A Weekend Echo and an Unwanted Call Time
Sunday noon.
The drinks from last night had kept me flat on my back all morning.
It was the kind of moment that made me wish I could use the **Hangover Relief** skill more often.
"Ugh. I'm dying."
Damn this liquor trash of a body.
I finally dragged myself up, downed a glass of chocolate milk, and slumped onto the sofa.
"Haaah. Now I feel like a human being again."
The alumni reunion had turned out more festive than I expected.
Watching Youngsoo run the whole thing as MC, working the crowd like a natural, I realized I'd never known the guy had that kind of talent in him. I clinked glasses with old classmates I hadn't seen in years, laughing and trading stories, and swapped phone numbers all over again with seniors and juniors alike.
And then... there was Song Haein.
Mid-sip, she'd drifted over to my side and, her face flushed with drink, whispered right into my ear.
*This one's just for you.*
It was a short thing, barely a sentence, but for some reason my heart slammed against my ribs.
I couldn't tell whether she'd really meant it or whether it was just a joke slipping out on a wave of alcohol.
Obviously the latter. Obviously.
But one thing was certain: her name was now saved in my phone.
I stared at the name glowing on the screen for a long moment, steadied my breathing, and then burst out laughing despite myself.
I suppose I won't see her again until next year's reunion?
***
Monday morning.
I clocked in at eight-thirty sharp.
The plan was to burn a Time Pass at nine and head straight home. Swing by the break room for a cup of coffee first, of course.
But then, five minutes before—
Team Leader Jeong's voice came sailing out of nowhere.
"Manager Kim."
"Yes, Team Leader?"
"You know Song Haein, right?"
"Song Haein? The actress?"
"That's the one. The Nation's Actress."
"Ah... of course. Is there anyone in this country who doesn't?"
I'd just spent the weekend with her, and now this, out of nowhere?
Team Leader Jeong gave a brisk nod and continued.
"It was confirmed in a meeting just now. She's signed on for our commercial. An exclusive contract for 2026."
"...Ah, is that so?"
"So you're the one going."
"...Going where?"
"The shoot. The advertiser needs two people on-site at all times, and it's going to be you."
"Me? Why me?"
"Why do you think? The department head picked you himself. You'll be going with the PR Department manager. File the travel paperwork."
"The department head?"
"Yep. Seems he thinks highly of you."
"Ah. Yes... understood."
My mind went white.
I never dreamed my reunion with Song Haein would come this soon.
***
The travel order went into effect immediately.
No Time Pass was possible.
Who knew what kind of trouble the me inside a Time Pass might get up to.
The moment I climbed into the car with the PR Department manager, the navigation was already pointing us toward a studio in Gangnam.
I watched the scenery slide past the window, my heart beating strangely out of rhythm.
By the time we pulled up, dozens of staff members were already bustling about the entrance.
Cameras, lights, sets.
And there, at the very center of it all, she stood.
Song Haein.
In a white blouse and black slacks, she was radiant even in something that plain.
The title of Nation's Actress hadn't been handed out for nothing.
"Manager Kim, this way, please."
The PR Department manager waved me over.
I nodded and stepped into the studio.
And in that instant, her gaze swept across me.
It lasted only a heartbeat, but there was no mistaking it—the flicker of recognition in her eyes.
Song Haein wrapped up her conversation with the staff and made her way over, unhurried.
Then she planted herself right in front of me.
No preamble at all.
"I gave you my number, didn't I? And you couldn't even text your senior over the weekend to ask if she got home okay? Really?"
"You didn't text me either, sunbae."
Song Haein smiled and tipped her head.
"Fair enough. But still..."
Arms crossed, she tilted her head and gave me a curious look.
"So what brings you here? Are you handling the ad account?"
"...Ah, yes. Somehow I ended up being the one dispatched as the account manager."
Song Haein narrowed her eyes at me for a moment, then broke into a snort of laughter.
"Well, well, Mr. Advertiser. A pleasure doing business with you."
My senior clasped her hands together and rubbed them in an exaggerated bow, grinning all the while.
How was it that she hadn't changed one bit, from freshman days to now? I couldn't help thinking this was exactly the secret to her longevity as an actress.
I managed an awkward smile.
"I'm still not used to any of this. The company just... sent me, that's all."
She gave a small nod, her voice soft and even.
"Well, I'm glad it worked out this way. It means we get to meet again, doesn't it?"
At those words, my heart lurched. The whisper from the weekend flashed through my mind, warm against my ear.
*This one's just for you.*
Song Haein studied me for a beat, then pointed a finger toward the studio floor, where the staff were scurrying about.
"The atmosphere here feels strange to you, doesn't it? Completely different from a bank office."
I nodded and laughed.
"It does. Honestly, I feel a bit out of place. Everyone's so professional... I keep wondering if I'm just in the way."
Song Haein snorted.
"In the way? The advertiser belongs on set. And besides... having you here actually puts me at ease."
My heart skipped hard.
I forced my gaze away and answered.
"Well, I'm glad if it helps. I'm just here to do the job I was assigned."
Song Haein nodded, then added with a mischievous gleam.
"But you know, Kim Dong-su—you look strangely at home standing here. Just like back then, up on the stage."
For a moment, I froze.
The cramped basement rehearsal room of Theater Lab.
That memory overlapped with this very moment.
***
Once the studio settled into a brief lull, the commercial director took the center of the floor and raised his voice.
"Alright, let me walk everyone through today's concept one more time. This commercial is built around trust and warmth. The message we're going for is that a bank isn't just a place where you park your money—it's a steadfast companion that protects people's lives."
The storyboard flashed up on the monitor.
Song Haein was cast as a teller at a bank counter in her white blouse, and a male supporting actor playing the customer was supposed to appear alongside her.
But then a staff member hurried over to the director and lowered his voice.
"Director, I'm so sorry—the male supporting actor got into an accident. He can't make it."
The set rippled with murmurs.
The director scratched his head, looking cornered.
"This is a problem... where am I supposed to find a replacement at this hour?"
That was when it happened. Song Haein, arms still crossed, suddenly pointed a finger straight at me.
"Director, there's Manager Kim right there. He can stand in for him. He's a theater man, you know."
My heart plummeted through the floor.
"Uh... m-me?"
Every staff member's head turned toward me at once.
The director looked me up and down, then fell into brief thought.
"...Hmm. Not bad, actually."
The set stirred all over again.
The PR Department manager grabbed my arm in alarm.
"Manager Kim, are you sure about this? You'd be standing in front of a camera..."
I answered in a daze.
"...I, um, I've never done this before."
At that, Song Haein clapped a hand on my shoulder with a playful grin.
"You'll be fine. You've got stage experience, don't you? What's a camera going to change?"
The director nodded and started issuing orders to the staff.
"Good. Manager Kim, let's get you into wardrobe right away. You're playing a bank customer today. Just keep it natural."
As I was swept off toward the dressing room, I found myself muttering under my breath.
"What... is even happening right now."