Sponsorship Stigma
Chapter 41
41. Black Stilettos
The electronic chime of the door lock releasing rang out.
As the front door closed, stillness settled over the space Yeonjae stepped into.
She walked past the inner door.
Passing down the hallway that stretched out like an art gallery, Yeonjae’s steps gradually came to a halt.
Lifting her head, her light brown eyes took in the view of the living room.
“It’s so quiet.”
It was a stark contrast to the morning battle she had just fought to get Jiwoo ready for kindergarten.
His first day of kindergarten in Seoul.
She was just returning from dropping off Jiwoo at the kindergarten not far from the Residence.
Even though it was only for a short while, Jiwoo’s absence felt especially vast.
Almost as if she had returned to the days she used to spend with Jeheon.
The Residence hadn’t changed in the slightest since then.
Whenever Jiwoo wasn’t around, memories of the past would abruptly surface in her mind like this.
And taking over her thoughts, they shook Yeonjae to her core.
At the uncomfortable fragments of memory threatening to invade once more, Yeonjae pressed firmly against her temples.
Shaking her head, she tried to brush them away.
“Do you really think anything’s going to change if you do that?”
The voice that suddenly seeped into her ears made Yeonjae’s shoulders flinch.
The first day they moved into the Residence.
It was the memory of the day she had followed Jeheon when he called her out to the balcony.
“Stop being stubborn and unpack. Jiwoo’s kindergarten has been decided. Lala Kindergarten.”
At the familiar name of the kindergarten, Yeonjae sank deeper into thought.
Lala Kindergarten was a place Yeonjae knew all too well. A place where the Foundation invested massive capital.
It was famous for offering a direct track into the Foundation’s private elementary school, known for its fierce admissions competition.
Arts and athletics.
If one intended to teach classical music in particular, there was a specialized track running all the way through arts middle school and high school.
“You know it too. People are dying to get their kids in there.”
If Yeonjae had entered the Foundation around Jiwoo’s age, she would have followed that exact path.
In fact, it had been a constant source of dissatisfaction for Myeonghee regarding Yeonjae.
‘If you were more talented, I would’ve sent you to Lala. You started far too late!’
She had constantly scolded and reproached Yeonjae, who had only entered the Foundation in middle school.
Saying that because she wasn’t from Lala, she lacked refinement and skill.
“I don’t want Jiwoo to catch the Director's eye. If he goes to Lala...”
“Now that he’s part of the Foundation, there’s no way Jiwoo won’t be noticed. Don’t you know that trying to hide him will only make him stand out more?”
Myeonghee had supposedly stepped away from Foundation matters a year ago.
Ever since, she had only held an honorary position at the Foundation.
“My mother has no interest in you. Who Jung Jiwoo’s parents are doesn't matter to her.”
So Jeheon had told her not to worry needlessly and to prepare for his enrollment.
His voice saying those words kept lingering and circling in her head.
“...How could it not matter?”
He was your child, Koo Jeheon. No one else's.
He probably had no idea how desperately she wanted to keep the boy out of Myeonghee’s sight.
Jeheon wouldn't even begin to imagine that that was the reason.
Yeonjae bit down hard on her lower lip.
Then she lifted her head and stared at the object in her hand.
The item Jeheon had handed Yeonjae when he came to the Residence.
It was the master key.
Raising her gaze from the familiar key, Yeonjae swept her eyes around the room.
She still couldn’t decide whether it was really all right to stay here.
Just as he said, perhaps this place really was the safest.
Unauthorized people couldn't enter, and the residents had no interest in one another.
Thanks to that, the relationship between Yeonjae and Jeheon had never been exposed to the outside world.
When her thoughts reached that point, Yeonjae shook her head to clear her mind.
Stop thinking about it.
As long as Jiwoo attended the kindergarten, she had to stay here until she found a new place.
Having sorted out her thoughts, Yeonjae sank onto the sofa.
The plush leather sofa yielded against her back, wrapping around her as she sat.
In contrast to the thoughts cluttering her mind, the cozy comfort made Yeonjae close her eyes.
“I want to... forget it all, too.”
If only she could carve out her memories like Jeheon.
Why did they remain only with her, tormenting her like this?
And at the man’s face that remained vivid even in this moment, Yeonjae bit her lip.
* * *
“I’m going to the United States with my mom and dad next week! I'm going to buy the new watch there!”
“Can’t you just buy that here?”
“It’s not out here yet! Su-ho, don’t you even know that?”
A-jin, who had been chatting with Su-ho, made a haughty face in displeasure.
Jiwoo watched the two children chatting back and forth before dropping his gaze to the ground.
The three of them had started talking together, but before he knew it, only the two of them were busy talking to each other.
‘My mom is a famous designer. So we go on trips to the United States super often. I only fly first class!’
Jiwoo didn’t know what “first” meant, but the nuance in the way A-jin spoke sounded just like Seoha.
