Black Label [EN]: Chapter 69

Black Label 68

69. Oh, Lady

Jaeseung hadn’t anticipated that Geraldine Saglio would personally greet him, at least.

When was it?

She had once revealed her schedule through her personal SNS [Social Networking Service, like Instagram or Twitter].

And the reactions of those who checked the schedule she posted were quite consistent, as he remembered.

– How can she live like that?

He couldn’t recall the detailed schedule, but she lived such a busy life that the expression ‘killer schedule’ wasn’t an exaggeration.

A level of recognition and influence that wouldn’t lag behind most ‘celebs’ [celebrities].

Social fame and excellent fashion sense.

And even her resilient skin and beautiful figure, which made it hard to believe she was approaching her forties.

Everything she currently enjoys wasn’t obtained for free.

All of it could be enjoyed because it was backed by bone-carving effort and cutthroat self-management.

“I didn’t expect Geraldine to come and greet me in person.”

After speaking, Jaeseung scratched his nose, feeling awkward, and added, “Or that she would wear the clothes I made.”

Geraldine, who had been walking a step or two ahead, shrugged her shoulders and replied.

“I just wear clothes because I like them. Lee, I personally really like ‘Balmain’ clothes. I’m also quite close with the head designer, Decarnin.”

The head designer of the premium brand Balmain, ‘Christophe Decarnin’.

Jaeseung had also heard of the name before.

No, it was a name so widely known that it would be strange not to know it.

He is a young genius who revived the collapsing leading brand Balmain and put it back on the top ranks.

Also, in his past life, he had copied at least hundreds of designs that he had created himself.

Geraldine’s words continued.

“No matter how close I am to Decarnin, I don’t wear Balmain clothes in seasons where they release clothes with designs that I can’t accept.”

“Ah….”

“At least, I don’t select the clothes I wear based on my friendship with the designer. There are too many eyes watching me to make such a foolish choice.”

Through those words, he could vaguely understand the difficulties she must feel.

She receives so much attention that she has to face the camera lenses of fashion photographers and paparazzi even on her way to work.

Jaeseung nodded slowly, following behind Geraldine, when.

“So, you don’t have to thank me. I only have one criterion for looking at clothes. Whether it’s a compelling piece of clothing that I really want to wear, or not.”

In other words, didn’t that mean that Wallflower’s ‘Black Denim Jacket’ was a compelling piece of clothing that she really wanted to wear?

Jaeseung smiled brightly and replied.

“What should I do? I’m even more grateful now that you’ve said that!”

Geraldine shook her head a few times as if she couldn’t win, and started walking a step or two ahead.

Jaeseung, who was following her with a faint smile, suddenly took a long breath.

The present he was facing suddenly felt different on his skin.

Geraldine Saglio, the editor of Paris Vogue, wearing Wallflower’s clothes.

And even the names of big-name designers that occasionally flowed from her mouth, and the scenery of Charles de Gaulle Airport….

He even began to think that meeting the designers he admired might not be a dream anymore.

Just as Jaeseung was lost in such emotions.

Geraldine asked in a rather cheerful tone.

“Lee, how’s your condition today, by the way?”

He had taken naps in between flights, but his body was still stiff from the effects of the long flight.

Jaeseung tilted his head slightly and asked back.

“Um, why the condition?”

“I have a schedule prepared.”

“A schedule?”

Geraldine nodded once and continued in a very gentle tone.

“Although I haven’t prepared a huge schedule… I’ve still prepared a pretty nice dinner and excellent wine.”

Just as Geraldine finished speaking, a momentary flash of color flickered over Jaeseung’s eyes and quickly disappeared.

What should he say?

After hearing those words, it felt as if the fatigue remaining in his body had evaporated in an instant?

Then she suddenly exclaimed “Ah!” and hurriedly added.

“And also some wonderful friends that I definitely want to introduce you to!”

* * *

After leaving Charles de Gaulle Airport, they first took Geraldine’s personal vehicle to the hotel.

After completing the check-in process and unpacking his luggage in the room, he immediately joined Geraldine, who was waiting for him on the lobby floor.

“Um, it would be good to take care of dinner first.”

“Good idea.”

“There’s a small restaurant I often go to near the Saint-Martin Canal. The atmosphere is good, and the food is excellent.”

While moving again by car, Geraldine gave him various tips.

For example, don’t eat at famous ‘*Brasseries* (casual French restaurants)’ that you find through Googling.

“They may seem cheap on the surface, but that’s not always the case. The quality of the food varies greatly depending on the price, so to taste good food, you’ll end up paying about the same as the restaurants in ‘*Gare Du Nord* (the area around the North Station in Paris)’ .”

The translator sitting in the passenger seat reinforced her opinion.

“Good tip. It’s a sad reality, but most famous brasseries have been merged into franchises.”

Jaeseung nodded once and carefully asked back.

“To put it in perspective, is it like shopping for clothes at a SPA brand [fast fashion brand] and only picking the most expensive clothes in the cart?”

Geraldine, after hearing Jaeseung’s analogy, chuckled and replied.

“Yes, that’s right. That was a really appropriate analogy.”

“Geraldine, by the way, is your schedule okay today?”

“Schedule?”

“Yes. Because of me….”

It was a question asked with endless worry, fearing that her work might be disrupted because of him.

Just as Jaeseung was about to continue speaking with a worried tone, Geraldine shrugged her shoulders and replied.

“You don’t have to worry. I’ve already canceled all the schedules I had for today anyway.”

“Yes? Is that okay?”

“Well, my schedule at the end of the month will be a little tighter, I guess?”

Just as Jaeseung couldn’t find the words to answer and was hesitating, Geraldine shook her head once and said immediately.

