Saturday morning, alone in a company bathroom, Chan-ho was making himself up.
Chan-ho often did his own makeup anyway, to save time. He'd made friends with the make-up noonas when he was just a trainee, and they'd taught him the ropes, delighted to have someone to play with and fuss over. But a male idol necessitated a different touch than did... Chae-rin. That was the name he'd put on the Tinder profile. The colors were brighter, and the contour was gentler. And of course, the devil was always in the details--- that was what Min-ji always told him. He felt it now, staring unblinking at the mirror as he lined his eye with a steady hand. Blinking as he finished, he inspected himself, and carefully began on the other side.
When he was finished, he smiled at himself. From the mirror, a beautifully dolled-up girl smiled back. And alright, maybe her face was a bit fox-ish, and maybe her shoulders were a bit... wide. Standing up, Chan-ho knew he was too tall, but he'd already disclosed both his photos and his height. Apparently, Young-soo just didn't care.
He'd picked clothes to minimize his most masculine features. The loose blouse and cardigan disguised his shoulders and his modestly-padded chest; while the high-rise shorts showed off his legs and gave the illusion of curves to his waist and hips. His wig was impeccable, real hair that fell in brown waves past his shoulders. His purse matched his shoes. He winked at himself. He could do this. He was Chae-rin, man-slayer, and he was going on a date.
Chan-ho had half-expected someone to stop him and ask who he was as he walked out of the building, but no one did. Maybe his confidence was just that convincing; maybe someone had recognized him anyway. On the subway, people noticed, and for a terrifying moment he thought again that they had seen through him--- but then he met the gaze of a young man sitting across from him and flashed a smile, and was gratified to see him look away, flustered.
By the time he got to the cafe, he was having fun, throwing ever-flirtier looks at boys and occasionally earning glares from their girlfriends. By the time he got to the cafe, he was in the mood. It was really too bad this was all just to play a prank on poor unsuspecting Young-soo.
Well... Maybe he could convince someone else to take him on a real date after. The day was young.