The Boy I Sponsored Was Dangerously Handsome

The reason our relationship got this bad was down to differences in personality.
Jeon Seongwon was stoic, cold, and even frustratingly passive.
Whenever I pointed something out, he’d get his pride hurt and sulk.
Seeing an alpha four years older than me throw a tantrum and clamp his mouth shut like that……
People who haven’t seen it have no idea how infuriating it is.
Ha, just thinking about it again makes me angry.
Even the jokes he sometimes made—they were funny during the honeymoon, but as days passed, they only annoyed me.
‘Seyeon, what do you call an almond when it dies? A di-a-mond.’
And then he’d drop something like that—how could I laugh?
And if I didn’t laugh, he’d get all sullen by himself.
He really had an exhausting personality.

“Hoo……”
I shook my head.
I didn’t know why I kept thinking about Jeon Seongwon.
Irritation surged, so I grabbed a cushion and threw it toward the entrance.
By chance, the heavy cushion hit the pantry door next to the entrance, making an earth-shattering noise.
“Ah, shit—that scared me!”
It was ridiculous that even I got startled after throwing it myself……
And then, after maybe one blink, I suddenly heard someone banging on the door.
“What the hell?”

Our appointment was at 7 PM, so there was still plenty of time.
For important meetings, arriving neither too early nor too late was proper etiquette.
I was curious how well this man would mind his manners, but……
The doorbell started ringing repeatedly.
Anyway, the other party had a room key too.
I stood with my arms crossed, glaring at the entrance, when I could feel his anxious energy seeping through the door.
Then it burst open.
The light by the entrance flicked on, and the intruder came into view.

“…….”
For a moment, I was speechless.
I’ve met plenty of noteworthy people in my life, but across both alphas and omegas, I’d never seen a man this handsome.
His features were so sharp that calling him just ‘handsome’ didn’t feel sufficient, yet his eyes were large and his features slender, making him look almost beautiful too.
Defined eyebrows and brow bone, a cheekbone line that was both soft and strong, a perfectly shaped face.
His tall nose and pretty lips contrasted yet complemented each other perfectly.
And all of it came together in perfect harmony with his slightly wavy brown hair.
The length of his hair was just right too.

“Uh…… Director?”
“…….”
I came to my senses a beat too late.
The man scratched his eyebrow and added, looking very troubled and embarrassed.
“I’m sorry. I know it’s not time yet, but…… I heard a loud noise from inside. I was worried something had happened, so I came in quickly. If I was rude……”
He had a fantastic voice.
Pleasantly low, pleasantly clear.
The texture was different from Jeon Seongwon’s deep, resonant voice that seemed to sink into the floor.
Plus, his pronunciation was precise and his vocalization was good.

“Your name?”
“Kang Chaehee, Director.”

Feeling like if I just stood there I’d end up muttering something like ‘he’s really handsome,’ I moved to the living room.
Hmm, well, Jeon Seongwon was handsome too.
To the extent that fashion magazines constantly requested him as a model.
I had been this surprised when I first saw his face too.
It’s just that now, knowing his personality, his coldness and pettiness had completely eroded his good looks.
But this man—he was truly perfect.

Coming into the living room, I noticed Kang Chaehee glancing at the cushion on the floor.
It looked like he would stand there forever unless I called him over.
I lightly flicked my fingers, and he changed into slippers with a nervous air and came over to where I stood.
Standing under the dazzling chandelier light, his face looked even more handsome.

Through my background check, I’d learned why someone with that face hadn’t made it big.
There was a plausible reason, and it was quite unfortunate.
He was an alpha who looked perfectly at home in a hotel suite living room.

I gulped down the whiskey in my glass.
I couldn’t taste it.
Nervous? I wasn’t nervous.
Meeting some alpha model—Lee Seyeon getting nervous?
Nervous? No.
I just almost dropped the bottle I was reaching for to pour more whiskey.

As I nearly missed the bottle, Kang Chaehee quickly reached out.
His hand touched mine, supporting the bottom of the round bottle.
A warm, dry hand.
For a moment, I gasped and quickly pulled the bottle—and my hand—away.
Seeing him up close……
‘……He’s really handsome.’

I admit I spaced out for a moment looking at this alpha.
Ha, I can’t be doing this.
From the start, I shouldn’t be acting spoiled……
‘No, actually.’
I put the bottle down and openly admired him.
I was going to sponsor him, and he was going to receive my sponsorship.
What’s wrong with looking?

