Chapter 62

I’m translating the chapter into polished English and preserving the HTML structure rules, including styled blocks for the inventory/status-style readouts and any other in-universe text.CHAPTER_TITLE: Evolution (3)

At that moment, inside Haesol Textile.

"President, the Hongdae store team says the preparations are finished. There shouldn't be any problems with tomorrow's opening."

"Is Lee A-young out at Hongdae right now?"

"Yes, she is."

The interior firm Cha Hee-ju had introduced them to worked with Mirae Department Store as well, so they were highly specialized when it came to clothing shops.

For that reason, the concept they had presented with the estimate had been very much to his taste, and with every Lesser Factory employee currently on site helping set up the clothes, he believed there would be no major issues.

Just then, a message slid up on his smartphone.

Deposit Cha Hee-ju 10,000,000 won

Seung-hyun quietly looked down at his phone.

"What's wrong?"

When Director Hwang Seok-jae asked, Seung-hyun wore an expression that was neither quite a smile nor quite not one.

"You remember that bedding I made one extra sample of?"

"Ah, the one made with a French linen blend? That really is the real thing."

Hwang Seok-jae, who had unexpectedly acquired a refined eye for luxury thanks to his wife, recalled the French linen-blend bedding.

The subtle softness of the modal-and-linen blend held a warmth and comfort that were difficult to describe, and it was easy to see why it could be called genuine luxury.

"Yes. I sent that extra set to Cha Hee-ju, the third-generation heir of Hanil Group, who rented the Hongdae store for six months, but I wasn't planning to simply hand it over as a gift and call it a day. I had already sent one, and this was an additional one, so... I told her the price was ten million won if she wanted to buy it, and she agreed."

"Ten million won?"

Even Director Hwang's eyes went wide in surprise.

"Yes. I was going to negotiate down from there if she asked for a discount, but she accepted it coolly, and just now the money came in. Ten million won."

"Ha... but thinking about it, I suppose that bedding really does have that much value to people like the chaebols. I've never felt a blanket like that before, either."

Seung-hyun pressed his lips together.

Ten million won for a single bedding set.

Even if it was GyeolBit bedding intended for overseas export, they usually sold it to importers for about one million won per set, so that was exactly ten times the usual price.

So this is what the high-end luxury market is like...

His emotions twisted together in his chest.

It felt as though he had just confirmed, right before his eyes, that Haesol Textile was not merely a small and medium-sized fabric company anymore; it could truly compete in the premium market.

At the same time, he remembered that the bedding belonged to the GyeolBit line originally planned for overseas use.

It wasn't supposed to be something sold casually...

Seeing the thoughtful look on Seung-hyun's face, Director Hwang Seok-jae smiled gently and said, "GyeolBit and Lesser Factory pursue completely different things. You can make a lot of money from a single bedding set, but Lesser Factory can dress far more people in better clothes, in a more everyday way."

"You're right. I almost let the money shake me. My father said he wanted the fabric he made to give many people a feeling of comfort and warmth. That's the kind of mindset I should be working with."

"Exactly. And if you think about it the other way, having an item that reliably makes money means Lesser Factory can move forward more boldly. It's a good thing for Haesol Textile."

"Yes. I think so too."

"Once Factory No. 2 is completed, it seems like we should mainly produce bedding here and make Lesser Factory the primary line at the second plant. If we add extra equipment to minimize contamination for bedding production, what ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠do you think?"

"Hmm... that's not a bad idea. Once the export contract down payment comes in, let's discuss it with Manager Park."

"Understood."

*

As midnight approached, some of the staff were still drawing out bedding fabric, yet the lights in the president's office were still on.

"Phew..."

Seung-hyun pulled out several pieces of deep indigo fabric he had tucked away deep in a drawer.

They were failed double-weave fabrics he had been researching for a while under the name Dual Tex.

They were being used to make Lesser Factory clothes now, but that didn't change the fact that they were incomplete, defective versions of Dual Tex.

He spread the fabric on the table and brushed the surface with his fingertips, and the status window appeared as always.

