RIN'S POV
When people say "youwakeupdeadtired" they usually don't mean it literally. But that's exactly how I felt when I cracked open my eyes and found myself staring at wood. Not just any wood. Polished, dark, smelling faintly of incense.
And it was close — too close.
My breath bounced back at me in the suffocating dark, and when I lifted my hand, it brushed against something smooth and solid just inches from my nose.
I froze.
My sluggish brain tried to piece it together.
Enclosed space. Darkness. Stale air. A lid above me.
Oh no.
"No, no, no, no, no—" I wheezed, palms slapping frantically around me. My nails scraped against the grain of the wood, confirming the horrible suspicion.
"This is a box. This is a coffin. I am in a freaking coffin?!" Panic clawed its way up my throat. My chest tightened. I slammed both fists against the lid and shouted, "HELLO?! Anyone? I'm alive! Don't bury me! Please don't bury me—"
The lid creaked. My arms shook as I shoved it upward, and with a loud groan of wood against metal, the coffin opened. Light stabbed my eyes, so bright I had to squint. For one terrifying heartbeat I thought I really was dead and walking into the afterlife.
Then sound crashed into me.
Crying. Wailing. Whispered prayers. The shuffle of cloth.
My vision cleared, and I realized I was not alone. A half-circle of servants knelt around the coffin, clad in black mourning robes. Their faces were streaked with tears. Some clutched incense sticks, others prayer beads. One woman actually fainted on the spot when she saw me sit up.
"Young... Young Master?!" One servant gasped, voice trembling.
"Young Master... just rose from the dead!" Another shrieked.
The room erupted into chaos.
Someone dropped a tray of candles, and wax splattered across the floor. A man scrambled backward so fast he knocked over a chair. The air filled with the sound of shrieks, gasps, and frantic footsteps. Within seconds, half of them had bolted for the doors, shouting at the top of their lungs.
"The Young Master lives!"
"Ghost! It's a ghost!"
"Summon the Lord General! Quickly!"
I just sat there, slack-jawed, inside my coffin.
"...Huh?"
Slowly, I looked down at myself.
Gone were my work uniform, my cafe apron, my name tag that smelled faintly of espresso. In their place was a white funerary robe, embroidered with delicate silver thread.
My hands were paler, thinner. My wrists looked fragile, almost breakable, like I had been sick for months.
And my reflection — because of course the coffin had been polished to a shine — stared back at me with unfamiliar features.
That wasn't my face.
Sure, there was a resemblance: sharp jaw, slim nose, thin lips. But the eyes weren't mine. They were larger, framed by long lashes, with a faint glimmer of violet and blue hidden in the irises. My hair, too. It wasn't black anymore. It was a muted silver, soft strands falling over my forehead.
My heart skipped. My throat went dry.
"I am... notme."
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
I reached up, tugged a lock of that silver hair between my fingers, then let it fall. It felt real. Everything felt real. The weight of the robe, the chill of the air, the way my body trembled.
I wasn't Rin Takashima anymore. And whoever I was now... I'd just woken up in the middle of my own funeral.
The servants' shrieks echoed down the halls like a stampede of startled pigeons. Doors slammed open, footsteps thundered on polished stone, and I was left sitting half-upright in a coffin, blinking like an idiot.
"Okay." I muttered to no one in particular. "I've had some bad Mondays, but this one takes the cake."
The air shifted. Heavy. Pressured.
I turned — and that's when I saw him.
He burst through the doorway with such force the hinges rattled. His armor was scuffed, his cape dirtied, as though he'd sprinted straight from a battlefield. White hair stuck to his forehead with sweat, his chest heaving from the run. And yet, even in exhaustion, he was beautiful.
Not the model-pretty kind. No. This was something else — sharp, striking, protagonist-coded beautiful. His posture screamed discipline, his jawline could cut glass, and his eyes — oh god, his eyes — burned with a desperate, tear-bright light as they landed on me.
"Eon." His voice cracked.
