Sponsorship Stigma
Chapter 20
20. Body
Yeonjae put away the mugs from the dishwasher.
Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the clock already creeping toward two.
The war-like lunch rush had passed, and the end of her shift was drawing near.
She opened her handbag tucked beneath the counter.
Staring down at the small paper bag nestled inside, she fingered its edge.
Over the silhouette of the bag, the morning's events vividly played out in her mind.
“It’s Yeonjae. There’s something I need to discuss for a moment….”
―Ah, hello. This is Chief Secretary Oh Seongjae. The CEO is currently away from his desk, so I am taking his calls.
Secretary Oh, answering on his behalf, had explained that Jeheon was tied up in back-to-back meetings and unavailable to talk.
―He is in Seoul at the moment, but you will be able to see him once he returns to Daejeon. I will pass along the message.
“If he went back up to Seoul, it’s fine. I’ll reach out the next time he comes down.”
―He only went to Seoul briefly; he is staying continuously in Daejeon.
Even after the call ended, those words lingered in Yeonjae’s ears for quite a while.
She had assumed he was commuting back and forth between Seoul and Daejeon every time. She had no idea he was staying in Daejeon the entire time.
The address she was given said she could wait for him at the hotel cafe.
As the appointed hour approached, Yeonjae’s mouth felt parched.
After tidying up the counter space, Yeonjae headed into the roasting room.
Perhaps because roasting had commenced right after the lunch rush, the cafe was rich with the aroma of coffee beans.
Even with the door shut, a thick, potent scent grazed the tip of her nose.
“Manager, are you finished roasting?”
Yeonjae knocked softly and opened the door.
“Yeah. Just wrapped it up.”
“…….”
“We used up a lot of stock sending out that bulk bean order last time, so it took a while.”
The Manager was in the middle of dusting off her workstation as she finished up.
As Jeheon’s face floated into her mind, an awkward smile flitted across Yeonjae’s lips. Ever since that day, bean orders from Seoul had been pouring in continuously.
From the Manager’s perspective, it was a massive boost in sales, so she was thrilled.
In a situation where everyone was winning, Yeonjae was the only one feeling uncomfortable.
Ever since she heard Jiwoo say he liked Jeheon, an unbidden, quiet anxiety had taken root, swelling in size day by day.
She intended to apologize for misunderstanding and speaking rashly to Jeheon the other day—to say she was sorry for falsely accusing him of coaching Jiwoo.
And before Jeheon could become any more deeply entangled in Jiwoo’s and her life, she intended to draw a clear line and bring this dynamic to an end.
To do that, she had resolved to meet him today.
“I’ll clean up.”
Yeonjae stepped forward and took the tools from the Manager’s hands.
“Would you? To be honest, there was so much volume today that I was getting worn out.”
“I’ve got it, so please go take a rest.”
“I swear, there’s no one like you, Yeonjae-ssi. You’re worth a hundred workers.”
Looking at Yeonjae, she flashed a delightful grin.
Facing her directly, Yeonjae found it hard to part her lips, hesitating for a fleeting second.
“Manager, could I ask you for a small favor?”
“Huh? What is it?”
As she broached the subject cautiously, the Manager whipped around.
“I was wondering if it’d be alright if I roasted just a small batch of beans.”
“Aww. Here I was getting excited, thinking it was the very first favor Yeonjae-ssi has ever asked of me.”
A bright look of delight immediately blossomed across her face.
“Does that even count as a favor? Go right ahead, as much as you want. The machine is already warmed up, so just run it.”
Yeonjae offered a faint smile at the Manager’s warm consideration.
Perhaps because the woman’s bright energy was contagious, looking at her cheerful smile naturally lifted Yeonjae’s spirits as well.
“Then I’ll finish it quickly.”
Yeonjae set down the small pouch she had brought onto the table.
Having arrived at the cafe early, she calculated that she could finish before her shift actually began.
