Wanted to play a game with just the one friend I could find who was willing to play this with me, I figured we could queue together in DF or play 2 people and 2 NPCs.

Nope, you either queue solo or with a group of 4. No middle ground, no option to play part NPC and part players or even an option to just queue via DF as a duo.

Maybe this is popular enough in Japan to just group up, but I was laughed out of my ls when I asked if anyone wanted to do a group game of mahjong.