Covetous Sponsorship (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 5
From inside the main building, a rather intense voice rang out as if they were arguing.
This wasn’t a situation I belonged in.
Sober enough to make a clear decision, Ga Eul held her breath and immediately turned around.
“Is that your gallery? Didn’t that old man give it to you?”
‘Gallery…?’
Though she hadn’t intended to eavesdrop, Ga Eul found herself standing rooted to the spot, as if entranced.
‘Were they talking about TS Gallery?’
Knowing well how hard the Chairman had recently been trying to get her into TS Gallery, Ga Eul perked up her ears.
“It was just a small gallery you used as a hobby. I’m the one who grew it into what it is now.”
“How insolent! Where do you get off talking back to an old man like this! Bang bang! Keep acting so willfully, and I’ll take back everything—gallery, department store, everything!”
“Sigh… Grandfather. I know you care about Yoon Ga Eul, but I have no intention of making her part of my gallery.”
Despite Chairman Han’s voice thick with anger, he didn’t back down an inch.
Yet, beyond those words, Ga Eul heard nothing else.
—“I know you care about Yoon Ga Eul.”
The way he spoke her name sounded distinctly cold. It felt like she’d overheard something she shouldn’t have.
That gallery had been the goal the Chairman set for her.
She was supposed to prove her worth there—show her skills, earn recognition, and demonstrate her value.
That future had been decided the moment she took his hand and stepped in at age fourteen.
Now, two people were arguing fiercely over an arrangement that had become absolute the more support she received—something she’d never had a choice about.
Why on earth…?
They were still locked in conflict over whether or not to place her in the gallery.
True, it was the Chairman who was pushing aggressively and losing his temper.
“Ah, goodness… oh dear! Ga Eul, she paints well, doesn’t she? Han Gi Tae, that’s why Grandfather asked you to come see her art! You’ll change your mind once you see it!”
“Then perhaps she’ll be able to join someday.”
“…What?”
“On her own merit. Even me visiting personally would already be a favor. Am I someone who usually goes out of my way to see paintings just because someone asks? She should aim to stand out through her talent. That’s why she hasn’t made it yet.”
“…”
“So please, just give up and rest. If you summon me again over this, Grandfather, I won’t come back to the main house.”
“You impudent brat! You shameless thing!”
She’d never really had a proper conversation with him before, so she hadn’t known him well.
It seemed he made no exceptions for anyone once he’d made up his mind.
He was the first person she’d seen who wouldn’t waver, even under the Chairman’s pressure.
The more she listened, the clearer it became—he wasn’t wrong about a single thing.
His words weren’t just excuses to reject her.
After all, his TS Gallery had deliberately set itself apart over the past four years by changing its contract terms and refusing to accept just anyone.
That’s why Ga Eul had tirelessly painted, striving to meet those standards.
Yet now, even simply showing her artwork was considered special treatment.
Somehow, it felt as if she’d already been labeled someone trying to get in through unfair means—before she’d even had a chance to prove herself—and a quiet ache stirred deep in her chest.
Ga Eul gave up on listening further and turned to leave.
Just as she took her first step away from the main building, his voice suddenly came from nearby.
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
“…!”
Startled by his abrupt farewell and the sound of footsteps approaching her, Ga Eul’s face went pale.
She hadn’t meant to, but now it would look as if she’d clearly overheard their conversation.
Well, she had accidentally eavesdropped—but no, this wasn’t the time to dwell on that!
As his footsteps drew closer, Ga Eul tried to run toward the annex.
But her body, still slightly under the influence of alcohol, managed only a few unsteady steps. And wearing heels, she couldn’t even run properly.
Thud! Clatter!
“Ah.”
“…”
At the sudden sound, Ga Eul flinched, her shoulders jerking—but she didn’t turn around.
She dared to hope that, hidden in the dimness, he might not recognize her and just pass by. Indeed, it was somewhat dark near the front of the main building.
But it seemed he recognized her instantly.
“Yoon Ga Eul.”
“…Hic!”
Like a child caught stealing, Ga Eul let out an involuntary hiccup. She quickly clamped both hands over her mouth and slowly turned around. The moment their eyes met, a cold sweat trickled down her spine.
His voice was colder than cool as he asked,
“How long have you been standing there?”
