Black Label [EN]: Chapter 204

204. D-day (2)

There are times when you simply can’t accept the reality unfolding before your eyes.

In such moments, people often react in predictable ways.

For instance, pinching their cheeks, muttering to themselves, or rubbing their eyes vigorously.

But Jae-seung?

It was as if someone had flipped a power switch. His movements and thoughts ceased, and he could only stare blankly at the monitor, paralyzed.

“Boss, are you okay…?”

Song’s concerned question seemed to snap him out of it.

Jae-seung consciously shook his head a few times and replied in a barely audible voice, “I don’t think so.” Then, he struggled to continue speaking.

“Director Song, could you check the articles first?”

“Sure. Should I get you some water?”

“I’m okay.”

After giving a brief reply, Jae-seung began to bite his thumbnail and slowly, meticulously read each headline on the monitor screen.

[American Fashion Designers Association Releases Survey on the Big Four Fashion Weeks. Which Lari Fashion Week Brand is Most Anticipated by Current Designers? Wallflower Tops the List with the Most Votes (124), Also Ranked #1 as the Most Feared Brand.]

Click.

[Is the Criticism Aimed at Lee a ‘Bad Bet’? LVMH Group Chairman Ardo: “This Year Will Be the Year of either Diom or Wallflower. I am Certain.”]

Click.

[Bertheimer, Chairman of the Janel Group, Says, “Lee’s Brand, Wallflower, is Like an Unknown Creature Hiding its Body Beneath the Surface. Competitors Should be Nervous.”]

What could he say? It was as if he finally understood why Director Song had been pounding on his door past 2 AM.

The situation unfolding was, as Director Song had described, ‘blatant support’ itself.

But, why?

First, he closed his eyes tightly and leaned back against the plush chair.

Then, he immediately started running calculations in his head.

Okay, first, he could understand the American Designers Association’s research being published as an article.

Why?

This type of research and publication of results was practically an annual event for the American Designers Association.

The American Designers Association traditionally conducts this survey of current designers ahead of the opening of the Big Four Fashion Weeks [New York, London, Milan, and Paris], which are held around the same time but on different dates, and then publishes the results on its official website.

Okay, next.

He could also somewhat understand the Janel Group’s Chairman Bertheimer’s support.

Janel had reversed its decision to participate in this Paris Fashion Week and revealed its season’s product lineup through its own collection, hadn’t it?

Regardless of the season’s results, Janel was essentially in a position of being a spectator outside the ring called Paris Fashion Week.

Moreover, until a designer appeared to replace ‘Karl Lagerfeld,’ he and the Lagerfeld children had secretly agreed to take on the role of Janel’s director, hadn’t they?

Considering these various unresolved relationships, Chairman Bertheimer’s extremely favorable remarks seemed quite understandable.

Even if he simply assumed that Bertheimer wanted to offer help and express gratitude in some way, it seemed reasonable enough.

But, why ‘Chairman Ardo’?

About 18 of the brands he owned were participating in this Paris Fashion Week.

In that situation, there was no reason for him to give so much support to a competitor like himself, was there?

Was it to express gratitude for the success at the last Diom Haute Couture show? Or was it just because of simple friendship?

For what reason would he make such a risky statement that could potentially affect the sales of the brands he owned?

As his thoughts dragged on without reaching a conclusion, a tickling sensation began deep inside his chest. How could he express this frustration? It was a maddening itch of the mind.

It was as if he was diligently turning a screw to loosen it, but he couldn’t tell if he was actually loosening it or tightening it in reverse.

Suddenly, his blue eyes came to mind. Deep cobalt blue eyes that made it impossible to read his thoughts.

“Boss, now that I think about it, I might have woken you up for nothing because I was too excited. Don’t dwell on it too much, and maybe you should get some more sleep?”

“No, it’s just that it seems like a significant issue…”

“Actually, I thought it was all your plan. It’s strange that you didn’t know about it either… Anyway, let’s think positively. The stage has been set as you wanted, right? We just have to show them what we’ve got.”

After speaking, Director Song asked again, “Isn’t that right?”

Jae-seung nodded once and gave a faint smile.

Right. The situation itself was extremely positive, and he would be able to meet Chairman Ardo in a few hours anyway.

It wouldn’t be too late to hear the reason then. We just need to show what we’ve prepared.

“Director Song, you should get some sleep too.”

“Okay. See you in the morning.”

As soon as Director Song left the room, Jae-seung lay back down on the bed.

The numbers on the digital clock next to the bed indicated that it was early morning, somewhere between night and day.

Let’s get some sleep. Even if it’s just for a little while, let’s sleep well and then think.

Not long after his regression, when he was leading a busy life, he had been preoccupied with the thought, ‘Why do people need to sleep?’

The reason for being caught up in such a reverie? It was quite simple.

Even sleeping time, and sometimes even meal times, felt like a waste. Now, he thinks he knows the reason a little better.

It’s just a guess, but isn’t it because sleep creates a ‘boundary’ between yesterday and today?

That boundary is necessary to distinguish what should be left in the time called yesterday and what should be taken to the time called tomorrow. So, isn’t that why people need to sleep?

* * *

AM 8:00

The streets of Paris seemed much more crowded than usual.

