Black Label [EN]: Chapter 120

Black Label 119

120. Boom-!

Ryu Seung-ho was completely absorbed, his eyes filled with admiration as he meticulously examined the first collaboration product that had just arrived: the ‘Florence Jacket.’

The jacket showcased the nightscape of Florence, faithfully reproduced on a blend of polyester and cotton.

It was waterproof, thanks to a water-repellent finish, and every seam was sealed with windproof tape to enhance its thermal insulation.

Additionally, the hood at the back of the neck was designed to be detachable, and a drawstring was inserted at the waist, allowing the wearer to adjust the silhouette of the garment to their body shape.

Without a doubt, it was on par with the windbreaker jackets of most outdoor brands in terms of practicality and convenience.

This was the result of Jae-seung, who had already earned the nickname ‘design freak’ from overseas critics, joining the team.

Ryu Seung-ho, who had been engrossed in examining the Florence Jacket for quite some time, spoke again.

“I really can’t believe it. A moment of beauty I experienced has been reborn as clothing like this…”

His voice was damp and heavy with emotion. The next moment, I placed a hand on Ryu Seung-ho’s shoulder and quietly asked,

“Seung-ho, what do you think?”

“It’s absolutely amazing.”

At a glance, all the design team members in the room were standing with satisfied expressions.

I assumed it was because they were intimately aware of the emotions Ryu Seung-ho was experiencing at that moment.

How could one put into words the emotion of encountering one’s first creation, born from inspiration and effort?

It’s all because of that feeling.

That feeling is the reason why unknown designers, no, all artists, endure hardships and carve out their dreams while planning for the future.

“Alright, let’s get back to it. This is just one piece, after all, right?”

As soon as I finished speaking quietly, a resounding “Yes!” echoed back.

Just before leaving the design room, I gave Ryu Seung-ho’s shoulder a light pat.

* * *

Perhaps it was thanks to the higher-than-expected quality of the sample that was completed ahead of schedule?

After receiving the sample of the first collaboration product, it was no exaggeration to say that the attitude of the design team members and Ryu Seung-ho towards their work had completely changed.

They had already been enthusiastic.

But now, they were pouring everything into the launch of this collaboration product as if they were about to give it their all.

Another two weeks passed.

After a period of torrential rain, it was now cool enough in the evenings to feel a pleasant breeze.

The footsteps of autumn seemed to be growing clearer.

Of course, it seemed that the changing weather wasn’t the only thing that had changed.

* * *

“What? Already? You’ve completed all the collaboration product samples?”

Director Song, who had just returned to Korea this morning, asked in surprise. It was possible because there were only five types.

Even considering that, they had completed them in a remarkably short amount of time.

In any case, seeing is believing. I subtly slid the file in the center of the table towards him and continued speaking.

“Please take a look.”

It was a file containing sample photos and schematics of the collaboration products that would be released this season.

Director Song immediately began to examine the photos in the file one by one.

At first, he looked at them with a serious expression, his eyebrows furrowed, but as time passed, his expression gradually softened.

Eventually, he closed the file again and opened his mouth in a much brighter tone.

“It turned out much better than expected! Why are you hesitating? Shouldn’t we just start producing the products right away?”

“We came up with one more good idea.”

Director Song retorted, “Again?” and then asked again with a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

“There’s another idea coming out of this? Whose idea is it this time? The president? Or Ryu Seung-ho?”

“It’s an idea from Lee Kang-joon of the design team.”

After answering briefly, I began to explain Lee Kang-joon’s idea, which had elicited admiration from everyone.

“The main theme of this collaboration product itself was to faithfully reproduce the nightscapes of famous cities such as Florence, New York, and Paris, right?”

“So?”

“He suggested releasing a ‘Prism’ version of the product, which would be like piecing together the five products into one cohesive design.”

Director Song unconsciously clapped his hands and exclaimed in an excited tone.

“Wow, that’s amazing!”

As soon as the sample of the Prism version product that Lee Kang-joon had planned was completed, they intended to place a production order immediately.

