Black Label [EN]: Chapter 255

Black Label Episode 6

That Day, After.

“Lee, sample order completed.”

Everything began to proceed ‘smoothly.’

“Thank you for your hard work.”

As soon as I arrived at work, I received a report that the sample production order for the design I had drawn myself was completed.

I would probably be able to receive and review the design samples ordered from the factory within a few days.

“Here are the first design entries from the design team.”

Again….

“Please review them.”

Several designers from the design team, who had been complaining, created and reported quite a few decent designs in just one day.

Jae-seung received the designs and flipped through them, “Rustle, rustle,” briefly skimming through them before continuing in a low voice with a hint of a smile.

“See? Didn’t I tell you?”

“Yes?”

“If you grind them, they’ll produce results.”

Jae-seung said with a smile after finishing his sentence.

“I’ll review them by the next meeting.”

Just as I was about to start my work….

Knock knock.

The sound of knocking was heard again.

“Lee, can I come in for a moment?”

It was the brand marketing team leader.

“Yes, of course.”

The marketing team leader said.

“We have completed the application for the ‘Paris Fashion Week’.”

This time, it was a report that all the participation procedures for the 2021 Paris Fashion Week F/W [Fall/Winter] season, which would be my comeback stage, had been perfectly completed.

“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”

Now, the situation was imminent where I had to start planning the stage as well as the product design to be presented this season.

‘How should I structure this season’s show to make it good….’

When I was active as a professional, I received favorable reviews not only for the completeness of the product but also for the composition and direction of the collection stage.

‘I’ll have to present a pretty complete stage this time too….’

Wasn’t the situation such that countless critics and columnists were eager to tear me down?

If I were to ensure the completeness of the product but present a terrible show, I would not be able to avoid criticism.

They would probably say that I had completely lost my touch or that ‘Wallflower’s’ show was no longer expected.

“Hmm….”

I was deeply troubled by the collection stage.

Knock knock.

Again, someone knocked on the tightly closed president’s office door, and….

“Are you busy?”

President Song entered.

“It’s about the TV show appearance I mentioned yesterday.”

“Yes.”

“I just wanted to tell you that the discussion went well and positively.”

This time, it was a report that he had succeeded in picking up the TV show schedule, which I had decided to appear on for the purpose of ‘trash-talking’ critics.

“The schedule was fixed in just one day?”

“Getting a show is nothing.”

“Which broadcasting station’s program is it?”

As Jae-seung put down his pen, seemingly interested, and asked, President Song briefly explained while keeping his eyes fixed on the document in his hand.

“The program’s name is Le Grand Journal [The Grand Journal], and it’s a popular talk show on Canal+, a paid channel in France.”

Jae-seung muttered “Canal+” several times in a row, then snapped his fingers as if he had remembered something and immediately asked back.

“I was wondering where I had heard of it.”

“Do you know it?”

“It’s the program that became a hot topic when a Korean girl group appeared on it.”

“Really?”

“I think it was Girls’ Generation who appeared….”

I didn’t know much about French broadcasters, but I remembered that it was hosted by a broadcaster with a very solid and famous position.

“What’s the filming schedule?”

“This weekend.”

President Song, who answered briefly, clicked his tongue.

“If I had known this would happen, I would have booked my ticket to Korea with some leeway….”

“Are you going back to Korea now?”

“Yeah, even if I go back right away, I’ll probably have a mountain of work piled up.”

President Song took a deep breath as if he was suffocating just thinking about it, and continued in a low voice.

“The most fun thing to watch is missing out on the most interesting sight, but I can’t postpone my return any longer….”

Come to think of it, was it tonight’s flight?

“You said it was tonight’s flight, right?”

After answering “Yeah, that’s right” once, he added.

“I’ll have to watch it on TV with regret.”

At those words, Jae-seung muttered lowly, “Well….”

As President Song said, if I waited a little longer anyway….

The contents of this interview would be broadcast all over the world.

“By the way, have you thought about the ‘direction’ of the interview a little bit?”

“Yes, I’ve thought about it briefly….”

Jae-seung trailed off and added after a pause.

“You can look forward to it.”

“Is it that much?”

“I’ve prepared something unconventional.”

* * *

That evening.

“I’m leaving first, take care of yourself.”

“Yes, President.”

“Let’s keep in touch often.”

Jae-seung nodded repeatedly and replied.

“I’ll be sure to visit Korea after this season.”

I was eager to spend time laughing and chatting with President Song, the employees of the Korean branch, and my family.

“Yes, be sure to visit.”

Jae-seung replied, “Yes,” and asked lowly.

“Shall we go to Dongdaemun then?”

“Dongdaemun?”

“How about chicken kalguksu [Korean noodle soup with chicken] with soju [Korean distilled rice liquor]?”

At those words, President Song exclaimed, “Oh!” and added while snapping his fingers hard.

“Wow, you really know what’s up.”

“Sounds good, right?”

“I used to go there a lot when I was running the factory….”

The chicken kalguksu that Jae-seung mentioned was one of Dongdaemun’s specialties.

“I really went there a lot….”