Let’s get this done quickly and start work.
Her heart felt noticeably lighter, as if half the problem had already been solved.
“By the way, what kind of beans are those? Did you find something delicious?”
In all her time working at the cafe, Yeonjae had never once asked to do personal roasting.
Curious about this rare shift, the Manager approached the table, her eyes brimming with sheer intrigue.
“Are you doing a blend?”
“Yes. It’s Brazil Cerrado, Costa Rica Tarrazu, and India Kaapi Royale.”
“Mmm.”
The Manager fixed Yeonjae with an uncomfortably direct gaze.
Anticipating what was coming, Yeonjae subtly averted her eyes.
“Who’s it for?”
“Who else would it be for?”
Yeonjae’s hands, operating the roasting machine, paused momentarily. But she resumed moving them as if nothing had happened.
Even while staring down at the beans, she could keenly feel the intent stare boring into the side of her face.
“It’s for me.”
At that slyly delivered answer, the Manager’s eyes narrowed into slits.
As if she had already predicted this before hearing the answer, an amused smile spread across her lips.
“This isn’t your taste at all, Yeonjae-ssi.”
The Manager waved the empty bean bag in front of Yeonjae.
Her teasing gaze seemed to say, Try lying to someone who doesn't know better.
“Yeonjae-ssi, have we only known each other for a day or two?”
“…….”
“These are macadamia and almond notes. There’s not a single speck of acidity here—there’s no way you’d drink this.”
She stepped closer and linked her arm through Yeonjae’s.
“I know. It’s that handsome man from back then, right?”
At a loss for words, Yeonjae blinked her eyes rapidly.
Unable to bring herself to deny it, she could only let out a helpless laugh.
* * *
The view beyond the glass window filled Yeonjae’s eyes.
The sky, which had been bright just a short while ago, was beginning to blush with the crimson hues of sunset. Turning her gaze, it landed on the glass sitting atop the table.
Before she knew it, the coffee cup was empty. The melted ice had formed a small puddle of condensation beneath the glass.
“Is he running late?”
Relying on the secretary’s word that he would arrive before 4:00 PM, she had been waiting in the first-floor lounge of the hotel where Jeheon was staying.
She had deliberately taken time off from her afternoon part-time job to come here.
Two hours had already ticked by since she sent the text notifying him of her arrival.
Looking down at her phone screen, she saw the clock fast approaching five.
Telling herself just a little longer, just a little longer as she waited, it was now almost time to pick up Jiwoo from daycare.
She had wanted to look him in the eye and say it to his face.
Evidently, today was not the day.
Come to think of it, seeing him so unusually often in Daejeon had been the real anomaly.
Originally, he was a man you couldn't meet without a formal appointment. Old memories resurfaced with a sudden, vivid clarity.
Tapping lightly on her phone as if lost in thought, Yeonjae rose from her seat.
Though she had things to say to Jeheon, she couldn't keep Jiwoo waiting any longer.
With no other choice, Yeonjae stepped out of the cafe and walked over to the front desk.
“May I help you check in?”
“Ah, no. Would it be possible to leave an item here for a guest?”
Yeonjae offered a timid smile to the staff member who greeted her with polished courtesy.
“I was hoping to hand it over in person, but it seems he’s running late.”
“Of course. What is the recipient’s name?”
Yeonjae placed a small shopping bag onto the counter.
“Gu Jeheon.”
Saying Jeheon’s name aloud stirred an unfamiliar sensation within her.
Throughout the five years she had lived in Daejeon, she had never once had reason to utter that name. She had believed she would never cross paths with him again, let alone let his name pass her lips.
“Please hand it to him when he comes down to collect it.”
Her everyday routine had upended in the blink of an eye. Now, she simply had no idea where things were headed.
Walking out into the lobby, Yeonjae came to a halt.
Opening her messaging app, she searched for Jeheon’s contact.
Two numbers still lingered at the top of the screen.