The sample's condition was exactly the same as what he had seen before.

It was somehow an incomplete fabric, and yet its marketability was strangely alive...

If clothes were made from it, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the product value would rise above 90 percent. It was an oddly shaped fabric.

When Seung-hyun picked up another piece of ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fabric, information not much different from the first piece appeared.

But the optimal information for making Dual Tex still didn't emerge.

What is it? Why is it different?

Wondering why it was different from before, he focused his mind and even closed his eyes.

But when nothing changed, Seung-hyun began to grow impatient.

He sat there jiggling his legs, thinking hard about what was different, and then...

"Ah!"

He realized what was different between then and now.

The two pieces of fabric in his hands.

Seung-hyun hurried outside and brought back two more Lesser Factory fabrics that used different yarns.

That was when he remembered holding four layers of fabric at once back then.

He came back into the office and grabbed the new two pieces together with the two already there, and the moment he did,

"This is it...!"

Seung-hyun quickly grabbed a notebook and pen and began writing the conditions down at speed.

He had to make the most of each material's strengths: the softness of Tencel, the breathability and absorbency of cotton, and the durability and elasticity of polyester.

Seeing the information in the status window about changing the heat-treatment sequence, Seung-hyun slapped his hands together.

But then...

"What's this? A new weaving pattern?"

He had thought it would only require a slight adjustment to the existing software, but the new weaving pattern shown in the information window was not any of the structural patterns Seung-hyun already knew.

It was a point-connected structure in which the two fabric layers were joined only at specific points, and by optimizing the distance and pattern between those connection points, it secured the uniformity and stability of the air layer.

If that worked, the slightly uneven feel that had characterized the existing fabric would vanish completely.

The pattern was supposed to keep the fabric's shape even after washing or under outside pressure, but then again, the existing defective Dual Tex already had excellent wash resistance.

"At this level, I could probably file for a patent. It's a technique that doesn't exist yet."

It wasn't merely a double-weave structure anymore; it was a technology that created a perfect air layer through an entirely new weaving pattern.

His hands were shaking.

Father... from the beginning, this was a technology too difficult for you to implement.

Even if the heat-treatment sequence changed, without knowing that new weaving pattern, a complete Dual Tex would never come out.

Seung-hyun immediately began revising the weaving program.

Since the pattern didn't exist yet, it would take quite a long time just to create the concept diagram.

I can do this! I can do it!

A fierce determination burned in Seung-hyun's eyes.

*

The next morning, at Chairman Cha Sang-wook's residence in Hannam-dong.

Chairman Cha Sang-wook opened his eyes and, putting on his reading glasses, checked the time.

[7:47 AM]

To his surprise, it was already well past seven and almost eight.

For someone who usually woke up automatically before seven, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly at having slept a little longer.

A body that couldn't sleep for long even when it wanted to, and then felt tired during the day and had to nap.

That was all because he was getting old.

Of course, he didn't think that simply changing his bedding would mean he'd keep sleeping this long from now on.

It was probably only because the blanket felt more comfortable than usual, so he had stayed in bed a little longer.

Still, that alone was enough to make him satisfied.

Slowly sitting up, he looked at the broad white duvet spread out before him and grinned again.

Thinking that he hadn't received a gift this satisfying in a long time, he changed clothes and stepped out of the room.

"You're awake?"

His eldest son, Cha Se-jun, who had not yet left for work, greeted him already dressed in a suit.

"Why aren't you out?"

"Because you hadn't coughed, Father."

"Hmph. As if I need to wait for some old man..." Then, for that matter, call Hee-ju over."

At that, not only Cha Se-jun but also his wife and the mistress of the house, Yoo Hye-ryeong, was startled as she came out of the kitchen.

"Hee-ju? Why...?"

"I was wrong. This isn't something to give to the people who gave it to Hee-ju. There are a few people I can think of, so call them."

"Understood. Then I'll just tell Hee-ju to..."

As he tried to say that he'd have Hee-ju bring the item over, Chairman Cha shot him a glare with narrowed eyes.

