Covetous Sponsorship (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 3
“Han Gi Tae…? When did he get here…?”
Ga Eul’s pupils trembled violently at the sight of Gi Tae.
He looked different—distinctly so—from how she remembered him, despite never having forgotten him even once.
Where his youthful features had once been, only the presence of a mature man now remained.
His unfamiliar face, seen again after so long, slowly registered in her eyes, detail by detail.
A straight forehead visible between slightly swept-back bangs, a high nose bridge, a strong, defined jawline.
He had been handsome even when she first saw him at age fourteen, and now he stood proudly at nearly 190 cm tall. His shoulders had broadened significantly, radiating unmistakable masculinity. She now had to tilt her head way back just to look up at him.
Dressed in a sharp suit, looking down at her with an air reminiscent of a successful CEO, he felt strangely distant. Ga Eul reflexively touched her throat, unsettled.
“I didn’t hear he was coming…”
Since he happened to be staring down at her indifferently at that very moment, Ga Eul froze in place as if her body had stiffened entirely.
Ah, now that she thought about it—she hadn’t even greeted him yet.
Ga Eul quickly offered a greeting.
“Oh, hello.”
“…”
“I didn’t know you’d returned… No, it’s really been so long…”
“…”
Ga Eul struggled to keep the nervous twitch at the corners of her lips under control and ultimately couldn’t finish her sentence properly.
She should’ve just bowed in silence instead.
She bit down on her innocent tongue, scolding herself inwardly—this unexpectedly sudden encounter had completely thrown her off.
Come to think of it…
“Why is he staring at me like that…?”
He neither moved on nor mocked her for her awkward, rambling words. From the moment she’d arrived, he’d been staring intently only at her.
Under his gaze, Ga Eul unconsciously tensed her entire body.
She’d always felt flustered around him before, but now it was even worse—she didn’t know what to do with herself at all.
“…Huh?”
Without warning, he reached toward her face and gently rubbed her cheek with a slightly rough touch.
Their eyes met. The moment his indifferent hand made contact with her skin felt oddly slow, as though time itself had stretched.
“Oil paint, huh.”
“…”
There was one thing that hadn’t changed: his eyes. They retained that same deep brown hue—the kind only achievable by layering paint over and over—which had always drawn her gaze. The memory of thinking how beautiful that color was suddenly resurfaced.
Startled by the sudden touch, Ga Eul froze like a broken doll, prompting him to frown slightly before pulling his hand away.
Just then, a loud shout came from inside the main building—Mi Jeong’s voice.
“Gi Tae! What are you doing outside? Aren’t you coming in yet?”
Leaving Ga Eul standing there utterly bewildered, he briskly wiped his hand with a handkerchief and turned sharply on his heel.
“…What was that about? Seriously, what even was that?”
A flush of red spread over the spot on Ga Eul’s cheek where the paint had just been slightly smudged.
.
.
.
“Where did this come from?”
Ga Eul rushed straight to the restroom, confirmed that paint was indeed smudged on her face, and bit her lip in frustration. It wasn’t even a color she’d used while working—her head tilted involuntarily in confusion.
“He could’ve just told me…”
Ga Eul recalled the feel of his hand on her face. Whether from shock or something else, her heart continued to pound fiercely.
After briefly touching the cheek he’d just brushed, she suddenly checked the time and hurried off quickly.
Because of the earlier commotion, she entered the dining room a bit late—everyone was already seated. Ga Eul quietly slipped in like a thief, searching for her seat.
Still preoccupied by what had just happened, she deliberately turned her head to avoid him, whose presence kept stealing her attention.
In her peripheral vision, she noticed that the dining table’s atmosphere felt different from usual.
“Hmm…? Something seems off.”
Before she knew it, Ga Eul began scanning the table thoroughly. Even seated, her eyes darted busily.
“Pumpkin pancakes… braised short ribs… and… hmm…”
Extra dishes had clearly been hastily added—more than usual—but what really caught Ga Eul’s eye was a vase she’d never seen before on their long, familiar table.
“Oh! That’s it.”
Inside the vase sat freshly cut blooms, glistening with moisture as though plucked just moments ago. Ga Eul instantly guessed Mi Jeong had placed them there.
In the nine years she’d known her, Mi Jeong always liked making small changes for special occasions.
Sure enough, when Ga Eul glanced sideways at Mi Jeong, the woman’s eyes sparkled like a child awaiting praise. Ga Eul smiled warmly at her, touched.
“You’re happy he’s back, aren’t you?”
