Covetous Sponsorship (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 1

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I know this isn’t right. I know I should hide my feelings too.

I shouldn’t fall for him.

Because this was the family that had taken in my only mother and, gratefully, supported us.

If I think of Chairman Han, I shouldn’t be acting like this.

But Ga Eul couldn’t push him away.

His lips drawing near, the unfamiliar sensation tangling with hers—it felt as if her whole body would melt away.

So dizzyingly sweet was the kiss they shared that she’d rather shut her eyes tight.

Just when had it started, anyway?

When had this one-sided love begun to slowly thaw her over such a long time?

* * *

“A graduation exhibition?”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“How admirable. It feels like just yesterday Ga Eul you entered this mansion, and now you’re already graduating. Once you graduate, go join TS Gallery and make your mark. Hahahaha!”

“…Yes, Chairman.”

Ga Eul offered a gentle smile and nodded her head.

At the head of the long dining table sat Chairman Han, flanked on either side by his eldest son, Han Dae Gyun, and his wife, Shin Mi Jeong. They continued their meal calmly, as if such scenes were routine to them.

These meals, summoned by Chairman Han, happened from time to time—but Ga Eul was always the only one who remained stiff and tense.

‘So it’s time to deliver results now.’

To hide her trembling hands, Ga Eul set her spoon down as if she’d finished eating.

At that, Chairman Han bluntly stated what he expected of her.

“You just need to follow in your father’s footsteps. Sign an exclusive contract with TS Gallery and prove your talent there. Ga Eul, being Yoon Dae Ho’s daughter, if you can just show your skill, gaining attention won’t be any trouble. After all, Yoon Dae Ho was always someone who drew attention wherever he went.”

Chairman Han’s eyes narrowed slightly, gleaming with even sharper intensity.

“Gi Tae manages operations well enough… but nobody has elevated the gallery’s prestige quite like Yoon Dae Ho did.”

Mentioning Yoon Dae Ho, Chairman Han clicked his tongue in evident dissatisfaction.

“There hasn’t been a single painter since Ga Eul—since your father—who was truly exceptional. They’ve all been rather unconvincing.”

Yoon Dae Ho, the master painter.

Whenever gallery matters came up, Chairman Han always brought him up. Even though nine years had passed since his death, no one had yet matched his blend of fame and talent.

Though these words sounded like praise, Ga Eul couldn’t simply rejoice—they weighed heavily on her.

Because now, she was expected to prove she was worth as much as her father—or even more.

“Ga Eul.”

He emphasized her name with particular weight.

“Y-yes…?”

“I’ve given you plenty of time. You’ll manage it, won’t you?”

“…Yes. I can do it.”

Right. After all, look how much support I’ve received all this time.

That final remark struck her sharply, like a thorn piercing deep.

For nine years, under the guise of sponsorship, she’d become thoroughly absorbed into this household.

She’d already anticipated that much would change after graduation—but now that his direct instruction had been given, the reality hit her anew.

Han Baek Ho had acted all this time like a benevolent grandfather who expected nothing in return, but in truth, he wasn’t the sort to invest without reason.

The only reason she’d been able to live safely within the mansion all this while was because, fortunately, he’d been thoroughly pleased with her paintings.

She absolutely had to produce results—any kind would do.

Painting daily, almost out of habit, Ga Eul had gradually learned to produce works nearly identical to her father’s. Occasionally called a prodigy, she knew well enough that she wasn’t perfect yet.

No matter how long she’d held a brush, she was still just a recent graduate, a newcomer to society—nowhere near her father’s level.

In Ga Eul’s eyes, she always fell painfully short of him.

Whenever she sensed her limits, she found herself longing for those distant, innocent childhood days when she’d painted alongside her father without a care in the world.

‘I miss Dad…’

She still couldn’t forget that day.

Her once-happy family, her kind and simple father—and then…

His suicide.

For fourteen-year-old Ga Eul, the sudden tragedy was unbearable pain.

Trending

It was Chairman Han Baek Ho who’d come to her father’s funeral.

After everyone else had left, in the deep quiet of a very late night, Ga Eul had instinctively taken a step back upon seeing the grandfather whose presence radiated unmistakable charisma.

At first, she hadn’t known who he was—only that her mother treated him with extraordinary deference, which puzzled her. Then he spoke to her directly.

—So you’re Ga Eul.

—…?

—Ah. You don’t seem to remember me.

—….

—Well, that’s understandable—you were very little last time we met. I was very close with your father. We were inseparable friends, despite our age difference.

He posed a single question to her.

—So, Ga Eul… do you like painting too?

It wasn’t just a simple question about liking art.

Ga Eul sensed the real intent behind it.

They’d already lost their home, and she and her mother desperately needed protection.

His eyes, now deeply set, scrutinized her carefully—assessing whether this girl could ever wield the same talent as her father.

Even though she understood what he wanted, Ga Eul could only nod.

—Yes… I do like it.

She’d never really had a choice.

He extended his wrinkled hand willingly.

—How about painting to your heart’s content then? This old man will help you. Come with me.

And so, after her father’s funeral, she entered the mansion.

Ga Eul’s mother, Hee Sun, couldn’t bear to send her daughter alone into Chairman Han’s household, so she offered herself as a housemaid.

Chairman Han granted the mother and daughter an entire annex in his Hannam-dong mansion. Though smaller than the main house, it was more than spacious enough for two.

He’d supported her in every possible way, so her life as an artist faced no obstacles whatsoever.

She truly was grateful—so why did a quiet discomfort persist in the corner of her heart?

