One Stone, Five Birds (1)
"What is it about?"
"Hmm..."
Yamada couldn't easily find the words. It was only after his hot coffee had cooled to a comfortable, drinkable temperature that he finally opened his mouth, and what came out was slightly unexpected.
"Well... according to the original schedule, we were supposed to begin filming in a few days, but things have gotten a bit complicated."
"How so?"
"The headquarters' directive was to use you, Mr. Yoon, as the model for Hermès Japan, but the existing model is pushing back against that."
"Isn't replacing a model a common occurrence?"
"It's not exactly a common occurrence in this specific case..."
Watching Yamada’s reaction, Yoon-gi realized that the existing model wasn't just some random face—he was someone backed by power. While a company sets policies, it is the employees who execute them. If an employee starts looking out for their own interests, the policy is bound to waver.
'Well, in my case, I’m not exactly desperate to be a model anyway.'
Since becoming an Hermès model was just one of many options for him, Yoon-gi decided to hear the other side out and, if it was something he could accommodate, he would. For instance, if the shoot were canceled, he could use that to put Hermès headquarters in his debt.
"I just arrived, so I’m not sure what’s going on. Could you give me a more detailed explanation?"
At Yoon-gi’s innocent, guileless attitude, Yamada hesitated once more.
"Uhm... the existing model's opposition is so strong that I’m in a difficult position."
"There isn't just one model, is there?"
"Ah, the model who is opposing this is just one person."
Naturally, Hermès didn't have just one model. There were exclusive models and non-exclusive models, and one of them was particularly hostile toward Yoon-gi.
'If he’s a guy with power, he wouldn't have a reason to be pushed out just because I become a model. Does that mean he’s just unhappy with the fact that I’m becoming a model at all?'
It was just a guess, but Yoon-gi’s deduction was sound. In fact, that was exactly the reason for the model's opposition.
"What would you like me to do?"
As Yoon-gi cut straight to the point, Yamada began to stall again.
'This guy is taking forever to get to the point.'
It wasn't that he was stalling for a good reason; it was obvious he was just uncomfortable saying it. As time dragged on, Yoon-gi’s opinion of Yamada plummeted.
"I... could we possibly cancel the shoot...?"
Saying "Yes!" to that would be a mistake only a novice negotiator would make. Yoon-gi deliberately furrowed his brow.
"If that was the case, couldn't you have told me before I got on the plane?"
"I apologize. It was being discussed internally, and it was only just decided..."
"You know that the decision for me to be the model came from Hermès headquarters, right?"
"Y-yes, that is correct."
"Then, did this cancellation order come from headquarters, or is it a decision made by Hermès Japan?"
"That is... it is a decision by Hermès Japan."
"I currently have a contract with Hermès headquarters, and that contract is only finalized once I sign the modeling agreement. If the shoot is canceled now, the modeling contract itself might effectively be revoked. Have you consulted with headquarters about this?"
For a moment, Yamada looked like he had just realized he’d made a huge mistake.
"Don't tell me... you didn't know?"
"Well... that is..."
Yamada turned his head to glare at Nakamura, and Nakamura turned his head to glare at his own attendant.
'Wow, to think I’d see the origin of "passing the buck" right in front of my eyes.'
Seeing a situation he had experienced all too often in the military unfold before him left Yoon-gi feeling both bitter and amused. Furthermore, he could clearly see the difference between a foreign company and a foreign-affiliated company. Fabien and Laurent, whom he had met at Hermès headquarters, might have deferred decision-making to those above them, but they never passed the blame down to those below them.
"I apologize. I will look into it immediately and..."
Yamada’s words were cut short. The conference room door had suddenly slammed open.
* * *
It had been opened with such force that it hit the wall and rebounded, nearly closing again. Through the reopened door appeared a young man in his early twenties, about 170 centimeters tall.
'Who is this? Judging by the situation, it’s obvious, but...'
As if to prove that situation, Yamada shouted, "Mr. Watanabe! I told you that you couldn't come in..."
"Shut up!"
Seeing Watanabe shouting at the top of his lungs, Yoon-gi narrowed his eyes.
'What a nasty set of buckteeth.'
When his mouth was closed, his appearance could be described as "pretty," but with his mouth open, Watanabe was truly a monster. A face with two sides. However, Watanabe didn't seem to have any complex about his appearance. In fact, the pride visible in his expression made it clear to Yoon-gi that Watanabe was suffering from extreme narcissism.
Yoon-gi asked Choi Deok-bae internally, 'Why is he so proud of that?'
Even Choi Deok-bae didn't know the exact reason, but there are roughly four academic hypotheses regarding Japanese buckteeth: a long period without eating meat, frequent inbreeding, an environment lacking in minerals, or a skeletal structure with a small jaw but too many teeth. All four were plausible, but the second one, inbreeding, was a highly insulting remark to a Japanese person and was effectively a taboo subject. Of course, just as there are taboos for the Japanese, there are taboos for Koreans as well.
"What is this? Putting a Joseon-jing in a Japanese commercial when he’s just a guy like this?"
