Black Label [EN]: Chapter 32

Black Label 31

32. As Always, Opportunity Knocks by Chance

“It’s been a while since we’ve all gathered, and it’s a good day, so I was going to let it go in one ear and out the other, but what you’re saying seems a bit much?”

Was it because Kim Eun-hyung, who was usually so gentle, was unabashedly showing her anger?

A sticky, humid tension instantly gripped the room.

“Eun-hyung, I was just saying it out of concern, but aren’t you overreacting?”

“Yes, overreacting.”

Kim Eun-hyung said curtly, widening her eyes and adding,

“It’s none of your concern.”

If it had been a remark belittling herself instead of her son?

She would have just endured it as she always had.

Kyung-sook, whom she had known for quite some time, was originally that kind of person, and she was more comfortable enduring it.

Even if she suddenly remembered today’s events one day and felt disturbed, she would have simply muttered, “That nasty woman,” and that would have been the end of it.

However, everyone has a ‘soft spot.’ There are things you shouldn’t touch, areas you should never invade, and something that makes you unable to bear it.

A moment of silence passed.

“Whether our son works part-time or causes trouble, it’s none of your business, Kyung-sook. If anyone’s going to worry, it’s me. I gave birth to him, I raised him, and I’ve lived with him for 18 years. Even I don’t fully understand my son, so what right do you have to say anything?”

Kim Eun-hyung gently swept her hair behind her ear and continued,

“Kyung-sook, I’m saying this because I’m worried about you, but let me tell you something. You’re going to be called a ‘kkondae’ [a Korean slang term for an older person who is condescending or out of touch] if you keep that up, you know?”

“What?”

“What kind of world is it these days that you keep saying things like that? It’s a world where the ways to succeed have become so diverse.”

After speaking, Kim Eun-hyung wore a faint smile and softly added, “I’m just worried about you.”

Just as Lee Kyung-sook couldn’t say anything and sat there blankly.

The other classmates, who had been silent, began to offer words of conciliation to mediate the situation.

“Both of you, stop it. Why are you doing this on a good day?”

“Yeah, Kyung-sook, you went too far.”

“Kyung-sook, let’s go out for a bit to get some air.”

Lee Kyung-sook, who could be called the instigator of the argument, was led out of the bar by a classmate.

Moon Jung-won nudged Kim Eun-hyung’s arm and asked,

“What’s with the gentle bear? Getting angry and all?”

“I’m sorry. I just ruined the atmosphere because of me….”

“Hey, what are you sorry about! It’s okay, it’s okay. It feels like a weight has been lifted.”

Moon Jung-won muttered, “Ah, that’s refreshing,” and words of agreement began to come from all around.

As is often the case with disputes in such gatherings, the atmosphere quickly recovered. After a while of casual conversation, Moon Jung-won tilted her head slightly and asked.

“Eun-hyung, so are you sending your son to a design academy or something?”

“No. He’s self-taught. As you know, we can’t afford to send him to an academy.”

Kim Eun-hyung began to explain the situation in detail.

Starting from when he asked her to buy him a sewing machine, and the various events that followed.

“Wow, so he even got an office on his own?”

“Yeah. I’m so proud of him.”

At that moment.

“Long time no see, everyone.”

From behind the two, a graceful voice was heard.

Kim Eun-hyung slowly turned her head to see who the voice belonged to.

Finally.

“Oh my, Young-hye! When did you get here?”

“When did I get here? I just got here.”

Choi Young-hye, a high school classmate, replied curtly, saying, “Let me sit down,” and squeezed in between the two.

Even in her 40s, at middle age, her appearance hadn’t faded at all, and her attire gave off the feeling of a typical career woman.

She was by far the most outstanding of the classmates who attended today’s reunion.

As soon as Choi Young-hye took her seat, she smiled brightly and said.

“Eun-hyung, you look pretty today?”

“Huh? Well….”

“By the way, what were you talking about?”

Moon Jung-won clapped her hands once and continued in a cheerful tone.

“Ah, perfect timing! Young-hye, your husband is a professor in the Fashion Design Department at Hongshin University, right?”

“Yes. Why?”

“Can’t you arrange a meeting for Eun-hyung’s son?”

“With my husband? Suddenly?”

Moon Jung-won’s explanation, which started with “Well, you see…,” continued for quite some time.

Jaesung, Eun-hyung’s son, was self-taught in design and made clothes to sell, and he had signed a contract with an online select shop. Without any help, he had set up his own studio. The clothes she wore to the reunion were all bought by her son….

Moon Jung-won, who was explaining as if it were her own business, pointed to Kim Eun-hyung’s handbag with her chin and said.

“He even made that handbag himself.”

“Really? Can I take a look?”

Kim Eun-hyung nodded a few times and handed over her handbag, answering in a gentle tone.

“Sure, here.”

Although she didn’t have professional knowledge, she usually enjoyed shopping for luxury handbags.

Choi Young-hye began to examine the handbag she had just received as if she were inspecting a product displayed in a department store.