That expression and tone that seemed to ask, ‘This is super nice, have you tried it too?’
Seeing her show off, Jiwoo let out a quiet sigh so the other kids wouldn't notice.
“There’s a Jang Seoha here, too.”
At least Seoha was cute.
The friends at this new kindergarten somehow had a completely different vibe from his friends back in Daejeon.
They were busy speaking to each other in a language Jiwoo didn’t know.
Jiwoo didn’t know English. Jiwoo fiddled with his fingers for no reason.
At first, Su-ho and A-jin had also tried saying something to Jiwoo in English.
But seeing the confusion spreading across Jiwoo’s face, they soon switched to Korean.
“Huh? What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
Hearing Jiwoo mutter, A-jin tilted her head and asked.
Seeing Jiwoo wave his hands in dismissal, she made a dismissive face and turned away.
“Oh, right. Jiwoo.”
Jiwoo had been kicking at the sand from where he sat.
Then he looked up at the sound of Su-ho calling him.
“Is the person who came with you this morning your maid?”
Jiwoo recalled holding Yeonjae’s hand on the way to kindergarten this morning.
It took less than five minutes on foot from the Residence to the kindergarten.
As he walked with his mom, they had arrived in no time, and Jiwoo had even said, ‘I really like that the kindergarten is so close!’
Su-ho seemed to have seen them.
“She’s not a maid... She’s my mom!”
“Your mom? Your mom drops you off at kindergarten?”
“Of course! Su-ho, who did you come with?”
If you didn’t come with your mom, who else would you come to kindergarten with?
Jiwoo tilted his head.
“Me? The driver!”
Blinking his eyes, Su-ho replied proudly that it was his driver.
Then A-jin chimed in from beside him, saying it was the same for her.
Jiwoo remembered what the other children looked like this morning.
All of them had gotten out of gleaming, expensive cars, seen off by men in suits.
‘I guess all the kids living in Seoul get dropped off by their dads.’
Jiwoo didn't have a dad.
Jiwoo had felt quite envious of that.
But he hadn’t realized that they weren’t dads, but chauffeurs.
Jiwoo only knew about taxi drivers, so having a personal driver at home was fascinating to him.
“All the kids who go here are like that. The drivers drop everyone off.”
“I wish my mom dropped me off, too. But my mom is busy.”
“Me too! My mom’s busy, too. Both my mom and dad are doctors.”
“You’re so lucky, Jiwoo.”
“Yeah, so lucky.”
Becoming the object of envy in an instant, Jiwoo blinked his eyes repeatedly.
And soon, a ticklish flutter bloomed in the boy's chest.
He had always been the one envying others, so being envied for the first time felt unfamiliar.
“Ahem, that’s right! My mom always drops me off and picks me up!”
Basking in their envious looks, Jiwoo’s shoulders naturally lifted with pride.
Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed toward the playground where the children were.
“Jiwoo! You’ve been having fun playing with Su-ho and A-jin. Shall we go to the Director's Office with Teacher for a moment?”
It was Jiwoo’s homeroom teacher.
“Since it’s your first day, you need to say hello. It’ll only take a moment.”
“Okay! I’ll be right back!”
Jiwoo dusted off his hands.
And on the way back inside with the teacher, he felt his friends’ envious gazes lingering on him.
Maybe Jiwoo fits in better with Seoul!
With his cheeks now flushed, the boy’s chest swelled with anticipation.
Walking down the first-floor hallway, the teacher came to a stop.
When Jiwoo looked up, a plaque that read ‘Director’s Office’ came into view.
“Jiwoo, wait here for just a second.”
After knocking, the teacher stepped inside the Director’s Office.
From inside, the teacher’s voice could be heard saying, “Director, Jiwoo is here.”
“Ah... she has a guest right now.”
“Then I’ll bring Jiwoo back later.”
“Why bother? I’m finished saying what I came to say. I’ll take my leave.”
“Pardon? Director, you came all this way after so long. I’ll be quite sad if you leave just like this.”
The troubled voice of the kindergarten director and a sharper, high-pitched voice could be heard alternating.
“Never mind. You can come over to my house later, Director Yu. Maybe it’s because I’ve been resting lately, but I feel lonely.”
“Ah, of course. I must pay you a visit.”
The sound of a chair scraping against the floor carried past the doorway.
And with sharp clacks, the sound of high heels approached the door.
Soon, the door swung open.
Startled, Jiwoo, who had been standing in front of the door, took a step back.
A pair of black stiletto heels came to a stop in front of Jiwoo.
Spotting the stilettos so sharp they seemed capable of cutting at a touch, Jiwoo’s eyes wavered.
Just then.
“You.”
At the voice coming from above his head, the boy’s shoulders flinched.
At the familiar name called by a completely unfamiliar voice.
“Are you Jung Jiwoo?”
Jiwoo slowly lifted his head.
