Ex Sponsor 120

Chapter 120

After nibbling on his lower lip for a moment, Cheong-yeon finally continued speaking.

“If I hadn’t done that, would your arrogant family members have invited me to gatherings or even spoken to me?”

“So that’s why you put up with such nonsense.”

Do-heon responded as if he found it even more incomprehensible. Cheong-yeon had somewhat anticipated this reaction. Even he thought his past self had been foolish. Do-heon must find it pathetic.

But back then, he truly had no other options. Not knowing where to begin explaining, Cheong-yeon’s lips kept trembling.

“Do you know what it feels like to suddenly drop into a completely different world?”

Marriage to Do-heon had been like being left alone in a new universe.

“Back then, I didn’t know what I was supposed to do… or what I could do. I just wanted to get along well with you. But there was no one to teach me how.”

Cheong-yeon, with a resigned heart, began to pour out the emotions he had felt during his marriage to Do-heon.

“We were married, but you were out of the house every day, constantly attending meetings. Among people whose faces and names I didn’t know, all Dominant Alphas… all hostile toward me, I needed help from Moon Hee-jin and Park Jong-wook just to try to fit in. I thought I had no choice but to listen to such comments.”

Do-heon remained motionless, still gripping the steering wheel.

“Are you satisfied now? Does it make you feel better to know?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

After a few seconds, he turned his body completely toward the passenger seat where Cheong-yeon sat and demanded.

“Tell you what?”

“When Moon Hee-jin or whoever said such nonsense to you. Why didn’t you tell me right away?”

“…I did tell you. Do you have amnesia?”

Cheong-yeon exclaimed, as if beyond disbelief.

“But you, Moon Do-heon, didn’t listen. I already told you that photo meant nothing. That Park Jong-wook took it and sent it purposely. And… and I also told you that when you left for your precious business, no one would talk to me. I… told you everything…”

‘This photo was sent to me. Explain yourself.’

‘Did you have to mingle with that group of Alphas when you knew what they were like? Don’t tell me you didn’t know what they would think of you.’

He still clearly remembered Do-heon’s cold voice from back then.

“I endured, thinking I shouldn’t cause you trouble… But you were the one who said I was wrong!”

As he spoke, his emotions welled up until tears finally burst forth. Cheong-yeon didn’t like how easily he got emotionally excited. And this weakness became even more pronounced when he was with the rational and calm Do-heon.

“You probably didn’t even take my words to heart anyway. That’s why you’re questioning me now.”

Cheong-yeon’s shoulders were trembling. Overwhelming emotions made it hard to breathe. He tried to hold back tears by clenching his fists tightly, but it was useless.

“I wanted to be by your side so badly that I even groveled to your family. Although in your eyes I was… inadequate and insignificant, I did my best for those three years. Even when you were in America.”

That’s why Cheong-yeon knew well. That Do-heon’s place wasn’t for someone like him. It was a fact he had desperately learned firsthand over those three years.

“So I hate it when you hover around me telling me to come back. I’m finally trying to live well on my own, so why do you keep stirring things up? You didn’t listen when I asked you to.”

Even when he tried to look up at Do-heon’s face, his vision was so blurry with tears that he couldn’t see anything. Even Do-heon’s form was hazy.

Cheong-yeon tried to slow his panting breath with deep breaths. But even breathing wasn’t easy. Nothing was easy in front of Do-heon.

Even as he was completely falling apart, Do-heon was probably sitting straight as always. The thought of him with his usual flawless posture and emotionless face, coldly staring at him, made this situation even more sorrowful.

I hate you so much. You always make me feel so small.

After swallowing his last thought, Cheong-yeon wiped his tears carelessly with the back of his hand. Then, before Do-heon could respond, he hastily opened the door and left the car.

In the rush of spitting out his words like a machine gun, he hadn’t seen what expression Do-heon wore or heard what he might have tried to say.

But he thought it didn’t matter. Even if Do-heon now knew about his miserable past self, it was just a bygone era. Just remains that had worn out and decayed until he himself had let go.

After fleeing to his officetel, Cheong-yeon collapsed onto the bed as soon as he locked the door.

“Hnngh… huh.”

His body felt too heavy to move. It was as if someone had attached weights to his limbs, pulling him down to prevent him from standing.

Moon Hee-jin’s words kept circling in his mind. Try as he might to shake them off, today it wasn’t easy. The words that had clawed at his past self and his own immature actions were all jumbled together, persistently irritating him.

It would be nice if he could forget everything. Even when you pretend not to remember and try to move on, if someone stirs it up, it all vividly comes back to life.

Pulling the blanket over his head, Cheong-yeon closed his eyes to forcibly turn away from his depressing emotions.

The next day.