As I stared at him and narrowed my eyes, he clasped his hands behind his back and spoke in a tense voice.
“Hello, Director. Let me introduce myself again. My name is Kang Chaehee.”
“Mmhm.”
“……It’s, it’s an honor to meet you.”

No need to say it’s an honor.
Since we were already looking, I now scanned Kang Chaehee from head to toe.
He’d dressed up—his hair was neatly styled with just a few strands falling loose, and he wore a suede jacket over a blue blazer, black pants, and a dark blue knit.
On both ears were chunky silver earrings that looked like imitations of a famous brand.
Even though they were fakes, they didn’t look cheap and suited him as if they were genuine—all thanks to that face, no doubt.
Also, even wearing hotel slippers with his formal attire didn’t look awkward.

As I was appraising Kang Chaehee for a while, I felt his gaze.
When I lifted my head, Kang Chaehee was staring blankly at me before flinching in surprise and turning away.
It was fine for me to stare, but it was different for him to do it.
I frowned.
“What are you staring at so intently?”

At my displeased tone, Kang Chaehee swallowed hard and then answered in his pleasant voice.
“I’m, I’m sorry. You’re just…… so beautiful……. Since I heard you were the Director, I imagined someone older.”
“…….”
Beautiful, handsome—I’d heard those words more than anything in my life, so I wasn’t even fazed.
“Ah, I, I probably shouldn’t say things like this. I’m sorry. If I offended you……”
“No. Why would I be? Who gets offended by a compliment? And you thought you’d be meeting an old-timer—you’ve got some preconceived notions too.”
“I’m sorry about that too……. I overstepped.”
“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it.”

Then Kang Chaehee smiled faintly and scratched his eyebrow.
Saying he’d overstepped, being here in a sponsored position—strangely, Kang Chaehee showed no signs of being intimidated or shrinking back.
That piqued my interest.

“Twenty-five?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Younger than me.”
At that, Kang Chaehee’s eyes widened in surprise again.
“Why?”
“Ah, it’s just that you don’t look it at all.”
“You’re really overstepping now.”
“What?! I’m, I’m sorry, Director.”

Director.
It was a title I was commonly called, but I didn’t actually go to the company and do any work.
It was a position my family had pushed onto me because they hated seeing me stay at home looking like a good-for-nothing.
Being called ‘Director’ by Kang Chaehee felt a little strange, but I couldn’t exactly tell someone I was sponsoring to call me by my first name……
I guess ‘Director’ was safe.

“D-Director?”
“……?”
Only then did I notice something in Kang Chaehee’s hand as he watched my expression and leaned down.
Without answering, I glanced toward it.
I’d had all his belongings, including his phone, left outside—so what was that?
When my gaze shifted there, Kang Chaehee smiled sheepishly and quietly placed a box on the table.
It was a cake box from the lounge café on the hotel’s first floor.
The kind where a single slice cost 30,000 won.

“What’s this?”
“Director, I heard your birthday was a few days ago. It’s nothing special, but I just prepared it.”

Han Youngjun must have told him.
Judging by his attitude, it didn’t seem like Han Youngjun had sent him to do it.
If he bought it himself, that was rather commendable.
He thought to buy a cake from the hotel lobby for my birthday?
Even though he has no money?
I stared at Kang Chaehee, and he smiled shyly and pushed the cake box toward me.
“……Thank you.”

The next moment, I was surprised.
Kang Chaehee beamed brightly.
If Kang Chaehee were a dog, his tail would have been spinning like a propeller.
Seeing his large eyes crinkle as he smiled, I cleared my throat for no reason and gestured with my chin toward the seat diagonally across from me.
“Sit there.”

After seating Kang Chaehee, I filled a fresh glass with whiskey and ice.
At the clinking sound, Kang Chaehee fidgeted restlessly.
As if I’d taken something that was supposed to be his job.
Personally, I didn’t care who poured the drinks.
I set the glasses down on the table with a tap—one in front of me, one in front of him—the transparent, chocolate-colored liquor sloshing inside the crystal.
Kang Chaehee became even more flustered.

“Open the cake.”
Kang Chaehee busied himself, saying he’d get plates and forks, but I told him it was fine, made him sit again, and opened the paper box.
A cake shaped like a glossy, chocolate-coated dome, decorated with a rose on top.
It looked quite pretty.
“If you’d like…… please try it, Director. It’s a few days late, but happy birthday.”