Black Label [EN]: Chapter 125

125. Santa Hal, Father

How could I miss a company dinner on a day like this?

The venue chosen for the dinner was a Korean beef restaurant near the office.

Of course, not only the design team staff but also all the office workers were present, so we had to rent the largest room to hold the dinner.

As the employees began to take their seats one by one, the ordered meat began to arrive on the long table in a row. From sirloin to chuck flap tail, hanger steak, and strip loin, and so on….

As the meat on the grill turned golden brown, the atmosphere seemed to gradually warm up as well.

Everywhere, the sound of clinking glasses rang out, and the cheerful conversation never ceased.

“Wow, it really melts in your mouth.”

At Choo Ji-hoon’s exaggerated remark, Director Song smiled and replied.

“Everyone, eat heartily. Order more meat, order more drinks. If you eat so little, how will you make a dent in the president’s pocket?”

Just as the atmosphere was heating up, the sliding door opened, and Ryu Seung-ho, who was the star of this season, appeared.

Stopping in front of the sliding door, he gave a brief bow with his hands together, then continued, seemingly embarrassed.

“I shouldn’t be late on a day like this, but I’m really sorry. The filming was suddenly delayed….”

Then, he quickly strode over and naturally took the seat next to Jae-seung.

Jae-seung quickly arranged Ryu Seung-ho’s utensils and poured him a glass of water, speaking in a gentle tone.

“If you came straight after the filming, you haven’t had dinner yet, right? Eat quickly.”

“Yes, I’ll enjoy it.”

Ryu Seung-ho, with a faint smile, picked up a piece of properly cooked beef with his chopsticks and asked in an extremely cautious tone.

“Jae-seung Designer, by the way, how’s the reaction [to the collaboration]? The news reports and the flood of congratulatory calls and messages make it seem like it’s going well….”

Jae-seung nodded once and asked back.

“You don’t really have a sense of how big it is in reality, do you?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

At that moment, Director Song, who was sitting directly across from him, leaned in slightly and interjected.

“Just today, the sales of the collaboration product alone are well over 100 million won [approximately $75,000 USD].”

Perhaps it was because of Director Song’s blunt explanation, but Ryu Seung-ho started coughing repeatedly, as if he had choked.

Jae-seung gently patted Ryu Seung-ho’s back and handed him a cup full of water.

Soon, Ryu Seung-ho frowned slightly and continued to speak with difficulty.

“H-how much did you say? I didn’t hear you wrong, did I…?”

Director Song fiddled with his glass and said with a sly look.

“Seung-ho, do you have any intention of switching careers to become a designer? If we rearrange the design room well, we can probably fit in two or three more desks.”

“Then, can I really start clocking in from tomorrow?”

Ryu Seung-ho playfully asked back, picked up a bottle of soju [Korean distilled rice liquor] on the table, and refilled Director Song’s glass.

Director Song did the same, taking turns pouring drinks into Ryu Seung-ho’s glass.

After that, the glasses of everyone sitting in the room were repeatedly filled and emptied.

In an atmosphere as festive as a festival, they began to congratulate and encourage each other for their hard work.

The atmosphere in the room became even more lively when they revealed the possibility of collaborating with the famous celebrity Kwon Ji-hoon, and that the haute couture design they had presented at the 2013 Parsons·F.I.T competition had been nominated for the Haute Couture category of the ‘CFDA Awards’ [Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards].

The taste of the alcohol being drunk in the center of it all was achingly sweet.

Just as much as the sense of accomplishment I was feeling right now, and as sweet as the size of the success I had achieved.

While enjoying that sweetness, Jae-seung prayed earnestly in his heart.

I hope that at the next company dinner, I can feel an even deeper and more intense sweetness.

* * *

After successfully launching the S/S (Spring/Summer) season products, including the collaboration product, and after the company dinner, which was nothing more than a short escape, I had to return to my hectic daily life.

On the president’s desk, there was a pile of documents requiring approval, and the office phone seemed to be constantly ringing due to interview requests from magazines.

It was a continuous series of hectic days, to the point where I wondered if someone was grabbing my hair tightly and dragging me around.

Even in the midst of all that, I had to work hard on the required course assignments to be submitted to Parsons Design School.

And today.

Now that I finally had some free time, I visited a Korean traditional restaurant in Yeonnam-dong with my father.

Even though it had been a while since I bought the commercial building in Yeonnam-dong, I hadn’t even mentioned it to him yet due to my busy schedule.

“The dishes are served neatly.”

After saying a few words, my father wiped his mouth with a tissue and added again.

“If I had known this, I should have brought your mother too.”

It was clearly a nonchalant remark, but I could feel the subtle regret lingering within it.

“We can bring Mom next time. Actually, there’s something I wanted to discuss with you, Dad.”

After frowning slightly and asking, “Discuss? With me?” for a moment, my father got up first and said in a gentle tone.

“I don’t know if I’ll be of any help, but shall we talk while taking a walk to digest?”

After paying the bill and going outside the restaurant, I started walking along the sidewalk with my father.

Although we were just walking silently without saying anything to each other, it didn’t feel awkward at all.

Rather, I wanted to slow down my pace on purpose, enjoying the leisure I was feeling for the first time in a while.

The scorching heat of summer had completely disappeared, and the late autumn sunlight felt quite calm and gentle.

Perhaps because of the somewhat bleak weather, even the lukewarm warmth contained in the faint sunlight felt welcome.

