Chapter 1: The End, and a Beginning
Kasumi never thought death would feel so quiet.
One moment, he was crossing the street, arms full of borrowed books, the soft drizzle painting shadows on the pavement. The next—nothing but silence, like the world had held its breath and forgot to let go.
When he opened his eyes again, he wasn't in Tokyo anymore. He stood in a grand hall, bathed in golden light, where time seemed to twist like ribbons in the air.
"Kasumi Kuroda," a voice called—calm, genderless, ancient. "Your story is not over."
"I'm… dead," he said, blinking at the strange calm that settled in his chest.
"Yes," the voice replied. "But we are offering you a second chance. You may be reborn… inside the novel Hopeless Love."
Kasumi stared, stunned. He knew that book. It was a melodramatic love triangle between two sweet protagonists—Taku and Haru—and their tragic rival, Harumi. A story built to break hearts.
"You will take the role of an anomaly—a variable we are inserting to correct a broken narrative. Your goal is simple: pursue Harumi. If you succeed, the tragic ending will be rewritten."
"…You want me to romance the villain?"
The light shimmered, almost like laughter. "Only by capturing the villain's heart can the story be saved."
And with that, the light exploded in a thousand stars—and Kasumi fell.