“I, I…”
“Answer me.”
“…I’m sorry. I think I… heard everything…”
“Sigh…”
Bracing herself for a scolding, Ga Eul timidly lifted her head.
“…!”
Without warning, he stepped close and placed a hand on her head.
“It’s not that I don’t want you in my gallery. It just has to be fair.”
“Oh… okay…”
He smoothly withdrew his hand.
Caught off guard by his unexpectedly reasonable response—so different from what she’d feared—Ga Eul answered dazedly.
‘So it wasn’t that he disliked me after all…’
Contrary to her expectations, he’d earnestly explained himself.
For some inexplicable reason, she felt her lips threatening to curl into a smile—an expression completely out of place for the moment.
Not wanting him to see that silly side of herself, she quickly smoothed her lips with her hand.
‘He’s probably just busy. He even sent me flowers and said he doesn’t dislike me.’
Yesterday, she’d barely even seen his face, yet he’d kindly wiped the paint off her cheek. And now, almost as if to apologize, he’d placed his hand on her head—though “apologize” might be too strong a word.
It had only lasted a fleeting moment.
Yet, oddly stirred by feelings that didn’t quite fit the situation, an inappropriate question hovered on her lips.
Maybe—just maybe—he’d answer it. A flicker of hope grew.
“Um… Han Gi Tae.”
“What?”
Summoning a bit of courage, Ga Eul called out to him—something she normally wouldn’t dare—and asked,
“Did… did you put the note in the flower bouquet?”
“Note?”
Ah…
So it wasn’t him.
He looked at her as if wondering what on earth she was talking about.
When he repeated the question, Ga Eul shook her head as if to say it was nothing and quickly walked away.
Her hope had been foolish.
* * *
A few days later, Ga Eul called Joo Ah and Do Jin to a neighborhood café.
Having summoned them several days in a row, Joo Ah finally scolded her.
“Yoon Ga Eul, why have you been running around outside so much lately?”
“Achoo!”
“Oh? Now you’ve even caught a cold?”
Ga Eul answered sheepishly,
“Well… it’s just… staying home lately feels… kind of awkward, you know?”
“Huh? Why?”
Sipping her hot chocolate, Ga Eul stalled for a moment before slowly speaking.
“Since I don’t really have anything to do, it’s awkward just staying at home…”
At Ga Eul’s answer, Joo Ah exclaimed loudly, as if personally offended,
“Already?! Hey, we graduated just a few days ago! Expecting anything from us so soon is downright shameless…!”
But Joo Ah suddenly covered her mouth with a gasp, then cautiously checked Ga Eul’s expression.
“Oh—it was about your parents, wasn’t it? Sorry.”
“No, it’s fine.”
Ga Eul smiled brightly and waved her hand dismissively.
“It’s not about my parents, so don’t worry. Really.”
At that moment, Do Jin, who’d been quietly sipping his Americano, tried to lighten the suddenly awkward mood by proudly announcing to Ga Eul,
“Ga Eul, we got a studio just up ahead.”
“‘We’? Who are you sharing it with?”
“Me and Joo Ah. We decided to split it, and we each paid half.”
Joo Ah chimed in immediately,
“Ugh, because of that, my account’s empty! I dumped every penny I’d saved from part-time jobs over four years into it, and now I’m completely broke. At this rate, I might actually starve to death.”
Hearing Joo Ah’s cheerful complaint, Ga Eul couldn’t help but laugh.
Being with Joo Ah made her feel, if only briefly, free from the pressure surrounding her art.
They said it was rare to find a lifelong friend in college—but Ga Eul had discovered a gem in Joo Ah.
After her father’s death, she’d deliberately fled far away to a university where no one knew her.
Suddenly overwhelmed with gratitude, Ga Eul wrapped her arms tightly around Joo Ah’s waist and declared,
“If you ever go hungry, I’ll feed you.”
Delighted by Ga Eul’s words, Joo Ah burst into excited chatter,
“Oh my, just look at you! How can you say something so sweet, Yoon Ga Eul?”
Unable to tolerate Joo Ah’s loud antics in the otherwise quiet café, Do Jin finally cut in,
“Baek Joo Ah! This is a café. Could you keep it down a little?”
“…Tch, fine.”
