Military Matters, Part 4
At the Ministry of National Defense conference room, representatives from each branch and officials from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration were reviewing the feedback report on the uniforms supplied by Haesol Textile.
On the table lay a thick file of reports and actual uniform samples.
“Satisfaction among service members has reached 98 percent. In particular, the evaluations for mobility, durability, and comfort are said to be incomparable to the previous uniforms.”
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration official explained as he displayed the survey results through the projector.
The graphs showed ratings far above the old uniforms in every category.
An army colonel flipped through the report and said, “The response from officers has been extremely positive as well. Field commanders, especially, expect this to improve soldiers’ training efficiency. One company commander reported that during night training, soldiers wearing these uniforms were able to maintain concentration for longer.”
Brigadier General Lee Gwang-ho, the Ministry of National Defense’s logistics director, nodded.
“More effective than expected, isn’t it?”
“Yes, sir. It was a project we moved forward with because the price difference from the existing combat uniform was not large, but the response has been far better than anticipated. Haesol Textile also said that if production is scaled up, they can reduce unit costs.”
Lee Gwang-ho’s expression softened with satisfaction.
What the military did, after all, was the sort of work that earned scolding whether they sat still or stood up.
So if both officers and enlisted personnel were reacting well, there was no reason not to be pleased.
It was hard to imagine a better way to earn credit without spending much money.
After a moment of thought, the general made his decision.
“Instruct the Defense Acquisition Program Administration to proceed with supplying the new combat uniforms to the entire Army. And have the Air Force and Navy review it as well. Discuss with Haesol Textile whether combat uniforms tailored to each branch’s characteristics can be developed.”
“Yes, sir.”
*
Because Cha Hee-ju had gone ahead and set up a meeting at her home, the only thing Seung-hyun was truly worried about was the Mirae Department Store launch.
He had already confirmed through his collaboration with Roche Bobois that the patterns on the export version of GyeolBit bedding did not suit Korean consumers.
Back then, the oriental-patterned sofa fabric he had designed drew plenty of attention, but the share that actually turned into sales had fallen short of expectations.
So for the Mirae Department Store launch, he could not simply bring out the same export-oriented oriental pattern; he had to present something entirely new.
And of course, the other pattern he had once given Davide Soti could not be used either, given their relationship, so that design would have to be buried deep in the data archive.
That was why Seung-hyun had fallen into a deep dilemma in his office.
Outside the window, the Seoul evening sky was turning red, but he had no leisure to enjoy the view as he stared at the computer screen.
“A pattern that fits the Korean market...”
Muttering to himself, Seung-hyun reviewed the existing patterns for GyeolBit bedding once more.
On the screen, a variety of oriental motifs were laid out one after another.
There were blue patterns reminiscent of blue-and-white porcelain, designs that reinterpreted traditional peony motifs in a modern style, delicate lines evoking landscape paintings...
These were all designs that had done well in overseas markets, especially in Europe, so he skimmed them, then immediately called up the patterns he had collected in Europe when he created the Versailles line.
The Versailles line had been inspired by Gobelins tapestries, and he had hoped that studying those would spark a new idea, but after a long look all he found was another variation of the Versailles line.
“This is hard...”
Then he brought up the patterns he had worked on for the limited-edition bedding he had made for Davide Soti.
Patterns meant to capture a feeling of Davide Soti’s hometown.
Again, even after studying them for a long while, nothing came to mind.
Just as he was about to give up and close the pattern program,
!!!
One idea flashed through his mind like lightning.
“Longing... illusion...”
Seung-hyun called up the patterns he had made for Davide Soti, and among them he transformed the moonlight that had filtered through a window, the shadows of tree branches, and the raindrops gathered at the eaves on a rainy day into a pattern.
Turning a clearly defined scene into a pattern gave it an ambiguous, almost mystical quality.
In truth, the pattern was a form that combined the lines of traditional Korean motifs with Western minimalist design philosophy.
It had oriental elements, but it was not so exotic as to feel foreign, and it could suit modern interiors very well.
