Black Label [EN]: Chapter 16

Black Label 15

16. An Unpublished Magazine

Team Leader Kwon Hyung-mok, who had been checking his email with a serious expression, spoke quietly.

“Assistant Manager Min, I’ll forward you the email again. Please schedule a meeting and report back to me by this weekend.”

“Ah, yes. You mean the ‘Reformer’ special edition for next month’s issue, right?”

The Reformer special.

It was a special feature consisting of not only ‘Wall Flower’ but also several owner-designers who mainly dealt with reformed clothing [clothing that has been altered or repurposed].

In fact, this special was planned because of Jae-seung.

The Wall Flower blog was the decisive factor that changed the ‘perception of reformed clothing’ held by Team Leader Kwon and other editorial staff.

“Yes. Contact them regarding the Reformer special first.”

“Yes? Is there anything else?”

Assistant Manager Min tilted her head slightly and asked. She was curious about the meaning implied in the phrase ‘first of all’.

“Well, I was thinking of suggesting a non-regular column if the conversation goes well and it seems like a good fit.”

“Oh? Wait a minute. Are you going to the meeting too, Team Leader?”

Assistant Manager Min asked in surprise, and Team Leader Kwon Hyung-mok nodded a few times, checking the calendar on his desk as he replied.

“Yes. Try to schedule the meeting for early next week. My schedule is packed before and after that.”

“Ah, yes. I understand.”

“Okay. Let me know when the date is set.”

“Yes, sir!”

Team Leader Kwon Hyung-mok placed his hand on Assistant Manager Min’s shoulder and briefly added, “Let’s go for a smoke.”

Throughout the way to the rooftop of the building, the only smoking area in the company, Team Leader Kwon Hyung-mok was lost in thought with a serious expression.

* * *

Not long after Jae-seung sent a reply email, he received a call from the person in charge at *FTV (F Trend View), Assistant Manager Min Seong-cheol.

The call ended quickly, lasting less than three minutes.

Assistant Manager Min Seong-cheol summarized the matter and asked when Jae-seung would be available next week.

Jae-seung replied that any time in the evening would be fine, and the call ended with Assistant Manager Min asking, “Then, shall we meet next Tuesday? Exactly one week from now. How does that sound?”

In the end, the meeting was scheduled for the following Tuesday, exactly one week away.

He had hastily agreed to the date because they wanted to discuss the details in person first, but he couldn’t shake off the uneasy feeling.

‘…Ha, should I even meet them? Is it right to meet them even if I’m going to decline?’

According to Assistant Manager Min Seong-cheol, a ‘Reformer Special’ was scheduled to be included in the next issue.

They had scouted several owner-designers of companies that mainly deal with reformed clothing, including Wall Flower, which he runs.

If Jae-seung himself was going to continue handling reformed clothing, it would be a different story, but as of now, it was just a pipe dream.

From the moment he started selling self-produced clothing, he no longer planned to handle reformed clothing.

Since it didn’t fit the purpose and intent of the special feature at all, the interview was as good as pointless.

‘It’s a shame, but… I can’t change my plans because of the countless interviews I’ll have in the future. Let’s just focus on building relationships for now.’

“Haa-.”

Jae-seung, unable to shake off his disappointment, sighed deeply and turned his head towards his desk drawer.

‘Should I take a look for the first time in a while?’

Due to his recent busy schedule, he hadn’t had time to look at the contents left in the 택배 [Taekbae – Korean delivery service] boxes.

Even if he opened his TOEFL book right now, he wouldn’t be able to focus, and he certainly wouldn’t be able to come up with a proper design.

To clear his mind, and also to check if there were any changes in the ‘magazine’ and ‘watch’ he had put in the box.

Jae-seung immediately reached out and took out the 택배 box.

And then.

“Huh…?”

Jae-seung’s expression slightly distorted. It was because of the contents in the 택배 box, to be exact, the ‘magazine’.

The blank magazine had disappeared without a trace. What was in its place instead was….

[F Trend View January 2011 Issue.]

Since it is November 2010 now, the next issue is the January 2011 issue. It contained the next issue of ‘F Trend View’, which had not even been produced, let alone published.

No sooner had the question ‘What is this?’ arisen than his heart started pounding.

It felt like his lungs were full of hot sand, and he started to suffocate.

Even though he had experienced a lot of things outside of common sense, this kind of shock still didn’t seem to get any easier.

‘How can a magazine that hasn’t even been published yet….’

Jae-seung carefully reached out and began to examine the cover of the magazine.

The cover was no different from ordinary domestic fashion magazines.

The cover featured a large photo shoot of a famous actor, which was intended to be used for the magazine cover.

Also, in a non-obtrusive location, there was a brief description of the main topics.

It was a format that perfectly matched the production method of ‘F Trend View’.

Jae-seung opened his eyes wide and began to examine the descriptions written all over the cover.

– A conversation between three men about the 2011 S/S [Spring/Summer] season.

– We will announce 10 promising prospects selected at random!

– Predicting the future trends of the Korean fashion industry as we welcome 2011.

Jae-seung, who had been examining the cover, opened the magazine and began to look at the contents.

Starting with snap photos of so-called fashion people taken on the street, products introduced at shows, and personal interviews with famous models.

If you only look at the contents, it is a fairly ordinary fashion magazine.

Except that the content is about the future that has not yet happened.

Rustle. Rustle.

He accelerated the speed of turning the pages. Until just a few days ago, it was a completely blank magazine. Such a magazine is full of all sorts of content.

And then.

Jae-seung’s hand, which had been busy turning the pages, stopped for a moment.

It was in the section that contained the main topic he had seen on the magazine cover, ‘We will announce 10 promising prospects selected at random!’

“Huh….”

Jae-seung’s hands, which were holding the book, began to tremble as if they were aspen trees standing in front of the harsh winter wind.

It was because his name was also listed as one of the 10 promising prospects that the editor of ‘F Trend View’ magazine had selected at random.

– From selling reformed clothing to selling self-produced clothing! Owner designer (?) Lee Jae-seung of the Wall Flower blog market

Even below that, there was a brief interview that had never been conducted, or even planned.

Jae-seung shook his head a few times to regain his composure, and then slowly began to skim through the interview.