Once the product was released, they would shoot photos for the lookbook and create the lookbook.

After completing all of that, all that would be left to do was wait for the product release date, when it would be judged by the public.

“What about the quantity?”

For the collaboration products featuring the nightscapes of the five cities, they planned to produce exactly 777 pieces per type.

And for the ‘Prism version’ product, which could be said to be the star of this collaboration….

“We’re only going to sell exactly 77 pieces.”

Director Song muttered to himself, “This is going to be a sensation,” and then tilted his head and asked.

“Then what about the sales method? Are you going to sell it only at offline stores, just like the other collaboration products?”

“No. For the Prism version only, how about receiving applications through the Wall Flower official website before the release and then selling it through a raffle system?”

It was a choice made for several reasons.

Originally, it was the right procedure to sell products with high demand through a raffle system, and it was also a system that could give a slightly more equal opportunity to more customers.

Director Song nodded a few times, indicating his agreement, and then asked again.

“What about the store? Have you chosen one?”

He was asking about the store where the offline-only sales of this collaboration product would take place.

Because they had to resort to the risky move of a ‘soft opening,’ there was only one store they could choose. Well, the decision had already been made in my mind.

“The Yeonnam-dong store.”

Perhaps it was because an unexpected answer had come out? Director Song widened his eyes and asked back in a somewhat excited tone.

“Yeonnam-dong? The building? Don’t tell me you’ve already bought it?”

The Yeonnam-dong building was to be purchased under my name with my own funds, so it was outside of Director Song’s jurisdiction.

Moreover, since he had just arrived in Korea this morning, he had no way of knowing the progress.

“Yes. We started the interior construction yesterday.”

It was a three-story commercial building with an officially assessed value of 2.4 billion won [approximately $1.8 million USD].

Even though the workers didn’t seem to have even picked up their shovels yet, I had to pay a premium because of the redevelopment bubble. I had to pay a whopping 2.7 billion won [approximately $2 million USD] just to buy the building.

Other expenses were also considerable. Brokerage fees, legal fees, acquisition tax, brokerage fees, value-added tax, stamp duty, and revenue stamp duty all added up to about 150 million won [approximately $112,000 USD].

In any case, I was quite satisfied with the building itself. It was clear that the market price would at least double in just a few years. Although it was a rather old building, it seemed that there was plenty of room for it to be revived if the exterior was repainted and the interior was slightly renovated.

Also, following the advice of the real estate agent, I planned to install an electronic display on the front of the commercial building and proceed with construction so that I could receive advertising revenue.

Although it was clear that it would not be able to perform its function properly right away, it was clear that the electronic display would do its part when Yeonnam-dong gained the reputation of ‘Yeontral Park’ in the future [a play on words combining Yeonnam-dong and Central Park, suggesting a desirable, park-like area].

Even if I didn’t know for sure, it was clear that it would be more than enough to support my parents’ retirement.

Director Song shook his head and muttered, “It’s happening so fast, so fast….”

As Director Song said, preparations were proceeding rapidly.

“By the way, how does it feel to be a building owner?”

In the question he asked quietly, there seemed to be a hint of envy.

I had a feeling that if I didn’t clarify, I would be asked about the building I didn’t even own several times in the future.

“It’s only under my name; it’s not mine.”

“Huh? What does that mean?”

“I’m going to give it to my parents as a gift.”

It wouldn’t have been difficult to put it under my father’s name, but if I did, the amount of tax I would have to pay each year would increase significantly.

Considering that, I had purchased the building under my name, and that was all.

Anyway, right now, Director Song couldn’t close his gaping mouth.

* * *

Time continued to flow relentlessly. After passing the autumnal equinox, when the length of day and night becomes equal, the temperature of the wind touching the skin gradually changed.

Now, in the evening, it was common to feel chilly unless you wore at least a light jacket.

As time passed indifferently, the tasks related to product release began to be completed one by one.

* * *

The last day of September was coming to an end.

In just a few minutes, it would be midnight.

It was the point just before the first day of October.

