Black Label [EN]: Chapter 251

Black Label Extra Story 2

As soon as President Song received the official letter from Leadersmith, his dedicated law firm, he set everything else aside and booked a ticket to France.

“Seriously, I can’t figure him out…”

Jae-seung’s sudden retirement declaration was back in 2017, the year Wallflower made it to the ranks of the world’s top brands.

After that.

Five long years flew by in the blink of an eye, yet Wallflower remained one of the top names when it came to premium brands.

It was then.

An announcement that the plane would be taking off soon began to play, and an unsettling sense of floating began to creep in.

Swish.

President Song leaned back in his first-class seat and stared out the window.

“A comeback…”

His heart was pounding.

“What is he going to do this time?”

Although everyone acted as if they desperately wanted ‘Lee’ to return, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that public opinion was split fifty-fifty.

Some guessed that if Lee came back, he would once again cause a huge upheaval in the fashion world….

On the other hand, those who opposed him said that even if Lee did come back, he wouldn’t be able to overcome the five-year gap and would collapse.

“You morons.”

Of course, President Song blindly trusted Jae-seung.

Just a few years ago.

President Song ran a small garment factory called ‘Taeyangsa’ in Dongdaemun [a famous fashion district in Seoul].

‘Every month was a crisis back then.’

The amount left over after paying all the employees’ salaries wasn’t enough to live on.

So, he was considering making imitations and supplying them here and there.

“I’m looking for fabric.”

He met an owner-designer who was a high school student, introduced by a market merchant.

‘Who knew that kid would become like this.’

In the few years that followed, he personally experienced a miraculous transformation that completely changed his entire life.

The awkward high school student’s brand, Wallflower, grew into a global brand.

The slick, disobedient student was reborn as a designer who is considered to have made a mark in the fashion world.

‘Me too….’

When he came to his senses, he was sitting in the ‘CFO’ [Chief Financial Officer] position of such a brand.

The past, when he was running around looking for loan products because of unpaid employee salaries, became someone else’s problem.

Banquets with world-famous celebrities and cruise parties became commonplace.

Of course, the president’s salary was paid every month, and even the dividends were settled on a regular basis.

Thanks to this, he enjoyed astronomical spending that he could never have imagined in the past.

He had witnessed the process of creating such a ‘miracle’ right next to him, hadn’t he?

‘Our CEO is coming back, but he can’t overcome the gap and will collapse?’

President Song took a sip of the strong brandy he had ordered from the stewardess and muttered.

“Idle talk from people with nothing better to do.”

Soon, President Song’s gaze turned to the vast sky visible through the window.

“But I can’t figure out what suddenly made him decide to come back without saying a word.”

2016 was arguably the year of Wallflower.

It received rave reviews and recorded astronomical sales.

And achieved feats such as establishing a ‘brand house’ [a flagship store and headquarters combined].

Perhaps he was exhausted from the journey, though he didn’t show it?

“I’m going to take a break for a while.”

Jae-seung, who suddenly announced his disappearance, hid from the world.

Since then, personal matters such as marriage and childbirth have piled up.

The hiatus was much longer than initially expected.

‘Still, thanks to the product schematics he drew for each season, sales have been well maintained….’

Sales were similar to or slightly lower than the previous year, and all that was maintained was a precarious status quo.

Of course, the vast majority of fashion brands that are considered global were struggling to maintain the status quo, even risking their lives.

‘But we’re not.’

From Wallflower’s point of view, which had achieved remarkable growth every year, it was impossible to be satisfied with the current status quo.

Gulp, gulp-.

Soon, President Song took a gulp of the strong liquor and emptied his glass.

“My heart is beating.”

The night view visible through the window and his face, dimly lit above, seemed to overlap.

“What is he going to show us this time….”

To him, Jae-seung was always someone who did something.

He would surely do something and prove it even after his comeback.

Although he couldn’t even guess what that would be.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

He already felt a tidal wave of anticipation.

He wanted to fall into a deep sleep, even with the help of alcohol.

When he woke up, he would be in France.

“Hmm.”

He took out his phone, which was set to airplane mode, and checked the last email he had received from Leadersmith, his dedicated law firm.

– Lee will probably arrive in France first. He asked that you contact him as soon as you get out of the airport using the personal number we have provided.

President Song leaned back in his first-class seat and forced his eyes shut.

As usual, time is really relative.

Damn it.

Why does time seem to be passing so slowly today?

* * *

Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport.

“Phew, I feel alive.”

President Song, who had completed the long flight and the necessary entry procedures, left the airport and headed straight for the ‘smoking booth’ near the entrance.

“Let’s see….”

He took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, then rummaged through his pockets with one hand to find a lighter for a moment.

“Huh?”