Out of habit, she almost pressed the familiar one, but stopped herself and opened the thread above it instead.
Leaving a brief message, Yeonjae tucked her phone back into her handbag.
“Maybe I should have done this from the start.”
A soft smile grazed Yeonjae’s lips.
Now that she had made up her mind, retracing her steps felt unexpectedly liberating.
Pondering what delicious dinner to have with Jiwoo, Yeonjae’s footsteps were light.
* * *
The sedan carrying Jeheon pulled up smoothly in front of the hotel.
As he stepped into the hotel lobby, Seongjae, having handed the car off to the valet, caught up to his side.
Seongjae stole a glance at Jeheon, who was just finishing up a phone call.
He had been on the phone during the entire drive down from Seoul, making it impossible to strike up a single conversation.
Entering the lobby, Seongjae scanned the first-floor lounge cafe before turning around at Jeheon’s call.
“The house?”
“I searched it thoroughly while you were away, CEO, and there were no new talismans brought in.”
The memory of Myeonghee on the phone with Hyeonwoldang when he visited Cheongdam-dong not long ago surfaced in Jeheon’s mind.
Hyeonwoldang and talismans always came as a set.
He would never forget the skin-crawling sensation when he first discovered a pillow stuffed with a talisman hidden beneath his bed.
“It’s all for your own good! It’s a talisman to ward off bad luck and invite fortune, so why do you hate it so much?”
Myeonghee had always harbored a morbid obsession with shamanism, but it had grown even more relentless after Jeheon’s accident.
At every opportunity, she snuck bizarre trinkets into his Samseong-dong residence until he was thoroughly sick of it.
Even while coming on this business trip to Daejeon, that had weighed most heavily on his mind.
“I’m relieved there aren’t any. Still, keep a close watch until this trip is over.”
Only then did the rigid tension in Jeheon’s expression ease.
While he was away from Seoul, Seongjae had taken the initiative to hire a professional cleaning service. Every single piece of furniture had been pulled out and inspected, concluding that the place was clean.
“She hides them so meticulously. Sometimes Manager Joo feels less like a secretary and more like a seasoned specialist.”
Apparently, Jeheon's blunt behavior that day—calling out Manager Joo directly—had delivered quite a shock to his mother.
It was the very first time he had drawn such an explicit, unwavering line against her.
“By the way. How did that matter go? Are there other candidates?”
“I’ve been looking all over and making inquiries, but… children born with a gift like young Jeong Jiwoo’s aren’t common.”
Seongjae spoke with an awkward, troubled air.
With Yeonjae practically foaming at the mouth whenever the Foundation was even mentioned, he had wondered countless times if they should just give up on Jiwoo.
The world was overflowing with underprivileged children; surely if they searched, there would be another child as exceptional as Jeong Jiwoo.
That day, when he had gone out of his way to secure Daejeon City’s support for her, only to be accused of forcing a child to lie—
A surge of fierce anger had welled up inside Jeheon.
Though he was hardly the type to be swept away by emotion, the wave of irritation had been difficult to suppress.
It felt as though his personality had undergone some bizarre rewiring over the past five years.
He hated the fact that even as Yeonjae continued to act completely outside the bounds of reason, he kept seeking her out, calling her, and doing things for her.
The Foundation. Yes, the Foundation was an essential stepping stone for the succession.
Yet Jeong Jiwoo wasn't the only gifted prospect on the planet.
That was why he had ordered Seongjae to find other candidates.
“Finding a child as extraordinary as young Jiwoo is going to be difficult, I’m afraid.”
Jeheon waved his hand dismissively to signal his understanding.
If Jiwoo was truly the best option, there was no helping it. The only way forward was to bring Jeong Yeonjae around to his side.
“CEO, more importantly, there’s something I need to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“I didn't have a chance to pass it along earlier, but Jeong Yeonjae-ssi reached out this morning. She said she wanted to see you today, and she sent a message as well.”
