Sponsorship Stigma
Chapter 38
Chapter 38
Just Bring Yourself
Under the deep darkness settling over the night sky, Yeonjae paced restlessly.
The car’s headlights shone brightly. Yeonjae’s gaze lingered on Jeheon as he set Jiwoo down in the back seat.
Exhausted from vomiting earlier, Jiwoo had remained fast asleep in Jeheon’s arms, not waking even as he was carried into the car.
Perhaps it was for the best. A deep sleep would do him good, and he would feel better when he woke up.
Only after settling Jiwoo in and fastening his seatbelt did Jeheon close the car door.
Then he walked over to where Yeonjae was standing.
“What happened?”
“He ate dinner, and then he suddenly started throwing up.”
The sound of retching from inside the bathroom stall still rang vividly in her ears.
The memory of the child barely clinging to the toilet bowl still made her dizzy with fear—enough to make her vision go pale white.
As the lingering tension rushed back, Yeonjae clenched her hands tightly.
“What did he eat?”
“Well… he had street tteokbokki.”
“Ha?”
A sigh slipped past Jeheon’s lips.
“You said you had prior plans. Your prior plans were eating street food?”
“Ah, it was an appointment with a real estate agent. I was going to look at some places.”
Before coming up from Daejeon, she had made an appointment with an agent to view listings she had found online.
Since she couldn’t easily travel back and forth to Seoul with Jiwoo, she had thought it would be best to look while she was already in the city.
As she added the explanation in a quiet voice, Jeheon pressed a hand to his forehead.
“I went out of my way to reserve a restaurant, and you blew it off for a real estate agency? Why on earth are you even going there?”
Jeheon scrunched his nose in annoyance.
“Because we need a place to live if we’re staying in Seoul.”
“Why are you looking for a house? I told you I’d get you one.”
Rendered speechless, Yeonjae closed her mouth.
“Didn’t you see it written in the contract?”
“I know.”
She had seen it when reviewing the contract, and he had mentioned it before when they discussed the agreement with the Foundation.
It included not just piano lessons, but general living expenses as well.
She knew that was the easy path, but she didn’t want to depend on the Foundation for everything.
Because the life she had lived that way had not been entirely happy.
At the sudden surge of past memories, the corners of Yeonjae’s mouth drooped.
When she left that studio apartment, she had left behind everything touched by Guil.
She had packed only the belongings that were solely hers, and it had filled just a single suitcase.
The feeling of helplessness, the sheer emptiness she had felt back then.
The realization that if she took Guil out of Jung Yeonjae’s life, nothing remained had left her utterly hollow.
That was why Yeonjae wanted to stand on her own two feet rather than rely on the Foundation’s support whenever possible.
It was also for Jiwoo’s sake.
‘I never meant to make Jiwoo sick like this, though.’
In the end, what she thought was for Jiwoo’s good had only ended up hurting him, leaving her with nothing to say in her defense.
Biting her lower lip, Yeonjae looked up.
Jeheon’s face was taut and stiff.
And seeing his expression, as though he had something to say but was holding it back, Yeonjae swallowed hard.
“Are you angry, by any chance?”
“Me?”
His brows twitched and furrowed as he asked back.
“Why would I be?”
Though he denied it, the look on Jeheon’s face seemed visibly uncomfortable.
Your face clearly says you are, though. The words she couldn’t bring herself to say lingered in Yeonjae’s mouth.
It wasn’t as if she had only known him for a day or two.
After ten years of harboring a one-sided love for him, Yeonjae could read him clearly, but she held her tongue.
“Get in the back with Jiwoo. I’ll drive you home.”
Yeonjae sat in the back seat and rested Jiwoo’s head on her lap.
The child was already breathing softly in a deep sleep.
Inside the car, silence reigned, broken only by the occasional directions from the navigation system.
Yeonjae watched the scenery passing outside the window, then glanced quietly at Jeheon.
Whether it was because of the child’s steady breathing,
or the exhaustion washing over her as the tension drained away, Yeonjae’s eyelids gradually grew heavy.
And when she opened her eyes again, a familiar sight greeted her.
