Chapter 51
Looking at his expression, I can tell he’s right. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he says? Is this man crazy? Trying to sell me off to some old geezer.
“Stop the car. I’m getting out,” Cheong-yeon said coldly, unbuckling his seatbelt.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, Cheong-yeon.”
Kim Kyung-seop straightened up with a startled expression and tried to stop him.
“At least consider it for my sake. I couldn’t refuse this person! He’s someone I can’t turn down!”
Wow, talk about backstabbing. This is exactly what it means to be stabbed right before your eyes. And he’s doing it again after already stabbing me once.
Cheong-yeon was so dumbfounded he couldn’t speak. Kim Kyung-seop desperately clung to him, repeating similar phrases.
“I know you hate these kinds of meetings. But really, I’m staking everything on this. He’s not someone I can refuse. I couldn’t help it. If you want to refuse, you’ll have to do it yourself.”
“…”
“Look, if you really don’t want to go, just meet him and clearly communicate your refusal in person. Just do that much for me, okay?”
Cheong-yeon stared directly into Kim Kyung-seop’s eyes. He wanted nothing more than to open the car door and run home, but the man’s expression looked so desperate. He almost seemed scared.
Because of this, Cheong-yeon couldn’t bring himself to flat-out refuse. Who could have said something to make Kyung-seop act so out of character?
Seeing Kim Kyung-seop fidgeting nervously—completely unlike his usual self—Cheong-yeon rubbed his face in conflict.
After a long silence, Cheong-yeon finally spoke.
“When am I supposed to meet him?”
“In two hours…”
Kim Kyung-seop mumbled, watching Cheong-yeon’s reaction nervously.
“And you’re sure I can refuse if I want to?”
“Absolutely. You have the right to refuse.”
Kim Kyung-seop replied with determination. At this, Cheong-yeon’s face hardened even more.
Who could this person be that had dragged him into this meeting and made Kim Kyung-seop react this way? A famous director? Another broadcaster? A major agency CEO?
If Kyung-seop couldn’t refuse them but Cheong-yeon could? None of it made sense. By this point, Cheong-yeon was thoroughly confused.
Even when dealing with star director Yang Jung-hak, Kyung-seop had never made such a fuss. On the other hand, a part of Cheong-yeon couldn’t help but feel a perverse curiosity.
*
Ignoring Kim Kyung-seop’s suggestion to stop by the salon, Cheong-yeon headed straight to the meeting location.
Arriving early, Cheong-yeon took a seat and ordered food. As Kim Kyung-seop had promised, the meeting didn’t seem too suspicious—the reserved table was at a bright window seat in a famous hotel restaurant. Even if he had to dine alone with this mysterious person, he wouldn’t feel threatened in a place like this.
“Would you like some wine while you wait?”
A hotel employee approached Cheong-yeon, who was sitting idly, and showed him a recommended wine list. Coincidentally, they were all wines Cheong-yeon enjoyed.
“No, thank you.”
As if he’d fall for that trick and drink something that could be drugged. Cheong-yeon refused flatly and killed time on his phone.
“This way, please.”
After a few minutes of browsing internet articles, he heard a staff member’s gentle guiding voice behind him. Unlike their tone with other guests, they sounded overly friendly, as if trying too hard to impress. It was particularly grating to Cheong-yeon’s ears.
He casually turned his head toward the entrance. At the same moment, a familiar Alpha pheromone wafted toward him.
When he saw the man approaching his table, Cheong-yeon’s eyes widened.
“You’re early.”
Do-heon sat down across from him with a casual air.
Cheong-yeon stared at him with a stiff back, stunned.
“…”
“…”
After a moment of speechless staring, Cheong-yeon finally unstuck his lips.
“Director, why are you here? The CEO clearly said this was an industry-related meeting…”
“I told him not to tell you. I knew you wouldn’t come if you found out in advance.”
“I’m well aware that you don’t like these kinds of meetings. But really, I can’t refuse this person no matter what. I had no choice. If you want to refuse, you’ll have to do it yourself.”
Cheong-yeon could finally make complete sense of Kim Kyung-seop’s ambiguous statements. If the person who wanted to see him was Moon Do-heon, then Kyung-seop’s reaction was understandable.
“So you’re saying… the person the CEO mentioned who agreed to this meeting… is you, Director?”
