Black Label [EN]: Chapter 299

Black Label 298

Black Label Side Story 50

Several days have passed since my vacation ended, and I’ve returned to my usual, hectic routine.

“Lee, here’s your next schedule,” Jae-seung’s secretary said, handing me the documents as soon as I settled into the back seat of the sedan after an interview.

“The next item is an interview with Q Magazine from 2 PM for exactly one hour. After that, there’s a group board of directors meeting at 3:30 PM…,” Jae-seung mechanically repeated, looking out the window.

Work, work, work….

Starting next week, I even have to travel to several countries on a private jet to manage various commitments.

Amidst all this busyness, I also have to plan the next season of Wallflower and oversee the group’s management tasks….

I review portfolios every night to select the next director of Janel, where I’m the largest shareholder.

When I’m this busy, I naturally long to lie comfortably in bed and get a good night’s sleep.

“Lee, are you listening?”

“Of course.”

“You look tired.”

Jae-seung shook his head at those words.

“I feel like I’ve just been reborn.”

Fortunately, it didn’t feel too overwhelming.

The last day of vacation.

The moment I opened the front door and entered the house at the end of a gloomy day.

“Dad!”

Seeing my daughter hanging onto my leg, asking me to hold her, the aversion to my job, where I have to be evaluated by the public every season, disappeared like snow melting.

I want to live so beautifully that it aches.

As someone once said.

I wanted to fight with all my might.

Swish-.

Jae-seung slightly lowered the back seat window, and his hair fluttered in the cool breeze.

He closed his eyes, enjoying the breeze and reminiscing about the past.

Long ago, very long ago.

Before going back in time.

I vividly remembered inhaling asbestos dust and creating knock-offs while my eyesight gradually failed.

Why was I afraid of being evaluated?

Back then….

It was a luxury to even *be* evaluated.

Occasionally, I’d wait for President Song to bring a few bottles of soju [Korean distilled spirit] and snacks in a black plastic bag, and I’d keep the sewing machine pedal pressed down.

Blinded by money….

It was a time when I regretted making and selling imitations instead of launching a brand under my own name.

And now?

Now, even tens or hundreds of millions of dollars felt insignificant.

I didn’t indulge in luxury, simply because I didn’t have the time to spend money.

An island in the Greek Mediterranean or super-luxury yachts….

Luxury homes located in Korea, the United States, Japan, France, and all over the world.

At the very least, I wouldn’t have to worry about meals for the rest of my life, right?

Money isn’t everything in the world, but almost everything *is* money.

That was the definition Jae-seung arrived at while earning astronomical sums.

And it’s not just about money, is it?

Now, everyone in the world is eagerly waiting for my next work, aren’t they?

It wasn’t just about escaping a life where I had to copy other people’s work and sell it for cheap to make a living.

A pioneer.

Setting foot in the mainstream market was just a dream….

I became someone who leads an industry where huge sums of money move around.

I decided not to fear the world’s evaluation any longer.

When I can enjoy it.

Right now.

I have to enjoy it to my heart’s content.

“I can’t do it,” Jae-seung added in a low voice.

“I can’t go down….”

Doesn’t everyone say that I am the best designer in the world?

Now Lee is standing at the top of the pyramid called the ‘fashion world’….

Didn’t countless people give me the cheesy title of emperor?

“I can’t go down even if I die….”

At those words, the secretary asked back in a low voice, “Yes?”

“Can you lend me a pen?”

“Here….”

“And a few sheets of paper, too.”

She tore off a few sheets and handed them to Jae-seung….

Swish, swish, swish-.

Jae-seung drew diagrams as his hand moved, following the flow of his consciousness.

A beautiful life.

A life where so-called inspiration is scattered everywhere the eye can reach.

I draw to live beautifully.

I fight with all my might.

Design was Jae-seung’s fight.

Swish, swish, swish-.

However, the only difference is that it’s not a fight to win something.