Also, the roadside trees lining the street seemed to be preparing to become bare, shedding red leaves one by one whenever the wind fluttered.

All of these are signs that appear just before winter comes.

Before long, we will step into the entrance of winter.

As I was walking along the street with my father, filled with the fragrance of late autumn, I suddenly wondered, ‘What if it were my past life?’

If it were my past life, it would have been unimaginable to have a meal alone with my father and walk side by side like this.

“Dad.”

“Yes.”

“I feel good walking together.”

“You….”

My father, trailing off the end of his words, carefully asked a question.

“Jae-seung, do I look small to you too?”

“Pardon?”

“I was like that around your age.”

After a moment of silence, my father smiled bitterly and said in a gentle tone.

“Yes, it must have been around that time. I was looking at the back of your grandfather while he was eating, and the person who had looked so big to me looked endlessly small and frail.”

After finishing speaking, my father looked far away and said again.

“That’s why I asked. I was wondering if you also started to see me as small and frail.”

After hesitating for a moment, I tried to answer in an indifferent tone.

“No, not yet.”

“Is that so? That’s a relief.”

Even now, I often felt a strange pity when I looked at my father, but I said no.

It wasn’t a well-intentioned lie, but because the images I had seen in my past life suddenly came to mind.

I still can’t forget the moment I first saw my father lying in a hospital bed, weakened. The remnants of the indescribable, lingering emotions that swirled within that moment remain.

As I was lost in thought, my father began to speak again.

“Time is really heartless. When I was achieving things one by one, my father was losing his health. I know it’s greedy, but I just want to be remembered as a strong person until I die, no, even after I die. At least to you and Seung-hee.”

Not knowing what to say, I closed my mouth again and silently walked on.

How long had it been? I had naturally reached the vicinity of the Wallflower Yeonnam-dong store.

Soon, my father pointed to the commercial building far away with his chin and asked in a gentle tone.

“Jae-seung, is that your store over there?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Wow, I’m full just looking at it.”

My father smiled contentedly. Even from a distance, I could tell that the store was crowded with customers.

Although it wasn’t comparable to the day the collaboration product was sold, it was no exaggeration to say that the store was still bustling with people.

“Dad. Do you remember the toy car you bought me as a Christmas present when I was six years old?”

“Huh? Did I?”

“I cried so sadly as soon as I woke up in the morning, don’t you remember? I kept saying that the toy car that Santa Claus left was broken….”

“Ah, yes. I remember.”

After clapping his hands once, my father immediately asked, as if wondering, “But why are you bringing that up?”

“Because that day, I cried so much that you coaxed me to go to the snow sledding park.”

“Hmm, is that so? I can’t really remember….”

“Yes. On the way to the snow sledding park, you stopped by a toy store for a while. You told me to wait in the car, but I couldn’t suppress my curiosity and followed you.”

I rubbed the bridge of my nose with my index finger and added.

“At that time, I vaguely thought that Santa Claus would be at the place you were going.”

Even now, when I close my eyes, the scenes of that day unfold vividly.

My mother sitting in the passenger seat, and Seung-hee in her arms. The pure white snow that covered the area, and even the large footprints of my father that remained on the ground.

“While imagining what Santa Claus would be like, I slowly walked along the footprints you left behind. In fact, the person waiting inside wasn’t Santa Claus, but the pot-bellied toy store owner.”

My father shook his head once and said.

“Oh dear, you found out the reality too quickly.”

“Well, I realized the truth a little faster than my peers.”

That day, my father was angry at the toy store owner.

He said that because of the cheap toy you sold, you completely ruined your son’s pure Christmas, which wouldn’t happen often.

The moment I witnessed that scene through the slightly open door, I was able to realize one thing in detail.

That the word ‘Hal’ [Grandfather in Korean] can be completely omitted from the word Santa Claus.

I have grown up receiving such great love. Just like I was small and young on some Christmas in the past, I have lived walking along the footprints my father left on the world.

“Anyway, I’ve been living following the footprints you left behind since then, as your son. So, everything I’m enjoying now is the result of that.”

Was he lost in memories? Or was he quite satisfied with the statement he had just made? My father didn’t say anything, he just smiled brightly.

Soon, I reached into the crossbody bag I was carrying on my shoulder and took out a yellowish-brown document envelope.

It was an envelope full of documents related to the commercial building where the Wallflower Yeonnam-dong store is located.

“What is this?”

“It’s a document related to the commercial building where the store is located.”

“Commercial building?”

“Yes. Actually, I bought the building altogether.”

My father seemed very surprised, his eyes widened as big as lanterns. I had only told my family that it was a store that I barely opened with investments from overseas investors, so it was practically a natural reaction.

After taking a breath, I added briefly.

“From now on, it’s yours, Dad.”

“What…?”

Soon, my father began to take out and check the documents in the envelope with trembling hands.

“How many buildings have you built so far, Dad? You can have one, can’t you?”

After finishing speaking, I tried to ask back playfully, “Isn’t that right?” At that moment, my father lowered his head.

Then, he broke down. He covered his face with both hands and began to sob silently.

In the meantime, my father’s chapped and rough hands caught my eye. On top of his large and clumsy hands, his hard work remained as honorable marks.

In the future, as always, I will diligently walk along the footprints you have left behind.

Because I am also a part of the legacy your life has created.