Heart looked into the mirror and turned crimson. “It has really come down to this.”

At first glance, the black suit seemed to fit him perfectly, but looking carefully in the mirror, it was clear they did not design the suit for a body like his.

Specifically, a male body.

Where certain ‘Allowances’ were needed in certain parts that the suit was not made for.

“Are you sure you can’t tell it’s a girl’s suit?” He said, walking out of the bathroom, his face still flushed with embarrassment. He turned towards Min and adjusted the crotch one last time.

“Sure… you can’t even tell.” She said nonchalantly. “But does it even matter, you can’t use your university uniform to get the job, its…” She trailed off, “Besides, it doesn’t fit. No one asked you to grow five inches over summer.”

“Besides doesn’t everyone always say we look like twins, we are the same size in everything now that you match my height. You don’t have to waste any money buying new, you can just have my old stuff. Isn’t that great?”

“Same size in everything!” Heart scoffed.

“Okay fine, you don’t have my boobs, otherwise, twins.”

“What boobs?” He sneered. “Besides the crotch doesn’t fit right.”

“I don’t think there’s much of a difference there either,” Min shot back, grinning as she stirred the pot.

“Yeah, I am so thankful you dress like a man most of the time, but the one time I need your clothes, you shop in the women’s section?”

“Ugh, Just wear it, I didn’t know you would be borrowing my only suit! Once you get the job and get your first paycheck, we can take you to get something discounted, okay?”

“But it’s tight in… Certain places…” He whined and adjusted again.

Min looked back at him from the kitchen and then turned back to stir the stuff in the pot. She wasn’t fast enough, and he caught a glimmer of a smile.

“You can’t even tell at all. I promise, Heart. Honestly, would I lie to you?” She said, a hint of amusement coloring her voice.

“Yes.” He said flatly, not even waiting for her to finish her sentence. She turned and stuck out her tongue at him.

He smiled, but turned back to adjust the tie in the mirror and then groaned. and went back to his room to take it off shoving on his comfy at-home clothes. With a sigh, he picked up the pieces of the suit and placed it on his desk, staring at it for a moment.

It was funny how looks played so much a part of who you were, and who you could be. A fine line between being successful and eating the same thing for the next few months.

It was embarrassing, but what else could he do?

He really had nothing.

God. I’m so fucking tired of having nothing. I could use a stroke of luck about now.

Heart’s alarm blared loudly, and he pulled himself from his bed like a drowned cat, stretching every limb as he walked.

His limbs were heavy and his head felt stiff, as if he couldn’t spell his own name right now, let alone keep what he had memorized last night inside his hollow brain.

Mornings.

He was not made for mornings, he always became a sloth pulling itself along, dragging its body through the day until it was at least after ten. He dragged his sorry ass upwards across the room as the alarm went off a second time. He slapped it angrily.

I gotta put this shit next to my bed so I can hit it easier. No that’s a bad idea.

He grabbed his white dress shirt and scrapped it across his aching, tired bones.

Heart blinked blearily at Min’s pantsuit draped out on the chair for him by Min. ‘Oh yeah, that monstrosity.’ he sighed and resigned himself to his fate and began mumbling the speech from the rehearsal cards tapped to the wall, as he grabbed the suit he had left out the night before and started to clamber into it all limbs as he yawned and mumbled to himself. He had spent all night drilling every possible interview question, running them until three in the morning, which explained why he felt so damn lousy now.

In the kitchen, an omelet and rice waited under a dome. Still warm. Min must have just left. He chewed slowly, staring at the cards he’d taped to the wall, and wondered how his life had come to this point. Seeing the only person he had left for maybe an hour a day. He shoved the thought aside and kept working as he ate.

This was life. Work until he dropped. Wake, drag himself to class, work until he dropped again. If he wasn’t working, he was in school. If he wasn’t in school, he was asleep.

His thoughts slipped, as they always did lately, back to the alley. Back to the moment everything unraveled.

Or rather, that’s what it had been like until you met that dummy in the alley, three months ago. since then I can’t find a damn thing. How did I manage to lose all three jobs at once? Luckily Grandma Ming needs help with her cart, or none of the bills would get paid. What was I thinking, following that guy?… That night was crazy. I’ve never seen anyone so beautiful before. A guy beautiful, not handsome… pfft, what am I thinking. Focus. Notes!

Heart shook his head hard, trying to throw the memory out of his skull. His hand wobbled. Egg and chili rice dropped straight onto his white shirt.

“Shit… no, no, no, no, no!” He cursed his clumsiness, bolting to the bathroom, scrubbing furiously but the soap only spread the stain.

“Why now!” He tore the shirt off, glaring at the mess. There was no saving it.

“I needed this not to be a lousy day. Universe!”

He groaned,

Could I have a fairy godmother for once? Just once.

Heart sighed. He really only had one option left. He walked from the bathroom into his room and stared at Min’s white dress shirt. He had been wanting to avoid that of all possibilities. The pants, the suit jacket he could handle those. But the shirt. It was so tight around his waist that if he lifted his arms he was scared the buttons might burst.

How embarrassing. If I put that on, I am doomed, it’s not gonna button up properly, will it?

Even though he had done many things in his life for money. Many things people would deem unfitting. This hurt.

I’m broke, come on, let me have my pride at least!

Heart grimaced but swapped the stained shirt for the white lady’s button-up. Pulling on Min’s suit jacket, he glanced at himself in the mirror, cringing at the tightness.

He knew that with the jacket, no one could see unless he moved and the breast of the jacket opened to reveal it, but in his eye, it was blaring.

Are they gonna even let me in the door looking like this? This is the top company in the country. I don’t even know how I passed the first resume checks. Now this? I just won’t take off the suit jacket, no matter how hot it gets. Great…

This is gonna be a fucking nightmare.