Black Label [EN]: Chapter 274

Black Label Extra Story 25

The thought that my parents, whom I hadn’t seen in years, seemed to have aged considerably suddenly flashed through my mind.

“Son, what are you thinking so hard about?”

At my mother’s question, Jae-seung slowly shook his head.

“It’s nothing.”

Soon, my mother spoke again.

“Eat quickly.”

My mother was diligently peeling an apple with a paring knife in her hand.

“Yes, thank you.”

My father, trying to maintain an indifferent expression, kept his gaze fixed on the newspaper and only asked Jae-seung various questions.

“Is work going well?”

At those words, Jae-seung couldn’t help but smile.

It was because…

He couldn’t even remember the last time he had received such a question.

“I think so.”

Not only the success he had recently achieved at Paris Fashion Week, but also the fact that he had seized control of the LVMH Group was widely known.

Therefore, it was more than clear that my father was also aware of how well things were going these days.

‘Perhaps he doesn’t have anything else to say….’

Soon, my father replied.

“The more successful you are, the more humble you must be.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Are there any worries?”

To that, Jae-seung replied briefly.

“Of course.”

Eventually, the real question came.

“Meals?”

A moment of silence passed.

“Are you eating regularly?”

The reason Jae-seung judged this question to be the ‘real question’ that his father had wanted to ask all along was simply because.

My father….

Only now did he shift his gaze, which had been fixed on the newspaper, and begin to look at my face.

“Yes, meals….”

It was the moment Jae-seung blankly asked back.

“You’ve lost weight.”

My father, who spoke briefly, cleared his throat for no reason and added.

“Think of the people working under you, and think of the families they are struggling to feed, and make sure you eat well.”

At those words, Jae-seung smiled, and….

“It would be even more appreciated if you thought about your mother, who loses sleep every night worrying about her son working in a foreign country far from home.”

Jae-seung nodded and replied to the series of gentle nagging.

“Yes, I will.”

At that moment, my father suddenly picked up the newspaper he was reading and left the living room….

“Son.”

My mother whispered in a soft tone, as if tattling.

“That man is the one who loses sleep every night worrying about his son working in a distant foreign country, you know?”

“Father?”

“These days, as soon as he opens his eyes, he checks the weather in Paris, France, and searches for any incidents or accidents….”

Soon, Jae-seung let his mother’s words flow in one ear while staring at his father’s profile as he slowly drank a few sips of cold water in the kitchen.

‘Father….’

Suddenly, the memory of the day my father presented his taxi driver’s license came to mind.

“If I drive a taxi, there will be no problem for your mother and me to make a living, so you just live worrying about yourself.”

In my past life, I found such a gruff side of my father unbearably unpleasant.

Beyond that gruffness….

I didn’t have the余裕 [yoyu, lit. leeway or space in the heart] to consider the series of delicate and warm feelings he was trying so hard to hide.

“So.”

At that moment, my father suddenly turned his head and stared at Jae-seung’s face, asking.

“Is Yul growing up well?”

At the sudden question, Jae-seung nodded and replied.

“Yes, she’s been attending a ‘mommy school’ near the penthouse where we’re staying since recently.”

“Mommy school?”

“You can think of it as an infant care facility similar to a kindergarten or daycare center in Korea….”

Jae-seung, who was continuing his explanation in detail, tilted his head and asked back.

“Would you like to see some pictures or videos?”

After swallowing hard once, my father ran over and adjusted his glasses.

“Let’s see.”

It was a fact I had felt several times since living on a deserted island in the Mediterranean near Greece, but….

“When did she grow up so much….”

He was definitely a granddaughter fool.

“Send some to me too.”

“Yes? Yes….”

“Let’s see that picture again.”

“Yes? Yes….”

It was really certain.

* * *

Visiting my hometown’s birthplace and taking a break felt like I had become a hermit.

“Put it down quickly.”

At my father’s urging, Jae-seung said, “Geez,” and pretended to grumble, looking down at the Go board and teasing in a nonchalant tone.

“Isn’t Go supposed to be played leisurely?”

“I’d think the person playing Go had died.”

“Occasionally, you put down a stone and look at the scenery….”

“Geez, I said put it down quickly!”

