Healing Love

Chapter 39

Finding a job as an intern to a well-known designer or working with a fashion house were Yoon Jin Ah's initial plans after graduation, but life is really full of surprises. She is now running a small online clothing brand unexpectedly. It all started around a month before her convocation; while searching for a job after she finished her bachelor's degree, she filled up her spare time making baby clothes for Jae Wook. She designed the clothes on her own and used the leftover materials from her FYP. Little that she expected that the clothes she designed will become a hit and now has become the main product of her small business. All of this, thanks to Ri Yoo Jung.

When she made the baby outfit, she put it on Jae Wook on his first birthday and showed it to her in-laws. Her mother in law and Han Se Ra, Ri Moo Hyuk's wife, loves the organic cotton hanbok so much. Se Ra even requested Jin Ah to design the same for her sons, Hyung Joon and Hyung Sik. From the informal family discussion, Yoo Jung gave an idea for Jin Ah to launch a baby clothes brand, focusing on organic cotton babywear. She even suggested Jin Ah do social media for it. What started off with just a conversation between family members and Se Ra's request to have Jae Wook's cousins have the same clothes, turn out to be an unexpected business opportunity for Jin Ah.

Following Yoo Jung's advice, Jin Ah made a social account for baby clothing, but the account doesn't have many followers. Jin Ah used it as a space to post the designs like a catalogue. When Yoo Jung wrote about the 'brand' in her blog, her social media received hundreds of followers daily. Thanks to Yoo Jung's blogger power, the online clothing baby brand has become known, who does free marketing and Se Ra's oh-so-many mommies group chats. In three months, Jin Ah's brand 'Baby Jae' had achieved 25 thousand followers.

From 2 to 3 orders per week when she started, now the orders are ten folds. She got 20 to 30 orders per week. There's one time it reached 50 orders per week. Because of the surge in orders, Jin Ah receives some help from seamstresses in Busan while she will be doing the quality check (QC) at the end of production. She approached the community groups around Busan and find seamstresses to help her. Most of them are single mothers and those from a low-income family who wants a part-time job. By getting a job from Jin Ah, it can help them to increase their weekly wages. Ahjumma is the person who gave Jin Ah the idea to get help from the community groups instead of paying the tailors or small factories to do so. Jin Ah feels happy that her growing small business can help others to gain extra money. Each tailor will get 3 to 5 clothes to sew per week.

The online business keeps Jin Ah really occupied for the past few months, and she has to put her plan to work in a fashion house on hold. She focused on the demand for her products. The business also gives her excitement as she can share her design talent, making products that she loves and benefits others.

Finally, after three hours behind the sewing machine, Jin Ah took a break. She stretched out her neck and shoulders to straighten back all the muscles. As she turned her head clockwise to reduce the tightness she felt at the back of her neck, she sensed her husband's warm hands on her back, giving her a massage. Pressing her pressure points, his touches helps in releasing the fatigue.

"You work hard, love. But, your body needs a rest too," he said as he gently rubbed down her clavicle muscles.

Jin Ah closed her eyes, enjoying his touch as he helped her to de-stress. "I need to finish up 5 more samples as there will be five more new tailors that will be taking orders tomorrow."

"Let's get you to lie down on the bed," he said as he held her hand and walked her to the bedroom. He asked her to lie down, and he did too next to her. Hugging her from behind, he asked her to catch a quick nap.

Jin Ah never expects that having her own business is challenging and tiring. However, the satisfaction she received when people loves her designs and the community seamstresses thanked her for giving them a side income source is priceless.