His English was clumsy, but the meaning hit Yoon-gi’s ears clearly. Joseon had long since fallen. A Japanese person who calls a Korean a Joseon-jing is the type who still views Korea as a colony. Choi Deok-bae seemed enraged as well, floating rapidly around Yoon-gi and letting out a roar.
"Yamada, no matter how I think about it, isn't this wrong? Putting a Joseon-jing with a face like this as an Hermès model? Don't you hear the brand value dropping?"
Even though it wasn't a hot day, Yamada was sweating profusely, not knowing what to do.
'Well, the law is far away, but the fist is close.'
Yamada’s gaze wasn't on Watanabe, but on the two men standing behind him. With their menacing expressions and the pompadour hairstyles straight out of an 80s Japanese school delinquent movie, they were the type who were practically shouting, "I'm a Yakuza."
'Tsk tsk.'
Just as Yoon-gi was clicking his tongue at Watanabe, Watanabe, seeing Yoon-gi’s lack of reaction, seemed excited and began to hurl even more insulting remarks.
"Hey, Joseon-jing. The mainland is no place for a second-class citizen. Go back to Joseon while I'm being nice. Then, you won't get hurt."
Hearing this, Yoon-gi suddenly stood up. At well over 170 centimeters, he was now looking down at the 170-centimeter-tall Watanabe, who instinctively took a step back.
"Ha!"
Enraged by the fact that he had stepped back, Watanabe took two steps forward and shoved his face right in front of Yoon-gi’s, and the Yakuza behind him crowded in closer as well. However.
"Step back."
It wasn't Yoon-gi who spoke, but Seo Jong-hun. As Seo Jong-hun and Cha Pil-gyu, who had been sitting at Yoon-gi’s instruction, stood up to protect him, the Yakuza’s expressions turned to confusion. They hadn't realized it while they were sitting, but now that they were standing, they were clearly muscular men who looked like they could take them out with a single punch. Watanabe seemed to feel the same way, as he had to take three steps back.
Seeing that, Yoon-gi turned his head toward Yamada, not Watanabe, and asked, "Where is the restroom here?"
* * *
The restroom at Hermès Japan. It was so well-maintained that there was even a faint scent of perfume inside. Of course, since the perfume was just masking the basic smell of a restroom, Yoon-gi didn't go around sniffing the air.
Yoon-gi responded to Choi Deok-bae’s grumpy remarks with a relaxed expression.
'Why wouldn't I be angry?'
Choi Deok-bae had never shown this side of himself to Yoon-gi before, but it was clear that the words "Joseon-jing" and "second-class citizen" had ignited the "Korean" firewood in his heart.
'I’m not just letting it slide.'
Yoon-gi’s reaction was so calm that Choi Deok-bae was momentarily puzzled.
'Of course I’m angry too. But what do I gain by getting angry right there? This is Japan. Yamada is Japanese, and Nakamura is Japanese.'
Choi Deok-bae, still in a state of excitement, didn't understand Yoon-gi’s words.
'That’s why I came to the restroom. Even though I didn't do anything, that guy will probably follow me here because he’s embarrassed about backing down twice.'
Since the restroom was soundproof, Choi Deok-bae looked through the door to the outside. After confirming Watanabe was there, he returned to Yoon-gi’s side, looking somewhat less agitated.
'It’s much better to change the setting than to get excited on the spot. Because here at Hermès, I’m not just fighting for my own reputation—I’m fighting with the reputations of Guster and Merrill on my shoulders.'
'You don't win just by insulting someone or saying taboo things. Well, if that were victory, the Japanese would be a people who have never lost a war.'
Choi Deok-bae finally laughed.
'How far is he? That guy?'
As soon as Choi Deok-bae’s words were heard, Yoon-gi deliberately stood in front of a urinal and took his stance. Immediately after, Watanabe opened the restroom door and committed a restroom taboo. Despite there being several urinals, he took the one right next to Yoon-gi.
"Fucking small."
He even committed a man’s taboo. He had looked at Yoon-gi’s. The bigger problem was that he said that even though his own was smaller. And Yoon-gi’s was by no means small.
A teenager in his early teens with room to grow versus a young man in his early twenties who had finished growing. Anyone could see Yoon-gi had won, but as expected, Watanabe was a descendant of a people whose foundation was "mental victory."
"I’m being specially gentlemanly, so go back to Korea while I’m being nice. Japan is no place for someone like you to step foot in."
"Bullshit."
He had only been holding back because there were others around, but Yoon-gi was a survivor who had lived for a long time in the world of manual labor, where losing in wit and guts meant losing everything.
"W-what?"
Watanabe, flustered by the four-letter word, looked dumbfounded and began to spew curses at Yoon-gi again.
"How dare a dirty Joseon-jing... don't you know how disrespectful it is for someone like you to even use the restroom of the Great Empire of Japan?"
Yoon-gi shook his head.
"Geez, your buckteeth are so bad I can't even understand your English. Is it because your dad is your uncle?"
In an instant, Watanabe’s fist flew toward Yoon-gi’s temple.