Black Label [EN]: Chapter 86

Black Label 85

86. Before a New Beginning

After a long 13-hour flight, I finally arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

As soon as I got off the plane, before I could even fully realize that I had arrived in America, I could keenly feel myself being sucked back into the vortex of daily life.

This was thanks to meeting ‘Elisa,’ an employee dispatched by Alexander King’s side, as soon as I finished immigration.

“Welcome, Lee. I’m Elisa.”

“Nice to meet you too.”

The woman in her mid-20s, who introduced herself as ‘Elisa,’ seemed to wear the office look quite well.

And what should I say? It’s just a prejudice, but she seemed to have a rather cold impression.

Judging from her suit, which didn’t have a single wrinkle, and her hair, which was neatly tied up without a single strand out of place, it was clear that she had a perfectionistic tendency.

Even just looking at her gait, it seemed evident that she was living a life pressed for time.

Every time she hurried her steps, the sharp sound of her high heels echoed, ‘Click, click-,’ and I had to move my feet diligently to keep up with her.

Soon, Elisa fixed her gaze on the chart in her hand and began to explain.

Glancing at it, it seemed to be a chart that meticulously recorded the schedule, with tiny letters densely written all over it.

“Lee, first, we’re going to take the car that’s waiting and move to the apartment provided by the company.”

“I see.”

Unless there was a special change, it was highly likely that I would live there for the entire time I was attending Parsons Design School.

Soon, I added, “I’m looking forward to it,” without any special meaning.

Elisa adjusted her glasses and continued in a nonchalant tone.

“Well, you shouldn’t have high expectations. It’s no different from the ordinary apartments that are all over Manhattan. The only special thing is that you can live there for free.”

Wasn’t it an apartment in Manhattan, where the monthly rent could be said to be skyrocketing?

It was common for people not to even dream of living outside the dormitory unless they were from a wealthy family.

If you really wanted to live on your own, the only solution was to find a place to live 20 minutes away by metro.

I, who had been lost in thought for a moment, shook my head and replied playfully.

“I don’t care at all as long as the water doesn’t leak, the heating works, and there aren’t any notorious criminals living next door.”

“If you want a higher-grade residence, you can always tell me. In fact, the ‘ordinary apartment’ was Alexander’s order.”

When I looked at Elisa with a puzzled expression, she continued to speak.

“Alexander repeatedly asked me to find an apartment with intermediate facilities, as he was afraid that you might feel burdened by a high rent. If you want a better residence, it’s not too late to find out then.”

Soon, I gave a faint smile and replied quietly, “That’s a valid point.”

I wasn’t Alexander King’s exclusive designer, but just a creative director who would be working with him for one season.

Excessive gifts are bound to create unnecessary burdens.

As we walked along, chatting, we were already out of the airport.

Elisa, who was walking a few steps ahead, stopped in front of a Cadillac sedan and said.

“Lee, you can get in.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

I and Elisa sat side by side in the back seat of the sedan.

A man in his 30s in a neat suit was sitting in the driver’s seat.

After exchanging eye contact with him through the rearview mirror for a moment, Elisa’s explanation continued.

“For your information, your personal studio is located about halfway between Alexander King’s ‘*atelier* [a workshop or studio, often used in fashion]’ and the apartment. After stopping by the apartment to drop off your luggage, we’ll go straight there.”

“Ah, yes. I understand.”

“The personal vehicle is parked in the apartment parking lot. The key will be hanging above the shoe cabinet in the hallway. First of all, it would be good to get your ID and international license issued first.”

Elisa’s explanation continued, and I was just trying to remember all of her explanations.

Meanwhile, the car I was riding in had already entered downtown Manhattan.

* * *

“Oh my god, is this an intermediate facility…?”

As soon as I stepped into the apartment where I would be living, I couldn’t help but say that.

Contrary to Elisa’s previous explanation, the facilities were perfect.

Judging by eye, it was a spacious apartment that was at least 1400 square feet.

From the bedroom to the study to the separate room. There were as many as three rooms, and the panoramic windows in the living room offered a view of downtown Manhattan at a glance.

Soon, I began to look around the house with a dazed face.

The marble floor, the furniture placed everywhere, all looked the opposite of what I had expected.

“Elisa, this house is too big for one person to live in.”

“Are you satisfied?”

“Of course. I didn’t expect it to be this much….”

It was more than twice as big as the house I lived in with my family.

Not only the apartment, but also the items in it seemed to show Alexander King’s consideration.

All kinds of movie and documentary DVDs, books piled up in the study, magazines published by famous magazines, and finally, even fabric sample books.

The materials that I would be interested in were neatly organized.

The separate room was equipped with an all-in-one PC from ‘Macple,’ which is said to be optimized for design work, and the bedroom even had a spacious bed that seemed to be able to accommodate six or seven people.

And that’s not all.

The kitchen shelves were stocked with all kinds of instant foods and basic ingredients, and the closet was filled with clothes released by Alexander King.

I even wondered, ‘Did I really need to bring my luggage?’ All the necessities for life were perfectly equipped.

I, who had been busy looking around the provided items, asked a question as if I was wondering.

“Elisa, you said you’d look into it again if I wanted better facilities, right?”

“Yes. If you take it easy, about a week….”

“No. That’s not what I mean….”

I hesitated for a moment and carefully asked a question in a slightly trembling tone.

“Does a better place than this apartment even exist? Even this place seems perfect….”

“I was originally looking for an apartment that was almost 3000 square feet.”

“No, wait. Wait a minute. Even if you just look at this apartment, it seems too big to clean?”

Elisa, who exclaimed, “Ah, cleaning!” once, continued to speak fluently.

