very adorable slice-of-life youth danmei about a boy who was severely bullied and his seatmate who is known around school for being a tyrant.

the MC and ML were endearing but at times the MC was less endearing & more frustrating (hence the 3 stars) but overall it was short, cute, and fun read! I just wished the MC would have been more consistent in his personality but since the length of the novel was so short there was only so much you can do

and the extras!! They have my heart!... more>> It was so sweet seeing the characters grown up & happy (and the A/B/O extra has me wishing that this novel was an omegaverse novel instead because the potential was *chefs kiss*) <<less

This was so sweet and perfect (altho my smut loving self really wanted to see ML screw MC to the ground lol)

I absolutely love the novel. Both the MC and ML werr so endearing and the way their characters developed were quite realistic. I also like their smal circle of friends. The extras were a nice way to end the novel in a very positive note.

I don't read school theme often because they're young and my old, innocent heart always say it's wrong to have early love, go study more.

And that's what our protagonists do in this book.

I feel annoyed when the ship gone into storm but then I think it through and their worries and troubles are so real. Especially ML's pov. Gosh he's so vulnerable, so sad, so precious. It's so rare to find such kind of MC that's not overbearing and a wife s*ave. And he's what keeps me going until the... more>> end, even loosing one night sleep to cry for him. <<less

Solid 5/5!!! I didn't even get bored while reading this masterpiece!

Just like what other said in the reviews, the story was really realistic. There was family problems, classmates (a-holes), and etc. That really made me cry. But there are more good moments than these so don't hesitate to read.

Unlike some novels, the characters here are well developed, they have different characteristics and will make you remember each of them, which I also love. The relationships betweent the four of them is really solid and loyal (especially Xiaobin, he's really naive... more>> but very loyal 😂). Anyway, I couldn't say much about it because my brain right now is like on a cloud 9 after reading this wonderful story.

Read this! And it will definitely make your mood good (well at first not but you will be in the far chapters 🤭) <<less

4 Stars

Overall

Ahh, the romance is pretty believable! At the beginning, you can really feel that they were just new classmates, to friends with zero romance in between, and then, there will be a random thought in the ML's head that shows a progression of good will towards the MC. I so far have not seen in detail, within the characters' heads, how they fall in love. It was always from the outside perspective or that love was love at first sight *rolls eyes*. For example, the delinquent group is having... more>> a summer camping trip at the beach, it was all high school youths having fun and then the ML just randomly thought, "How can such a good boy be bullied?" XD Overall, this was a sweet high school romance with a more realistic romance development than usual. It was a little short, had some high school bullying and exams and what not but quite nice. The other boys love high school romance I've read is Reborn with an Old Enemy on the Day of our Marriage. That one had more tropes that I prefer, such as wish fulfillment, heartwarming, making better choices in rebirth, and hard work with friends haha. This one doesn't have any rebirth so a significant advantage is automatically gone for me XP. However, character-wise, the couple is definitely cuter, more vulnerable and spunkier because they are actual high school students haha. Also, the cool, strong, tyrant ML is the one in a bad situation and is super vulnerable and finds a safe and loving space with the MC <3

Writing/Translation

The translation I've read is from ThatLazyPotato. The translation is pretty good. Any mistakes are super, super minor and have only happened like, a couple of times. Otherwise, it feels pretty polished.

Pacing

The pacing is pretty smooth, nothing seems rushed or anything. Maybe some actiony events were a liiiitle faster than expected but this way, you also don't feel like it's dragging. So I have no issues.

Plot

The plot is pretty simple. The younger by 2 years from his grade, smart but low EQ at the beginning, MC was bullied at his previous school. We don't know the details. He has transferred to No. 7 high school and is seated next to the scary ML. Then begins the budding relationship between the ML and his group with the MC as brothers and friends. Then, the relationship grows until the college exams in the last chapter. And the extras are from college and beyond.