"Why are you talking so much? Do you hate seeing your own niece that much?"

"No, of course not."

"Does the wife of Shi-un's mother think the same?"

The arrow suddenly turned toward her, and Yoo Hye-ryeong quickly waved her hands.

"I'd be happy to see Hee-ju after so long."

"After so long... You saw her yesterday."

"We saw each other, but did we have any time to talk properly?"

"Enough. Just call her over. I'm not giving away stock, so don't get any useless ideas."

At that, Cha Se-jun smiled.

"Yes, understood."

*

About an hour later, Hee-ju was entering her building in Hongdae.

She had wanted to check whether the store preparations before opening were going well.

Wearing a beige tweed two-piece suit, she looked rich enough that even strangers would have been able to tell at a glance.

"Oh? What brings you here this early?"

Sure enough, Haesol Textile's President Jung Seung-hyun was already there, checking whether the opening preparations were proceeding smoothly with a few employees who had come in early.

Hee-ju looked over the interior, where neatly stacked clothes were visible at a glance, and gave a faint nod before saying, "I came to thank you."

"For the bedding? You already paid for that, so there's no need..."

Hee-ju smiled brightly.

"I got praised by my grandfather yesterday. He said ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it was the gift he liked best out of everything I brought him. And there's one more happy thing. I told you I went to Italy and delivered the bedding to Davide Sossi, right?"

"Yes."

"I got a reply today. He said he'd select a few items from the lines he currently carries and supply them!"

Hee-ju clenched both fists with her small hands and shouted.

"Wow, congratulations."

"It's all thanks to you, President Jung."

"If you really think so, could you extend the rent-free period a little more?"

Hee-ju turned her gaze elsewhere.

One bedding set already made people gasp at ten million won, and now he was asking for five million won in monthly rent for free, so she couldn't help avoiding his eyes too.

"Forget it. I was just joking."

"But I'm sincere about supporting Lesser Factory."

Seung-hyun snorted.

"I'm sure. You're just hoping it does well so you can keep collecting a steady five million won in rent."

"President, you really do think too negatively. I'm pure-hearted, you know. Though five million won paid steadily would be nice, too."

After saying that, Hee-ju looked over the store once more and picked up a pink sweatshirt.

"Since I'm here, I'll be your first customer. Lesser Factory's first buyer."

There was something vaguely smug about her, as though her shoulders had been puffed up with pride, and Seung-hyun promptly deflated the mood.

"Sorry, but we started online sales first, so being the first customer is going to be difficult."

"...Then make me the first in-store customer."

"Let's do that. Though since you're buying anyway, you should buy quite a bit. You're rich, after all."

"Do you think chaebols just go around throwing money away? We have something called an allowance, too."

"Ah, yes."

At that moment, A-young entered through the front door wearing a red hoodie and a white skirt.

The hoodie with Lesser Factory printed across the chest matched her cute face surprisingly well.

"Hello."

"You came to work at the store?"

A-young glanced lightly at Hee-ju beside Seung-hyun before saying, "It's the first day of opening, so of course I had to come. And I'll make sure the staff here all wear Lesser Factory clothes today, too."

"Good. Ah, this is Cha Hee-ju from Mirae Department Store's product division. And this is Lee A-young, our Lesser Factory designer."

Hee-ju was taken aback by how much younger the designer looked than she had expected.

"Oh, you're the designer? I'm Cha Hee-ju."

"Hello. I'm Lee A-young. Then I'll be going now..."

Perhaps embarrassed, A-young scurried off toward the store staff and slipped away from the conversation.

Watching her retreating figure, Hee-ju said, "Because A-young designed it, the clothes seem to suit her even better."

"Really?"

Hee-ju thought about it for a moment, then asked abruptly, "Want to make another deal with me?"

"What kind of deal now?"

"I know a celebrity who's exactly like A-young. Cute, and... well, prettier, of course."

"And?"

"You know there's nothing better for promotion than a celebrity, right? I'll dress her in this and get her to post it on Instagram."

"Then what do I have to do?"

"Make me one more bedding set. Not the same one."