From now on, it’s just a fight to protect what I’m enjoying.

* * *

Several years have passed.

Step, step-.

Jae-seung, stepping out of the brand house building, looked at his wristwatch.

“I might be late….”

I recently finished another Wallflower show.

As usual, trends come and go, repeating the past.

This year’s trend is what made the name Lee known to the world….

Minimalism.

I was able to successfully finish the Wallflower show with 「Minimalism」 as the main concept.

– Forbes announces the 100 most influential people, with Lee, the owner-designer of ‘Wallflower’ and the actual manager of the largest fashion group LVMH [Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy], ranked first….

In Forbes, where I’ve been listed every year, I had the honor of being selected as the ‘1st’ most influential person.

– Time magazine announces the world’s top fashion tycoons, with Lee, the Wallflower owner-designer and LVMH Group manager, holding the top spot for the 7th year in a row….

This year marks the 7th year in a row that I’ve been ranked as the number one fashion tycoon by Time magazine.

– Lee receives the Legion of Honor from the French government.

Also, I recently received the Legion of Honor [Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur] from the French government, which is awarded to people recognized for their contributions in all fields, including politics, economy, society, and culture, regardless of nationality.

“Will we be able to arrive on time?”

At Jae-seung’s question, the driver replied in a low voice.

“Perhaps, if luck is on our side, we may not be late….”

The next schedule is with a friend who I haven’t seen in a long time, and haven’t even had a meal with….

Now the CEO who has established himself as the head of the largest record company in the United States.

“He’ll be angry if I’m late….”

It was a radio appearance with England.

“I’ll try my best.”

The driver stepped on the accelerator, and the Rolls Royce, now considered an old model, began to move forward.

It was a gift from England (Young-guk’s English name).

As Jae-seung closed his eyes and leaned back in the back seat, the driver naturally played the song that Jae-seung listens to when he travels.

– Look, rolls royce, lee, wins.

– Look, rolls royce, lee, wins.

– Look, rolls royce, lee, wins.

Wasn’t it a gift from a friend who is now better known by the stage name ‘JEUS.KUS’ than by his given name, Son Young-guk?

So.

Jae-seung took this car, which has been labeled as an old model for several years, and listened to this old song on his way to work.

Still.

* * *

“So, are you still the only one who’s busy?”

It was a question from Young-guk near the end of the radio recording.

“I apologized, didn’t I?”

The host explained the situation to the listeners who were following the two people’s banter without knowing the reason.

“Actually, today’s recording was scheduled for 7 o’clock, but Lee was a whopping 30 minutes late.”

Young-guk added.

“I’ll probably be waiting for this guy even when he’s 70 years old. I’m now the CEO of a pretty decent record label, but I think he still thinks I’m unemployed?”

“No, I told you several times that’s not the case! I was about to finish my work and start moving when Yul [Jae-seung’s daughter] called me for a video call and started listing my daily schedule!”

“As you can see, he’s a friend who has a lot to learn from. Even at this moment, I’m learning the shamelessness of making excuses involving his daughter to avoid the crisis!”

The host, stepping in to stop them, calmly wrapped up the situation.

“Hey.”

Young-guk held out a car key.

“What’s this?”

It was the key to a new Rolls Royce.

“It’s not like you don’t have the money to buy a car, so why are you still driving that ‘old sedan’?”

“I’ll drive it for another ten years?”

“I can see that you were trying to hold on and drive it until I replaced it….”

Young-guk shrugged.

“Then I’ll have to replace it for the rest of my life.”

Jae-seung smiled and replied.

“I won’t refuse.”

The host, momentarily speechless at the sight of him readily gifting a top-class sedan worth tens of thousands of dollars, continued.

“First of all, I’ll ask JEUS.KUS one last question. Your ‘RE Records,’ which was established last year, has risen to the top record label of the year. Can I ask you for your impressions?”

Young-guk replied.

