How Do I Save My Bomb Squad Childhood Friend?

Starting at the age of eighteen, Yuan Mingque kept having the same dream. In it, his two childhood friends became police officers, then died in the line of duty in separate bombing cases, one after the other within four years.

Even the text messages they sent him in the final moments of their lives were uncannily alike.

[Sorry, Xiao Mingque. Take care of that Matsuda guy for me from now on.]

[I'm sorry, Xiao Yuan. I have to break my promise and leave you alone.]

Damn you, Hagiwara! Damn you, Matsuda!

Stop making decisions on your own without a word, one after another, and leaving me all alone!

Smack, smack!

Yuan Mingque awoke to the pain in his face.

The two handsome faces looming over his bed broke into matching, mischievous grins when they saw him open his eyes.

They were so familiar, yet seemed to belong to another lifetime. It was infuriating.

Yuan Mingque sat up and slapped each of them without a word.

Hagiwara whined in protest. “Hey, why are you mad? Did I do something to upset you?”

Matsuda covered his face in disbelief. “Why did Hagi get one slap, but I got two?”

Yuan Mingque froze for a moment and rubbed his eyes.

The familiar wooden ceiling was still there.

Sunlight streamed in through the dormitory window. Cicadas sang endlessly outside, and high summer stretched on without end.

Hagiwara chuckled and ruffled his hair. “Xiao Mingque, you seemed to be having a nightmare. You kept saying stuff like, ‘Don’t go to the building that’s about to explode alone,’ and other nonsense. But we’re just ordinary college students.”

Matsuda nodded. “You must still be half asleep. Wake up properly. Let’s go to the cafeteria for some tonkatsu.”

Yuan Mingque breathed a sigh of relief and was about to agree, but then he turned over and grabbed both of them by the collars, demanding fiercely, “Swear to me that no matter what happens, you won’t leave me alone!”

They both exclaimed, “Huh???”

Matsuda protested, “What? You’re way too unreasonable and bossy.” He turned to look for an ally. “Right, Hagi?”

Hagiwara had already made a solemn pinky promise with Yuan Mingque without a second thought or a hint of principle. “I promise.”

Matsuda gaped. “Do you have to switch sides that fast? Fine, then I’ll, ”

“Pinky promise, cross your heart. Whoever lies will swallow a thousand needles.”

-

It was just a recurring nightmare, Yuan Mingque thought.

Dreams always mean the opposite.

Their peaceful life as a family of three would go on, just as it always had.

A triangle is the most stable shape in the world!

Their tranquil days came to an end on graduation day, when his two childhood friends showed up at his door, beaming as they told him, “We’re going to become police officers!”

What am I supposed to do to save you, my childhood friends in the bomb disposal unit?

Why did the number of people I have to save turn into four?

Has my whole group of friends been cursed with death?

A childhood-friend sandwich cookie. No romance in the main story; the endings are in the bonus chapters.

The protagonist is absolutely on the good guys’ side (Is it finally my turn to write a purely good-aligned protagonist?)

[Blurb to be added.]

[Written for the bomb disposal squad. Jing-ge’s story was too painful, so here are some soft, heartwarming treats.]

Theme: Never underestimate the bond between us!