Black Label [EN]: Chapter 70

Black Label Episode 69

70. A Night of Youth, A Secret Bet

Skin as white as snow, and dreamy eyes with a bluish tint. To top it off, red lips that gave off an exotic feel.

‘Good heavens….’

Could there be a more perfect color combination in the world? Soon, the male model sitting across from Jaesung, ‘Arthur,’ continued the introduction in a cheerful tone.

“Lee, this is Ashlynn Sophie from Victoria’s Secret.”

‘Ashlynn Sophie.’

That was her name, the one that surprised Jaesung. Jaesung, who repeated “Ashlynn, Ashlynn…” several times in a low voice, finally opened his mouth in an extremely polite tone.

“Ashlynn, it’s a great honor to meet you.”

“Yes, it’s nice to meet you too.”

She smiled and responded, adding quietly, “After reading the column Geraldine wrote, I really wanted to meet you.”

Jaesung raised an eyebrow and asked the interpreter, seemingly puzzled.

“Um? But Victoria’s Secret? Isn’t Victoria’s Secret an American model agency…?”

He asked because he had heard that everyone was a model belonging to the French model agency ‘Metropolitan Models.’

The interpreter shrugged and explained simply.

“Only Ashlynn is a model from Victoria’s Secret. Unlike the other models, Ashlynn is American.”

“Ah, I see.”

Jaesung replied briefly, then, thinking quickly, asked Ashlynn in English.

“Ashlynn, then you can speak English?”

“Yes? Of course.”

It was to the point where he wondered, ‘Is heaven helping me?’

Somehow, a situation was created where there was absolutely no shortage of opportunities to freely converse with Ashlynn. Could this be the greatness of the ‘universal language’?

“Haa, that’s a relief. To be honest, I was a bit lost before Ashlynn came.”

“Um, why?”

“Because I don’t speak French, so it was quite difficult to join the conversation.”

“Lee, let me pour you a drink to celebrate. I know that feeling very well.”

The drinking party, which had been briefly paused, naturally resumed.

While trivial conversations were exchanged with others, he quietly shared various personal stories with Ashlynn.

On the other hand, when an important topic came up in the general conversation, he listened attentively and occasionally offered his opinions.

Meanwhile, the more he talked with Ashlynn, the more confident he felt in his conversational skills.

“Ashlynn, are you going back to America soon?”

At Jaesung’s question, Ashlynn nodded a few times and replied.

“Yes. I’m planning to go back right after this shoot. Actually, I ended up staying longer than I intended.”

After speaking, Ashlynn slowly looked around at the people in the room and added, “Thanks to everyone’s help, I was able to adapt easily.”

She said that she was staying in Paris due to various work-related reasons, but she would soon be returning to her home country, the United States.

Before being a professional model, she was just a young woman who had just turned twenty.

He thought that a long life in a foreign country would not have been easy.

Jaesung, who had been listening silently, nodded and continued.

“I see. Anyway, it’s quite amazing.”

“What is?”

“Actually, I’m going to America soon too.”

“Yes? Really?”

Jaesung began to explain his situation slowly.

First, the reason for visiting France was due to an invitation from ‘Pouge’ [a fashion magazine], and he was planning to take a look around France while he was there.

He was going to enter Parsons School of Design [a prestigious art and design college in New York City] this spring semester and would likely be staying in the United States for the next few years.

When Jaesung finished his explanation, Ashlynn asked back with a bright expression.

“Parsons School of Design? Oh my gosh, then you’ll be living near New York?”

“Yes. Probably?”

“We can see each other often. I mainly live near New York too.”

“Really? Then shall we have another toast to celebrate?”

“Okay.”

Clink-!

After clinking glasses, they began to drink brandy again.

Everything he was feeling at this moment felt like it had been a long time coming.

The hot sensation rising up his esophagus, the excitement that kept bubbling up despite his best efforts to suppress it,

Even the excitement that was hard to put into words….

‘Hmm….’

Jaesung, who had emptied the glass, looked at Ashlynn sitting across from him.

Since returning to the past, he had encountered quite a few women. But for some reason, all those many women only appeared as ‘Humans’ rather than ‘Women.’

Well, maybe it couldn’t be helped.

The female students he encountered in high school were just cute, and the other women were all people he met through work-related contacts.

The thought he had in his heart also played a big part.

The thought that dating and the noble emotion of love were all luxuries.

Maybe it was the alcohol, but his heart kept wavering.

Well? Honestly, he didn’t know now. Is dating really a luxury? Is love still something to be neglected?

Even if it were someone else, he felt like that woman could give him tremendous inspiration….

Jaesung was in a hazy mood, lost in thought, when.

“You know, Lee.”

“Yes. Go ahead.”

Ashlynn, who picked up a piece of nacho from the plate, continued with a captivating smile on her lips.

“Actually, I have a fantasy.”

“What kind of fantasy?”

“Um, how should I put it? A secret love between a designer and a model?”

Ashlynn giggled and raised an eyebrow, adding in a rather sly tone.

“Believe it or not, all the designers I’ve worked with so far have been gay.”

