His Obsession Began After Losing Her-Chapter 40: No Longer the Same

"Gasp!"

Shuri opened her eyes, jumped up, and sat up quickly.

Her eyes, wide with surprise, darted around.

She recognized the familiar ceiling and furniture around her.

It was her own room.

"That dream again..."

For the past ten years, she had been tormented by the same dream.

In it, she was trapped near a pit of fire, desperately embracing the man she loved, begging someone to save him as he lay dying before she plunged into deep darkness.

It was a recurring nightmare, one that left her waking in a cold sweat.

The image of her beloved soaked in blood still haunted her every day, his perfectly handsome features losing life.

"Ran," she breathed his name, pulling her knees to her chest and hugging them tightly.

"Why can't I just forget you," she sobbed quietly.

Ten years ago, she woke up in the same manner, drenched in sweat and terror, but with the bewildering realization that she was back in time.

At first, she thought she was dreaming, but as the minutes passed, she began to understand that it was real.

Her first instinct was to find Noran.

She needed to know that he was safe.

However, when she saw her parents, alive and well, she broke down and cried.

The relief and joy of seeing them again overwhelmed her.

She remembered Madam Faye's words: "Every human is destined to die, but the how and when of it is never predestined because the world is filled with abnormalities."

Yes, she was one of the abnormalities of the world.

Didn't coming back in time prove this?

So, she made up her mind to prevent her parents' death.

As she embraced her parents, a sudden realization struck her.

She couldn't see their auras, nor anyone else's.

Not only that, she couldn't peer into people like before.

She had lost her divine ability.

Was this because Madam Faye took her divine ability back then in exchange for saving Noran's life?

The answer didn't matter.

Her only concern now was to keep her parents safe and to meet Noran again.

Shuri remembered the day her parents died due to faulty car brakes.

Determined to change their fate, she decided to act swiftly.

She convinced her father to take the car for a thorough inspection, using the excuse of hearing strange noises.

When the mechanic confirmed the brake issue, they replaced the faulty part immediately.

Her parents were saved, and from that day on, their fate changed.

So did hers.

Because her parents didn't die, she and Karlene didn't need to drop out of school to take over their café.

Her father, Linus Lee, ran a simple café while her mother, Hana Ohara, was a housewife.

Her family was neither wealthy nor poor, living a comfortable, average life in Sol City, half a globe away from New Valley City where Noran was.

Attending Noran's performances and meeting him in New Valley City wasn't cheap, and Shuri didn't have the money.

So, after school, she would help out with her dad's café.

Using her knowledge of future trends, she gave him tips to help the business grow.

She suggested introducing popular coffee trends she knew would become hits.

"Dad, you should try making cold brew coffee with a twist. Add some citrus flavors; it'll be a big hit soon," she advised one evening.

Her father looked at her skeptically but decided to give it a try.

The new citrus cold brew became a local favorite.

Encouraged by their success, Shuri suggested more innovations.

"How about we introduce matcha lattes? They're going to be very popular," she said.

Soon, the café's menu expanded, including trendy drinks that attracted more customers.

Her father's innovations didn't stop there.

Inspired by Shuri's ideas, he created a unique drink: Blue Coffee, made with butterfly pea flower and a hint of lavender.

The vibrant blue color and refreshing taste made it an instant sensation.

As the café's success soared, Linus rebranded his café and named it Co.Lee.

As the newly revamped café began to open its first chain, it provided Shuri with the resources she needed.

Though her family's circumstances improved, her longing to see Noran remained.

Shuri was relieved when she first found Noran's video online.

It was the same younger version of him that she saw in her first life, performing at his debut.

She watched as he gradually became popular and couldn't wait to meet him.

He was like her calling.

So, after saving up for more than a year, she managed to book a flight to New Valley, but she didn't manage to secure a ticket to the Global Orchestra Concert where Noran would be making his first appearance as a guest soloist.

The tickets had sold out quickly, with fans and music enthusiasts from all over clamoring to attend the grand event.

Despite her best efforts, she couldn't get a ticket through official channels or secondary markets.

However, that didn't stop her from going; she hoped to catch a glimpse of him outside of his performance.

That night, she arrived at the Virtuoso Grand Hall, the very place where Noran had confessed his love to her during their first life.

The memories flooded back, sweet and poignant, but this time it was different.