It took more than five hours of painstaking effort to finish a pattern no bigger than the palm of a hand.
That was how long it took to adjust the colors to tones that Mirae Department Store’s VIP clientele would prefer and refine the finer details until they looked more sophisticated.
Seung-hyun named the pattern Harmony.
“This is it.”
After finishing the work, Seung-hyun saved the pattern, fed it into the weaving program, and immediately began outputting it through the machine.
The fabric was the radial French linen blend he had previously created for Davide Soti.
Born through the status window at an ideal optimization ratio, the fabric had been tuned to the perfect balance for bedding.
In practical terms, it was even more perfect than the fabric used for overseas exports.
Carefully, Seung-hyun unfolded the sample bedding.
The Harmony pattern shone even more beautifully on the actual fabric; the soft beige background with pale blue lines created an impression of refinement and comfort.
It had oriental elements, but they were so discreet that one might not even realize they were oriental at all, and the pattern was captivating enough to draw the eye.
He slowly reached out and touched the bedding.
At that instant, the familiar status window appeared before his eyes.
Fabric Quality = 94.3%
Pattern Harmony = 96.7%
Comfort = A+
Product Value = 92.8%
“Over 90 percent product value...”
A satisfied smile spread across Seung-hyun’s face.
This was more than enough to suit the Mirae Department Store launch.
He studied the sample once more and became certain.
“If it’s this pattern, it’ll win over Korean consumers.”
He carefully folded the sample away and began planning production.
There was not much time left until the Mirae Department Store launch, but now he had a clear direction.
The Korean debut of the GyeolBit brand would begin with this Harmony pattern.
*
In the Defense Acquisition Program Administration conference room, Brigadier General Won Cheong-gyu, who was leading the meeting, looked over the order sent down from the Ministry of National Defense with a deeply troubled expression.
“It’s definitely the right thing to do, but... this is getting out of hand.”
If you were a soldier, the first rule was to take care of yourself and avoid anything that stood out too much.
A project like improving combat uniforms, something highly visible yet cheap to carry out, was about as good as it got.
The problem was that whenever one thing got lifted up, something else had to be pushed down.
Changing one contractor would not cause much of a fuss, but if it became two or three, noise was inevitable.
Even if the reason was sound, once you were a soldier, civilian complaints were always going to be a pain to handle.
And that was the case now as well.
“Lieutenant Colonel Mok, how is Mr. Kim from Daeyang Trading holding up?”
Lieutenant Colonel Mok Jae-gyun wore a grim expression.
“He is having a very difficult time, sir.”
“He should have developed the thing sooner. What use is regret now?”
“...”
“Check the required specifications for the Navy and Air Force, then request a cooperation letter from Haesol Textile.”
“Hwain Trading couldn’t handle that much volume either. Haesol Textile will probably refuse on the grounds that their production capacity is insufficient.”
General Won frowned.
“They’d be making money, so why would they refuse?”
“Well... their representative at the time was someone who never really considered that sort of thing...”
“If talking doesn’t work, go in person and persuade them. And if that still doesn’t work, use the method we used before, all right? The one where the Ministry of National Defense guaranteed the deal so the acquisition payment could be made at ultra-low interest, like when we took over Hwain Trading. That should do it.”
“And if even that doesn’t work?”
To be honest, Brigadier General Won Cheong-gyu also knew this order from the Ministry of National Defense could, if mishandled, create grounds for trouble.
No matter how objectively good the function was or how low the unit cost, letting one company manufacture combat uniforms for the entire military was the sort of thing someone could always pick apart if they wanted to.
Even so, the reason General Won was agonizing over it was simple enough: the fit and function of the uniforms really were that good.
“Work it out well.”
In the end, that was all he could say.
Something the lower ranks would sort out on their own...
“I’ll do my best.”
In the end, only the powerless Lieutenant Colonel Mok lowered his head.
He was so frustrated he almost resented the daughter who had gone and bought clothes from Lesser Factory for him.
*
In a luxury residential district in Seoul’s Gangnam, in front of Cha Hee-ju’s home.