Cheong-yeon couldn’t hide his incredulity. Do-heon casually swirled the wine poured by the staff and replied.
“That’s right.”
Cheong-yeon was so flabbergasted that he could only move his lips wordlessly.
He wondered why Do-heon had gone through his agency to call him out. Though Cheong-yeon had blocked Do-heon’s number, if Do-heon truly wanted to meet him personally, he had countless ways to do so.
“Why so suddenly? Are you getting into the entertainment business?”
“Do I look that idle to you?”
“Then why…”
As Cheong-yeon was about to speak, a restaurant employee arrived with the food. These were dishes he had ordered earlier when he first sat down.
Do-heon watched the plates being arranged on the table while savoring his wine. When the staff left and he remained silent, Cheong-yeon prompted him.
“Director?”
“I’ve decided to try a different approach,” Do-heon finally spoke after a pause.
“I now understand that you’re serious about acting.”
“…”
“And that you have no intention of coming back to me right now.”
Cheong-yeon tensed his eyes. So what? What’s your point?
“It’s not ‘right now’—I have no intention of going back to you ever. We already discussed this.”
“That’s why I’m going to offer you a sponsorship.”
Cheong-yeon’s hand, just about to pick up his fork, hesitated.
“Sponsorship… you mean?”
Cheong-yeon asked again to confirm he’d heard correctly. It seemed like an unlikely thing for Do-heon to say.
“You give me what I want. In return, I’ll give you what you want.”
A sponsorship proposal from his divorced ex-husband.
“What exactly do you want, Director?”
“Time.”
Do-heon looked at Cheong-yeon arrogantly.
Cheong-yeon’s breath caught as those pitch-black eyes met his face.
“Once a week. Every Friday evening, you meet with me.”
Do-heon continued calmly. Meanwhile, Cheong-yeon’s mind raced in alarm.
“Why would I need to be sponsored by you, Director?”
“Because I can get you cast in that drama. I can even ensure you get that supporting role you auditioned for. As the lead, of course.”
He spoke as if he already knew exactly which auditions Cheong-yeon had been attending recently.
“Why? Why go to these lengths?”
“I told you. I want to be with you and I want you to come back. You want to continue your acting career. Let’s exchange what we each want. Like a transaction.”
As the JT Electronics Director, Moon Do-heon surely understood what “sponsorship” implied. This was definitely not being offered with pure intentions.
But the question of “why” kept floating through Cheong-yeon’s mind. Throughout their marriage, their sex life had been painfully dry.
If Do-heon hadn’t enjoyed Cheong-yeon’s stiff, pain-filled responses, then he probably hadn’t found their bedroom activities very pleasurable either. Their infrequent intimacy proved this point.
If sex wasn’t the goal, did he genuinely just want to spend time with Cheong-yeon? Now, after everything?
Considering that Do-heon had been persistently seeking him out since their divorce, this explanation made some sense.
“I don’t understand why you’re hesitating. This is clearly beneficial for you either way.”
When Cheong-yeon remained silent too long, Do-heon twirled his wine glass with incomprehension.
“How would you feel if your ex-wife suddenly appeared offering to sponsor you, Director?”
“I’d accept. I can not only get you into the position you want, but if you desire, I can place you at the very top.”
He answered confidently. His voice was filled with absolute certainty.
It was irritating, but true. With his wealth and influence, it was entirely possible.
Honestly, it wasn’t a bad offer. No, it was more than advantageous. For an unknown former idol like himself to land a drama lead role? And with a sponsor who happened to be the JT Group heir?
The drama lead role and whatever peak Do-heon had mentioned—Cheong-yeon’s heart began racing at these direct conditions. In his imagination, he could already see himself succeeding at the audition and actively working as a lead actor.
“Alright. As long as there’s no physical contact.”
After careful consideration, Cheong-yeon answered with resolve. At this, Do-heon’s previously relaxed expression showed a slight crack.
“It’s not like you’re making this offer because you want to sleep with me anyway.”
“What makes you think I wouldn’t demand sex from you?”
At these unexpected words, Cheong-yeon’s eyes widened.
“What?”
“We were legally husband and wife, after all.”
“So. You mean…”
“Sex is naturally included. Isn’t that the basic condition of sponsorship?”
Cheong-yeon nearly dropped his cup. He stared at Do-heon across the table with shocked eyes.
His ex-husband had clearly lost his mind.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
