Black Label [EN]: Chapter 289

A heavy silence hung in the air.

“That’s going too far!”

One of the executives shot up from his seat.

“Are you telling us to just stand by and watch the group’s value plummet before our very eyes?”

Jaeseung responded immediately.

“Exactly.”

Then he sneered.

“I don’t even expect your support or assistance, so just wait quietly.”

The atmosphere in the room grew even colder.

“Didn’t I say that I would take responsibility for the results? So just silently watch LVMH become a brand that will be remembered forever!”

Jaeseung’s voice rose, and the executive retorted.

“You keep talking about ‘responsibility,’ but what exactly do you mean by taking responsibility?”

Jaeseung replied again.

“I’ll put my position as CEO on the line.”

The executives murmured at that.

“If I don’t achieve results through the Cardo Project, I will voluntarily resign from my position as CEO.”

It was a shocking pledge.

“What will you risk?”

Jaeseung asked back, and a deep silence fell once more.

They couldn’t offer an equal value, and….

They didn’t have enough confidence to risk anything.

“Fine, it doesn’t matter if you don’t risk anything….”

Jaeseung glared at them.

“Will you just stay still now?”

* * *

In the car heading back to the brand house, Jaeseung let out a long sigh.

“Haa….”

His head throbbed.

“I didn’t expect you to respond like that.”

The secretary, sitting next to him, cautiously spoke, and Jaeseung nodded in agreement.

“I may have underestimated the executives’ abilities, but they have certainly contributed to the development of LVMH, haven’t they?”

“It seems so….”

“They prioritize the group’s profits above all else, so no matter how much I create PPTs [PowerPoint presentations] and talk about the success potential of the Cardo Project….”

Jaeseung shook his head.

“They wouldn’t have listened.”

Then he added.

“I just judged that it was impossible to persuade them with logic alone. They are in a position where they have no choice but to choose conservatively.”

The secretary then asked.

“So you risked your position as CEO?”

“Yes.”

“It’s a position everyone dreams of.”

She elaborated further.

“At least those in this industry have probably imagined leading LVMH at least once.”

“I suppose so.”

“But they dismiss it as an impossible dream, shake their heads, and go on with their daily lives with it buried in their hearts.”

The secretary continued.

“You risked that position.”

On the other hand, Jaeseung seemed resolute.

“Yes, because I’m that confident.”

Then he added.

“Cardo will succeed.”

While the two were sitting side by side in the back seat of the car, discussing the matter, Tommy was just swallowing hard.

‘Good….’

The minimum condition needed for the documentary’s success was a narrative of adversity.

If it contained the arduous process of achieving something, it was bound to succeed.

“I need to rest for a while.”

Jaeseung leaned back comfortably in the back seat of the car and closed his eyes.

In his position, where he had to plan and move in minute increments, he couldn’t afford to waste time.

If he didn’t take naps during these spare moments, he could experience ‘burnout’ sooner than expected.

He put aside the things that made his head throb for a while and took a short nap.

On the plush Rolls-Royce seat.

* * *

Several days passed like that….

“Good….”

Gradually, the blueprints to be presented to the world under the name of Cardo began to pile up in Jaeseung’s inbox.

Click, click—.

Jaeseung gently rolled the mouse wheel, looking into the blueprints that came into his email as if he were dissecting them one by one….

“Pass, pass, fail, pass….”

He began to filter out products that seemed feasible for production and distribution, and products that were impossible to release or had no production value.

“The total number of blueprints submitted is….”

Forty.

“This should be enough….”

He selected 10 pieces each to be classified into menswear and womenswear sections.

And 10 kinds of miscellaneous goods….

Finally, the remaining 10 products were items to be classified into the shoe section.

“In addition….”

Jaeseung opened the ‘Cardo Schematics’ folder on his iMac monitor….

– 32 files.

He began to examine the thirty-two schematics he had devised himself.

“Is the lineup secured….”

A total of 40 types of schematics were received from designers of brands under the group’s umbrella, and 32 types of schematics were drawn by himself.

Combined, there were 72 types.

However, the number was bound to decrease after making samples, checking the actual products, and going through development.

“About 60 types will remain….”

This should be enough.

“It’s a shame….”

If he hadn’t been preparing for Wallflower’s new season in parallel, he could have drawn at least twice as many schematics.

“Lee, is there a problem?”

At that time, Tommy, who was capturing Jaeseung’s appearance on camera, asked….

“No, the selection of products to be presented through Cardo is almost finished.”

“Already?”

“I received about 40 types of entries from group designers.”

Tommy immediately retorted.

“Isn’t that too few?”

At that, Jaeseung immediately countered.

“I have 32 types prepared.”

“Ah….”

“Of course, it will be less after I narrow it down.”

Jaeseung continued.

“I think this is enough to have a certain level of composition and outline.”

“That’s really amazing….”

“And the product composition to be presented through Wallflower is also in its final stages.”

At that, Tommy tilted his head.

“You’re doing it so easily that I’m under the illusion that it’s not a difficult task.”

After some thought, Jaeseung replied.

“It’s a difficult task, but it’s not an impossible task.”

