Rin Lee died doing what he did best: working unpaid overtime.
At least, that's what the HR report would say. His coworkers would tell the tale differently — of how they found him slumped over his desk, one hand gripping a spilled energy drink, the other clutching a mouse that had long since stopped responding. His monitor glowed with half‑finished code and an open webcomic tab.
If he'd had a few more seconds, he might've closed the comic. But fate, caffeine, and crunch schedules don't negotiate .
"AHHH, how I will know the end of the story?? Will the General end the world? But our sweet mage die for him, AHH WHYY DID I DIEEE?!?!?!? WHAT I WILL DO NOW? IS SOO DARK!!! I'M SCARE OF DARKENEESSS!!!... Wait..that's mean...I'm really dead? Fuck I WILL JUST SLEEP, THIS IS JUST A DREAM!!! YEAH, PERFECT, I WILL DO LIKE THIS! GOOD NIGHT!!
...Okay," he muttered. "Weird dream."
When Rin opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw was… sky. Not the gray, fluorescent ceiling of his office, but a brilliant stretch of blue, dotted with clouds that looked like cotton candy.
"Did I drink to much energy drink? Maybe I need to stop, HAHA, I'm starting to see crazy stuff right now. I'm at work, I need to see my PC."
Then he sat up — and realized he was lying in the middle of a glowing meadow. Flowers shimmered like pixels on a loading screen. Somewhere on the horizon, a castle shimmered under two suns.
Definitely not home.
Rin blinked. "WHAT IS THIS?!?!?! Did I—? No. No way. I'm not in an isekai. That only happens to—"
[Welcome, Host!]
A blue, holographic window materialized in front of him.
[You have been selected by the BL System™.]
[Complete your romantic missions to advance the story.]
[Failure will result in immediate tragic death.]
Rin stared. "...BL? As in… boys' love?"
[Clarifying: Emotional‑bond progression between designated male characters = story completion!]
"...Oh, no. No, no, no. Nope." He tried waving it away, but the window followed, bobbing beside his head like a clingy phone notification.
[Tutorial begins!]
"Pass. I don't do this at all. I'm straight!!!!"
[Option invalid.]
"Force quit."
[Command not recognized.]
"Alt‑F4, you shiny stalker!"
The system beeped cheerfully. Boop!
[Mission 1: Locate the Male Lead.]
[Hint: He approaches.]
A low rumble echoed across the meadow. The wind sharpened with the scent of ash and ozone.
Rin turned — and froze.
A figure emerged from the smoke where the grass had blackened, tall and cloaked in crimson and shadow. Black horns curled from his temples, catching the sunlight like onyx. His eyes burned a molten gold.
The supposed "Male Lead," apparently.
"Well," Rin whispered. "He definitely doesn't look like a tax accountant."
The man stopped a few paces away, gaze locking onto Rin with unsettling intensity. "So… the summoning worked." His voice was deep, smooth, absolutely unfair. "You are... my destined consort?"
Rin blinked once. Twice. "Excuse me, what now?"
[New objective unlocked: Fluster the Male Lead.]
[Reward: +10 favorability points.]
"WHAT KIND OF GAME IS THIS?!" Rin yelled skyward.
The system only beeped again, delighted.