Themes/What Story Tried to Achieve

This is a pure high school love story. The main couple are really high school kids but there aren't any of those s*upid high school shenanigans that make you roll your eyes in irritation or anything like that. The ML does make s*upid actions that if the author had given any warming, I would have went oh, no, don't do it, it's a bad idea, etc, etc and would have reduced my enjoyment of the story but the author didn't! Basically, we only knew what the ML did when the consequences had reached the MC and then, there was a tense, fast-paced sequence of events that was solved super satisfactorily by the MC with some faceslapping haha. Then, there are no more s*upid actions XD

Characters

The main couple are super likeable! The MC is a cute, surprisingly self-confident shou! He was bullied like that at the beginning but with the help of his first real friends and the ML, he got back his childlike and serious deposition. He's a smart guy because he's 2 years younger than his grade so he really thinks through everything, even if he might have had a low EQ at the beginning. In terms of the romance, he is the initiator and really kept up the momentum hahaha. The poor ML couldn't hold on and surrendered eventually XD He's surprisingly quite spunky.

The ML is the strong, of little words, tyrant big brother type. But also keep in mind, he's only 17 years old so there wasn't any unbelievable prowess or amazing family situation. Compared to the MC, his situation is basically on a whole other lower level haha. He's all alone even when he has relatives. The ML isn't a s*upid gong who during s*x just goes with his d*ck and ignores the other person. In fact, it's kinda the opposite, he has to be the mature person to cool down the excited MC and run away lol. The author also showed him being vulnerable and at his lowest point. The MC comes to his rescue as a safe harbour! Even though the MC is still arguably just a kid XD

The 2 friends are also pretty good. I find that high school yaoi will have good male comradery compared to het high school romance XP. The friends feel real, alive and have some heartwarming scenes. They don't exist just to prop up the main couple or to have roles to advance the story.

The villains are there and they are super ugly but after some time, there is a finale to slap them in the face. I just wish we could have slapped all of them, the bystanders and minor ones too. I also wish we could have seen what happened to the ML's relatives, I wanted to one-up them so much haha but we don't see them in the extras sadly. Like hah, the ML got good grades on the college exams, what about the annoying cousin?? Like authorrrr, you forgot this person to face slappp.

My Created Lists (I include my rating and review in the list itself XD)

• All Novels I've Read Sorted By Rating - Where I ranked every single novel I read on novelupdates.
• Read Novels Modern School Life Ordered by Rating
• Heartwarming or Feel Good or Wholesome Stories I Liked - As stated haha

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Realistic and well developed characters! They are nuanced and it’s not just the basic stereotype where the stepfamily is evil. The ML’s step family has an actual backstory, and while what they are doing is wrong, they feel like real characters. Top 1% of the novels on the website!

This novel is a great experience for someone who is looking for character development and strong personalities. Even the antagonists are portrayed in a gray light that is somewhat refreshing. Both characters acknowledge their mistakes and truly changa. Even the side cp has a good plot on its own. Overall please try this one.

Super fluffy. Though there were some parts that were rather sad for both the MC and ML. Like I just wanna cuddle them both in my embrace 🥲 not that they would appreciate it but yall get my point!

Short but well written story. It was interesting. Not boring at all. Quite well paced so it wasn't hard to binge read them all within a day :> Really enjoyed how they started out as friends and slowly progressed to something more!! Also, I liked that we were able to see the... more>> whole journey, instead of like a time skip or something.

Highly recommended to those who just wanna read a short and cute story, but equally well written! <<less

AHHHHHHHH I LOVE LOVE LOVEEEEE THIS NOVEL SOOO MUCH!! 😭❤️ MC AND ML ARE THE MOST PRECIOUS!!! I WANT GIVE THEM ALL OF THE GOOD THINGS IN THE WORLD 😭❤️

I gotta say that MC and ML have got the most realistic personalities I've ever read in a danmei. They really act like their ages and they reflect their own circumstances in their actions. Gu Qinan is a young naive boy but a very open minded one. Zhan Ming is 2 years older than our GQ but is already mature and... more>> overthinks many thing in his age but it's really because of the circumstances in which he grew up in where he was forced to be independent very early on. Wu Yuan and Lin Xiaobin are also very good characters as well as friends to the two protagonists. I'm really really happy and I very much enjoyed the quartet's friendship and their chemistry to each other. This is a slow romance story and sometimes I get bored if it's slow romance but here I didn't feel the boredom at all. Just reading the interactions of the four just makes it so much enjoyable.