After arriving at the appointed place, Seung-hyun hesitated for a moment before pressing the doorbell.
This was, naturally, his first visit to Cha Hee-ju’s home.
It was a far larger and more luxurious detached house than he had expected, but what occupied his mind now was not the size of the house.
The pressure of having to meet Han Saet-byeol here today and make the Lesser Factory advertising model proposal happen had him tense.
“You’re here? Come on in.”
Cha Hee-ju, who opened the door, looked different from usual.
She was not in the polished business attire he always saw at meetings, but in a relaxed casual outfit.
A loose sweater and jeans suited her surprisingly well.
“It’s been a while since I was invited to a woman’s house, so I figured I shouldn’t show up empty-handed.”
Seung-hyun held out the bottle of wine he had brought.
Hee-ju accepted it with a smile.
“Wow, that’s good wine. Come on in. Saet-byeol’s here too.”
When he stepped into the spacious living room, he saw Han Saet-byeol sitting comfortably on the marble floor rather than on the sofa.
“Hello. We haven’t met before, but we do have some history, don’t we?”
She greeted Seung-hyun with a very relaxed smile, wearing an ivory knit top and beige wide-leg pants.
For Seung-hyun, who was meeting a top star face-to-face for the first time, her easy manner took the edge off his nerves.
“Yes, it’s nice to meet you. The photos you posted wearing our clothes at the time were a huge help to us.”
“Oh, it was nothing. Don’t just stand there, sit down. She doesn’t exactly clean much, but the robot vacuum is decent enough, so there shouldn’t be too much dust.”
“Why should a human interfere when the robot’s doing it? That’s a violation of robot labor rights. They need a chance to work too.”
Cha Hee-ju laughed and cut in, then asked Seung-hyun, “The food’s simple. Even if it’s not to your taste, you have to eat it like it is.”
“I always eat anything.”
“Good. No frowning while you eat.”
Because he had only ever met her in business settings, she had always seemed very formal, but today she looked more relaxed than he had ever seen before.
Had the two of them always been this close?
The meal Hee-ju had prepared consisted of salad, pasta, and, surprisingly, steak, and it was quite good.
“You’re a good cook.”
Hee-ju grinned, and Han Saet-byeol jumped in.
“The housekeeper did most of it; she just grilled the steak. Still, she does know how to cook meat.”
“Meat is the main event anyway. If you grill the meat well, you’ve done everything that matters. Enjoy.”
“Yes, yes.”
Their banter went on like a comic routine, and Seung-hyun kept watching for his chance to bring up the modeling proposal to Han Saet-byeol.
But before he could prepare himself any further,
“You want to try modeling for Lesser Factory?”
As if she had just remembered what she had forgotten while drinking wine, Cha Hee-ju brought up the main subject.
Seung-hyun was about to explain it carefully, trying to wrap it in something less awkward, when
“How much are you paying?”
Han Saet-byeol asked, her big eyes bright with curiosity.
“Huh? Well... you’re expensive, right? I’m not really sure what the market rate is...”
“So you came here without checking? I’m pricey, you know.”
“I did look it up. Around 700 million won...?”
At that, Cha Hee-ju widened her eyes and jumped in.
“700 million? Han Saet-byeol has really fallen off, huh? She’s willing to settle for 700 million~”
Seung-hyun looked at her in bafflement, wondering if she had even been trying to help, and Han Saet-byeol slowly closed her eyes.
“Ahhh, I peaked at twenty-five and then it’s been all downhill from there. Honestly, I really was gorgeous until the year before last. If that drama hadn’t flopped last year... I shouldn’t have done that drama with that writer...”
The atmosphere was getting weird, but...
“Then you won’t go below 700 million, right?”
“Well... probably?”
“Fine, then. But the clothes are good. Can I call you oppa?”
“Huh? Uh, sure... but my age...”
“You’re not going to make me call you unni, are you?”
“In any case, thank you for agreeing to model for us. The contract will be sent to your agency soon.”
Seung-hyun hurriedly poured more wine into her glass, then turned his head away.