She wasn't his VIP, but just a mere fan among all his fans crowding around and waiting to meet him.

As the excitement built and the crowd grew thicker, Shuri strained to catch a glimpse of Noran.

But the sea of people made it impossible to see beyond the swarm of eager fans when he arrived.

Feeling a wave of disappointment, Shuri recalled a secret backdoor that Noran had once shown her.

It was an exit used by staff and authorized personnel to avoid the public eye.

Determined, she made her way around the building, searching for that location.

She found a narrow alleyway leading to a private car park.

She managed to sneak past the security guards when they were changing shifts and hid behind a row of cars nearby.

She waited there, hoping for a chance to meet him.

After more than three hours of waiting, her patience was rewarded.

She saw Noran step out into the private car park, accompanied by two bodyguards and his manager.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt a rush of emotions flood through her, causing her to lose her breath.

She stepped forward anxiously and called out, "Ran!"

Her call caught his attention.

He turned towards her, and their eyes met.

The bodyguards moved to intercept her, but her eyes remained locked on Noran's. At that moment, a wave of despair crashed over her—his gaze was empty, devoid of emotion when he looked at her.

He didn't recognize her.

"This area is restricted. How did you get in here, girl?" one of the bodyguards who blocked her demanded.

"I need to see Ran, please," Shuri pleaded, trying to make her way through the bodyguards.

"No fans are allowed to go near Mr. Kingston," the bodyguard said sternly, pushing her away to keep her from approaching Noran.

The shove, though not forceful, was enough to make Shuri, who was very petite, lose her balance and fall to the ground.

"Stop," Noran called out to the bodyguard, his voice firm.

He approached Shuri, who was still on the ground, and bent down, his expression softening with concern.

"Are you alright, Miss?"

Miss?

Shuri looked up at him, her heart aching at how he addressed her.

Even without her ability, she recognized his gaze—it was the look he gave strangers.

He was helping her out of courtesy, not because he truly cared about her.

This realization hurt her deeply, and tears began to form in her eyes.

Through the mist, she continued to stare at his empty gaze, which suddenly began to soften when he saw her crying.

"Miss, are you hurt?" Noran asked, his voice tinged with slight anxiety when he saw her tears.

"Can you stand?" He reached out his hand to her.

Shuri stared at him for a while longer, then she looked at his hand before shaking her head.

She couldn't find her voice to talk to him.

Instead, she reached into her bag and pulled out the small gift she had made for him—a neatly wrapped package of Noran cookies.

With trembling hands, she placed the gift in his palm.

Noran looked at the package in surprise and then back at her.

Shuri, unable to bear the weight of the moment, stood up on her own, wiping her tears as she did.

"I... I made these for you," she finally managed to whisper, her voice barely audible.

"Thank you."

However, before Noran could get a closer look at the gift, his manager, Simon, stepped forward and took the package from his hand.

"I'll keep this safe for you, Mr. Noran," Simon said briskly. "We need to go now; you have an important meeting to attend."

Realizing that Noran looked a little hesitant, as if he wanted to make sure she was alright before leaving, Shuri took a step back with an aching heart.

"I wish you happiness," she said her last words, giving him a small, sad smile before turning away and walking towards the exit.

Noran watched her go, and for some reason, his heart felt heavy, but he didn't know why.

Shuri ended up running, her vision blurred with tears until she got out of the car park.

She didn't know where she was, but she finally stopped at a quiet corner.

There, the dam broke, and she started crying out loud.

The sobs wracked her body, each one more painful than the last.

It hurt...

It hurt so much!

The anguish of seeing him again, yet not truly having him, was unbearable.

Her wails echoed in the deserted street, the sound of her heartbreak laid bare.

It was a grief so deep and raw that it felt like a part of her soul was being torn away.

Through her tears, the realization hit her hard: this wasn't the same as before.

Everything had changed.

He had changed.

"He's no longer my Ran," she whispered to herself, the words cutting through her heart like a knife.

She understood now that this was a goodbye, a farewell to the life they once shared.

As much as it hurt, she wanted him to live a good life, not to suffer the way he had in their previous life.

She wanted him to be free from the burdens of their past.

And so, she made the excruciating decision to let him go, to forget him.

This realization tore at her even more, and she wept harder, the pain of her loss consuming her.

She cried until she had no tears left, her body exhausted from the intensity of her grief.