Before I could so much as open my mouth, he lunged forward. His gauntlets clattered as he tore them off, then he gripped me by the shoulders and pulled me into a crushing embrace.
I choked. "H-Hey—!"
"You're alive." He whispered against my hair, his breath ragged. His arms shook around me, trembling as though he couldn't believe I was solid. "You're really alive. I thought I'd lost you forever."
I froze. My brain did a hard reboot.
Lost? Alive? Eon?
That was my name now?
"Uh..." I managed, awkwardly patting his armored shoulder. "Yeah. Surprise?"
He pulled back just enough to look at me.
Tears clung stubbornly to his lashes, but he smiled — radiant, broken, relieved all at once. It was the kind of smile that would make fangirls combust in the first five pages of a romance novel.
And suddenly it hit me.
This guy. He wasn't just anyone.
This was Aion.
The Aion. The main character of The General and His Lovers.
Which meant—
"Oh no." I whispered. "Oh no, no, no, no—"
"Eon?" He asked gently, cupping my face like I was glass.
I opened my mouth to respond and then—
"Yo, Rin."
I flinched so hard I nearly headbutted Aion. My eyes darted upward.
Floating just above Aion's shoulder, half-phased through the wall like a smug little ghost, was him. Silver hair, lazy grin, pale eyes glittering with mischief.
Nao.
"YOU?!" I hissed, pointing like a lunatic.
Aion followed my gaze — to nothing. He frowned. "Eon, what's wrong?"
Nao waggled his fingers in a casual wave. "Don't mind me. Just dropping by. We will talk later."
"Later—?! No, hold on, what the hell is going—"
DING.
A glowing rectangle blinked into existence before my eyes. Like a floating computer screen, shimmering gold letters scrolling across the dark background.
[ WELCOME, PLAYER! ]
Initializing Character Data...
[ RINTAKASHIMA ]
Age: 26
Occupation: Part-time barista, full-time disaster.
Special Skills: Sarcasm, late shifts, dungeon grinding.
Current Status: Transmigrated.
[ NEWROLEUNLOCKED ]
EON — Young Master, sibling of Aion.
Condition: Recently deceased.
My jaw dropped. My stomach lurched like I'd swallowed spoiled milk.
"You have got to be kidding me."
Aion's brows knitted. "Eon? Are you in pain? Speak to me!"
I glanced at him, then back at the screen. Aion couldn't see it — obviously.
"Not pain." I muttered weakly. "Just overwhelming secondhand embarrassment."
Nao smirked wider, clearly enjoying my meltdown. Then, like a cat that had knocked something off a table and was satisfied with the chaos, he faded away. The glowing screen flickered once more, then dimmed at the edges.
My vision swam. My head throbbed.
"Eon!" Aion shouted, shaking me.
And then the world tilted. Darkness slammed into me like a sledgehammer.
Out cold. Again.
---
When I opened my eyes again, I was moved to a ridiculous canopy bed. The velvet curtains were drawn back just enough for the sunlight to stab me right in the eyeballs.
I groaned and threw an arm over my face.
"Eon! You're awake." The voice came immediately, warm and too close.
When I peeked out from under my arm, I nearly flinched.
Aion — The man whose face could easily land on the cover of a bestselling romance novel — was sitting beside the bed.
His hair, the color of white, caught the light in a way that made it look like the sun personally sponsored him. His sharp yet gentle eyes softened the moment they locked onto me, brimming with relief.
If there was ever a character designed to scream main protagonist aura, it was this guy.
And he was dabbing a cool cloth against my forehead like I was the most precious porcelain vase in existence. "You've been unconscious for hours." He said, his voice thick with concern. "I thought... I thought I'd lost you again."
Again? Right. Because "Eon" the sickly younger brother, was supposed to be dead.
I, Rin Takashima, Tokyo coffee shop part-timer, should have been happily snoozing in my cramped apartment after my shift. Instead, I got an unwanted coffin nap and this clingy golden retriever of a brother.
Still, the way Aion fussed over me, smoothing back my sweaty hair, adjusting the sheets, checking my pulse like he'd gone to medical school in his spare time.
