friends who pretend to be lovers; pretend lovers
Wasei-eigo term for a pair of friends who act like a couple, often to avoid unwanted attention or to fit in socially.
wasei-eigo (Japanese-coined English), from camouflage friend
At the group date, we pretended to be a couple.
To deal with a stalker, she's playing pretend lovers with a male friend.
Variant with interpunct; less common but still seen.
Wasei-eigo from English 'camouflage' + 'friend'. The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely emerged in Japanese youth culture to describe a social strategy.