“Oh my gosh. That’s amazing.”

“It’s not for nothing that there are many gay famous designers. Whether Jaesung knows it or not, 80% of current designers are gay.”

“I know that part quite well. I’m just amazed that you have the same fantasy as me.”

The fact that most famous designers were gay was something he had heard before. It was such a famous story.

From the inference that people with bisexual tendencies are good at making clothes, to the inference that it is due to narcissistic tendencies, and even to the inference that people with bisexual tendencies can make clothes that appeal to both men and women….

It was an issue that created countless rumors and inferences.

Ashlynn swept her side hair behind her ear and brought up the main point in a gentle tone.

“Yes. Jaesung, if you don’t mind, would you like to have another drink separately after this is over?”

Suddenly, a cliché Latin phrase came to mind.

Carpe Diem [seize the day].

That is to say….

Seize the moment.

Why did a cliché become a cliché? Because it’s such a good word, a right word, that it became a cliché because it was quoted everywhere.

In his past life, he spent his youth in a gloomy underground studio near Dongdaemun [a fashion district in Seoul].

In this life?

Although the place has changed, living while struggling with work is no different.

Aim for the top, do your best every moment so that your goal is not embarrassing… but shouldn’t you enjoy it when you can?

“Okay.”

Well, if not, so be it.

* * *

Isn’t the charm of youth that you never know when, how, or where it will pop out?

It’s a time when you can easily fall in love just by making eye contact, but paradoxically, it’s also a time when your heart rarely opens despite any effort.

Jaesung decided to move according to the momentary emotions and instincts, as men and women of this age usually do.

No matter how long the night is, youth is very short.

“Beautiful.”

At Jaesung’s quiet words, Ashlynn gave a shy smile.

He was sincere.

The world, youth, and even all the curves of Ashlynn’s body in front of him, everything just looked beautiful.

* * *

The next day around lunchtime, inside the ‘Le Bristol Paris Hotel’ room where Jaesung would be staying for the time being.

Jaesung, dressed in a neat suit, was constantly adjusting his clothes in front of the full-length mirror.

“Ashlynn, how about wearing this?”

At Jaesung’s serious expression, Ashlynn, who was sitting on the bed with her arms crossed, smiled faintly and replied.

“The clothes are perfect… but aren’t you too nervous?”

“Actually, this is my first time at a place like this.”

“Hmm, I thought so. First, how about smiling a little?”

“Like this?”

“No, that’s too….”

Ashlynn shook her head a few times, chuckled, and added.

“You look like an idiot.”

“Oh dear.”

Jaesung shrugged and asked.

“Ashlynn, anyway, you’re going to the party with me today, right?”

“Of course.”

“Thank you. Thanks to Ashlynn, I won’t have to sit in the corner alone and kill time counting numbers.”

Jaesung, who was fixing his bow tie, frowned slightly and asked back.

“Ashlynn, by the way, I didn’t say anything wrong yesterday, did I?”

“You don’t mean you don’t remember at all, do you?”

“Of course not. I remember all the conversations I had with Ashlynn.”

“That’s a relief.”

“The problem is that I can’t remember the other conversations very well.”

“Um, let’s see. So yesterday….”

* * *

Meanwhile, at that time. Geraldine Saglio was at the entrance of the banquet hall inside the hotel, busy talking with her close friend and famous designer ‘Alexander King.’

“How many people are attending the party today?”

“About 60 designers.”

Geraldine replied briefly, adding, “Everyone will be happy to hear that Alexander King has come.”

His visit, which should have been in the United States, was unplanned. It was a really sudden and impulsive move.

“That’s a lot more people than I expected? As expected, the power of Pouge….”

Alexander King trailed off, shrugged, and asked back.

“By the way, what about the owner designer of Wallflower?”

“You mean Lee?”

“Yes. I really want to see him.”

It’s not that he made time to visit, but he had come a long way to see Jaesung.

Geraldine smiled and replied.

“He’s in the same building right now. I don’t know if he’s come to his senses yet.”

“Yes?”

“He drank brandy until late yesterday.”

“Oh dear, if only I had come a day earlier….”

“What does it matter? After today’s party, we’ll have plenty of time to spare.”

Geraldine chuckled and reopened her mouth in a cheerful tone.

“By the way, I heard a pretty interesting story at the drinking party yesterday.”

“Yes? What story?”

“Lee said that at the end of the drinking party yesterday.”

Geraldine paused, shook her head, and added.

“He can perfectly copy any brand, any product.”

“Yes? Really?”

“That’s what he said, but you never know. He might have been showing off because of the alcohol. But his eyes and voice were very serious.”

“Really?”

Alexander King asked back in a serious tone, glanced at his wristwatch, and muttered.

“Oh dear, I’m curious. I can’t just let this curiosity pass, no matter what….”

“Really? Then shall we make a bet?”

“What kind of bet?”

“It’s simple. Let’s guess whether ‘Lee’s’ words are true, or just a boast made under the influence of alcohol.”

Alexander King, who was silently organizing his thoughts, smiled and replied.

“Okay. That sounds fun.”