It did something to me. My chest tightened. Not in the "oh no, heart attack" way, but in the "wow, this is weirdlynice" way.
Back home, the closest thing I got to familial affection was my mom reminding me not to slack on rent. Here, I had a brother who looked like he'd wrestle the Grim Reaper just to keep me breathing.
"Uh." I croaked, my throat dry as sandpaper. "You don't have to hover, you know."
"I do." He met my gaze so earnestly it made me want to curl up and hide. "I can't leave your side right now. Not after what happened." His hand lingered on mine, gripping tightly, as if letting go would make me disappear again.
For a second, I didn't know what to do.
This wasn't my life, my family, my brother.
But warmth seeped through his touch, loosening something that had been knotted inside me for years.
Stopit, Rin. I told myself. Don't get attached. You're not even supposed to be here.
Before I could decide whether to yank my hand away or awkwardly pat his, a knock sounded at the door
"My lord." A servant's voice called, muffled through the wood. "You are being summoned to the Main Palace. The council requires your presence immediately."
Aion let out a soft sigh, clearly reluctant. He turned back to me, brushing my hair from my forehead with a tenderness that was criminally unfair. "I will have to go." He said. "But you need to rest, Eon. Don't get up, don't strain yourself. Just sleep. I will send someone to watch over you."
I blinked at him. "I don't need a babysitter."
"Yes, you do." His tone brooked no argument.
For a guy who looked like he could model for angel statues, he could really pull off the strict older brother act. Before I could sass back, he leaned closer, his expression softening again. "I will ask Tyrant to guard you until I return. He's the only one I trust."
Tyrant? Oh right.
The lieutenant, his second-in-command. One of the main capture targets.
Fantastic. More hassle incoming.
Aion squeezed my hand one last time, then stood. The long, flowing cape of his uniform swished dramatically as he moved toward the door. Even his exit was cinematic.
"Rest well, Eon." He said firmly. "When I return, I want to see you smiling."
And then he was gone.
The heavy oak door clicked shut behind him, leaving me alone in the oversized bedroom.
I exhaled, tension draining from my shoulders. "What the hell is my life right now?" I muttered to myself.
Of course, that was the cue.
A soft ripple shimmered in the air, and from the corner of the room, a silver-haired figure materialized. He is leaning back casually like he owned the place.
Nao. The floating nuisance.
"Yo, Rin." He said with a grin far too cheeky for my comfort. "Finally ditched your overprotective big bro, huh?"
I sat up slightly, glaring at him. "You again! You almost gave me a heart attack earlier."
"That's on you, not me." He twirled mid-air like he was swimming in invisible water, then flopped onto his stomach in the air, chin in hands. "Man, you look so pale. Guess coffins aren't as comfy as futons, huh?"
I groaned, dragging a pillow over my face. "This has to be a dream. Or sleep paralysis. Or a very committed prank show."
Nao's laugh was light and unbothered. "Oh, buddy. You wish."
The system screen flickered faintly behind him again, just out of reach.
[ SYSTEMACTIVE ]
PLAYER: RIN TAKASHIMA.
STORYPROGRESSION: 3%
Great. So not only was I stuck in some fantasy novel hell, but now I had a snarky hologram roommate. And Aion had just promised to sic "Tyrant" on me as a glorified babysitter.
Could this get any worse?
The door had barely shut behind Aion when I tore the pillow off my face and sat up, glaring at the floating menace.
"You. Start talking."
Nao blinked innocently at me, which was infuriating considering the fact that he was literally hovering three feet above the carpet like gravity didn't apply. His silver hair shimmered faintly, and those fox-like eyes of his curved in amusement.
"What's with the hostility?" He asked, sprawling in midair as if it were a hammock. "Your beloved big bro just left, you're finally alone, and this is the warm welcome I get?"
"Yes." I snapped. "Because apparently I woke up in someone else's body, crawled out of a coffin, and now there's a snarky ghost haunting me. So forgive me if I am a little touchy right now!"