“Who cares? Thanks to that, I got to have a deeper conversation with Lee, right? And anyway, ‘*Deadline* (the final date for submitting work)’ week is always hell.”

Just as Jaeseung replied with heartfelt sincerity, “Thank you so much,” Geraldine smiled faintly and spoke again.

“We’ve already arrived.”

It was a small restaurant with the name ‘Terminus Nord’ written on the sign.

After entering the store following Geraldine, he placed his order according to her explanation. Then, he was immediately informed of the future schedule.

“As you know, the gala is tomorrow evening. It will be held in the banquet hall of the hotel you checked into today, and there is no special dress code. It will be held in a light atmosphere, so you don’t have to be too nervous.”

All of this had already been heard once from Paris Vogue. Jaeseung tilted his head slightly and asked quietly.

“By the way, what’s the schedule for today?”

“First, we’ll finish dinner and move to a nearby ‘Pub’. It’s a kind of hideout.”

“Ah, I see.”

Jaeseung nodded once and asked again.

“What about the friends you said you wanted to introduce me to earlier? Are they designers?”

Expectation seemed to be written all over Jaeseung’s voice as he asked that.

If she hadn’t brought up the story about Balmain’s head designer, Decarnin, at the airport, he wouldn’t have been so expectant.

Geraldine smiled faintly and replied.

“Um, unfortunately, there are no designers.”

“I see.”

“You’ll be meeting designers all day long at the gala tomorrow anyway, right?”

Just as Geraldine asked quietly, the ordered food came to the table.

Starting with French onion soup that wasn’t too fragrant, followed by smoked salmon that was light and tender, crab dishes with subtle aromas of avocado and cilantro, and finally veal fillet.

While enjoying the excellent food, he heard about the friends he would be meeting today.

“To put it simply, they are all models belonging to the ‘MetroPolitan Models’ agency. In particular, a model named ‘Arthur’ is curious about Lee.”

“Arthur? That sounds like a man’s name…?”

To Jaeseung’s question, narrowing his brow slightly, Geraldine nodded once and replied, “Yes, that’s right.”

Good heavens.

He would even be loved by men overseas….

* * *

After finishing dinner, they started walking towards the nearby pub where the models were waiting.

Walking along the street with a different feel, he couldn’t help but feel good.

Was it because of the wine he had with dinner? Or was it because of the climate of the area?

Even the night breeze was very warm.

After chatting and walking for a while, Geraldine stopped in front of the entrance of a rather shabby building and said.

“We’ve arrived. Lee, here it is.”

The restaurant he went to earlier, and the pub he was about to enter, both seemed to have a much more rustic appearance than he had expected.

Jaeseung put his hand on his chest and said quietly.

“I’m getting really nervous.”

He followed her into the underground pub. Inside the spacious pub, various people were sitting and enjoying their time, sipping alcohol.

Soon.

“Is the person next to you ‘Lee’?”

“Geraldine! Over here!”

Three young male models, who looked like models at first glance, greeted the two.

Then, one of them stood up from his seat and hugged Jaeseung tightly.

“Nice to meet you, Lee. I’m Arthur.”

“Ah, yes. Me too… Bonjour, enchanté [Hello, nice to meet you]….”

First, he greeted them with basic French conversation that he had studied using his spare time.

However, being hugged tightly in his broad chest made him feel strange for no reason.

It felt like a mixture of humiliation and an indescribable sense of unease.

Anyway, he tried his best not to show it and joined them at their seats.

After exchanging simple greetings, he sat quietly and slowly began to examine their appearance.

Although they didn’t all have outstanding looks, they had faces with distinct and dreamy feels.

What should he say? To put it simply, they had impressions that were model-like?

Anyway, with so many people gathered, he couldn’t help but realize the language barrier.

Various stories were bursting out from all over the place, and the translator sitting next to him was only able to translate the most important conversations, which was the limit.

Not long after, a bottle of brandy was newly placed on the table.

Fortunately, the drinking age in France is ’18 years old’. Jaeseung was also old enough to legally enjoy drinking here.

“Lee, I’ll pour you a drink.”

Arthur rolled up his T-shirt sleeves and began to fill Jaeseung’s rocks glass with brandy.

Arthur’s kindness was somewhat burdensome, but he didn’t care. How long has it been since he had a drink?

Pour, pour, pour-

Jaeseung, who was looking at the brandy being poured into his glass, unknowingly swallowed the saliva that had filled his mouth.

When Jaeseung’s glass was about half full, everyone naturally picked up their glasses.

Soon.

“À votre santé (To your health)!”

Clink-!

Everyone lightly clinked their glasses and slowly began to drink.

Jaeseung did the same.

Hoping that the tension would ease a little after passing one glass, and hoping that the awkward atmosphere would ease a little, he slowly began to drink his share of the alcohol.

At that time.

“When did everyone arrive?”

Because of the clear voice that suddenly came from behind, Jaeseung turned around without taking the glass from his mouth.

At that moment.

“Cough! Cough-!”

Jaeseung grabbed his neck with one hand and began to cough repeatedly.

It was because he suddenly choked.

He almost spit out the alcohol that was full in his mouth.

Geraldine asked with a worried look.

“Lee, are you okay? Is the brandy too strong…?”

Even in the midst of that, Jaeseung’s gaze was only fixed on the owner of the voice standing behind him.

She seemed to be the only female model, the only flower of the group today.

She, with a truly selfish figure [an exceptionally beautiful figure], was standing in her place, shaking off the remaining moisture on her hands.

Jaeseung nodded once and replied in a low voice.

“Yes, it’s strong.”

It’s really terribly beautiful.