Unable to suppress her rising smile any longer, Mi Jeong finally couldn’t resist poking her son—who was only talking business with Chairman Han—and gently asked in an affectionate tone,
“Son, are you eating enough? Your food’s getting cold. And… hey! Have you even looked around the table?”
“Yes, I’m eating well. It’s delicious.”
“Oh… really? Well… I’m glad you think so…”
He hadn’t actually glanced at the dozens of side dishes on the table at all—instead, he immediately turned back to Chairman Han to continue their business talk. There was no way he’d even noticed the vase.
“She clearly wanted to talk about the flowers…”
Seeing Mi Jeong’s slightly crestfallen expression, Ga Eul let out a small, sympathetic groan. Perhaps it was okay if she, not his son, noticed first? It was such a tiny worry—but it mattered.
“Um… Madam.”
After a brief internal struggle, Ga Eul carefully called out to Mi Jeong,
speaking softly so as not to interrupt Chairman Han and his business discussion. Mi Jeong lifted her head wearily.
Ga Eul gave her a gentle smile and brought up the vase.
“I thought the dining table seemed unusually bright today—then I saw the flowers. They’re really beautiful.”
“Oh my! You think so too, Ga Eul?”
“Yes.”
Mi Jeong’s mood visibly lifted now that Ga Eul had shown interest in the vase.
“I picked a few blooms from the greenhouse garden. It’s so hard to find flowers in winter, you know? I tried arranging them myself—though it’s been so long since I did flower arranging, I might’ve lost my touch a bit. What do you think?”
“No, not at all—they’re just lovely.”
“Really? I spent quite a bit learning this, you know! Guess it was worth it after all.”
Their cheerful exchange finally drew the attention of both Chairman Han and Gi Tae toward the vase.
“Mi Jeong, when did you prepare something like this?”
“Gi Tae’s here after so long—it’s only natural I’d want to make things special!”
“I suppose. It’s different, but not bad.”
“Oh… thank you, Father.”
Pleased by this unexpected compliment, Mi Jeong immediately moved several side dishes toward Ga Eul.
“Ga Eul, eat more.”
“Thank you, Madam. Please eat well yourself too.”
“Yes, yes.”
Ga Eul simply wanted to acknowledge Mi Jeong’s feelings—a mother eager to impress her son. In that sense, she reminded Ga Eul so much of her own mother.
Though her words hadn’t been flattery, the meal’s suddenly warm atmosphere genuinely lifted Ga Eul’s spirits.
She smiled softly at Mi Jeong—but the smile froze awkwardly on her face.
He was already staring intensely at her.
Ga Eul instinctively jerked her head away before fidgeting nervously, biting her lower lip.
“When are you planning to return to the department store? Are you really going to leave all the store’s work to Gi Jeong and focus only on the gallery?”
“…”
Gi Tae, unaware Chairman Han was addressing him, kept his eyes fixed solely on Ga Eul.
Despite his earlier touch, the paint stain still left a faint peachy tint on her cheek. She continued chatting amiably with his mother, still smiling—the two appeared quite cheerful together.
“Now that I think about it…”
He’d noticed subtle shifts in the dinner atmosphere every time he’d briefly visited Korea.
Today, Gi Tae finally realized it clearly—his eyes narrowed slightly.
She was the reason.
Meals at this house had always been little more than quick business briefings squeezed between everyone’s busy schedules—a necessity, not leisure.
But lately, his usually quiet mother had begun talking more during dinner, even laughing often.
Gi Tae found her change both unfamiliar and heartening.
He stared blankly at the woman who’d brought about this transformation.
“Wasn’t she just that girl who paints?”
The one his grandfather sponsors.
Gi Tae tilted his head slightly, then quietly murmured her name under his breath.
“Yoon Ga Eul…”
“You brat! Were you even listening to me?”
Startled out of his gaze by Chairman Han’s sudden shout, Gi Tae quickly turned back and obediently answered his grandfather’s question.
“No, I wasn’t.”
“Tsk—daydreaming during dinner? Not even offering polite responses!”
Chairman Han clicked his tongue and turned away—but then, just like Gi Tae had moments before, his eyes landed on Ga Eul. After a brief pause, he cracked a sudden grin and loudly called out to both Ga Eul and Gi Tae.
“Ga Eul, come take a look at your paintings, Gi Tae.”
“…Huh?”
“What?”
Both responded simultaneously, startled by Chairman Han’s abrupt comment—but he merely continued happily.
“Ga Eul’s graduating soon—we’ve got to bring her into TS Gallery, right? Ga Eul, when did you say your graduation exhibition was again?”
“Oh, um—it’s in three days, Chairman.”
“Yes, yes. You’ll come see it, won’t you, Gi Tae?”
