Sponsorship Stigma
Chapter 36
A Prior Engagement
Yeonjae’s light-brown eyes darkened.
Though she hoped such a thing would never happen.
If Myeonghee ever discovered Jiwoo’s existence and Yeonjae found herself unable to protect her child, she wanted Jeheon to help.
“All right.”
Only then did the tension ease from Yeonjae’s face.
“Since you’re signing this contract because of me, I give you my word.”
Yeonjae picked up the pen and inscribed her name at the bottom of the contract. Then she closed the signed document folder.
Hearing Jeheon’s promise brought her immense relief, as though she had finally finished long-delayed homework.
The heavy, stifling air that had filled the office softened considerably.
“What about you?”
“About what?”
Yeonjae looked up at the sudden question.
She tilted her head, trying to make sense of his words.
“Are you going to return as a pianist?”
Yeonjae blinked.
Returning as a pianist was something Yeonjae had never even considered.
Then, something Jeheon had said in the past suddenly flashed across her mind.
His offer to support her return as a pianist if Jiwoo signed with the Foundation.
“…No. I have no intention of doing that.”
Yeonjae toyed with her fingertips.
With no way of knowing when the paralysis might strike again, returning as a pianist was impossible.
Besides, who would even want to hear her play?
She had briefly flared up as a rising star, only to fade from people’s memories after retiring at her very first recital.
A pianist whom nobody wanted.
For the Yeonjae of today, there was neither reason nor drive left to play the piano.
When her thoughts reached that point, the corners of her mouth dipped.
She couldn’t help the bitter ache in a corner of her heart.
For she, too, had once harbored a passion and a dream she wanted to protect as fiercely as Jiwoo. Though it was all in the past now.
“Now that the contract is done, I’ll be on my way.”
Yeonjae slipped a copy of the contract into her handbag and rose from her seat.
Thinking she should head down to pick up Jiwoo since they mentioned a cafe on the first floor, she tidied up her spot.
At the sound of a chair scraping back, she looked up and caught sight of Jeheon slipping on his jacket.
“Where are you going?”
Since it didn’t look like he was heading back to his office, Yeonjae asked.
“To get dinner.”
“Ah, already?”
Yeonjae looked down at her wristwatch, which was just pointing to five o’clock.
“It’s only five o’clock. You eat quite early, don’t you?”
Does the CEO stay behind to work overtime or something?
Thinking to herself, she pushed her chair back under the table.
“What are you talking about? You’re coming too.”
“Pardon?”
At his words, Yeonjae snapped her head up.
Her face still openly displaying her fluster, Yeonjae stared at Jeheon.
“I have a prior engagement.”
“A prior engagement?”
Jeheon’s sleek brows twitched and arched upward.
Seriously, if he intended to have dinner, he should have at least said something beforehand.
“Yes. You never mentioned anything about dinner.”
And since when had they been on terms where they casually went out for meals together?
Naturally, Yeonjae had already planned her schedule before her train departure once the contract was finished.
Since Seoul wasn’t a place she could visit every day, she had planned out errands to take care of while she was here.
“You know someone in Seoul?”
Jeheon asked, his tone laced with disbelief.
Did he think she was someone without any friends?
Of course, the person she was meeting today wasn’t actually a friend.
“Gu Jeheon-ssi, I used to live in Seoul too.”
And all her life, in fact, right up until she moved down to Daejeon.
Yet, seeing the entirely unconvinced look in his eyes, Yeonjae could only swallow a scoff.
Stepping into the cafe, Yeonjae scanned her surroundings.
Seated by the window, Jiwoo was chattering away to Secretary Oh, who sat across from him.
Whatever they were discussing, the child’s face was brimming with smiles.
Whom did he take after to be so sociable?
It was simply amazing how easily Jiwoo conversed even with an unfamiliar man.
Just then, Secretary Oh spotted Yeonjae first.
Perhaps he told him Yeonjae had arrived, as Jiwoo’s gaze quickly followed Secretary Oh’s.
“Mom!”