It felt as if the entire street had been transformed into a photo zone.

Starting with fashion photographers and bloggers wandering the streets with large cameras in their hands, to ordinary people and models showing off their excellent fashion sense.

Needless to say, the area near the Tuileries Garden, where the first day of the schedule would begin after the opening ceremony, was even more crowded. The closer he got to the outdoor stage in the park, the more people were packed together.

Numerous reporters were stationed along the main street near the entrance of the Tuileries Garden, ready to film.

As it was about time for famous figures in the fashion industry to start appearing one by one, everyone seemed to be on high alert.

Click, click.

The reporters had to press the shutter diligently, as if wishing their fingerprints would wear out.

Starting with fashion industry figures, to people from the French political world, capitalists who had accumulated so much wealth that they were worried about where to spend it, famous artists from various fields besides fashion, and even sports stars.

Heavyweight figures who were sure to cause a stir just by appearing were showing up one after another.

It was a moment that made him deeply realize that this was one of the most prestigious events in the entire fashion industry.

At that moment, a super-luxury sedan, with its entire body painted in ‘gold,’ stopped on the main street.

The moment the back door opened, there was a murmur among the reporters, but it was quickly drowned out by the sound of shutters clicking furiously again.

It was because two Billboard stars who were currently rising in popularity had appeared.

“The lineup of attendees for this year’s Paris Fashion Week is really crazy. It’s ‘Wizdom Khalifa’ and ‘Justcus’?”

The appearance of the black rapper who dominated the Billboard charts and the prodigious Asian rookie composer who suddenly appeared and swallowed up the Billboard Top 10 seemed to make the venue several times more chaotic.

Soon, one reporter tilted his head slightly and muttered.

“Both of them must be here to see Lee’s collection, right?”

Wizdom Khalifa and Justcus, or rather, Youngguk, who was active under the pseudonym Justcus.

As the two of them began to enter the Tuileries Garden under escort, reporters began to ask various questions, raising their voices.

“Justcus! I heard that you are constantly receiving contract offers from major labels with heavyweight artists such as Kanye West and Jay-Z, but you are refusing them. What’s the reason?”

“I heard that the next album will also be in the form of a duo! What is the expected release date?”

Soon, Youngguk paused, slightly lowered the sunglasses he was wearing, rested them on the bridge of his nose, and replied in a low voice.

“No comment. I have no intention of answering any questions today. I’m just here to appreciate my friend’s work.”

After speaking, Youngguk began to stride towards the Tuileries Garden again, and the reporters’ barrage of questions became even more intense.

However, Wizdom Khalifa and Youngguk continued to walk silently without looking back.

Just as the reporters were watching them, feeling disappointed and like dogs chasing after a chicken, as they became small dots.

This time, a few more sedans with a slightly more subdued feel stopped in a row.

Soon, the reporters were in a state of high alert again.

Without knowing for sure, it seemed they had a strong conviction that the person getting out of the car would be a big shot in the fashion industry.

And then.

Click, click-!

The sound of shutters began to ring out again. Two elderly gentlemen, dressed in neat suits, began to walk, escorted by a dozen people.

The identities of the two elderly gentlemen, who had their gray hair neatly combed back, were none other than…

Chairman Ardo and Chairman Bertheimer.

As the two giants of the current fashion industry appeared side by side, the venue became chaotic again.

The reporters’ barrage of questions poured out, but the two men continued to walk silently, as if they were deaf.

The typhoon continued to come without stopping.

Starting with famous designers active in France, the main stage of this Paris Fashion Week, to famous designers active in London, Milan, New York, and other places.

Just as the atmosphere was heating up, four sports cars with sharp impressions boasted loud exhaust sounds and stopped side by side.

Screech-.

Soon, the wing doors opened, and four men began to get out of the driver’s seats of each car.

Three Asian men and one black man. Soon, one of the reporters shouted, pointing as if he had discovered a strange creature in the city.

“It’s Wallflower!”

The four men who appeared, each driving a luxury sports car worth hundreds of millions of won, were none other than Jae-seung and the executive-level employees of Wallflower.

Jae-seung, Director Song, Nam Gwang-min, and finally Kai Green. The four of them didn’t even blink an eye in front of the constantly flashing lights and silently began to walk.

Soon, when they succeeded in breaking through the stationed reporters and entering the park.

Kai Green let out a hearty laugh and asked.

“Lee, how is it? With this level of performance, the rental fee isn’t a waste, right? I guarantee that the print media share will be ours.”

Soon, Jae-seung nodded once and replied, “Yes, it’s not a waste at all.” Then, Jae-seung looked at Director Song and asked.

“Director Song, why do you look so dark? It’ll all be over in a few hours anyway, so wouldn’t it be okay to relax?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“Then what is it?”

“Actually, I was wondering if I scratched the rear bumper a little while ago.”

Soon, Jae-seung nodded once and replied.

“Oh, that’s unfortunate, but I don’t think there’s anything I can do to help.”

“Hey! That’s why I told you to just go normally!”

“You ended up being persuaded anyway.”

“Are you really going to do this…?”

Jae-seung and Director Song bickered throughout the walk, and Kai Green and Nam Gwang-min simply watched them and followed behind.

It was just a few hours before the start of Paris Fashion Week.