He chuckled, not the least bit fazed. "Not a ghost. Think of me more as your personal system guide. Cute upgrade package included, of course."
"System guide?" I echoed, narrowing my eyes. "Like in a video game?"
"Bingo!" He snapped his fingers, and a glowing screen popped up in front of me.
[ PLAYER: RINTAKASHIMA ]
CHARACTERSLOT: EON, SICKLY BROTHER
CONDITION: Alive (miraculously).
MAINMISSION: Complete the story.
The screen sparkled as if it were proud of itself.
I gawked. "This is a joke. It has to be."
"No joke." Nao twirled lazily, his voice sing-song. "You're Rin Takashima, twenty-six, dead-end job in a coffee shop, light novel enthusiast with a tendency to binge until sunrise. Ringing any bells?"
I froze. "Don't. Don't you dare pull my internet history into this."
He smirked. "Sure, sure." He waved a hand, dismissive. "Point is, you opened the book, and the next thing you know — bam! New world. New identity. Congrats, you're the tragic younger brother, Eon. Originally supposed to be six feet under by now."
I stared at him, words tangling in my throat.
"This is insane. Why me?"
"Fate? Luck? Bored gods?" Nao shrugged. "Not my department. I am just here to keep you on track."
The screen flickered again, lines of glowing text shifting into place.
[ ROUTEOPTIONSUNLOCKED ]
• Harem Route
• Solitary Route
• ???
I squinted at it. "Wait. HaremRoute?"
"Ah, yes." Nao perked up, clearly enjoying himself. "The main attraction. Your dear brother, Aion, was originally the protagonist of this story, right? But since you showed up, things shifted. Now you've got the potential to trigger a romance route. Multiple romance routes, actually."
I felt my soul leave my body.
"You're telling me, I am the harem protagonist?"
"Yep." He popped the "p" cheerfully.
"No." I shook my head so hard my vision blurred. "Nope. Not happening. Absolutely not. I am not signing up for some messy, knife-at-the-throat, obsessive love polygon. Do you know what happens in those stories? Someone always gets stabbed!"
Nao's grin widened. "Smart man. Because you are not entirely wrong."
Another window unfolded, bright red text flashing ominously.
[ HAREMROUTEENDINGS ]
• GOODEND: Everyone loves you, you live happily ever after, rolling in love and wealth.
• BADEND: Everyone loves you too much, obsession spirals, bloodbath ensues. Eon dies.
The words Eon dies glared at me like neon signs in a dark alley.
"So you're saying—" I said slowly, my stomach sinking, "If I trip too many romance flags, I could end up dead."
"Precisely!" Nao clapped, delighted. "The harem is both your ticket to paradise and your guillotine. Thrilling, isn't it?"
"Thrilling, my ass!" I shot to my feet, wobbling a little because apparently this body had not done cardio in forever. "So what, I just have to avoid romance altogether? Shut down every single one of these capture targets?"
"Technically, yes. But..." Nao's eyes gleamed mischievously. "Good luck with that."
I scowled. "Why?"
"Because they're already coded to like you. Every smile, every word, every accidental trip-and-fall into their arms raises that heart meter you saw earlier."
He tapped the screen, and a faint pink heart appeared, floating above an empty silhouette. It pulsed faintly, like it was waiting.
I rubbed my temples. "No. No, no, no. I am not doing this. I refuse. I am starting my own operation. Operation: NoToHarem."
Nao blinked, then burst out laughing. "You're giving it a name?"
"Yes." I snapped. "Because if I finish this stupid story without triggering the bad ending, you said I get a reward, right? A wish?"
"That's the deal."
"Then I'm going home. Rich. Retired. With enough money to never make another latte again."
I jabbed a finger at him. "So listen up, system. I don't care what fate or coding or tropes are stacked against me. I am not falling into your dumb harem death trap. Operation: No To Harem starts now."
Nao floated closer, smirking ear to ear. "Bold. I like it. But Rin..." He leaned in until his silver hair brushed my cheek, his voice low and teasing. "Don't underestimate how fast hearts can fill."