“Is that so?”

“Just looking at the process of several brands collaborating….”

After pondering for a moment, Jaeseung began to explain in a soft voice.

“There must be a reason why they present a few collaboration products very briefly, or why they join forces to create the season in which they collaborate.”

Usually, when two brands collaborate, they often combine the shows of the two brands.

This was because preparing and perfectly executing the shows of the two brands individually was an impossible task in itself.

“Anyway….”

Jaeseung continued.

“Now I need to start placing sample orders.”

It felt like the curtain had just risen.

* * *

He had spent several days caught up in a whirlwind called work.

Preparing for Cardo and Wallflower’s new season at the same time….

Placing orders for various products and changing the main textures, etc.

Several days had already passed while dealing with these and other things.

“There’s really not much time left, is there?”

Tommy, as always, asked Jaeseung, who had spent the whole day in his cramped office, in a very friendly tone.

“Yes, that’s right….”

At that, Tommy replied again.

“The initial editing of the documentary is underway. We’ll have to start airing the documentary, which consists of a total of 10 episodes, before the launch.”

The deadline was approaching.

“Could you turn off the camera for a moment?”

“Yes, of course.”

“How is the editing going?”

“It’s going smoothly.”

Tommy answered, touching his nose.

“How about expressing it as the smell of success wafting from the first episode….”

Since he had already secured all the documentary distribution networks, the first episode would be broadcast on TV stations around the world as soon as the editing was finished.

It was a bit early.

But this was only….

Wasn’t it a promotional documentary?

It had to be released a little earlier than this season’s fashion week, so there was a need to start broadcasting early.

The Great Fusion.

The title was created by the staff of Power Film, who were in charge of producing the documentary, after much deliberation.

“Anyone who has questions and curiosity about the character Lee will have to watch ‘Episode 1’ no matter what.”

“Yes, well….”

“Since we have been allocated the golden time [prime time] of all the broadcasting stations scheduled for distribution, the influx of those who are not interested will also be large.”

Tommy added again.

“First of all, it’s captivating.”

He was also helping with the first episode editing, so he had watched the scheduled broadcast at least dozens of times.

“There are no sections where viewer attrition is expected, and those who have seen it once will have no choice but to watch the next episode.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course, I’ll send you the edited version, would you like to check it out? You’ll probably feel the source of my confidence.”

Silence flowed for a moment.

“No.”

Jaeseung shrugged his shoulders.

“I’ll watch the broadcast.”

Then he picked up the coat that was hanging neatly on the hanger and asked.

“What was the French broadcast date?”

Tommy paused, as if reviewing the schedule, and then immediately continued.

“It’s at the end of this month.”

At that, Jaeseung asked.

“There’s not much time left, is there?”

Tommy nodded.

“In the case of other countries, the French distribution schedule can be seen as the fastest because translation and narration recording must be carried out again.”

Moreover.

“In fact, you can consider it the market that is most closely related to Cardo’s sales.”

For various reasons, the French broadcasting station’s broadcast schedule had no choice but to be brought forward.

“The end of this month….”

Jaeseung added.

“I should leave work a little early that day and watch the documentary with my family.”

It made his heart flutter to think that a documentary about him would be broadcast after a long time.

What kind of impressions and feelings will the public have while watching his documentary?

“Hmm….”

Expectation and nervousness coexisted.

* * *

Again, several days had passed….

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Jaeseung, who had finished the meeting, looked at the clock on the wall.

7 p.m.

It was an hour before the first broadcast of the documentary ‘The Great Fusion’.

“Everyone, go home.”

The marketing department staff asked.

“Lee, are you planning to leave work the latest again today?”

At that, Jaeseung shook his head.

“No, I’m thinking of going in early today.”

“Really?”

“Yes, because today is the first broadcast of the documentary.”

At that, he muttered, “Ah, it’s already time…” and continued.

“Then we’ll all watch it and come to work tomorrow to share our impressions.”

After exchanging greetings like that….

“Shall we go?”

Jaeseung also immediately left the brand house and started heading home.

Ironically, even today, several cameras followed Jaeseung.

This was because filming was continuing.

“Even Lee’s appearance watching the first broadcast can be included in the documentary.”

Jaeseung replied to Tommy’s words.

“Yes, that’s how it turned out.”

On the way back.

“Can you recommend a good wine?”

Jaeseung stopped by a wine shop and bought a bottle of good quality wine, and then bought various snacks with both hands full.

“Shrimp salad, tacos, and….”

It was to have a good time watching the documentary with Ashlynn for the first time in a while.

Beep, beep, beep, beep.

Soon after, Jaeseung arrived home.

“Lee, you’re here?”

Ashlynn’s voice was heard….

“Daddy!”

Yul ran out and started dragging Jaeseung by the hand.

“Daddy, why are you so late?”

“Sorry, somehow….”

“It’s starting now!”

Soon after, Jaeseung entered the center of the spacious living room.

「 The Great Fusion 」

The documentary’s logo title was displayed on the screen in a timely manner.

“That was close.”

Jaeseung also took his seat and watched TV.