After having a meal with my parents and eating fruit for dessert, I was spending a leisurely time playing Go with my father.

However….

Perhaps because I had spent time on a deserted island in the Mediterranean with nothing much to do, playing Go or holding a Go score in my hand, I had surpassed him.

“Okay, I’ll play.”

In the past, my father had to give me several handicaps to make it an even match, but now Jae-seung had to give him several more.

As Jae-seung placed a white stone on the Go board again, my father began to groan, narrowing his brow as much as possible.

Soon, my mother, who kept looking at the TV once and then back at the Go board, smiled faintly and asked back.

“Jae-seung, why don’t you go easy on him?”

At those words, my father retorted.

“It’s a competition, you have to put in all your effort!”

“It’s because you seem to keep losing.”

“Can’t you see I’m losing by a hair’s breadth?”

“Jae-seung is giving you a handicap, isn’t he?”

“Geez, it’s neck and neck.”

“Do you want to keep playing even though you’re losing?”

“Why do you keep watching instead of watching TV?”

“What’s wrong with eyes that are meant to see?”

“I’m telling you to watch TV with those eyes!”

Jae-seung, who was listening to his parents’ bickering, smiled bashfully and carefully asked back.

“Where’s Seung-hee?”

It was a question he asked because his younger sister hadn’t returned home even though it was past early evening.

“She’s working.”

“Working?”

“Yeah, at a small business.”

It felt strange to think that the little one had grown up so much and was working at a company.

“Come to think of it, it seems like it’s time for her to graduate and get a job….”

Soon, my mother shook her head from side to side and said quietly.

“She works at the department store headquarters, and she’s been working overtime every day because she’s been busy with work these days….”

Department store headquarters?

“Huh? She works at a department store?”

“I think she’s in the headquarters marketing team.”

“But why didn’t she say anything….”

It was no exaggeration to say that most major domestic department store brands had no choice but to yield to ‘Wallflower’.

Wallflower was one of the brands that couldn’t sell enough products every season, and for that reason, they had been asking to meet the supply volume.

It would be no exaggeration to say that with just one word from him, his younger sister Seung-hee’s company life would be smooth sailing.

“She told me not to say anything.”

“Yes?”

“She doesn’t want to receive help.”

It was the moment Jae-seung made a dumbfounded face.

“Thanks to you, she went to school much more comfortably than her peers, studied without any worries, and finished college well….”

My mother, who trailed off, carefully added.

“She said, how can she receive help again?”

“She’s family, isn’t she?”

“I guess Seung-hee just doesn’t like that kind of thing.”

Soon, Jae-seung pretended to grumble.

“Why is she pretending to be so mature….”

Even though he said that, he felt endlessly proud of Seung-hee, who was diligently working at the company.

Just the allowance he was transferring to her every month amounted to ten million won in Korean currency [approximately $7,500 USD].

Instead of himself, who was branded as a criminal and living as a fugitive, she had taken care of all of his parents’ needs….

The ‘Seung-hee’ from his past life came to mind, and he was transferring a considerable amount of money every month as an allowance out of guilt.

He had hoped that she would live comfortably without having to work, but of course, she was diligently working at the company.

He was really endlessly proud of the fact that she hadn’t told him because she wanted to make a living on her own.

“Let’s see….”

Soon, Jae-seung took out his smartphone and immediately started calling his younger sister’s number, and….

– Oppa [older brother, used by females], what’s up?

It wasn’t long before Seung-hee’s voice was heard over the receiver.

“Hey, when do you finish?”

At Jae-seung’s question, Seung-hee replied.

– Oppa, are you back in Korea?

“I’m asking when you finish?”

– In about an hour or two….

Soon, Jae-seung awkwardly replied.

“I’ll pick you up.”

– No, just….

“Okay, I’ll pick you up.”

At those words, Seung-hee strongly refused.

– It seems like it will take another hour or two when I see it now, but I might end up leaving work much later, so just stay home….

Soon, Jae-seung said briefly.

“I can wait.”

Then, he unilaterally notified her.

“I’m going, hanging up.”

After speaking, Jae-seung glanced at his father and quietly asked back.

“Father, can I use the car?”

Soon, my father nodded and replied.