Back when I was running a small sewing factory called ‘Taeyangsa’ before meeting Jae-seung, I used to go there several times a week.

“Of course, I know.”

Jae-seung was the same.

“There’s no better side dish than this.”

When I was living in the shadows with President Song in my past life.

“It’s hearty and warm….”

I had visited it several times, led by President Song’s hand.

“Here, eat quickly.”

The image of President Song tearing off a large leg, putting it on my plate, and deboning the meat was vivid in my mind.

“I’m deboning it for you because you’re blind.”

“Oh, come on….”

“Did I say something wrong? You are blind.”

He was clearly the kind of person who always pretended to be blunt but was always anxious to take care of me more.

“Here, eat heartily and cheer up.”

“Yes.”

“Surely a spider web won’t be spun in a living mouth, right?” [idiom meaning ‘eat up!’]

His face was flushed with intoxication, and his appearance of giving blunt words of blessing was still vividly etched in my mind.

“I’ll take care of everything, so just wait a little bit.”

It was then.

“What are you thinking so hard about?”

President Song looked down at his wristwatch and added.

“I really have to go now.”

Jae-seung also nodded in agreement.

“Yes, I’ll contact you.”

It would be a short farewell, so I decided not to be too sad.

* * *

“Let’s see….”

After that, Jae-seung devoted all his attention to preparing for his TV appearance on the weekend.

“Is this enough….”

In fact, all I had to do to prepare was to create a scrapbook that neatly organized the harsh criticisms of me by ‘critics’ and ‘columnists.’

“Now all that’s left is to memorize it.”

Then he memorized their ‘names’ and ‘remarks.’

They were all the ones who had poured out the most vicious columns.

I was planning to use them to attract ‘attention.’

“You started it first….”

They are writing columns every day and receiving fees by using the success or failure of my comeback and the rise and fall of the brand.

In the past….

There was a time when I couldn’t get a grip on myself and was just tormented by the harsh reviews of some critics and columnists.

Not now.

Should I say that the time I spent in the fashion world has become too long to be hurt by a few words from them?

“I’ll pay you back in the same way.”

I was planning to aggressively mention them through the show I was going to appear on this time to attract the attention and attention of the world.

“Good….”

That’s how a few days passed in an instant.

Before I knew it, the day of the scheduled broadcast appearance had arrived.

* * *

Jae-seung and the host were sitting side by side on the studio sofa inside the broadcasting station building of Canal+, a paid channel in France.

Shine, shine….

Red lights were flashing on the cameras placed throughout the studio, implying that ‘filming was in progress.’

“Because you are so eloquent, I think we have been filming without realizing how time has passed.”

The host flipped a cue card back.

“Lee, here’s the next question.”

Several hours had passed since the filming began, but the ‘interview-style’ recording continued endlessly.

Jae-seung’s appearance, which was no exaggeration to say was a guaranteed ticket for viewership from their point of view, was a boon.

He was a person who was receiving all the attention of the world, so he tried to create an interview filled with only provocative questions.

“This is also something that many people will be curious about….”

He repeatedly asked questions that the public would be curious about, such as income, wealth, and life after retirement.

“Are there still any questions you might be curious about?”

The host, who answered lowly, “Of course,” stared intently at Jae-seung’s face and carefully asked again.

“It may be a sensitive question, but many critics and columnists are expressing negative opinions about Lee’s comeback.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Everyone assumes that you will suffer a crushing defeat this season due to the long hiatus, but what do you, the person involved, think….”

At those words, Jae-seung asked back.

“Can I tell you honestly?”

“Yes, honestly.”

“To be honest, it’s ridiculous.”

After finishing speaking, Jae-seung stared intently at the camera lens and began to list the names of several critics and columnists.

“Miroslava from Russia, Kiko from Japan, Pernille from Denmark, Chung from England, and countless others are predicting my failure.”

The host then asked back.

“If you could say something to them in this place, what would you like to say?”

At those words, Jae-seung replied.

“If you’re so confident, let’s make a bet.”

“A bet?”

“There was a similar incident before.”

Jae-seung immediately added.

“I think it was when I was presenting haute couture [high fashion] clothing as a guest designer for ‘Diom’….”

Silence flowed for a moment.

“At that time, I had an interesting bet with a critic who poured out harsh reviews. He was sure of my failure, and I was sure of my success, so the bet was established.”

“If it’s a bet….”

“If I could get favorable reviews from the industry again, he threatened to buy all the clothes that were scheduled to be released.”

“What was the result?”

Jae-seung answered coolly.

“I think his closet is still full of the clothes I made.”

After finishing speaking, Jae-seung glanced at the camera and added with a confident tone.

“If you’re so confident, why don’t you make a bet with me?”

Jae-seung, who was tapping the sofa armrest with his fingers, added.

“If I show a poor performance at this Paris Fashion Week as you wish, I will donate 1 million dollars to 10 places.”

“10 million dollars….”

“Yes, I will accurately distribute and donate it to various organizations that are maintained and operated for the underprivileged in each country, and I will verify that fact.”

Then he asked again.

“What are you going to bet if you are so sure of my failure?”

As planned, I was going to use them to gather all the ‘attention’ of the world.