Sweet Bribe

"Coach Donald, what do you think?"

"What do you mean, principal?"

"No matter how ignorant I am about baseball, I didn't think we could beat Santa Monica's second team with an improvised team. But the results exceeded my expectations."

Even so, only one player performed a one-man show and defeated his opponent.

Lucas showed perfect form both as a pitcher and a hitter.

The director added an explanation.

"It is clear that the batters Lucas faced in the 9th inning were not in perfect condition, but he was also unable to fully demonstrate his skills."

The principal's pupils dilated. "What does that mean?"

"I reported this before, but the FS baseball team currently does not have a professional catcher. Lucas immediately realized this fact and did not give it his all."

"That means…?"

The importance of the catcher to the pitcher is much greater than one might think.

There is a reason why the term 'battery' refers to both the pitcher and catcher. If one side's level drops, the other side naturally cannot demonstrate their skills properly.

Lucas was in exactly that situation.

Even if they didn't expect the catcher to lead the team, they needed a catcher who could at least catch Lucas's pitches properly. But the current catcher couldn't do that. In other words, what if there was a proper catcher?

"That's not all that's surprising. Did the principal hear about this too?"

"What part are you talking about?"

"I never gave Lucas any information about the opposing batters, but he accurately estimated their level."

All they did was tell him that the first team would come out in the 9th inning.

However, Lucas even figured out whether the players who appeared in the 9th inning were Santa Monica's starters or substitutes.

He not only had outstanding physical strength but also possessed exceptional observational abilities, essential for a pitcher.

"Ha. Haha. Hearing this makes me want Lucas even more. He certainly seems like an outstanding talent. No, the results have already proven it."

The principal rested his chin on his hand and continued speaking with sparkling eyes.

"Then, now all I have to do is make Lucas confident in his own talents."

The director nodded in agreement.

"That's right. Then Lucas's talents might fully unfold. Of course, we'll have to take care of his family situation first."

"That must be true. Perhaps he still hasn't been able to let go of the heavy burden on his chest."

The director recalled Lucas at that time. Lucas's expression didn't change even though he turned the game around with a grand slam. Even when he struck out six batters in a row, it was difficult to detect any change in his facial expression.

That wasn't the look of a student enjoying baseball.

"We have to make him focus on baseball somehow, even if it means giving him the best treatment in the school."

"Are you talking about the scholarship?"

"Is it just a scholarship? We need to proactively step forward and solve his problems."

The principal and the director's interests coincided. The principal wanted to make Lucas shine and boost the school's reputation, even if it meant giving him full support.

At the same time, the director wanted to process Lucas, an attractive diamond, into a jewel.

The director barely managed to control the corners of his lips from rising.

"I understand what you mean. Then let's proceed accordingly."

* * *

Director Donald visited Lucas separately this time too. He always paid for Lucas's lunch himself.

'Is it okay for a school teacher to favor one student like this?

' The director read Lucas's expression.

"It's a bribe."

"Can you say that so openly?"

"Isn't bribery sweet in the first place? The school wants you, and I want you too. Shouldn't I try to win your favor like this?"

Lucas tilted his head.

"Will it only cover lunch? I guess you'll get a scholarship too."

Lucas's ears perked up at the sweet words.

"The school baseball team's performance? It's important. But I don't expect it to be as high as you think from the beginning."

The director handed Lucas a piece of paper. "These are the benefits you can enjoy if you officially join the baseball club."

Lucas read the paper carefully. They said that if he officially joined the baseball club, they would waive his tuition.

He had only played one practice match as a mercenary.

'I knew what it meant to win the Rivalry Match, but it was a much more important match than I thought. The annual tuition for this school is over 10,000 dollars.'

Exactly 20,000 dollars per year. Due to the nature of private schools, it attracts many international students. Therefore, this school set aside half of the tuition as a scholarship for international students. Of course, Lucas was the only one benefiting from this.

Even if you received benefits, $10,000 a year is a lot of money, even if you are not from Lucas's family.

For Lucas's family, it was an amount they could never afford. Although his aunt paid his tuition, it wasn't free.

He felt sorry towards his father and felt a debt he would have to repay someday. But a solution to this problem appeared before his eyes. At this point, he thought he might as well tell his parents that he was going to play baseball again.

"Hey, is this for real?"

The part that really caught Lucas's attention was the very last line. He pointed to the condition written at the very bottom with his finger.

"Isn't the paper you're holding a contract in some way? That's true."

Lucas's heart began to pound

The content was as follows: FS High School graduate Joel Austin, the starting pitcher for the LA Dodgers, would give a one-on-one lecture. 'That's three times, no less.'

The salary of a major league player ranges from tens of millions to hundreds of millions. Inviting a major leaguer like that for a one-on-one lesson...

'Is this possible?'

Lucas briefly wondered how they could possibly do that, but he erased such a trivial question from his mind.

Right now, his heart was beating faster than anything else. Just talking to a major leaguer was a great honor for a baseball player.

Receiving tutoring directly from a major leaguer was invaluable.

What if Lucas could learn from a major leaguer, even just for a little while?

'I want to meet him somehow. I want to learn from a major leaguer, even if it's just a little bit.'

Lucas's motivation began to burn.

'But the condition is that I have to join the baseball club.'

Is it really okay to make that choice without telling anyone at home?

Lucas's expression, which had been bright just a moment ago, suddenly darkened. The director, who read Lucas's complicated expression, patted his shoulder.

"How about thinking about it slowly instead of making a decision right away? The next match is against SC High School's first team. The match is scheduled for Wednesday, so you can think about it after that."