He’s coming to see my exhibition?
At the chairman’s question, Ga Eul couldn’t help but glance subtly toward him. Their eyes met—and Ga Eul flinched, her shoulders jumping.
Gi Tae lifted one corner of his lips, then nodded.
Surprisingly easily, he replied,
“Yes, I’ll come see it.”
Really…?
The one most shocked by his words was, of course, Ga Eul herself.
He’d always been the only member of the household who never interfered in her affairs.
* * *
Graduation exhibition day.
“What’s with you, Yoon Ga Eul…? Why are you shaking so much?”
“I don’t know… Maybe because it’s my graduation show? I’m just a bit nervous.”
“Just do what you always do.”
“Haha, yeah, right.”
“Do you need a calming pill or something?”
“No, I’ll just step outside for some fresh air.”
“Okay. The exhibition’s starting soon—come back quickly.”
“Okay.”
Ga Eul left Joo Ah, who watched her with puzzled concern, and stepped outside. Wrapped in a snow-white long coat like a rabbit, she watched her breath puff out and scatter—and kept trembling uncontrollably.
It wasn’t from the cold—it was sheer nerves.
It was the first time the chairman would be attending her school exhibition.
But Ga Eul’s real anxiety came from something else entirely.
Han Gi Tae—coming to see her exhibition.
She always found him especially hard to deal with. In fact, encountering him two days in a row was unprecedented.
He was the only member of the chairman’s family who’d shown zero interest in her work.
Thus, the only times they ever crossed paths were during rare formal dinners at the main house.
But whenever he visited the estate, meals were always strictly for his immediate family.
She had never had reason to join them—it only made sense.
Usually, all she ever saw was his retreating back as he left the estate.
So whenever she stood before him, she never knew how to act—her body would just seize up like a malfunctioning machine.
Just meeting him was overwhelming enough—but now her paintings had to impress him too. How could she not be nervous?
“What if he says my art is no good?”
Her heart pounded wildly.
She must have stayed outside too long—Joo Ah suddenly texted her.
Ga Eul pushed open the glass door and reentered the building. Spotting Joo Ah, she noticed Chairman Han and Secretary Kim—whom she often saw with him—standing nearby.
Ga Eul quickly approached and bowed deeply to Chairman Han. Then, noticing Joo Ah’s curious tilt of the head, she deliberately used an unusual form of address to clarify who he was.
“You came, Grandfather.”
Understanding immediately, Joo Ah murmured, “Ah, it’s Grandfather,” and excused herself to check on her friends elsewhere. Before Ga Eul could even exhale, Chairman Han asked,
“Right. These five pieces are yours?”
“Yes. What do you think?”
As she asked, Ga Eul carefully watched his expression.
“The theme is life… life.”
The five floral paintings Ga Eul had created each depicted a different flower.
Some showed tiny petals clustered together, freshly bloomed and radiating vitality. Others captured full blossoms at the peak of their beauty. Still others dramatically portrayed the gradual fading and falling of petals—collectively evoking the cycle of birth and death.
He studied the paintings for a long moment, then nodded.
“Good. He seems pleased.”
Seeing his satisfied expression, Ga Eul finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.
After meticulously examining each piece, Chairman Han suddenly turned to Secretary Kim and asked,
“Where’s that boy? He should be seeing this.”
“Just a moment, Chairman.”
“Heh heh.”
Not long after the chairman’s request, Secretary Kim—who’d briefly stepped outside—returned quickly.
“Um… Chairman.”
“What is it?”
“Just for a moment…”
Secretary Kim glanced around the quiet gallery, then called Chairman Han over cautiously. With an embarrassed look, he whispered something quietly.
A moment later, after hearing the full story, Chairman Han’s face turned an unusual shade of red and purple. Veins bulged at his temples, his fist clenched tightly trembling—then he bellowed,
“Han Gi Tae! You rascal!”
Male lead says he’s pregnant — and it’s female lead’s child
Something seems a bit off about this world.
Wang Zhao thought as she watched a pregnant man walking towards her…
Intro
Female lead finds herself in a world where the men who possess the ability to bear children.
As she navigates this unfamiliar reality, she is caught off guard by the sudden appearance of her boyfriend, who reveals that he is pregnant.
Is this truly her boyfriend?
Why can’t she recall any details about their time together?
She begins to doubt whether the child her boyfriend is carrying is even hers.
Is there a hidden reason behind her amnesia, or could it be a side effect of her sudden arrival in this strange new world?
Just when it seems the protagonist’s life couldn’t become any more entangled, her ex-boyfriend makes an unexpected appearance, raising questions about the protagonist’s past.
__________
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