Black Label [EN]: Chapter 127

Black Label 126

127. If We Can’t Be Together

On the evening of my first meeting with Kwon Jihoon, an email arrived from YZ Entertainment’s official account.

Attached was the contract for sponsoring the costumes and props for the music video, along with the music video’s storyboard.

And the next morning.

As soon as Jaeseung arrived at the office, he immediately called a staff meeting.

It was to review Kwon Jihoon’s single album music video storyboard together and have a brief discussion.

As the design team staff gathered around the coffee table, looking at the storyboard,

Kyle, the first foreign employee who had recently joined the design team, cautiously spoke.

“I think I’ve seen the singer Kwon Jihoon in a fashion magazine a few times. It’s rare for an Asian singer to be featured in a fashion magazine, so I remember him clearly.”

Before Kyle could finish, Nam Gwangmin gently placed the stack of A4 papers he was holding and said,

“Since there are no cost restrictions, I don’t think there will be any difficulties in producing the props. It seems the only potential issue is the ‘costumes’….”

Jaeseung asked, “Yes, and?” and Nam Gwangmin adjusted his glasses before answering.

“First, we need to clarify what the client wants. Do they intend to select and use some of our existing products, or do they want us to create new costumes in a ‘special order’ format that matches the concept of the music video?”

After speaking, Nam Gwangmin twirled the pen in his hand and added, “Considering they said cost doesn’t matter, it seems highly likely to be the latter.”

Jaeseung thought it would probably be the latter as well, although he would need to talk to Kwon Jihoon again to be sure.

At that moment, Lee Kangjun raised his hand slightly and shared his opinion.

“If we have to produce it in a special order format, it seems like the deadline will be quite tight, even if we start right away, right? Unlike simply releasing a product, we have to get confirmation from YZ Entertainment at every stage of production.”

Jaeseung pursed his lips, nodded a few times, and replied.

“Okay, I’ll talk to Kwon Jihoon about that in detail again. If we emphasize that the deadline is too tight, they’ll offer some compromise. For example, we could supply half with special order products and use existing products for the remaining half….”

After speaking, Jaeseung began to review the storyboard in his hand once more.

[ Another Class ]

This phrase was written largely at the top of the very first page of the music video storyboard.

In other words, it was the title of the song that Kwon Jihoon would be presenting this time.

As Jaeseung flipped through the stack of A4 papers, reviewing the contents again,

Director Song opened his mouth with a faint smile, in a calm tone.

“As expected of a large agency, you can tell the quality is no joke just by looking at the storyboard. I especially like scene 22. The directing is quite charming.”

Rustle-. Rustle-.

Everyone quickly turned to the page and began to examine the contents of scene 22, as Director Song had mentioned.

Scene 22.

It was a scene where Kwon Jihoon swung a tennis racket forcefully, hitting a tennis ball.

The ball then flew and shattered a show window.

Well, if you only look at it this way, it might just seem like an ordinary scene.

But what if the ‘WF’ logo, symbolizing Wall Flower, was engraved on the handle of the tennis racket and the surface of the tennis ball?

And what if there were mannequins dressed in Wall Flower clothes standing behind the shattered show window?

Even though it was just a mental image, it felt like goosebumps were rising all over my body.

Glancing over the stack of A4 papers in my hand, the employees seemed to have a look of astonishment on their faces as well.

What should I say? It was as if everyone knew that if we successfully completed this collaboration, Wall Flower would once again achieve tremendous growth.

The employees began to exchange various conversations with anticipation in their voices.

“First of all, this collaboration seems like it will be really fun, putting everything else aside. It’s definitely a unique project, and I think it will be really rewarding once it’s completed.”

“I agree. I wish it would be completed as soon as possible. I’m curious to see how the video will turn out, and honestly, I’m also looking forward to the ripple effect.”

At that moment, Jaeseung let out a small “Ah…!” as if he had forgotten something, and continued.

“And if anyone here doesn’t have a passport, please apply for one by lunchtime today.”

Lee Kangjun tilted his head slightly and cautiously asked, “Why do we need a passport?”

“It seems like the entire design team will have to go on a business trip to the United States around the middle of this month.”

Before he could finish speaking, Choo Jihoon muttered in a slightly trembling voice, as if deeply moved, “Wow, I finally get to ride a plane….”

The other employees were the same. They couldn’t hide their surprise at the sudden news of an overseas business trip.

“A, America? What’s going on…?”

To Lee Kangjun’s quiet question, Jaeseung shrugged his shoulders and immediately continued.

“I think it would be good to meet with the overseas investors who helped with this offline store. Don’t feel pressured, just think of it as having a meal together.”

At that moment, Choo Jihoon narrowed his brow slightly and cautiously asked.

“Huh? Didn’t you say that the ‘CFDA Awards’ [Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards] were coming up soon?”

Jaeseung replied, “Yes, that’s right,” and then continued fluently.

“I asked the organizers, but unfortunately, it seems I have to attend the awards ceremony alone. Since it’s not the brand that’s being nominated, but the designer individually, it’s not possible to bring employees.”

As the employees slowly nodded, Jaeseung continued.

“First, you can return to Korea as soon as your schedule is finished. I’ll be returning a day or two later after completing the awards ceremony schedule. Let’s think about Kwon Jihoon’s music video after we finish the U.S. schedule. We’ll have some free time, so let’s think of it as a ‘kind of vacation’ and go with a relaxed mindset.”

As Jaeseung finished speaking, the employees replied with a loud “Yes!”

At that moment, I made eye contact with Director Song, who was the only one who knew the ‘real purpose of this overseas business trip’.

Director Song shook his head slightly and muttered in a voice so small that only he could hear.

“Tsk, he tells lies so well without even batting an eye….”

