A heavy thud echoed through the stadium as my body collapsed onto the dugout floor.
My vision blurred, the ceiling spinning as the noise of the crowd faded into distant chaos. Standing on the field was the champion of the League, the coach of the winning team. And me? I was the coach of the defeated, unconscious and broken.
"Coach, do not fall asleep! Call the doctor, hurry!!"
My players surrounded me in panic. These were players I personally scouted, trained, and trusted with my own hands. They shouted my name, shaking me, doing everything they could to keep me awake.
I am sorry.
I am sorry I could not bring you the trophy. Not even once. Not even at the end.
My gaze drifted toward the dugout ceiling as my breathing grew shallow. Memories surfaced, memories of the goal that once drove me forward, the reason I endured stress, pressure, and endless nights just to keep coaching.
Two smiles.
Two smiles that this game took away from me.
My son.
My son who killed himself because I chose silence. Because I protected my ace players, the ones family who funded the team, the so called pillars of victory. I closed my eyes and pretended I saw nothing.
My wife.
She died alone while I chased revenge, while I coached a new team just to crush those same players who ruined everything. I told myself it was justice, but it was just obsession.
"Now that it comes to this, I really wasted my life on foolish things. How short sighted I was as a coach."
Darkness swallowed me as I closed my eyes, silence wrapping around my fading consciousness.
Then a voice spoke.
"Wow that was mess up huh? Well if you get another chance to save them will you do it?"
Yes I answered in my head with all my might I will do everything I can
"Huhu then 1st let's do a game okay?"
It was wierd but I nodded
"Hit this pitch and get a homerun, and you can save all the people important to your life."
I opened my eyes.
A small fairy stood on the pitcher's mound, grinning mischievously. I was holding a bat, standing in the batter's box. It was absurd, unreal, yet my heart beat with certainty.
If this was my last chance, then I would not waste it.
The pitch came.
Pak.
The ball soared beyond the fence.
"Homerun." The scoreboard announced
Another pitch.
Pak.
Another homerun.
One more.
Pak.
The third homerun disappeared into the darkness, and glowing letters began to shine, pushing back the void surrounding us.
"Wow," the fairy said, clapping. "I thought you were only good at coaching. You can hit too?"
He smiled wider.
"Three homeruns. Three lives. You will be given three chances to save this life. Good luck."
The fairy snapped his fingers.
A powerful force pulled at my body, dragging my consciousness away as if I were being sucked through a tunnel.
I woke up gasping.
Children's laughter filled the air.
An elementary school stood before me, familiar and painfully nostalgic. It was the school my son once attended, and the first place I ever coached.
My chest tightened as memories flooded in.
Then suddenly, small arms wrapped around my waist.
"Dad!"
I froze.
I looked down.
A face I never thought I would see again stared back at me.
My son.
Alive.
Breathing.
Smiling.
Tears streamed down my face as I hugged him tightly in front of the school gate.
"Huh? Dad, did you miss me that much?"
"Yes," I answered, my voice trembling. "I really did."
His warm smile melted something frozen deep inside my soul.
Then a mechanical, game like voice echoed.
"A great potential for baseball has been found. Showing stats for Eun-woo Park."
A translucent window appeared beside my son.
__________________________
Name: Eun-woo Park
Condition: good
Strength-2.6
Speed-3
Agility-4.2
Intelligent-6
Potential: gold star above
_________________________
My mind went blank.
Stats?
Potential?
What is this?
Am I dreaming? ow well