“I’d like to see the paintings you’ve made recently.”

Startled out of her reverie by Chairman Han’s words, Ga Eul quickly replied.

“Yes, Chairman. Shall I come to your study after dinner?”

“Do that.”

Ga Eul straightened her back and answered respectfully once more. Though this was a frequent occurrence, showing him her art still felt like proving she was worthy of staying in this house—making her tense despite herself.

.

.

.

Ga Eul knocked twice, crisply, on the study door, holding the two paintings she’d recently completed.

Entering, she placed them on the warm brown solid-wood table whose grain showed clearly through, then stepped back a pace. Han Baek Ho, who’d been sitting silently in a solid-wood chair, leaned forward to examine the works.

His gaze, sharp and analytical, was colder and more precise than at dinner. His manner while inspecting the paintings was so serious it bordered on stern.

“I’ve been busy preparing for my graduation exhibition, so I could only finish two pieces this month. I’m sorry.”

“I see?”

While Baek Ho studied the paintings, she nervously averted her eyes from both the artworks and him.

True to his love of art, the Chairman’s study displayed works by various painters—including several that she herself had painted as a child. Fortunately, those had clearly met with his approval.

On a small side table nearby sat a blue ceramic piece she didn’t recognize.

‘I’ve never seen that before…’

It seemed his interests had expanded even to ceramics. Chairman Han adored anything beautiful, without discrimination.

Thanks to that discerning eye, what had begun as a hobby—running a gallery—had firmly established itself among galleries with far longer traditions.

He’d recognized her father’s potential early on, allowing Yoon Dae Ho to hold grand exhibitions at TS Gallery repeatedly, gaining fame—and in turn, the gallery reaped considerable benefits.

Now that she thought of it…

‘Didn’t he say the two of them were friends…?’

Her father had never mentioned it, so curiosity occasionally stirred—but the kindness Chairman Han showed her was far beyond what he’d grant a complete stranger.

That must be why he cared for me so… because I’m Yoon Dae Ho’s daughter.

Even under the pressure to deliver results, Ga Eul knew the favor she’d received was immense. Supporting a child with no proven talent had clearly been a losing investment—so despite the burden, she wanted desperately to meet his expectations.

Meanwhile, Baek Ho alternated his gaze between the two paintings before him: one depicting a moonlit lake, the other scattering flower petals.

ads

‘Oh? Not bad at all.’

The lake shimmered with soft moonlight, beautiful and serene; the petals, rendered in bold colors, left a strong impression.

The thick application of paint added texture, lending the works a sense of depth—yet nothing felt dissonant.

‘My judgment was right after all.’

The child who’d inherited her father’s talent had grown into an artist whose unique perspective made him curious about how she truly saw her subjects—just as Yoon Dae Ho had once proudly claimed about his daughter’s work.

‘I like this.’

The first time he’d seen the little girl’s paintings—created entirely without formal instruction, learned solely from her father—his eyes had lit up.

Not having a teacher had actually helped; otherwise, her talent might have been ruined.

Where else could she have found a better teacher than her own father?

Unlike how he’d once dismissed Yoon Dae Ho’s boasting about his daughter’s art as mere parental pride, on that day—when Yoon Dae Ho first proudly showed him Ga Eul’s paintings—Chairman Han had already decided: he would bring her into his gallery.

Because her childhood works had been exact replicas of Yoon Dae Ho’s.

She was, as always, the one child who’d never disappointed him.

“Alright. Well done. You may go.”

“Yes, Chairman. Thank you.”

These paintings pleased him too.

They’d surely be helpful for that grandson of his, who was returning soon.

Watching Ga Eul leave, Chairman Han smiled in satisfaction.

Just as Yoon Dae Ho once had for him.

.

.

.

Ga Eul let out a sigh of relief as she left the Chairman’s study.

Thankfully, these paintings seemed to have pleased him again.

Though this routine repeated endlessly, this particular inspection still never felt familiar.

His love for art hadn’t changed—but for some reason, unease always lingered quietly in her heart, sometimes making her feel as though holding a brush was like wearing shackles.

“Haah…”

Now that the tension had lifted, Ga Eul exhaled deeply.

In the quiet main house, only the sound of her footsteps echoed.

Living in the main house were Chairman Han’s eldest son, Han Dae Gyun, and his wife, Shin Mi Jeong. Their two sons lived separately: the elder, Han Gi Jeong, had married and moved out, while the younger, Han Gi Tae, had long since left his room empty as he expanded the family’s gallery business overseas.

‘If I join TS Gallery… will I run into him?’

Han Gi Tae, who’d once said he wanted the smallest of Chairman Han’s galleries, had not only opened eight branches domestically but was now steadily adding international locations. He’d even been selected as one of the six most influential figures in the art world—anyone who mattered certainly knew of him.

He’d become so busy that seeing him felt as impossible as plucking a star from the sky. She herself had only laid eyes on him a handful of times.

And yet, he remained vividly etched in her memory—especially that brief first encounter with Han Gi Tae.

That fleeting glance as he passed her, his intense eyes beneath it, his sharply defined nose, and his low, calm voice.

That image occasionally surfaced in her mind—was it because that day had seared itself so deeply into her memory?

Or…

Just as Ga Eul shook off her daydreaming and turned to leave the main house—

“Ga Eul!”

At the voice calling her name, she turned to see Mi Jeong descending from the second floor. Smiling warmly as if genuinely pleased to see her, Mi Jeong gracefully walked down the stairs and approached Ga Eul’s side.

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