As if on cue, the bedroom door swung open. I jolted, spinning toward it, heart leaping into my throat. And there, framed in the doorway, was a massive shadow of a man.
Nao winked. "Speak of the devil."
---
The man who entered was less "man" and more "mountain with armor."
Broad shoulders, heavy boots, a presence that filled the entire room the moment he crossed the threshold. His brown hair was a little disheveled, as though he had run here straight from the training grounds, and his cloak — black with the silver insignia of the General's knights — swung wide as he
strode toward me.
I didn't even get the chance to speak before I was crushed against his chest.
"Ugh!" My ribs creaked. I was half-convinced I had just re-entered the coffin.
But then I realized: This wasn't just a suffocating bear hug. It was shaking. His arms trembled around me, iron grip betraying a raw, desperate emotion.
"Don't you dare." He muttered into my shoulder, voice deep and gravelly, "Don't you dare scare us like that again. I swear, I will protect you better this time. Just — just don't go dying on us again.
The warmth seeped through the armor and into me. For someone built like a fortress, his embrace carried the fragility of someone clutching a lifeline.
I froze.
My brain screamed at me to push him away, to avoid any situation that might trigger the dreaded romance flags. But my body leaned. Just a little.
The word slipped out before I could stop it.
"Sorry."
I don't know if it was me, Rin Takashima, speaking, or if it was the original Eon, whose body I was borrowing. But the apology tumbled past my lips anyway, quiet and broken, like it had been waiting for years. His grip tightened.
For a heartbeat, I swore he was on the verge of breaking apart right there.
And then, like a bad comedy sketch, the screen popped up in the corner of my vision.
DING.
[ TYRANT— KNIGHT LIEUTENANT ]
AffectionMeter: 💛 30%
"..."
My jaw dropped.
Above his very real, very broad head, a pink, glowing heart appeared with an audible ding.
I gawked at it. "Wait — what? Thirty percent?!"
Nao's disembodied voice snickered in my ear. "Congrats, buddy. You've just unlocked your first capture target."
I hissed under my breath. "I didn't even do anything!"
"Exactly." Nao purred, invisible to everyone else. "That's how much he already loved Eon to begin with. You just existing is enough to bump him into the danger zone."
Danger zone indeed.
I was being smothered by a tank disguised as a man, and now there was a neon sign over his head screaming potential yandere boyfriend material. This was not how I pictured my life when I begged the universe for a break from coffee shop shifts.
"Tyrant." I managed, my voice strangled against his chest plate. "Air. I need air."
He pulled back immediately, guilt flashing across his face. His hand, massive and calloused, cupped my cheek with surprising gentleness. "You really scared me." He said, eyes burning with sincerity. "When they said you... I couldn't forgive myself. I should have been there. I should have protected you."
My brain short-circuited. What was I supposed to do with this level of raw emotion being dumped on me five minutes after waking from the dead?
"I tripped." I blurted.
He blinked. "What?"
"I tripped. And fell. Into the coffin."
His expression said he did not buy it for a second, but instead of pressing, his thumb brushed my cheekbone in a way that made the heart above his head pulse brighter.
Nao howled with laughter in my skull. "Oh my god. Look at you, speedrunning your way into his affections. Operation: No To Harem? More like Operation: Too Late!"
"Shut up." I muttered under my breath.
Tyrant frowned. "Did you say something?"
"Nothing!" I squeaked, wrenching myself out of his grasp and scooting back against the pillows like a cornered rabbit. "Just — uh — don't worry about me. I am fine. Totally fine. You can stand over there."
But of course, he didn't.
He planted himself in a chair right next to the bed, arms crossed, eyes never leaving me. His presence was heavy but strangely comforting, like a watchdog refusing to let me out of sight.
Great. Now I had a human tank stationed by my bedside.
I could practically hear Nao's smug grin. "And thus begins the first route. Tick-tock, Rin. Tick-tock."
I buried my face in the blanket and groaned.
Operation: NoToHarem was already off to a catastrophic start.