My Childhood Friend and I Entered a Dating System

[Mutual firsts] My next book, After the Heartthrob Stops Being a Human Suppressant, is now available!

Qi Rong has a crush on his childhood friend, Pei Zhiche.

Although they hold hands when they go out, sleep in the same bed at night, and comfort each other during their heat and rut, Pei Zhiche sees it all as nothing more than pure friendship.

That is, until a matchmaking System activates and sends them into a room they can't leave unless they fall in love.

Because of a System bug, they're matched together for three months straight and forced to go on one blind date after another.

Pei Zhiche takes it in stride. "The System keeps matching us because it thinks we're the best of friends."

But an accident takes their intimacy too far.

After a one-night stand with his best friend, Pei Zhiche can no longer keep his cool.

Qi Rong smiles and reassures him. "It's okay. We're both adults. Let's just pretend nothing happened."

Pei Zhiche tries to forget it, too.

But the scene from that night keeps invading his dreams. In them, he and Qi Rong kiss passionately, and he slowly realizes that something isn't right.

-

Not long afterward, the System bug is fixed.

The next scheduled matchmaking day arrives. This time, the System pairs them with different people, giving each of them a new blind date.

Qi Rong thinks their connection has run its course, and that he should try to let go of his feelings for Pei Zhiche. So he cuts off contact with him.

Pei Zhiche panics.

He can't bear the thought of Qi Rong holding hands with, hugging, kissing, or sleeping with another alpha. He can bear even less the thought of Qi Rong growing distant from him because of another alpha.

Just imagining it makes his heart ache and swell until it feels ready to burst.

They stopped being friends long ago.

But Qi Rong is already gone.

-

Qi Rong thinks Pei Zhiche can't live without him only because he's experiencing withdrawal.

Months later, the two happen to meet again.

Just as Qi Rong thinks they won't have much to do with each other anymore, a visual misperception makes Pei Zhiche, watching from a distance, think he's kissing another alpha.

Pei Zhiche instantly loses control and forcefully takes Qi Rong away.

In a secluded corner, Qi Rong asks him, "What do you mean by this? We're just friends."

Pei Zhiche pins him against the wall, struggling to hold back his tears as he pleads, "Can we stop being friends? Please don't throw me away."

*Reader's guide: The System is just part of the background. There is no Host.

Theme: Love makes the world a better place.