Seongjae glanced down to check his wristwatch.
Delayed beyond schedule, he had driven straight down the moment his Seoul agenda wrapped up, yet it was already past eight o’clock.
“I informed her you would arrive around four, but it looks like she got tired of waiting and left.”
Walking toward the elevator, Jeheon’s footsteps came to an abrupt halt.
“Jeong Yeonjae did?”
He drew his phone from the inside pocket of his suit jacket.
The lock screen disengaged, and the display lit up instantly. After tapping at the screen for a moment, Jeheon fixed Seongjae with a skeptical look.
“There’s nothing here?”
Jeheon showed him the empty message thread.
Far from any new message, the text he had sent previously remained entirely unanswered.
Then, sensing something odd, Jeheon pulled another phone from his trouser pocket.
His business phone.
The moment he illuminated the screen, two unread messages popped up immediately.
Reading through them, a dry, hollow laugh escaped his lips.
The number he had used to text and call her was his personal phone.
Yet the reply Jeong Yeonjae sent was directed squarely to his business line.
“Drawing a line, are we?”
How could a person change this drastically?
If she were the Jeong Yeonjae he used to know, she would have been thrilled beyond belief; she was never one to push him away.
Swept by a peculiar sensation, Jeheon brushed his fingers across his lower lip.
“Understood. Seongjae, you can head home.”
“Yes, sir. I’ll try to set up another meeting with Jeong Yeonjae-ssi. You worked hard today. Please get some rest.”
With a crisp, polite bow, Seongjae excused himself and withdrew.
Waiting for the elevator, Jeheon reopened the phone he was toying with.
[You seem busy, so I'll be heading back for today. I left an item at the front desk for you, so please pick it up.]
Only then did the words mentioning she had left something behind register in his mind.
Right on cue, the elevator arrived and the doors slid open. After being ground down all day, his aching muscles screamed at him to go up and rest.
Hesitating for a heartbeat, Jeheon turned around.
It was utterly annoying.
Refusing to meet when he asked, dodging him day and night, only to show up out of nowhere demanding to see him now.
Striding forward on long, decisive legs, Jeheon came to a stop in front of the front desk.
“Is there an item held under the name Gu Jeheon?”
Jeheon accepted the paper shopping bag handed to him by the receptionist.
Just what on earth could be so grand that she had to put him through such hassle?
Holding the small shopping bag, he walked back toward the elevator.
Under normal circumstances, he never would have bothered to retrace his steps just to pick something up.
Had it been anyone other than Jeong Yeonjae, he wouldn't have done it.
Looking down at the bag, a mocking smirk curled on Jeheon’s lips.
No, had it been anyone other than Jeong Yeonjae, no one would have delivered something like this in the first place.
He peeled open the neatly taped shopping bag.
His nostrils flared faintly. From the plain ziplock bag inside drifted a deep, rich, roasted aroma.
Unzipping the pouch, Jeheon looked at the finely ground coffee beans, his brow furrowing deeply.
[These are beans I blended just today. It has a profile similar to Kilimanjaro, so please brew and enjoy it.]
Kilimanjaro was the exact bean Jeheon typically favored.
In truth, given his vehement disdain for acidity, it was one of the very few coffees he could actually tolerate.
The elevator arrived at the penthouse suite, and the doors slid open.
Though he needed to step out, Jeheon stood completely motionless.
After remaining frozen like a statue for a long while, a low, breathy chuckle broke from his chest.
“Jeong Yeonjae. Of course you would. Acting so adamantly like you didn't care.”
Lifting the shopping bag with one hand, a smirk tugged up the corner of his mouth.
“You still have feelings for me, don't you?”
This was the woman who had nurtured an unrequited crush on him for a staggering ten years.
Old habits didn't just disappear.
With that smug thought anchoring his stride, Jeheon walked toward his suite, his steps unusually light.