[Manager Park Yong-jun: Actor! You passed the auditionn we saw last time..!!]

[Manager Park Yong-jun: They say the producstion company will contact you soon]

[Manager Park Yong-jun: Congratulations*^^*]

[Manager Park Yong-jun: Team Leader Kwon Hye-na said its an amazing role and shess incredibly happy for youu.!!!]

[Manager Park Yong-jun: (Happy basic emoticon)]

Since morning, his manager had been sending news that he had passed the audition they had recently attended. As his manager mentioned, it was the role that Kwon Hye-na had particularly hoped he would get, so Cheong-yeon felt relieved as soon as he read the messages.

But the joy was short-lived; today was his uncle’s death anniversary. It was also the day he needed to visit his father and brother’s house.

As Cheong-yeon entered the apartment complex, he looked around. Having essentially lived independently since turning twenty, this place now felt unfamiliar.

It had been a long time since his last visit, and since all the buildings looked similar, it took a few minutes to find the entrance.

“Whoa? Isn’t that Yoo Cheong-yeon over there?”

“Where, where?”

“Diagonally ahead. Doesn’t he look similar?”

“He does look alike. Nah, no way.”

“I think it is him… Or not?”

“Hey. Yoo Cheong-yeon’s face is just like a peeled egg. It’s not that swollen.”

“Ah, I see.”

He had become quite accustomed to hearing such conversations around him. Cheong-yeon pulled his cap down further and pretended not to hear anything as he entered the building. From experience, he knew that the more naturally he acted, the less likely people were to approach him, assuming it was just a resemblance.

But was his face really that swollen? He had cried until dawn yesterday, but to be denied as not being himself even when seen in person…

Somewhat shocked, Cheong-yeon glumly took the apartment elevator up. When he arrived at the door and rang the bell, his father quickly opened it.

“Come on in. It’s been a while.”

“Ooh. Yoo Cheong-yeon’s here?”

“Dad, hyung. Have you been well?”

As he entered the living room, his brother, who was sitting on the sofa, turned his head and greeted Cheong-yeon.

Though they didn’t hold a formal ancestral rite for his uncle’s death anniversary, they always gathered as a family for a meal, so soup and rice were already set on the table.

Cheong-yeon awkwardly looked around the house as he sat down.

“I heard you moved recently. It looks clean.”

“Even though we moved, it’s within the same apartment complex, so it’s not much different.”

“Did you get new interior work done too?”

“Yeah. We just simply replaced the wallpaper and flooring while we were at it.”

It wasn’t as simple as his father suggested. From the kitchen, living room, and bedrooms to the bathroom—everything had been completely redone.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

“Help? No, don’t worry. We’re not preparing any special food, just using our regular side dishes. Is that okay?”

His father smiled as he filled a plate with freshly cut fruit and handed it to his brother. Despite Cheong-yeon having just entered the house, his father naturally passed by him and gave the fruit only to his brother. By now, this no longer felt hurtful.

“What are you looking around for? Sit down, Cheong-yeon.”

“No, it’s just that all the furniture seems different too.”

“Of course we had to buy new things after moving.”

“Hey. After buying all these new furniture and appliances, we got upgraded to VIP status at our department store.”

“…Really?”

Cheong-yeon answered halfheartedly as he thoroughly inspected the house. As his brother said, they had completely changed everything, leaving no trace of the previous look.

Though his brother attended the prestigious medical school, the money couldn’t have come from his pocket as a student. And it was even more unlikely that his father had earned such a large sum himself.

Even without hearing an answer, Cheong-yeon felt embarrassed at the realization that they must have received quite a lot from Do-heon while he was unaware.

Cheong-yeon rubbed his face and checked his phone. After parting with Do-heon like that yesterday, there had been no contact from either him or Moon Hee-jin.

After he had gone up to his officetel, had Do-heon immediately gone to see Hee-jin? If so, what did he say? Just thinking about how much hostility Hee-jin would now harbor toward him was exhausting. A beat too late, he regretted not finishing the conversation with Do-heon yesterday.

At the time, he had been so excited that he just poured out his own words, unable to hear what Do-heon had said in between.

“Haah.”

Nothing ever goes as planned.

“You come home after so long and all you do is sigh?”

His brother approached Cheong-yeon while munching on an apple. Cheong-yeon decided to put aside his wandering thoughts and focus on the present.

“Dad, hyung. Come sit over here.”

“By the way, Cheong-yeon… for an actor, why is your face so swollen?”

“Something happened.”

“Side effects from plastic surgery?”

“Seriously, stop it!”

Only after he snapped did his busy father and brother finally focus on Cheong-yeon.

“Both of you, tell me honestly. How much have you received from Moon Do-heon all this time?”