IT'S A MUST READ!!!! <<less

The story is decent. There are scenes that felt realistic to me (especially in the ml's story and some parts in mc's story.)

As for the characters..

The MC is likable for the first 30 chapters until the confession scene. His character really went downhill from there. I hate how pushy he is towards the ML and do not even consider how the other feels. I know that he is naïve and young but sometimes his naivety is too much to the point that it ticks me off.

Also the relationship between... more>> him and the ML feels so unnatural and abrupt. Like the progression of their relationship from being friends to lovers can still be flesh out and improved but oh well... It was really rushed.

Honestly, I feel like they're better off as friends than lovers.

Anyways, I love the ML here. He's probably one of my favourites characters in this story along with his two friends. Their character development is so nice.

The ml's story made me really cry. <<less

So fluffy, wholesome, relatable and realistic. With just the right amount of drama and angst. I loved the MC, initially I thought he was weak but damn did he prove me otherwise. The ML is also so devoted, the side characters were three dimensional. The plot was great and the feels omg the feels hit just right.

The best part was the dynamics between not just the main couple but everyone. I loved the MC's family so much.

Finally, thanks for the story and the translation 🖤

This heart warming story, I love how hard working the ML Zhan Ming and how cute and lovable the MC Gu Qinnan is..

I wanted to read something lighthearted and fluffy, and overall this story fulfilled that want. It had the right amount of angst, and it wasn’t so overly dramatic that turned the conflicts into a spectacle focused on shock factor. Very much a quick and lighthearted read.

I thought I knew what I was getting into until I was filled with so much relatable angst that I cried more even though I wanted to read in order TO NOT FEEL SAD! (ಥ﹏ಥ) I absolutely failed the assignment 😖

But the fluff came to save the day; especially the special specimen of the bromance group.💖🥰💖 I love him so much, I love them ALL so much!!!!!

Very cute. It really was precious. I just love their chemistry and of course the nicknames. I wished there was couple more chapters at the end.

A very sweet, slice of life novel where the MC is bullied in his last school so he goes to another one and meets ML and his friends. From there, you can see their trust and relationship building. A very light and refreshing novel if you want to read something modern and with a HE. I would have loved another extra chapter depicting what their future holds after they both graduate but I could only imagine it being very happy and enduring.

Sweet love and realistic heartbreaking inhumanness! Don't worry though, the seatmate chases all the bad guys away!

Awesome read but yeah ending is lil bit rushed it would be even better if there are more extras like completing University and coming out to MC parents..... Overall this one is worth a read. Rereading this for 2nd time and Whattttt just now I saw that 2 extra chapters damnnnn

Very cute and enjoyable to read. A lot of parts in this story are also realistic. For example, the MC is clever but not u to the point where even if he did not study he will still get no 1 in the whole country. He loves studying and you can actually see how hard he study. The family situation of both parties are also very realistic especially the ML. As the other reader has mentioned, the ending wasn't the best. It's up to the point where I'm only 4... more>> chapters away from the ending (extra excluded) I thought about how they will end this story. Nevertheless, it's still fun to read!

I do want to add the part of the reason why there are a few low reviews. The MC is 15 years old not 17 like the ML or the other two friends. Not only that, he was bullied so much to the extent that he stopped studying for 2 months (for someone who loves studying it's like not being allowed to go out for two months) and had to change his school. This I feel are the reasons why the MC's characteristics are justifiable. <<less