A Straight Guy's Guide to Fanservice

Xuan Tu, twenty-seven years old, a 24K pure straight man.

He has been in the industry for eight years, playing corpses, passersby, and the male lead's second uncle. As long as there's work, he'd even be willing to play the loser male classmate who serves as background scenery in a gay romance drama.

Before filming began, the actor playing the protagonist who gets pursued by the male lead bailed on the production. With the director's strong support, Xuan Tu was shoved into the role at the last minute.

Male lead, pursuer: You're straight, right? Your acting is so bad, I can't get into the role.

Xuan Tu: ??? Don't scare me, bro. Aren't you straight too?

Xia Hongyu, twenty-one years old, actor playing the protagonist who pursues the male lead, a rock-solid straight man.

Born into a rich family, he's the handsome face of an idol boy band, a resource-backed star just waiting to break big. The whole production exists to make him look good, and he dares to argue and trade insults with the director on set.

Xuan Tu can't swallow this insult. After working diligently in the industry for so many years, he's actually having his acting criticized by a newcomer who's never acted before!

Xuan Tu: Just you wait. Come to my room tonight, and I'll show you what real acting looks like!

Xia Hongyu: That's exactly what I mean. We should practice more in private. If we're going to sell the bromance, we need to sell the real thing!

They start selling the bromance in earnest, showing off in the behind-the-scenes footage, acting even clingier than an actual couple. Xuan Tu realizes Xia Hongyu isn't so bad after all. He drives him to and from work, stays up waiting for him to finish filming, coaxes him to sleep at night, cleans his room, and even hand-washes his underwear. But when they get to the NC scenes, they hit another bottleneck.

Xia Hongyu: How can you act a scene well if you've never actually done it? If we're going to sell the bromance, we need to sell the real thing!

Xuan Tu: (Torn and miserable, the straight man sacrifices himself for the sake of art.) We agreed it would only happen once...

But selling the bromance doesn't mean one time, it means countless times. Xuan Tu faithfully keeps up the act with Xia Hongyu. They agreed they were both straight, but he finds that this bromance is gradually becoming so real that it scares him a little.

After careful consideration, he finally makes up his mind. As much as he hates to leave his bromance partner in the lurch, for the sake of a straight man's dignity, the answer is one word:

Run!

*

At first, Xia Hongyu only wanted to sell the bromance to fulfill his company's assignment, but somewhere along the way, he seems to have gotten into character.

His bromance partner runs off halfway through their act, but that's all right. He'll catch him and bring him back.

He's memorized the Straight Guy's Guide to Selling a Bromance, and its number-one truth is carved into his bones:

If you're going to sell the bromance, you have to sell the real thing!

[Love-struck younger idol pursuer x career-minded straight actor who gets pursued]

[Reading Guide]

1. The entire novel is already written, so there's no risk of it being abandoned. You can still enjoy following it as it updates, so you can't lose!

2. The blurb is lighthearted, but the main story has a more nuanced style. There isn't much in the forum-post format, so feel free to try a sample.

3. The pursuer is sexually inexperienced but has an ex-girlfriend. The one pursued is clean in front but not in back. There are no real-life inspirations. They're imagined, but could exist in real life.

4. In the bonus chapters, they reconcile after taking part in a divorce reality show together, followed by some cozy everyday moments raising a child.

P.S. My first Alpha Wife novel is available for advance interest in my author page. The next one is expected to have an even more layered sandwich filling!

Theme: Love should be expressed bravely.