He frowned, his face full of embarrassment.

“What, why isn’t it there-?”

It was then.

Swish.

The young man standing next to him suddenly turned on a lighter and held it out.

“Huh?”

President Song didn’t even check the young man’s face as he lit the cigarette in his mouth, bringing the end of the cigarette to the flame.

“Oh, merci [French for thank you].”

President Song briefly thanked the young man in French, took a puff of the cigarette, and muttered, exhaling the acrid smoke.

“Let’s see….”

He was constantly touching his smartphone with one hand….

“If I call this number….”

He immediately found Jae-seung’s number at the bottom of the email and started to call.

At that moment.

The young man who had lit President Song’s cigarette suddenly had his cell phone ring in his coat pocket.

Swish.

President Song finally raised his head and looked at the young man who had lit his cigarette.

“Wh-what….”

President Song, who made a face as if he had seen a ghost, looked astonished when he met the young man’s eyes.

“How….”

Jae-seung was standing there smiling brightly.

He had his hair neatly combed back with pomade, just like before, and was wearing a perfectly tailored custom suit without a single wrinkle.

Even….

The youthful look had completely disappeared from his already handsome face, giving him a strange sense of maturity.

“You…!”

President Song roughly put out the cigarette he was smoking in the ashtray and shouted in an excited tone, hugging Jae-seung tightly.

“I missed you-!”

It was a reunion after many years.

* * *

A Rolls-Royce sedan slid onto a road near the 13th arrondissement [an administrative district] of Paris.

President Song, who had been staring at Jae-seung with a scrutinizing expression, muttered quietly.

“This doesn’t feel real.”

“Pardon?”

“I feel like I’m seeing a celebrity….”

This was the first time President Song had actually met Jae-seung in person in many years.

Even though they had been in contact, all they had exchanged were short, formal greetings.

President Song smiled and tilted his head slightly, asking.

“By the way, what suddenly made you, who had been living like a natural person in the Mediterranean, decide to come back?”

Jae-seung replied to that.

“Yul is all grown up now.”

“How old is she this year?”

“She’s four years old in Korean age [Koreans count age differently, adding one year at birth and another on January 1st].”

“Wow, time flies….”

“She’s so good at talking now.”

Jae-seung, who chuckled once, said in his unique low and soft tone.

“But the other day, she suddenly asked me what my job was.”

“Doesn’t she know you’re a designer?”

“I used to draw schematics when the season was near, but I never did it in front of Yul….”

“Then she doesn’t know at all.”

“Yes, so I didn’t know what to say.”

“So what did you say?”

“I told her that I used to be a designer, but now I’m resting.”

Jae-seung immediately added.

“She accepted it right away, but I felt a little strange. When Yul grows up, she’ll know a lot about me….”

“Yeah.”

“I wanted to be the best when Yul grows up. And, suddenly, I thought I had rested enough….”

Jae-seung, who finished speaking, explained again.

“My family will be moving to Paris soon.”

“Really?”

“Most of the education is done through private tutors….”

Jae-seung vaguely trailed off and continued.

“I wonder if it’s time for her to go to daycare centers and learn how to get along with other children….”

President Song nodded a few times at that and licked his ‘lower lip’ once before asking.

“So it’s because of Yul?”

“Yes?”

“I mean, the reason you decided to come back.”

Jae-seung thought for a moment and replied.

“Is that so?”

President Song made a “Huh….” sound at that and muttered quietly.

‘If it’s all because of Yul….’

If the fact that Jae-seung is coming back is known everywhere, there will surely be a big difference in joy and sorrow.

It was clear that the stocks of some companies would rise or fall sharply.

The fashion world, which had felt monotonous and stagnant without any innovation, would undergo a change.

‘Because of a four-year-old girl, the entire fashion world is going to be in an uproar….’

President Song looked at Jae-seung.

“By the way, have you decided on a comeback method?”

“Method?”

“There are so many routes….”

For example, starting with a TV show led by a famous host, interviews with several prestigious magazines, or announcing his comeback on the runway stage after a show.

“News.”

President Song started blinking at that.

“News?”

Jae-seung added again.

“Yes, the social section.”

President Song, with a bewildered face, was about to ask, “What do you mean…,” when.

Squeak.

A Rolls-Royce sedan stopped in front of a restaurant in the 13th arrondissement of Paris.

“We arrived quickly while we were talking.”

“Restaurant? Not a hotel?”

“I have an interview scheduled.”

Jae-seung, who got out first, added again.

“And also to have a meal.”

President Song shook his head and chuckled.

“Anyway, you don’t tell me anything about the schedule and just drag me around….”

Then he chuckled.

“You’re still doing whatever you want.”

With that, the two of them moved towards the inside of the restaurant.