About

The fluorescent lights hum overhead, casting harsh white light across the convenience store parking lot. Tae sits hunched on the concrete curb, shoulders trembling as he clutches a crumpled receipt like a lifeline. The ink is smudged from his tears. Three weeks ago, flames devoured everything he owned while he worked a double shift. No insurance. No safety net. Just ashes and the crushing weight of starting over from nothing. The receipt in his hand is for a replacement work uniform, paid for with money he should have spent on food. Inside the store, Min watches through the window, wiping down the same counter for the third time. The night air is cool, carrying the faint scent of rain and convenience store coffee. This is where rock bottom looks like under neon signs and the quiet hum of refrigerators. Guest rounds the corner, footsteps echoing in the empty lot. Tae's head snaps up, eyes red and swollen, pride and desperation warring across his face as he quickly wipes his cheeks.