A three-story red brick house and a silver iron gate.
It was in front of her house in Daejeon, the little haven where she and Jiwoo lived.
Surprised, Yeonjae’s eyes widened.
As she looked around, her eyes caught sight of a familiar back—Jeheon was leaning against the driver’s side door, tapping on his phone.
Yeonjae gently eased Jiwoo’s head down and stepped out of the car.
Sensing her presence, Jeheon turned around.
“I must have dozed off. You should have woken me when we arrived.”
She glanced down at her wristwatch; it was already pointing to two o’clock.
“Thank you for today. I was at a complete loss about how to get back after missing the train.”
“……”
“Honestly, I was so glad when you called, Gu Jeheon-ssi. I truly mean it. I’ll wake Jiwoo up.”
Whether it was the lingering daze of sleep,
or the quiet atmosphere of the dim dawn, Yeonjae spoke her gratitude honestly before turning around.
And just as she walked toward Jiwoo’s side and opened the door—
“Don’t wake a sick child.”
Whispering in a voice meant only for Yeonjae to hear, Jeheon lifted Jiwoo into his arms.
Passing Yeonjae, Jeheon pushed open the iron gate and began climbing the stairs.
The child’s arm dangled limply in the air.
And watching the man ascend while holding the boy in a steady, protective embrace, a strange emotion welled up inside Yeonjae.
This worn, humble house did not suit Jeheon.
She had never even imagined that this man would set foot inside the home where the two of them lived.
She had thought it would feel wildly out of place and uncomfortable.
Yet the sight of the man holding the child,
and seeing Jeheon step into their home didn’t feel entirely unwelcome.
Yeonjae stepped forward and opened the front door.
Entering first, she found the living room light switch and turned it on.
Jeheon’s gaze scanned the interior for a brief moment by the shoe rack before he disappeared into the master bedroom.
“Would you like something to drink?”
Did we have any juice?
Yeonjae hurried to the refrigerator and checked inside, but unfortunately, there were no drinks she could offer Jeheon.
Come to think of it, she hadn’t gone grocery shopping recently.
Did I have any tea bags at home?
She was racking her memory.
Just then, she felt his presence, and a low voice resonated right behind her ear.
“Forget that.”
Then a hand reached out and firmly shut the refrigerator door Yeonjae was holding.
As she turned, Yeonjae’s back pressed against the closed refrigerator door.
There was barely a handspan of space between them.
She knew he had approached, but she hadn’t realized they would be standing this close, causing Yeonjae’s eyes to widen in surprise.
“Jung Yeonjae.”
His low voice washed over Yeonjae.
From a distance so close their lips could almost brush.
“Don’t look for a house. I’ll decide where you move.”
The breath slipping from his lips tickled the bridge of Yeonjae’s nose.
It was so ticklish she flinched every time his breath brushed her skin.
“Just bring yourself. And Jiwoo.”
Jeheon, gazing right into her eyes, did not yield an inch.
* * *
On the day he went up to Seoul, Jiwoo remembered up to sitting on the emergency room bed.
Yet when he opened his eyes, it was morning, and Jiwoo was lying in bed at their home in Daejeon.
“Mom, did we take the train home?”
“Mister brought us home.”
“Really? Did mister carry Jiwoo?”
Hearing Yeonjae say that he had carried the sleeping Jiwoo all the way home made Jiwoo’s cheeks flush pink.
And from the moment he arrived at the Kindergarten until lunchtime, the mister kept flickering in his thoughts.
She should’ve woken me up on the way.
No, Jiwoo should’ve opened his eyes for just a second!
He had felt as though someone was holding him in his sleep, but perhaps due to the medicine, Jiwoo had been in a daze.
‘It feels so nice being held by mister, though.’
Puffing air into his cheeks, the child pouted, his cheeks swelling round.
Feeling terribly disappointed, Jiwoo swung his little feet back and forth as he sat on the bench.
“Jung Jiwoo!”
Hearing a familiar voice behind him, Jiwoo looked up.
And at the round face that suddenly popped into view, the boy’s eyes grew as wide as fists.
