Black Label [EN]: Chapter 189

189. Time for Focus and Choice (2)

Zzzzzzzzz-

Zzzzzzzzz-

It was early, before dawn. The smartphone beside his head vibrated incessantly, forcing Jaeseung to open his eyes.

He let out a long “Haa……” before picking up his phone and pressing the answer button.

“I’m awake.”

It was Director Song calling.

-Are you just waking up?

“Thanks to you, Director.”

-I’m leaving right now, so get ready quickly.

“Yes.”

Jaeseung replied weakly, tossed the phone onto the bed, and rubbed his face repeatedly with his bare hands as if washing it.

Was it due to excessive work and an overwhelming schedule that seemed impossible to handle?

Lately, ‘morning’ had become the most exhausting time of Jaeseung’s day.

After the grueling schedule in France, he had to return to Korea without proper rest, didn’t he?

His life after returning home was exactly as he had vaguely anticipated.

Work, work, work, and work, more work…….

Jaeseung muttered, “I might really collapse at this rate……,” before forcing himself out of bed and heading to the living room.

The new home he had recently moved into was incomparable to the shabby villa in the Baekseok-dong residential area where he used to live.

Even the living room alone was as large as his entire previous villa of about a dozen square meters.

Jaeseung planned to have breakfast first. He took out the oatmeal he had soaked the night before and sat at the table, starting to review the documents he hadn’t had time to check.

After finishing his meal, he headed straight to the bathroom without delay. The shower was over before the few pop songs he had put on his phone had finished playing.

Jaeseung, naked, stepped out of the bathroom, shaking the water from his hair when Director Song called again.

“I’m almost ready.”

-Really? I’m already here.

“I’ll be right down.”

As soon as he stepped out of the house, he spotted a car parked with its hazard lights on and Director Song leaning against the driver’s side door, fiddling with his phone.

“Director, you’re here?”

“Yeah. Get in quickly. We’re going to be late.”

As soon as Jaeseung got into the passenger seat, Director Song followed, getting into the driver’s seat and speaking again.

“Do you know what the first schedule is today?”

“Of course.”

The first schedule of the day was none other than filming a talk show with Yeongguk.

Director Song stared at the windshield and continued in a calm tone.

“Yeongguk should be arriving at Incheon Airport around now. According to the production team, it seems he’ll be able to arrive in time for the filming?”

“Yes? Of course, he shouldn’t be late.”

“You don’t know how busy Yeongguk is right now. I heard that Wisdom Khalifa’s agency is providing him with helicopters and private jets to handle his overseas schedules……”

Director Song added various explanations. In short, Yeongguk was struggling with a schedule similar to or slightly more demanding than Jaeseung’s.

“Once the songs from this Wisdom Khalifa album fall out of the Billboard charts and the hype dies down, things might ease up a bit, but that’s still a distant future. Well, imagine if Yeongguk is a few hours late today. Do you think the production team would say a word?”

Director Song finished speaking and added, “I guarantee they wouldn’t dare to open their mouths. Heh heh…….”

While they were talking, the car had already reached the vicinity of Sangam-dong, where the broadcasting station was located.

Just as they were waiting for the traffic light to change to enter the broadcasting station’s parking lot, Director Song suddenly brought up another topic.

“Ah! Look at my forgetfulness. Come to think of it, several major domestic department store brands have contacted us simultaneously in the past few days?”

“Department store brands? And?”

“I haven’t had a proper conversation with them yet, but why else would they contact us? It must be about opening a store after this Paris Fashion Week.”

Jaeseung nodded a few times. Indeed, the department store brands, like a pack of wolves, had been too quiet.

For matters involving such attractive vested interests, they were usually the first to move.

As Jaeseung was lost in thought, Director Song continued to speak.

“As I said, I haven’t had a proper conversation with them, but the atmosphere doesn’t feel good?”

“In what way?”

“It might just be my feeling, but it doesn’t seem like they’re simply trying to secure a store opening contract with good conditions. Their attitude is very arrogant, and there are opinions within the office that ‘maybe several major department store brands have already colluded…….’”

As soon as the word ‘collusion’ came out of Director Song’s mouth, a dark shadow fell over Jaeseung’s face.

It was probably because he had heard of it and experienced it before.

Sensing the change in Jaeseung’s expression, Director Song trailed off and added in an indifferent tone after waving his hand.

“Sigh, never mind. You’re already busy, and I feel like I’m just making unnecessary noise about something that hasn’t been confirmed yet. Let’s finish the meetings sequentially first and then…….”

Just as Director Song was trying to gloss over the topic, Jaeseung narrowed his brows slightly and asked back.

“No, it’s an important issue. What are the meeting dates?”

“Today.”

“Yes……?”

Jaeseung stared blankly at Director Song’s face, and Director Song continued to explain.

“I’m going to have a meeting with one of them near here while you’re recording. The L Group department store headquarters is nearby, right? You’re not going to sulk because I’m not watching the recording, are you?”

“I’m not a child, of course not. Anyway, it’s just going to be the same old questions and answers. Then what’s next?”

“I have to run around busily all day. From our perspective, the sooner we finish the department store opening contract, the better.”

Jaeseung tilted his head slightly, as if he didn’t understand, and asked again.

“Then what about my next schedules? Is another staff member coming? If so, you should have assigned someone else from the beginning…….”

“Take a good rest after the recording. I’ve postponed the schedules that can be postponed, and canceled all the ones that are difficult to cancel.”

“Yes……? Why?”

“Yeongguk also cleared his schedule after today’s filming. It would be nice for you two to spend some quality time together, right?”

“Even so, there’s no need to cancel even the scheduled appointments…….”

