Please Try to Keep It Together

*

Cheng Su's family gave him such a proper name, hoping he would be steady in his work, upright in character, and, while he was at it, inherit the family business properly. But now that he's in his twenties, he hasn't managed to do any of those things.

They say that back in high school, he ran wild and threw his weight around. Everyone in his grade had to line up and bow when they saw him. If anyone disobeyed, Brother Cheng would drag them off to a little dark room for a lesson. Getting out of there in one piece was considered a blessing from the ancestors.

Cheng Su himself: I like this rumor. Tell me more.

His family: ...Never mind. We're already quite satisfied that you got into college.

Cheng Su once dreamed of roaming the world alone, living the life of a heartless playboy. That was until the start of college, when he met the upperclassman welcoming new students. The young man before him was refined and courteous, his gaze warm and polite. Most importantly, he was incredibly handsome.

Heartless playboy Cheng Su: All handsome guys are big brothers. I'm turning over a new leaf right now.

*

Yan Qilin's family gave him a name that sounded like the mythical qilin, hoping he'd enjoy a smooth and peaceful life, good health, and, while he was at it, great wealth and status. Now that he's in his twenties, he's more or less achieved all of that. His personality, however, grew crooked.

They say that Yan, the student council president, has eight hundred non-overlapping ways to insult people. Every proposal submitted to him gets torn apart, one at a time or two at a time. He can leave all those six-foot-tall guys utterly devastated, weeping into their pillows in the dead of night.

Yan himself: Nonsense. I'm such a quiet, refined person.

His family: ...Never mind. As long as you're alive, that's good enough.

Yan Qilin has always looked down on people who fall in love based on looks, thinking anyone who only cares about appearances is incredibly shallow. That is, until he went to welcome new students as student council president. The junior before him was bright and sunny, smiling to show his little tiger teeth when he saw Yan. Most importantly, he was really cute.

Yan, who thinks judging people by their looks is incredibly shallow: Sometimes you just have to eat your words, you know?

◆Reading Guide◆

1. A goofy, sweet rom-com about two idiots (strike that, two proper gentlemen) playing off each other. They get along not only because of their gentle, handsome exteriors, but also their free-spirited souls~

2. An imaginary college campus setting, extremely goofy and cheerful. Don't look for any resemblance to real college life in this novel. Let's just say it's a lot more fun when the kids are idiots (not really).

3. I hope I can make you smile amid your busy schedule~

4. Blurb written on January 7, 2022, revised July 9.

Theme: An interesting soul matters most.