It was Seoha.
“Let’s play piano at my house this weekend!”
She grinned, blocking Jiwoo’s way.
“I found sheet music other than Salut d’Amour! It’s really easy, so even a beginner like you can play it.”
Jiwoo stared quietly at Seoha as she stood triumphantly with her hands on her hips.
Over Seoha’s face, memories of visiting her house last week surfaced in his mind.
In the small room introduced as a former study, there was a piano, a violin, and all sorts of musical instruments.
It even had soundproof walls so instruments could be played at any time.
“My dad made it for me for my birthday!”
Seoha’s eyes had sparkled, as if asking, Honestly, aren’t you jealous?
The room she introduced as a birthday gift had truly been a dream space for Jiwoo.
Because one could play the piano to one’s heart’s content there.
“My mom said if you come over and play with me, she’ll buy us a delicious lunch.”
Normally, Jiwoo would have gladly jumped at the offer, just like he did last week.
Being able to play piano was great, and having a delicious lunch made it even better.
However, Saturday weighed heavily on Jiwoo’s mind. Because he had to move to Seoul on Friday.
“I can’t go.”
“Why? Do you have other plans? Who are you playing with?”
Seoha fired off question after question.
“Hojun?”
“No-o. I’m not playing with other friends.”
Jiwoo shook his head.
“Jiwoo can play the piano now!”
“Really? Did your mom buy you a new piano? Or are you going to an academy?”
Curiosity swirled in Seoha’s eyes.
Looking at Seoha, Jiwoo stood up from the bench.
Seoha had urged him every single day to learn piano.
“I’ll match your pace! I’ve been learning longer than you. So hurry up and learn the piano too!”
She had told him to start playing piano soon so they could keep playing duets together.
She would probably be amazed if he said he joined the Foundation.
And if he told her he was going with the mister, she would surely be beside herself with envy.
Imagining Seoha pouting with her trademark sulky expression, Jiwoo continued.
“It’s not that. I’m learning piano at the Foundation. That’s why I’m moving to Seoul, so I can’t go on Saturday!”
He thought her big eyes would grow twice as wide.
Yet the corners of Seoha’s eyes, which had been sparkling brightly just a moment ago, drooped.
The corners of her mouth, full of excitement, slowly sank as well.
“You’re… moving to Seoul?”
Seoha’s shoulders slumped like a waterlogged sponge.
Seoha’s reaction was completely different from what Jiwoo had expected.
Tears slowly welled up in the corners of her eyes.
The tears gathered in her large eyes streamed down her cheeks.
“Waaah!”
At her sorrowful wails, the Teacher in the playground came running over to the two of them.
Looking at Jiwoo and Seoha with a startled expression, the Teacher asked,
“Seoha, what’s the matter? Jiwoo, why is Seoha crying?”
“Teacheeer.”
Burrowing into the Teacher’s arms, Seoha began to sob loudly as if she had lost the world.
“Jiwoo is… hic, Jung Jiwoo says he’s moving away. Is he really moving?”
“You heard. Yes. Jiwoo will only be attending until this week.”
When the Teacher readily confirmed it, Seoha burst into tears again with a loud “Waaah!”
“It seems Seoha doesn’t want to part with Jiwoo. That’s why you’re sad, right?”
As the Teacher patted her back and spoke, Jiwoo blinked his eyes.
Crying because she doesn’t want to say goodbye?
That Jang Seoha?
“Jiwoo, why don’t you give Seoha a hug? You two should have fun during the time you have left.”
Jiwoo stepped closer to Seoha as the Teacher guided him.
The Teacher told him to hug her, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to reach out.
“Jang Seoha, why are you crying like this?”
At his somewhat clumsy question, Seoha’s shoulders heaved.
‘What do you mean why! Don’t you even know that much?!’
Forcing herself to swallow those words, Seoha wiped away her tears.
“I can just come visit you.”
Hearing his voice ring in her ears, Seoha lifted her head.
“You’ll come? Really?”
When Jiwoo nodded, Seoha sniffled.
And in the eyes looking at Jiwoo, a small bloom of hope began to blossom.
