The Tin Robot's Confession

"Yo, I say Daehan, you say Bank."

"Daehan?"

"Bank!"

"Daehan?"

"Bank!"

"Who are we?"

"Daehan Bank!"

"If you're a Daehan banker, let me ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hear you scream!"

"WOOOAAAAH!"

The clumsy hip-hop fanatic's performance finally came to an end. But today, of all days, everyone seemed to be in an open-minded mood, and the crowd's response was no joke.

Finally, it was my turn.

My mask: the Tin Robot.

The expressionless face suited me perfectly.

"Hooooh."

I took a deep breath and strode toward the stage. Hot stares pressed in on me from every direction. Hotter than the stage lights themselves.

As I walked out, I called out under my breath.

"Heavenly Voice."

A warm energy rippled through me, and my entire throat blazed with heat.

The emcee spoke up.

"Mr. Tin Robot, please introduce yourself."

"I am the Tin Robot."

"Haha. A robot-simple introduction, indeed. Then how about telling us where you're from?"

I crossed my arms into an X and brought the mic to my lips. A silent declaration: ask no more.

Without another word, the emcee pressed the button. The number of a song I'd always loved — Confession.

In an instant, the atmosphere turned ice-cold. A murmur rippled through the crowd. This was my song choice. The moment the intro to Confession began to play, all the regional broadcast channels flickered to life.

"Seriously? That song?"

"Isn't this one of the banned ones?"

"At a time like this?"

Confession was a forbidden song at karaoke — notoriously impossible to sing. Choosing it at an office talent show meant one of two things: either you had earth-shattering vocal power, or you were completely out of your mind.

The first line spilled out.

"What am I to do..."

A voice dropped carelessly, almost offhand — and in that instant, the entire audience froze solid. The regional broadcast commenters stopped typing. I could feel every employee's gaze swinging toward me.

"Where are you now?"

The voice rang out, spreading through the silence like rough glass catching the light. Under the trembling stage lights, everyone sat frozen, listening. This is my voice? Even I, the one singing, was dumbfounded. Team Leader Jeong's mouth fell wide open, and Staff Kang closed her eyes. Assistant Manager Seo hung his head low and didn't move for a long while. One of the women quietly dabbed at her eyes with the back of her hand.

And then, the final high note.

"I... love you."

The walls of the grand auditorium shook with the echo. In that moment, it felt as though time itself had stopped.

Three minutes and thirty seconds later, the song ended — and silence fell. Everyone held their breath. And what followed was an explosion of cheers.

"WOOOAAAAH!"

"What the heck is up with the Tin Robot? Is he really an amateur?"

"That wasn't amateur — that was straight-up professional. That's insane."

"I got chills... My heart is still pounding like crazy."

The cheering went on and on. After finishing the song and stepping off the stage, the heavy tension slowly began to melt away. As I caught my breath and walked down from the stage, Staff Park came toward me with her eyes wide as saucers.

"Manager Kim... that was incredible. How does a voice like that even come out of you? You sounded like a total pro!"

At her words, an odd mixture of embarrassment and pride washed over me.

"Honestly, I was a little flustered myself. I didn't expect this kind of reaction."

Unable to contain her excitement, Staff Park thrust out her hand.

"This is huge! You just saved the whole event, Manager! Did you see how they reacted?"

On her face, an almost unbelievable admiration mingled with a genuine love for the team. I gave a short nod and lightly bumped her arm with my fist.

"But keep my identity a secret, alright?"

"O-okay!"

But the secret didn't last long. That very evening, Team Leader Jeong gathered the whole team together.

"Who knew we had a singer like this hiding in our team?"

Everyone laughed and chimed in.

"Right? Manager Kim!! I have seriously new ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠respect for you."

Then, out of nowhere, he threw out a proposal.

"Which is why — let's hit the noraebang. We need to hear our singer Kim sing some more."

On any ordinary day, such a suggestion would have made me bolt. But the mood was already blazing hot.

"Sounds great. Let's go hear more of Manager Kim Dong-su's singing. It was truly moving."

"Yeah!! Let's go. Let's do it!"

Unanimously, our team headed for the noraebang. And in that moment, a worry flickered through my mind. It was painfully obvious what would happen the moment my real singing voice came out.

So I tossed out a careful suggestion.

"It'd be a shame to sing sober — how about we all grab a drink first?"

Staff Park burst out laughing first.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"What? Manager Kim, I officially love you. Hahaha. Well, we did come all the way to Mokpo — let's get a bowl of raw fish and a shot of soju first!"

We stopped at a nearby pojangmacha and ordered an assorted sashimi platter with soju. And then, my secret weapon.

"Hangover Relief!"

The ability I had been hoarding for a whole month — Hangover Relief.

One hour later.

"Uuurp. Manager Kim... what the hell did you keep drinking with me...?"

"We're just getting started, Team Leader. Tonight's a night for everyone to have fun, remember?"

"N-no, that's fine. I've had plenty of fun, Manager Kim. Uuurp."

"Team Leader, why are you such a lightweight? We still have round two — and the noraebang, of course."

"I'm... I'm sorry. This is as far as I go tonight. I'll leave my card here, so you kids go enjoy yourselves. I'm sorry."

"Team Leader!"

Team Leader Jeong waved us off and bolted for the lodging — scattering crumbs for the pigeons. Or rather, the seagulls. As he went.

"Manager Kim! Should we go to the noraebang, just us?"

"Let's go. Just the team, then."

"Yeah, I want to hear you sing something else, Manager."

The employees tugged at my arms.

"Nah. Let's go grab coffee instead. The night view is this gorgeous — we can hit the noraebang any time."

"Oh! Good point. When else are we ever going to come all the way to Mokpo and see the night view?"

Staff Park, quick on the uptake, backed me up.

"Exactly. This place is seriously beautiful. The night ocean right in front of the city — come on."

We slipped into a second-floor café nearby and each ordered a drink. One by one, the beverages arrived, and the aroma of coffee rose softly into the air. The sea breeze brushed against the windows, cooling the heat of the night. The employees settled in at tables in small clusters, chatting quietly and smiling — unlike the giddy frenzy of just moments before, the air now was gentle and unhurried. Some turned their cups in silence as they gazed out at the ocean; others snapped photos, murmuring in admiration.

I said nothing and took a sip of my coffee. The sweetness lingering behind the bitterness slid warm down my throat. In that moment, it felt as though the last traces of stage fright were settling and going still along with it.

Far away, the white lighthouse turned slowly, sweeping its light across the sea. Each time that wavering glow touched the surface of my coffee cup, the memories of the day came rolling in like waves.

One night, two days. Not long ago, I would have gritted my teeth at the very idea of a weekend event like this.

But I could feel it now — an inexplicable warmth. It had been a trip with coworkers, yes, yet what I was feeling was unmistakably warmth.