It was time for Lucas to head home, his car waiting. In the quiet that settled between him and his father, his father finally broke the silence.
"Lucas, I'm sorry. We've become a burden to you."
Lucas shook his head instead of replying. It was enough that his parents had given their permission and support. After all, they had come to America for his sake.
"I hope you enjoy it. If you need money, just tell me. I don't want to block your path because of money this time."
Lucas didn't respond verbally but looked at his father with warm eyes before opening the back door of the black sedan. As his father got into the car, Lucas offered an awkward smile, his facial muscles stiff and unfamiliar with the expression.
'But from now on, I'll be full of smiles like this, so I should practice now,' he thought.
His father also smiled back, and Lucas felt a warmth in his chest. He truly felt supported now.
The tangled web of their relationship was now a thing of the past. Lucas knew the value of his father bowing to the principal and director for his sake.
'I will definitely succeed,' Lucas promised himself.
With his parents believing in him and supporting him, he decided to pursue baseball with all his might.
His goal was to become a top major leaguer and eventually rule the league as its prince and later as its emperor.
***
After seeing his father off, Lucas returned to the principal's office. It was time to have a serious conversation about his goals.
He wasn't going to hesitate in chasing his dream of making it to the major leagues, but Lucas knew it was reckless to aim directly for the top right away.
Instead, he decided to take steps toward becoming a major leaguer gradually.
The first step was to lead his FS baseball team to the High School Invitational Tournament.
"As you know, Coach, the FS baseball team is currently only in the middle ranks within the league," Lucas began.
He would graduate in two years, and there was less time than that to make an impact.
"So I ask again. Are you really going to support me with everything I think I need?"
The principal nodded, indicating for him to continue.
"We need a few more high-level players. I'm not saying we need all the best members, but honestly, it's impossible to win the championship within two years with just the players we have."
The principal nodded again, then smiled.
"You're right. But it's hard to say that the players who participated in the practice match this time are our best members. There were also players who didn't participate in the match."
"Players who didn't participate?" Lucas asked.
"Even the best hitters and pitchers in California didn't participate."
Lucas furrowed his brow in surprise.
'One of the best in California?' he thought.
If they were that good, they must be exceptional. Still, Lucas didn't ask further. He figured he'd meet them soon enough and could assess their skills then.
"Okay, then I'd like to stay in the dormitory for now," Lucas said, deciding to do what he could immediately. The first thing was to change his environment.
Lucas planned to move into the dormitory to reduce his two-hour commute and focus more on training and conditioning.
Having been away from baseball for a year and a half, he needed to work harder than others to bridge that gap.
"You can use the dormitory starting today," the principal said.
"I'll pack my bags and move into the dorm on Friday," Lucas replied, his enthusiasm evident.
The principal and director appreciated Lucas's determined attitude. He wasn't just full of empty boasts.
He was a genuine talent, but also stricter on himself than anyone else. In short, he was a diamond in the rough, someone who could shine even brighter in the future.
---
On Friday afternoon, right after school ended, Lucas entered his assigned dormitory with two suitcases in tow. His eyes widened as he stepped into the room.
'I knew it was good,' he thought.
The single dorm room was much larger than his previous room, with a queen-size bed, a desk, and a chair.
The bathroom even had a separate shower booth. As Lucas unpacked, he felt goosebumps rising on his skin.
'I can really feel the benefits,' he thought.
Now, he could sleep two hours more than usual. By reducing his commute, he could study and practice baseball more effectively.
'Should I go to the practice range first?'
Lucas decided to head straight to the indoor practice room to see the facility with his own eyes and request any necessary equipment.
'Wow. This is crazy,' he thought as he entered the indoor practice range, where an array of equipment he had never seen before in Korea was on display.
'I would believe it if he said it was for a major league team. Well, our school was once known as a prestigious baseball school,' Lucas mused.
The United States didn't skimp on facilities, especially for schools excelling in sports.
The school had three baseball fields, a basketball court, a football field, and even a swimming pool.