“Don’t be stubborn. It’s my mistake for scheduling it wrong in the first place, but you haven’t looked good lately. You need to rest well for at least a day to last until the end of Fashion Week, right? What if the CEO collapses from overwork? Then there’s really no way to fix it?”

Director Song finished speaking, gave a friendly smile, and continued.

“So, take a good rest today.”

A moment of silence flowed in the car. Jaeseung smiled faintly and replied, “Thank you.”

Whenever he was overwhelmed with excessive fatigue, he would unknowingly complain to Director Song and then immediately regret it.

He knew that even the tasks he was currently in charge of were only this much because Director Song had shared some of the workload.

In fact, both he and Director Song were accumulating fatigue. So, Director Song’s consideration was even more deeply felt.

“I’m just saying this in case, but don’t be too grateful. If you get tired and fall out, or collapse from overwork, my cash cow, which is like a land flowing with milk and honey, will dry up, so it’s a decision I made reluctantly…….”

Director Song finished speaking and turned his head away, looking out the driver’s side window.

Thanks to that, Director Song’s ears, which were much redder than the autumn leaves, seemed even more visible.

* * *

The atmosphere inside the dressing room was extremely busy.

What should I say? Looking at the staff moving busily, it felt like I was running out of breath.

Jaeseung was sitting in front of the makeup mirror, busy getting his makeup done.

Thump-!

“Jaeseung-ah [a familiar and friendly way to call someone’s name].”

It was someone who placed their hands comfortably on Jaeseung’s shoulders and spoke in an endlessly bright tone.

Jaeseung slowly opened his eyes, which had been closed tightly, to identify the owner of the familiar voice behind him.

Soon, as he checked the identity of the man standing behind him through the makeup mirror.

“Yeongguk-ah, you’re here? You must have had a long journey!”

“What long journey? I just woke up from a good sleep and I was in Korea.”

“Still.”

Jaeseung replied briefly, wearing a subtle smile, and began to scan Yeongguk’s appearance up and down.

Unlike before, he felt a strong vibe of a hip-hop artist.

“Hey, Yeongguk-ah. You seem to have a certain aura now?”

“Aura? What aura……?”

“I should say it feels like a real hip-hop artist?”

Yeongguk lightly tapped Jaeseung’s arm and asked back with a slightly flushed face.

“Hey, Lee Jaeseung. What? Are you teasing me as soon as we see each other after a long time?”

Jaeseung asked back, “What are you talking about?” and continued in a very sly tone.

“Hmm, I wonder why? Is it because you’re going to be visiting broadcasting stations more often now? Or is it that everyone changes like that after becoming a Billboard-class beatmaker……?”

As Jaeseung finished speaking in a sarcastic tone, Yeongguk responded fiercely by shouting, “Hey! Lee Jaeseung!” with a slightly reddened face.

At the same time, several makeup artists who were watching the scene burst into laughter, trying hard to hold it in.

After a brief period of bickering like cats and dogs, Yeongguk also began to get his makeup done right next to Jaeseung, and the atmosphere changed completely.

In a soft tone, they began to slowly exchange stories they hadn’t been able to tell each other.

How is life in America, what has changed since gaining fame, what are the recent incomes, and where will they spend time after finishing today’s recording, etc…….

While they were exchanging various conversations, Yeongguk suddenly said with a pleasant smile.

“Anyway, thank you for making time in your busy schedule.”

“For what?”

“The talk show. Besides, I heard you don’t really like appearing on domestic TV programs.”

“Did Director Song tell you that?”

“Yeah. I knew it was an unreasonable request, but I actually wanted to appear on a program like this with you at least once.”

Jaeseung glanced at Yeongguk sitting next to him.

Whether it was because he had been doing it for the makeup artists all along, or to hide his embarrassment, Yeongguk was just sitting with his eyes closed.

“Somehow, we’ve come this far.”

“…….”

“Right?”

Yeongguk responded to Jaeseung’s question with a bright smile.

This was also part of the lyrics of Yeongguk’s first title song, ‘Money Dream’.

* * *

After Yeongguk, who had arrived late, finished all the preparations for filming, the talk show recording began immediately.

Jaeseung, who was now somewhat familiar with the camera lens, continued to speak fluently, and Yeongguk also unexpectedly gave witty answers skillfully.

When the recording was halfway through, a short break was given with the director’s loud voice.

Jaeseung first checked his smartphone, which he had put in his coat.

“Hmm?”

There were more than a dozen missed calls from Director Song.

Just as Jaeseung was about to call Director Song, the smartphone in his hand suddenly started to vibrate.

“Yes, Director. What’s wrong?”

-Well, that’s…….

“Please speak comfortably.”

-It’s bad news.

Jaeseung took a long breath and swept his hair back, answering.

“I think I know, but would you please tell me in detail?”

-I just finished a meeting with the L Group department store brand representative?

“And?”

-I don’t know why my bad premonitions never miss. Those guys seem to have colluded a long time ago. They’re attaching ridiculous conditions, saying that if we do that, we won’t be able to open a store in any of the major domestic department store brands…….

Suddenly, his heart started to pound. *I’m sick of this now.* [Expression of frustration]

Why can’t everyone be satisfied with a ‘win & win’ level contract?

After a moment of silence, Yeongguk, who was gulping down bottled water next to him, began to ask with his mouth, “Why? What’s wrong?”

Jaeseung raised his palm as if to stop him and answered in a voice without any inflection.

“Cancel all future schedules, and Director, you should take a good rest today too.”

-What……?

“I’ll take responsibility for the aftermath.”

He thought it was a situation where the guest had become the host. *They dare to try to tame us? It seems like we’re the ones who tame, and you’re the ones who should be tamed?* [Jaeseung is angered by the department stores’ attempt to control them and decides to take a stand.]

He decided to make them pay the price for touching the nature of a well-fed predator who had no will to fight.