I Trust Daehan Bank
The studio lights blazed down brilliantly, and the camera lens was pointed dead center at my face.
My heart pounded like a drum, and my palms were slowly growing damp with sweat.
Song Haein leaned in beside me, grinning playfully.
"Ooh, the mask looks good on you."
I answered in a daze.
"Please don't tease me."
She shook her head and added seriously, "I'm not. You really look like a customer. Perfect for the role. That's a compliment."
For a moment, my nerves loosened just a little.
But the moment the director's voice rang out, my heart plummeted right back down.
"Ready... and action!"
In an instant, my mind went blank.
My lips felt sealed shut, refusing to move.
Even the single short line written in the script caught in my throat and wouldn't come out.
"...Uh... um..."
Behind the camera, the director raised his hand.
"Cut!"
And the cut signs kept coming.
"Cut!"
"Cut!"
"Cut!"
The staff let out a collective sigh.
My face burning red, I hung my head.
Under the lights, sweat trickled down my forehead.
The director forced a smile and spoke with apparent understanding.
"Manager Kim, don't be nervous. It's your first time, so it happens."
But to my ears, those words didn't sound like comfort. They sounded like pressure.
The staff's stares pricked at my skin.
Someone whispered.
"Ah, today's shoot is gonna run long..."
Haa...
I could barely breathe.
That was the moment I murmured to myself.
I had no other choice.
"Time Pass."
I used the Time Pass I'd been saving.
Would it handle everything perfectly this time too? The question could wait—getting out of this situation came first.
The hands of the clock spun rapidly.
Nine hours later.
When I opened my eyes, the set was already in wrap-up mode.
The lights were off, and the cameras had been packed into their cases.
Staff members clustered in twos and threes, snacking as they reviewed the day's shoot.
I stood there blankly, looking around.
Did I do well?
No one told me directly, but somehow everyone's expressions had changed.
The PR manager came over and clapped me on the shoulder.
"Manager Kim. You were pretty impressive."
"Was... was it okay?"
"For a first-timer, more than enough. You looked like a real pro."
I nodded absently.
"Ah... yes. Thank you."
Just then, Song Haein looked at me from across the set and gave a sly little smile.
I couldn't tell what that smile meant.
She finished talking with the staff and started walking toward me.
The click of her heels against the floor sounded strangely loud.
Instinctively, I straightened my posture.
"Kim Dong-su."
She called my name.
"You did well today. Recommending you was worth it."
My eyes went wide with surprise.
"Me? But I couldn't even get my lines out earlier..."
Song Haein shook her head.
"Everyone's like that at first. But you got natural pretty fast. You really looked like a customer who'd walked into a bank. The director was thrilled, you know?"
For a moment, I felt like I couldn't breathe.
I had no memory of what kind of acting I'd done during those nine hours while Time Pass was active.
But the results were unmistakably there.
The expressions on people's faces, my senior's words, the director's nod of approval.
The director came over and shook my hand.
"Manager Kim, thank you for your hard work today. Honestly, I was worried at first, but you came across quite naturally on camera. Playing a bank customer—you really looked like one."
I managed a dazed smile.
"Ah... thank you."
Only then did I let out a breath of relief.
My heart slowly settled.
The set grew quieter by the minute.
The lights went out one by one, and the set began coming apart.
Standing in a corner, I downed a glass of water.
The cool water sliding down my throat soothed the dryness that tension had left behind.
Song Haein came to my side again.
"Today, having you there put my mind at ease too."
I froze for a second.
Was her words just simple encouragement, or something more?
The whisper from that weekend drinking party floated back to my ears.
'I'm only telling you.'
Forcing my gaze away, I answered.
"I'm glad you felt comfortable, Senior. I just... came here to do the job I was assigned."
She chuckled.
"Still, you know. Dong-su, you somehow look like you belong standing here. Just like you did back on the stage in college."
Sunday evening, I was sitting in the living room when I idly turned on the TV—and a bank commercial came on.
Over a gentle piano melody, the scene unfolded: Actress Song Haein in a white blouse, greeting a customer with a warm smile.
And then, beside her, an unfamiliar-yet-familiar face appeared.
It was me.
Me, standing in front of a bank counter, delivering my line with a clumsy but earnest expression.
"I... trust Daehan Bank."
My heart dropped like a stone.
There I was on screen, alive and moving inside a commercial.
Not on a theater stage, but in an advertisement broadcast across the entire nation.
The moment the commercial ended, my phone buzzed.
The name on the screen: Song Haein.
While I was still debating how to reply,
my phone buzzed again.
The name on the screen: Mom.
My heart lurched.
She'd seen the commercial.
I cautiously pressed the call button, and the voice that came through was far louder than I'd expected.
"Dong-su! I just saw the TV! That was you, right?!"
"Yes. That was me."
Without even pausing for breath, Mom rattled on.
"Goodness, our son in a commercial! A bank commercial, no less! Your father and I were watching together and nearly fell out of our chairs!"
My face burning, I scratched my head.
"It was just... a brief appearance. Not a big role or anything..."
"Brief, my foot! You had lines! That 'I trust Daehan Bank' part—your voice was so clear. Anyone watching would've thought you were a professional actor!"
My throat suddenly tightened.
Mother's voice was a blend of surprise, joy, and unmistakable pride.
"I was pretty surprised myself, seeing myself broadcast like that."
"Surprised, huh... Were you more surprised than me, I wonder? I still regret talking you out of that acting thing back in college.... At least now you're doing something you love, right?"
"...Something I love?"
I thought for a moment, then answered right away.
"No, Mom. Do you know how stable my job is? The commercial was just a lucky break."
"Still, I wish my son would live doing what he loves.... Oh, look at me, losing my mind. I need to tell the neighborhood head so we can hang a banner or something. I'll call you again!"
"Mom—Mom!"
Click—
Before I could stop her, Mom hung up.