* * *

A few days passed, and the scheduled departure date arrived. Jaeseung boarded a plane to the United States with Director Song and the design team staff.

Even while going through the departure procedures, I could feel how much had changed.

In the short time while waiting for the flight, nearly ten people had asked for autographs.

Director Song was quick to tease Jaeseung with comments like “You’ve made it big, you’ve made it big,” and “Wow, we have a ‘universal superstar’ here,” but the design team staff’s reaction seemed somewhat different.

They were all giving him envious glances.

After boarding the plane to the United States, I sat next to Kyle and had a conversation.

“Kyle, what do you think of the atmosphere in the office?”

“It was surprising.”

“Um, in what way?”

Kyle shrugged his shoulders and whispered in a low voice.

“Actually, I heard that Korean companies have a strict hierarchy and a strong vertical relationship.”

“Um… that’s not wrong, but it doesn’t apply to our ‘Wall Flower’ at least.”

“Yes, that’s right. I really think I made the right decision to come to Korea. I like the free-spirited atmosphere, and although I haven’t experienced it for long, I think all the other designers are good people too.”

As Jaeseung nodded a few times, Kyle cautiously asked again.

“Lee, this U.S. business trip, there’s another purpose, isn’t there?”

“Yes?”

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I heard you on the phone.”

After speaking, Kyle added, “You don’t have to worry. I haven’t told anyone.”

Jaeseung smiled awkwardly and said quietly.

“Thank you, Kyle. Can you keep it a secret for now?”

“Of course.”

Jaeseung extended his fist to Kyle.

After staring blankly at Jaeseung’s fist for a moment, Kyle smiled faintly and bumped his fist against Jaeseung’s.

Then he immediately added a word.

“Lee, by the way, after eavesdropping on that phone call, I think I realized once again that you are a great leader.”

After speaking, Kyle added again.

“I think there was a valid reason for your success.”

Jaeseung responded with a smile, “No, it’s just an overstatement,” and then put on a sleep mask. It was a habitual action to hide his awkwardness.

* * *

Meanwhile, at that time.

Inside the president’s office of the ‘*CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America)’ in New York, a cold silence was lingering.

President ‘Steven Cobb’ adjusted his glasses, placed them on his forehead, and asked in a puzzled tone.

“So, ‘Lee’, who was nominated for the Haute Couture Award, refused to attend?”

The middle-aged man standing in front of him shook his head and replied.

“No, there was a deal.”

“A deal? What kind of…?”

The middle-aged man wiped the sweat beading on his forehead with a handkerchief and cautiously began to speak.

“Lee wanted to attend the awards ceremony with the employees of his brand, ‘Wall Flower’.”

“Hmm, that’s a violation of the regulations….”

President Steven Cobb trailed off and fell into thought.

If Lee’s brand, ‘Wall Flower’, had been nominated, it would have been a different story, but designer ‘Lee’ himself was nominated, wasn’t he?

It would be somewhat unreasonable to grant the employees the right to attend the awards ceremony.

The middle-aged man standing in front of President Steven Cobb continued to speak.

“I repeatedly emphasized that it was a difficult request, but ‘Lee’s’ response was consistent. He threatened that if he couldn’t attend with his subordinates, he wouldn’t attend the awards ceremony.”

After finishing his words fluently, the middle-aged man paused for a moment and added, “I repeatedly told him that if he continued to maintain this attitude, he could be penalized at all future awards ceremonies organized by our CFDA.”

President Steven Cobb nodded and tilted his head slightly before asking.

“Okay. So, what did you decide to do in the end?”

The middle-aged man couldn’t answer immediately, and after letting out a small “Um…,” he spoke with difficulty.

“…I had no choice but to grant Lee’s request.”

After speaking, the middle-aged man stared intently at President Steven Cobb’s eyes, unable to hide his nervousness.

It would damage the honor of the awards ceremony if a nominee did not attend.

He had made the decision independently to prevent the worst-case scenario, but he couldn’t help but be nervous when trying to get approval.

Silence lingered in the president’s office for a moment.

President Steven Cobb nodded a few times and replied, “I understand. It seems like it was a wise decision,” and only then did the middle-aged man’s expression relax.

After the middle-aged man left the president’s office, President Steven Cobb began to review the documents on his desk.

It was a document containing information on the nominees for this year’s CFDA Awards.

‘Lee’.

He was a figure who had made a brilliant debut in the New York fashion scene with the title of creative designer of the premium brand ‘Alexander King’, and had created a buzz wherever he went.

Didn’t he even create the unprecedented situation of having a design submitted to a university competition being selected as a nominee for the CFDA Awards?

This was also due to the fact that members of the board of directors who had directly observed the previous ‘Parsons·F.I.T Competition’ repeatedly recommended Lee’s haute couture design.

“Lee, Lee, Lee….”

A designer who would take command of the next Christian Dior and a rookie chosen by Chairman Arnault of the LVMH Group [Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy, a French multinational corporation and conglomerate with headquarters in Paris].

President Steven Cobb, who had repeatedly repeated the name of such a ‘Lee’, smiled faintly.

The authority of the name ‘CFDA’ is so high that most of the designers working in the New York fashion scene aim to win an award at this ceremony.

However, he wants to bring his subordinate designers to the awards ceremony, even at the risk of future penalties?

The CFDA Awards are one of the common goals of all designers.

Perhaps Lee wanted to give his subordinate designers a series of motivations through this awards ceremony.

Even if he were to be penalized in the future.

“…He was a very bold friend.”

President Steven Cobb, who had muttered quietly, smiled warmly.

He didn’t dislike such an attitude from Lee. No, rather, such an attitude from Lee seemed to evoke a sense of favor.