So I've always liked shoujo-ai. I'd thought I could jump into a yaoi. But I didn't like seeing two buff manly guys with big shoulders grinding each other. I also didn't like how the couple only seemed to be together because of lust and sex, not love, and in this case not even like.

So could anyone recommend a good shounen-ai for beginners? I'm not against yaoi recommendations but I'd like to ease my way into this genre. I'm always a sucker for friends becoming lovers. Would prefer if 1 or both the guys were on the feminine side. Something similar to Sasameki Koto would be nice.

Well, let's start off with a manga every yaoi fan knows Seven Days!

Thanks for the suggestion, Number1. I just finished reading it. Pretty short read but it's what I'm looking for. Any other suggestions?

I'm going to say a bit hopefully they aren't too much for someone trying to ease their way into these two genres.
Shounen Ai
Koyubi wa Amaku Sasayaku
Kimi ga Terasu Koi no Hikari
Gravitation I think my first.
Ghost! I can't remember much about it, other than I use to try to get others to read it in the past, and it's nowhere near the kind of stuff I currently read.

**Yaoi **
Kimi Note
Jouzetsuna Yubi
Junketsu Drop
Dear Green: Hitomi no Ounowa and the sequel.
Kimi ni Sasayaku Mirai actually I enjoyed a lot of the manga by NAONO Bohra
Hidoi Otoko.
Love Mode This may be too much, but it's worth reading IMO if you're ready?
≠ - Not Equal Same as the comment above.
Yubisaki de Ai o Katare
Yume no Kodomo
After Morning Love
G-Senjou no Neko

I hope some of these aren't too extreme for you, and that you enjoy them.

Yes yes, I know I make longwinded comments, but that's just me >.<
I should proof read my comments more, but I won't...
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Little Butterfly strongly recommended
Sono Yubi Dake ga Shitte Iru strongly recommended
Rin!
Sorenari ni Shinken nandesu.
Hana wa Saku ka strongly recommended
Ikumen After
Koi no Yamai ni Tsukeru Kusuri
Tonari no Kare
Tenohira no Seiza
Lucky Number 13
Yellow

second Seven Days and Dear Green: Hitomi no Ounowa + older sequel

Shonen-ai
Kanjou Spectrum
Seven Days
Slow Starter (ICHIKAWA Kei) (this is specially recommended, I really like it)

Light Yaoi

None of the following are set in a school environment; none of them involves childhood friends or anything of the sort (well, not in a blatant way):
Merry Checker
Doushitemo Furetakunai (just one graphic scene, not explicit, and it's quite heartbreaking)
Koujitsusei no Tobira (has a few graphic scenes in the beginning but nothing terribly hardcore)

Again, not school-setting but the characters are younger than in the previous works: Non Tea Room (first story)

This one starts with the characters in school [with childhood friends] but there's a time skip: Shiranai Kao (ch1-3; skip the rest, they are quite bad and more explicit).

It's the Art of Time, it's the Art of Life--
Of the player and the craftsman,
Of the writer of songs, of the creator of love,
Of those who will follow, of those who led,
There's no other way in the world ahead ♥

Complex should be just right for what you want. Childhood friends become lovers through a very natural depiction of romance. Aside from that bit in the first chapter, it's mostly shounen ai with subtle yaoi.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I'll start checking them out right now.

Second Gravitation. I'll just add a few. These are all yaoi except as noted.

Hachimitsu Darling - very sweet gradual love story between a gentle-hearted young man and a gruff veterinarian who takes him in.
Kimi wo Mukaeni - friends become lovers
Honki Ja Nee Kara
Tea for Two - very funny

If you want something with more plot, try these:
Koori no Mamono no Monogatari, shounen-ai
FAKE
Mezase Hero!
My Life with You

I just want to add that I don't like shounen-ai all that much - I want them to get to the point.
🤣 So if I'd started with only shounen-ai, I think I'd have found it boring.