Spotting Yeonjae, Jiwoo raised his hand high and waved, a grin stretching from ear to ear.
“Are you all done now?”
“Yes. We’re going to head back now.”
“What about the mister?”
“The mister said he hasn’t finished his work yet.”
“Then I can’t say goodbye?”
A hint of disappointment washed over Jiwoo’s face.
“We can come see him again next time, right?”
“Hehe, that’s right!”
Jiwoo nodded.
“Jiwoo will be coming to Seoul a lot from now on, so it’s okay!”
Taking Yeonjae’s outstretched hand, the boy hopped down from the high bar chair.
Then, he bowed politely toward Secretary Oh, who had just returned after clearing the table.
“Thank you for the hot chocolate, hyung.”
“Sure. Come visit again next time.”
“Hyung?”
Yeonjae tilted her head at the unfamiliar title.
“Yeah. Secretary hyung said he’s younger than the mister, so we decided I’d call him hyung!”
“Ah. That’s just how it ended up.”
Secretary Oh offered an awkward smile as he briefly explained the situation to Yeonjae.
Now that she thought about it, Secretary Oh did seem younger than Jeheon.
It was simply fascinating how the two of them had grown close enough in such a short time to establish how they addressed each other.
“If you are heading straight to the train station, I can drive you.”
“No, thank you. We have somewhere to stop by first, so we’ll make our own way.”
Yeonjae waved her hand dismissively toward Secretary Oh.
Bidding them a safe trip back, he vanished back inside the company building.
Watching him leave, Jiwoo asked Yeonjae,
“Mom, but hyung said the mister is a super high-ranking person. He said the mister will be the future owner of this company.”
“Mm. He probably will be.”
As far as Yeonjae knew, Jeheon was the sole heir to the Guil family.
The only son of the Gu family across three generations, Gu Jeheon.
Given that it was a conservative family adhering strictly to primogeniture, he was bound to inherit it barring any major upheaval.
“The mister really is so cool. He even has his own elevator in such a huge company. It’s so neat.”
Yeonjae smiled as she looked down at the child, whose round eyes were wide as he chattered away endlessly.
And yet, such an incredible man was Jiwoo’s father.
How surprised would he be if he ever found out?
Would those bright, clever eyes open wide enough to fill his entire face?
Since Jiwoo already followed him around calling him ‘mister’, wouldn’t he be happy?
She walked on, momentarily imagining a scenario that would never happen.
Feeling a gentle tug at her hand, Yeonjae looked down.
“Mom, are we going back to Daejeon now?”
“Yes. We’re going back today, but we’ll be moving to Seoul soon.”
“We’re moving to Seoul? When?”
Delight washed over the boy’s face.
“As soon as possible? You’ll have to take lessons every week soon.”
At the mention of learning the piano, Jiwoo’s eyes sparkled as though holding tens of thousands of stars.
“Jiwoo gets to take piano lessons?”
“Of course. A famous piano teacher will be teaching you. And you’ll have to practice the piano every single day, too.”
Facing Jiwoo, Yeonjae bent her knees to meet the child at eye level.
“It might be fun at first, but there will be hard times too. Can Jiwoo do it?”
Not every moment could be happy.
There would be days when his playing wouldn’t go as planned, and days when he might slip up at competitions despite practicing diligently.
He might even come to resent the piano he had loved so dearly.
Jiwoo stared at Yeonjae before tilting his head.
“Is the piano hard?”
“Yes. Sometimes it’s hard, and there might be times when it’s scary.”
“Jiwoo isn’t scared at all!”
The boy’s brave voice tapped gently against Yeonjae’s chest, seeping into her heart.
“Because Mom is by my side.”
And his radiant, beaming smile filled Yeonjae’s eyes.
“That’s right. Because Jiwoo has Mom, you’ll do wonderfully.”
He would be different from her.
Mom will make sure of that.
Yeonjae wrapped her arms tightly around Jiwoo, holding him in her embrace.
“Mom, where are we going now?”
Nuzzling his head against her chest, Jiwoo took Yeonjae’s hand and asked playfully.