Despite the late hour, Jae-seung, Director Song, the design team members, and even some office workers were sitting in the office.

“Hoo-.”

I took a long breath and looked at the clock on the wall.

In just a few minutes, the lookbook for this collaboration product would be released on Wall Flower’s official website.

These collaboration products were scheduled to be released under the title name ‘Night View Jacket.’

In reality, the products would be released and sold on November 1st, exactly one month from now, but they had decided to release the lookbook in advance with a margin of time so that news about this product could spread more widely and expectations could be heightened even further.

Although it was a fact that had been revealed in advance through several magazines that had conducted interviews, I thought that at least today, so many people would not flock to Wall Flower’s official website.

It wasn’t the day when the Prism version product’s raffle sale was taking place; it was just the day when the lookbook was being released.

Also, this information would surely spread to various communities in just a few minutes.

How many people would have such a strong fan base that they would connect to the site on time, wanting to see the lookbook even a few minutes earlier?

Unlike Jae-seung, who was waiting for the lookbook release time without any particular agitation, everyone else seemed to be very nervous.

Among them, the most nervous seemed to be Ryu Seung-ho, who had to take on the role of general director for this season as well as the role of lookbook model.

Unlike the others who were trying to act nonchalant, he didn’t even seem to be able to think about it.

“Seung-ho, are you okay?”

“No. Not at all.”

“I asked because you looked like you weren’t.”

After answering in a nonchalant tone, I placed my hand on Ryu Seung-ho’s shoulder. Compared to his rather small frame, it felt quite compact and firm.

I pondered for a moment about what to say to alleviate Ryu Seung-ho’s burden even a little, but then I just gave up and closed my mouth.

It was because I thought that no matter what advice I gave him, he would surely listen to it with one ear and let it out the other.

At that time, when silence was prevalent in the spacious office, an office worker in charge of managing the official website carefully opened his mouth.

“12 o’clock, the lookbook has been released.”

As soon as those words were finished, more than a dozen gazes turned to the monitor screen.

– Wall Flower x Ryu Seung-ho, ‘Night View Series’ Coming Soon!

– D-30

A large banner appeared in the center of the official website. Soon, the office worker began to click on the banner that had just appeared.

The sound of ‘click, click’ was ringing out in succession, but why?

The screen remained motionless without the slightest movement.

“Huh? What’s wrong…?”

Everyone could sense that something was wrong, but they didn’t ask questions rashly.

They just took turns looking at the back of the employee’s head, who was expressing a troubled expression and pressing the mouse button repeatedly, and the frozen monitor screen.

After a considerable amount of time had passed, Director Song carefully asked with a tone filled with anxiety and annoyance.

“What’s wrong? Is something wrong?”

“That’s….”

The office worker, who had blurred the end of his words, turned his chair slightly and looked back at everyone who was standing in a circle behind him, and continued his words.

“At exactly 12:00:01, the server crashed.”

“What? Why?”

After answering “Just a moment” once, the office worker opened a new internet window and began to type diligently on the keyboard.

The office worker, who was staring at the monitor screen with sleepy eyes, then continued his words in a violently trembling tone.

“Wow, what….”

As the employee was just blankly exclaiming in admiration, Director Song pounded his chest as if he was frustrated and asked back.

“No, what’s wrong? You have to explain it to me!”

Gulp.

At the same time as the office worker swallowed the saliva that had filled his mouth, his Adam’s apple fluttered once.

Everyone was silently watching such an employee, and then. He continued the words he had swallowed.

“From 11:30:00 to 12:00:01, just before the server crashed, the number of visitors is close to 20,000. 17% of them are overseas access IPs. In this case, wouldn’t it be stranger if the server *didn’t* crash…?”

I can feel it. I can feel the signs of a jackpot. The employees in charge of programming tasks began to type busily on the keyboard to restore the site as soon as possible.

On top of the accompaniment created by the blue-axis keyboard [referring to a type of mechanical keyboard known for its distinct sound], everyone’s roars in the hall began to harmonize like lyrics.

It was an impromptu chorus, but it was a pretty clear and beautiful melody.