“There’s still a lot more to show. The success of the record label is due to the hard work of the artists….”

He trailed off….

“And it’s probably thanks to this guy.”

Jae-seung chuckled.

“Oh, and there are many people who are curious about why the record label’s name is ‘RE Records’….”

Young-guk replied.

“If I had named it Lee Records, it would have been too obvious, right?”

“Then….”

“It’s a name that contains respect and reverence for Lee, who bought my dream.”

Young-guk added awkwardly.

“Even if he doesn’t fix his habit of being late even when he’s 70 years old, I’ll unconditionally stay by this guy’s side.”

Jae-seung sneered.

“What about my opinion?”

“Shut up.”

“It’s a broadcast!”

The host glanced at Jae-seung and asked.

“Let’s ask Lee this time.”

It was the last question at the end of a hard day.

“Anything.”

I answered lightly, perhaps because it was almost time to leave work….

“You have firmly maintained your position as the top fashion tycoon selected by Time magazine this year as well?”

“Yes, as you can see.”

“And you were also ranked number one as the most influential person in the world selected by Forbes….”

“Yes, somehow.”

“Finally, you had the honor of receiving the Legion of Honor from the French government.”

“A little late,” Jae-seung added playfully.

“Givenchy, Balmain, Lanvin, Ungaro, etc. There are also people among the previous generation of designers who have received the Legion of Honor.”

The host couldn’t help but laugh at Jae-seung’s brazen attitude and asked.

“What are your future resolutions or words that you would like to say to many people?”

Just then, my phone started vibrating in my pants pocket….

“Perhaps, can I answer this question when I appear sometime in the distant future?”

Jae-seung showed the name on the phone screen.

– Yul.

My daughter was calling.

“I have something more important than work.”

“No, I’ll wait a moment.”

“Then, excuse me for a moment.”

He immediately answered the phone and started walking out of the studio, saying, “Yeah, I’ll be home soon.”

It was an unprecedented situation where a panel member left the studio during a live broadcast, but everyone seemed used to it for some reason.

From some point on, everyone valued the values that Jae-seung prioritized over work.

To put it badly, it was because he acted as he pleased.

“Then, Dad loves you too….”

After a long time, Jae-seung, who finished the call, returned to his seat.

“Where were we?”

“Words you want to say….”

“Ah, yes. That’s right.”

Jae-seung replied.

“I can’t go down.”

Then he added.

“I’ll be in this position forever.”

Silence fell for a moment.

“In the best position.”

Young-guk burst into laughter.

“That’s a fitting answer.”

It was an absurd statement, but it was full of sincerity.

After reaching the top….

I became greedy and didn’t want to go down again.

And….

I firmly believed that it was thanks to that greed that I was still able to maintain the top position.

“Anyway, that’s how it will be.”

Everyone already says I’m the best.

But I keep moving….

I fight to live beautifully.

It’s a fight to protect.

Things I’ve seized.

The best position.

Everyone’s happiness.

A fight to protect everything I’m enjoying.

It was a fight that I could never get tired of….

At the same time, it was a fight that I could continue forever.

“I love a life where I can be loved even if I act as I please,” Jae-seung continued.

“I’m preparing amazing products that everyone will have no choice but to admire this time as well.”

He added in a confident voice.

“You can look forward to it.”

Beep, beep, beep-.

Just then, the phone rang again.

“Shall we start closing now?”

“Ah, yes….”

“Would you two like to do the closing?”

Jae-seung stepped out of the studio again and answered the phone.

“Go to sleep first if you’re tired. Yeah, I left now, so I’ll probably be there in 30 minutes. Then, Dad loves you a lot too….”

I love it passionately.

A lot of things.

Really so much that it aches.

Black Label End.

I sincerely thank everyone who has watched the insufficient writing with interest and love.

Next time, I will prepare a more enjoyable story and say hello.

Until then, may everyone be happy.

From Jeon Nam-gyu. Black Label 299