“Every morning at 10 o’clock, a maid will come to help with general housework.”

“Oh, thank you. Elisa.”

I replied briefly, turned my head, and began to look towards the shoe cabinet in the hallway.

I remembered the explanation that the car key of the personal vehicle that Alexander King’s side had decided to support would be placed on the wall above the shoe cabinet in the hallway.

And then.

“Oh my god. Elisa, there are two car keys hanging there?”

I was surprised again and said that. Two car keys were hanging on the nail embedded in the wall.

One had the Chevrolet logo, and the other had the Ford logo engraved on it.

“One is a Chevrolet coupe, the ‘Camaro.’ The other is a Ford mid-size car. You can drive them according to the situation and your taste.”

If it’s a Camaro, isn’t it ‘Bumblebee’ who appeared in the movie Transformers?

No, apart from that, I didn’t expect that they would support as many as two cars.

I couldn’t help but exclaim, “I can’t believe this….” once, and began to look closely at the car keys.

Elisa, who had been silently watching me, gave a faint smile.

It was because I looked somewhat cute.

“Lee, why don’t you unpack your luggage first? After a simple meal, it would be good to look around the personal studio and move to the atelier.”

I replied, “Okay,” once, tilted my head slightly, and asked back.

“But where’s Alexander?”

“He’ll be coming to the atelier to match the time you arrive.”

“Then can I meet the tailors today?”

“Of course.”

After greeting the tailors, the explanation continued that I would be able to spend personal time with Alexander.

Soon, I unpacked my luggage first and began to carefully select the clothes I would wear today.

Wasn’t the first meeting with the talented tailors in charge of the overall production of the premium brand, ‘Alexander King,’ right around the corner?

They were also the people I would encounter the most during the period I would be working as Alexander King’s ‘Creative Director.’

So, I had a strong desire to make a good first impression if possible.

After putting on all the clothes selected under strict standards, I stood in front of the full-length mirror in the living room.

I pretended to make a cool expression and smiled a few times.

‘Good.’

Soon, I naturally began to look out the living room window.

No, to be exact, I began to look at the scenery of downtown Manhattan that was reflected beyond the window.

Sometimes, such moments come in life. Such a moment when you can naturally realize that your life has changed a lot.

For me, now was such a moment.

As I was looking beyond the window, Alexander King’s words flashed through my mind.

– In my opinion, you need to get used to being treated well. This is a natural treatment. And most designers want even more treatment than this.

Wasn’t I the one who was hiding in the underground workshop and making imitations? Such a miserable life no longer exists.

From an apartment overlooking the skyline of Manhattan, I am preparing to head to the atelier of the premium brand ‘Alexander King.’

I am living a life of being treated, a life where I have to get used to being treated well.

I am walking through a reality that I could not even imagine.

This, too, will only be one of the processes of change.

I will move to a higher place. I will look back on the past again from a higher place.

I gave a faint smile and said quietly to Elisa, who was sitting at the home bar and reviewing the data.

“Elisa, I’m ready.”

* * *

Alexander King’s atelier was located in the main store building in New York.

As soon as I arrived in front of the main store building, Alexander King, who had been waiting for me, gave me a warm welcome.

“Lee! Long time no see!”

“Bro, I missed you.”

After a warm hug, Alexander King smiled faintly and continued.

“Shall we go in first? Everyone is eagerly waiting.”

“Everyone?”

“I’m talking about the atelier family.”

After finishing speaking, Alexander walked ahead and added, “For your information, ‘Theo,’ who is in charge of the CEO position, is also eagerly waiting for Lee.”

Although it was not comparable to the Louis Vuitton main store I had visited before, Alexander King’s main store building was also extremely fancy.

According to Alexander King’s explanation, the first to third floors are operated as stores where products are displayed, the fourth floor is the atelier, the fifth floor is the design room, and the sixth to ninth floors are spaces used by employees of various departments and the management board.

‘Anyway, I’ll get used to it as I live here.’

Until the spring semester of Parsons begins, I will be able to work freely, going back and forth between places regardless of location, but from around March, when preparations for the full-fledged season begin, I will be spending most of my time in this main store building.

The strangeness or awkwardness I am feeling now will be resolved by time. Just like it has always been.

Ding-!

Soon, the elevator the two were riding in stopped on the 4th floor where the atelier was located.

I took a long breath to shake off the tension and began to walk behind Alexander. As I was walking along the long corridor.

“Huh?”

Having discovered something, I suddenly stopped walking and bent over.

“Lee, what’s wrong?”

Instead of answering his words, I took out a few crumpled pieces of paper that had been thrown away in the trash can at my feet.

“Why suddenly the discarded schematics….”

“I’m just curious.”

Alexander, who let out a hearty laugh, nodded his head a few times and replied.

“That’s right. Curiosity is the foundation of creation.”

No matter how good curiosity is as fuel for creation, I had no intention of rummaging through the trash cans in the building to look at the discarded schematics.

However, something bothered me, so I put my hand in the trash can and took out the schematics.

Why were the schematics discarded on the 4th floor where the atelier is located, not the design room?

At least if it’s a schematic that was delivered to the atelier, there’s no reason to throw it away, right?

It was a matter that could be taken lightly, but I was worried for no reason.

First, I neatly folded the schematics I had just taken out of the trash can and put them in my back pocket, and continued to walk.

After moving a few steps, Alexander stopped in front of a door and asked.

“Lee, everyone is waiting behind this door. Are you ready?”

“Of course.”

Soon, just as Alexander was about to open the door to the atelier wide open.

Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap-!

At the same time as the door opened, a thunderous applause began to ring out.

About thirty talented tailors, dressed in white gowns, were giving Lee a warm welcome with applause.