his destination.

“Eek!”

At that exact moment, a black shadow popped out right in front of his eyes along with a breathless gasp.

Ju Ha-rin. He recognized who it was, but there was no time to dodge.

Ha-rin couldn’t dodge either, and their bodies collided with a dull thud. The bag Ha-rin was holding and the coat draped over her arm fell to the floor.

Unlike Shin-woo, who barely felt any impact, Ha-rin bounced off, lost her balance, and tumbled straight toward the wall.

Unluckily, construction materials happened to be piled up in the direction she was falling.

“…”

Without time to think, his hand shot out toward Ha-rin first. Grasping her slender wrist, he instinctively pulled with force.

“Ah!”

Screaming as she was yanked back, the woman’s body slammed into Shin-woo’s chest with another thud of impact.

This time, his massive frame couldn’t hold its ground and lost balance. Shin-woo’s foot—extended far back to catch his footing—landed squarely on something hard.

Clatter. Crash! Thump, thump. The materials stacked beside them collapsed, making a chaotic racket.

Shin-woo completely lost his balance.

I’m falling. The moment he recognized what was about to happen, he wrapped one hand around Ha-rin’s waist and used his remaining hand to cradle the back of her round head.

At this rate, his shoulder and side were going to slam hard into the floor. Mid-air, he whipped his body around.

THUD. A heavy thud sounded out, and a dull wave of pain slammed into his back at the exact same time.

However, since it was just a fleeting pain from friction against the hard floor, the hurt didn’t last long.

He slowly loosened the arms that had completely enfolded her fragile body.

Slowly raising his head—which had been tilted almost down to the floor—he looked down at the woman in his arms.

“Are you okay?”

Ha-rin snapped her tightly closed eyes wide open. In that instant, the corners of Shin-woo’s eyes froze.

The eyes of this woman—which normally wouldn’t show a single ripple—were trembling violently.

She was clearly shaken up bad.

“Hey, are you ok—”

“Cha Shin-woo! Are you okay?!”

His voice—leaking out once more to check on her state—was cut off by Ha-rin’s scream-like shout.

Lifting only her head straight up, Ha-rin cupped Shin-woo’s cheeks with both hands. In that moment, Shin-woo’s eyelids fluttered softly open.

They’re just hands… why are they so soft?

At the unexpectedly gentle touch of someone else’s skin, he momentarily swallowed his breath.

“Are you okay? Did you get hurt?!”

“…Yeah. I’m not hurt. Calm down.”

Speaking a beat late, Shin-woo took a slow breath.

Due to being startled, he hadn’t realized it right away, but the soft touch of the woman’s body resting on top of his hit his senses with vivid clarity.

The sensation washing over his entire body was nothing compared to her touch on his cheeks.

“Hey, get off of—”

“Haa…”

This time, the woman cut Shin-woo off with a sigh, pulling her hands away from his cheeks. She then buried her face straight into his chest.

Haa. She let out another long, exhaled sigh.

Thump-thump. Thump-thump.

As a breath warmer than body temperature soaked into his chest, a fierce thrumming began to pulse wildly inside Shin-woo’s heart.