Eli Francis feels trapped in his life—stuck in a dead-end assistant job at an online magazine, overshadowed by a dismissive boss and working alongside his successful ex. Pressured by friends to move on, he agrees to a disastrous blind date with Peter Park, an awkward but earnest stranger. When Eli’s boss proposes turning the failed date into an article by having Eli coach Peter through a series of mock dates, Eli secretly reframes the project, using the time to interview Peter about his experiences growing up queer in the South in hopes of writing a more meaningful piece and earning a promotion. As their staged dates continue, Eli and Peter grow genuinely close, forcing Eli to confront his fears about his career, honesty, and love as the line between performance and real connection