“You can use the car as you please, but don’t think about going out until you’ve finished playing Go.”

Soon, Jae-seung shook his head and replied briefly.

“I lost.”

“Are you forfeiting?”

“Yes, I’m forfeiting.”

With those words, he immediately picked up his coat, and….

“Oh my, you rascal. Did you want to win that badly?”

“If you won, you won, why are you talking so much?”

My mother, who was bickering with my father again, asked back.

“Are you going to pick up Seung-hee?”

Soon, Jae-seung immediately replied.

“Yes, I’m going to pick her up.”

* * *

Meanwhile.

“Ms. Lee Seung-hee.”

A middle-aged man stared intently at Lee Seung-hee, who was standing with her hands respectfully folded, and asked back.

“Is company work a joke-?”

Because of the recent poor performance and the timing of the personnel evaluation announcement, the ‘Chief’ who had become unnecessarily sensitive was often venting his anger.

“Damn it, is this a report?”

“I will correct it….”

“I’m asking if this is a report?”

“I’m really sorry….”

Soon, he retorted again.

“Ms. Lee Seung-hee, is the company a joke to you?”

“No, I’ll redo it quickly….”

“But you shamelessly submitted something like this as a report?”

After speaking, he threw the file to the floor with a flick.

“Why are you so brazen?”

The reason he was so angry was very simple.

“Damn it, I really….”

It was because of securing the supply volume, which was a major agenda item for the next season’s clothing marketing.

In particular, the supply volume from several premium brands was locked.

Several overseas distribution platforms had entered Korea….

As a result, the supply volume given to domestic department store brands had dried up.

Of course, it was not a problem that Seung-hee, who was just an ordinary employee, could solve.

However…

The drop in sales, which was the biggest factor in the personnel evaluation, had worsened, and predictions that it would fall further in the future had emerged, causing him to lash out at the employees on the same team.

“I’ve said several times that a report should include how to solve it and the solution! How difficult are the words I said?”

“Yes….”

“Don’t even think about going home today and rewrite it and submit it. All the employees of the clothing marketing team besides Ms. Lee Seung-hee will be working overtime!”

It was then.

“Who are you?”

Jae-seung asked, and….

“What on earth are you doing right now?”

The executive of S Department Store headquarters, who was standing next to Jae-seung, asked back with an expression of disbelief.

“I’m asking what on earth you’re doing!”

At those words, the chief looked at the headquarters executive with a dumbfounded face and asked back.

“The report was inadequate….”

Then, he began to stare intently at Jae-seung, who was standing next to the executive, and….

“Huh….”

He muttered, recalling the fact that he had seen it on TV several times.

“Designer Lee Jae-seung….”

It was then.

“Oppa…?”

Lee Seung-hee opened her mouth, and….

“Mister.”

Jae-seung asked the chief in a low voice, as if growling.

“What gives you the right to be so angry at my sister?”

“Sister…?”

“What gives you the right to mix in profanity and get angry at my precious sister!”

For a moment, the entire floor became endlessly quiet at Jae-seung’s shout.

“All Wallflower branches will be withdrawn.”

At Jae-seung’s words, the executive became pale and groveled.

“I’m really sorry….”

On the other hand, Jae-seung was firm.

“There’s no need to apologize.”

Then, he added.

“In addition, all brands under the LVMH Group will be withdrawn, so it would be good to know that.”

“There’s an entry agreement in place….”

“Then I won’t supply even a single piece of underwear during the contract period, so I think it would be easier for you to know that.”

After speaking, Jae-seung stared intently at the chief and continued to speak.

“In addition, I will mobilize all of my connections to make all other brands withdraw as well, so please be aware of that.”

Soon, the executive rubbed his hands together until his fingerprints wore out, and….

“Apologize!”

At his roar, the chief also began to rub his palms together with a dumbfounded face.

“Plea, please forgive me….”

Soon, Jae-seung looked at Seung-hee, and.

“Hey, let’s go home.”

He added briefly.

“Mom made braised short ribs [galbijjim, a popular Korean dish].”

At those words, Seung-hee nodded as if overwhelmed with sorrow, wiped away the tears that had welled up in her eyes, and replied in a low voice.

“Okay, that sounds delicious….”