“Wow, it’s well-made. I should buy one next time.”

“Is it good?”

“It seems better than most brand-name handbags?”

“Girl, don’t flatter me….”

“I’m serious, tell me. I’ll buy one.”

Choi Young-hye, who had been stroking her chin for a moment, took out her smartphone and spoke again.

“This handbag. Can I take a picture and show it to my husband?”

“Huh? Young-hye, to your husband?”

“He might be able to give some guidance if there are any shortcomings, and who knows? Maybe a good opportunity will arise?”

She hadn’t asked Jaesung for his opinion, but it didn’t seem like there would be any problem with sending a picture.

After a moment of contemplation, Kim Eun-hyung nodded and replied.

“Okay, then. Thank you, Young-hye. Thanks for caring.”

“No thanks needed. Wait a minute.”

Click, click.

After the shutter sound rang out for a moment, Choi Young-hye began to send the pictures of the handbag she had just taken to her husband via text message.

* * *

The next morning.

Choi Young-hye, who had been wearing an apron since early in the morning and was boiling dried pollack soup, spoke as she sensed someone’s presence.

“Honey, are you awake?”

“Yeah, what a hassle every year-end and New Year’s….”

Kang Hyung-rok, Choi Young-hye’s husband, who replied in a complaining tone, yawned widely and began to scratch his stomach.

Choi Young-hye retorted, “Someone who can’t even drink well…,” and Kang Hyung-rok frowned and replied.

“Hey… do you think I’m drinking because I want to? Give me some soup first. I need to eat quickly and go to school.”

“Again today? Okay, I got it. By the way, did you check the pictures I sent you yesterday?”

“Pictures? What pictures?”

“I sent you some handbag pictures yesterday.”

“Are you trying to buy another one? You bought one last week, didn’t you? Seriously, after going to gatherings, you get these strange whims….”

Choi Young-hye suddenly turned around at Kang Hyung-rok’s sarcastic remark and replied.

“That’s not it. Just check it out.”

Kang Hyung-rok sat down in a dining chair and began to fumble with his smartphone with drowsy eyes.

“What kind of bag is it?”

“You know my friend Eun-hyung, right? Her son made the handbag himself.”

“Her friend’s son? Is he a college student? Which school does he go to? He’s probably not a student at our school, is he?”

“No. He’s going to be a senior in high school. I heard he studied design on his own….”

Just as Choi Young-hye was continuing to speak, the picture of the handbag taken yesterday appeared on Kang Hyung-rok’s phone screen.

Kang Hyung-rok narrowed his brow and began to examine the handbag in the picture closely.

“Honey? Honey? Are you listening?”

“Wait, just a moment.”

Kang Hyung-rok raised his hand as if to stop her and brought his smartphone close to his face, staring intently at the screen.

The main fabric seemed to be a material similar to that of a famous luxury brand, ‘Chanel’ handbag. No, it seemed to be using the exact same lambskin material.

Various detailed parts came into view.

The double stitch embroidered along the brand logo in the center of the handbag, the shoulder chain and strap that seemed to have been custom-made and attached separately, and even the gold patch that could be glimpsed in the picture of the inside of the bag.

There were parts that made him wonder what the intention was, and there were parts that were simply amazing.

One thing was certain, it was not a bag that at least a high school student could make.

“A high school student? He studied design on his own?”

“Yes? Yes.”

“The number. Tell me the number.”

Choi Young-hye nodded once and stirred the boiling dried pollack soup with the ladle in her hand, replying.

“Is it okay? Let me just set the table and ask right away….”

“No. Right now.”

“Yes?”

“Ask right now.”

Kang Hyung-rok, who spoke in a serious tone, began to look at the handbag in the phone screen again.

He thought verification should come first. Being surprised, being impressed, that would come next.

First, he needed to confirm whether it was really a handbag made by a high school student who had studied design on his own. Whether the detailed parts that had caught his eye were intentional or accidental.

If it was intentional, for what reason was it made that way.

Kang Hyung-rok zoomed in on the picture and began to look at the logo attached to the center of the bag.

It was to check the name of the brand.

Below the ‘W’ shaped logo attached to the center of the handbag, there was a short phrase written in English cursive. That phrase seemed to be the brand name.

– Wall Flower

Kang Hyung-rok frowned deeply and muttered softly.

“Hmm, Wall Flower….”

* * *

Jaesung, who had just woken up, frowned deeply and began to look at his door.

It was because his younger sister, Lee Seung-hee, was screaming at the top of her lungs from early in the morning.

“Oppa-! Oppa-!”

Jaesung shook his head once and muttered to himself.

“What is it, from the morning….”

Then, he immediately got up from the bed and went to the living room. The moment Jaesung took his first step into the living room.

“Oppa! What is this?”

“What?”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“No, what?”

“This-!”

After speaking, Lee Seung-hee suddenly held out the object she was holding tightly in her hand in front of Jaesung’s eyes.