Once Joo Ah quieted down, Do Jin flashed a bright smile and turned to Ga Eul,
“Now that I think about it—Ga Eul, you’ve graduated. What are you up to these days? Still painting in that studio at home?”
“…No. I’ve been taking a short break lately.”
Do Jin’s question reminded her of something she’d momentarily forgotten, and Ga Eul let out a deep sigh.
Normally, she’d be painting in her studio behind the main house right now. But between the Chairman’s simmering irritation and Han Gi Tae’s potential return to argue about her again, she hadn’t dared go near the place.
Where had things gone wrong…?
Lately, she’d started wondering if her original decision—to take the Chairman’s hand and come here pledging to become an artist—had been a mistake all along.
They say when whales fight, the shrimp’s back gets broken—and that was exactly her situation now.
Just today, while passing the annex, she thought she’d overheard the Chairman angrily venting about the gallery.
Afraid his fury might spill onto her, Ga Eul hadn’t even dared approach her own studio.
“Sigh…”
Watching Ga Eul sigh deeply, Joo Ah—who’d been quiet until now—spoke up again,
“Oh dear, oh dear! Just looking at Yoon Ga Eul, it’s clear she’s going through a period of wandering! Right?”
Though Do Jin gave Joo Ah an incredulous look and retorted,
“Hey, is Ga Eul really the type to go through that?”
Joo Ah simply added,
“Oh my, this older brother really doesn’t get it. Quiet kids sometimes go off the rails later, you know?”
“Ha! Ga Eul going off the rails? Please.”
Seeing Do Jin speechless from her remark, Joo Ah seized the moment, stuck out her tongue, and grinned teasingly at him.
Shaking his head, Do Jin turned away from Joo Ah and offered Ga Eul a warm smile as he suggested,
“Ga Eul, how about painting with us in our studio? If you’ve got nothing else to do, that is.”
“Really? Is that okay…?”
At Ga Eul’s hesitant question, Do Jin’s expression brightened further, and he nodded firmly,
“Of course! Absolutely!”
“Wow. Then… I’ll impose on you for just a few days.”
Not forgetting to say “Thank you,” Ga Eul smiled gratefully at his offer—her smile as fresh and radiant as a blooming white lily.
Do Jin, who’d been calmly chatting with Ga Eul just moments before, suddenly ducked his head at the sight of that smile.
Ga Eul, busy finishing her hot chocolate, didn’t notice—but Do Jin’s face had flushed bright red.
Joo Ah, who’d stayed silently observant until now, let out a soft snort of amusement as she watched him.
* * *
Before she knew it, a week had passed since Ga Eul began staying with Joo Ah and Do Jin, painting as if she lived there.
Though she hadn’t done much, time had slipped by quickly.
She’d painted several pieces, but her unsettled mind kept her from producing anything truly satisfying. Once again today, she had to head home without a single piece she liked.
“Joo Ah, goodbye. Oppa, take care on your way.”
“Yeah, bye!”
“Take care, Ga Eul.”
Ga Eul gave a small wave and a bright smile, then turned to head home in the opposite direction from them. The moment she did, the forced smile she’d been wearing drooped helplessly.
Lately, this was always how she felt when alone.
“What am I supposed to do…?”
Not even taking the bus, Ga Eul trudged past several stops on foot until she reached the annex. Inside, her mother was already in the living room, having arrived earlier than her.
Happy to see her mother home early for once, Ga Eul impulsively wrapped her arms around her from behind.
Her only ally left.
For some reason, tears threatened to spill over today, so Ga Eul held tightly onto her mother’s back, refusing to let go even as her mother tried to turn and look at her. A soft, gentle laugh drifted down from above.
“Ga Eul’s home? Mom got off work early today. Should we make something delicious for dinner? What would you like to…?”
“Mom… should we move out and live on our own now?”
“Why? Did something happen?”
“No, nothing like that. It’s just… I’m twenty-four now. Isn’t it about time we became independent? How long are we going to keep living here like this? And… it feels suffocating. We don’t have to stay here to repay their kindness.”
It was the first time since entering this mansion that she’d voiced such thoughts aloud.
She’d always kept them buried inside or muttered them silently to herself…
Now, tense from having finally spoken them, Ga Eul bit her lower lip tightly and waited for her mother’s answer.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
_____
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