His Obsession Began After Losing Her

Chapter 107 - Another Failed Attempt

"Rin?" Noran found himself seated on the leather couch in his office, a familiar but unexpected weight on his lap.

Shuri was perched on top of him, her legs straddling his thighs as she gazed down at him with a subtle smile playing on her lips. She gently tugged on his tie, her movements slow and deliberate.

"Are you surprised to see me here, Ran?" she asked softly, her voice laced with something that made Noran's heart skip a beat.

It would be a lie if he said he wasn't surprised. Noran knew Shuri's daily routine down to the last detail, and this was completely out of character. Shuri was dedicated to her work, and she wouldn't skip it for anything trivial.

More than that, she preferred to keep a low profile, so the idea of her visiting his office—unannounced, no less—was almost unthinkable.

Even as she smiled at him, there was something off. Her tone, usually warm and inviting, carried a chill that made him uneasy.

Her gaze, though soft, harbored a slight resentment he hadn't seen in her before. Noran had always known Shuri as a gentle soul, especially toward him. This behavior was not just unusual; it was entirely out of character. _{𝖓𝖔𝖛𝔭𝖚𝖇.𝔠𝖔𝔪}

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her a bit closer, trying to read the emotions in her eyes.

"Are you mad at me?" Noran asked, his voice low, the only conclusion he could draw from her bizarre behavior.

Shuri let out a soft chuckle, but there was an edge to it that made him tense.

"You know I will never get mad at you, Rin," Shuri murmured, her fingers trailing down his shirt in a teasing, almost seductive manner.

Her touch was light, but it sent a jolt through him, both arousing and unsettling him at the same time.

"Isn't that why you keep doing things behind my back, hiding secrets from me, and refusing to let me help you?"

Her voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of frustration, even pain, as she continued. "All because you know how much I love you, and that I would never bear to ignore or leave you, especially now, when your life might be in danger..."

Noran's grip on her tightened slightly.

He knew where this was coming from.

He understood why she felt this way, but it didn't make the situation any easier.

The truth was, he didn't want her involved—he couldn't risk her safety, not again.

But hearing the hurt in her voice, knowing he was the cause, twisted something inside him.

Shuri's fingers continued to move, tracing patterns on his chest as if she were trying to provoke a response.

Despite her words, her actions were far from passive.

She was annoyed, maybe even angry, and he couldn't blame her.

After all, she had always been his protector, long before he ever knew the extent of her abilities.

To make matters worse, her divine ability—the one thing that always gave her insight into others—had failed to work on him.

That realization had clearly agitated her.

Noran was the first person she couldn't read, the first mystery she couldn't solve.

Shuri could almost understand why the sadist Sigmund had been so obsessed with both of them, whom he couldn't control with his power.

Like Sigmund, Shuri could feel her obsession with uncovering what lay hidden within Noran.

If Shuri hadn't been obsessed with Noran before, she certainly was now.

Before she could push him further, Noran reached out and gently caught her hand, stopping her from continuing her teasing movements.

His voice was firm, tinged with an urgency that wasn't there before. "Rin, please stay out of this. I've stressed this many times—I don't want you using your ability. Can't you just listen to me?"

After learning more about the nature of divine abilities, Noran's fear of losing Shuri grew more intense. The knowledge that her power could weaken her body to the point of death was a burden he carried heavily.

The memory of losing her once before haunted him, and the thought of it happening again was unbearable.

No matter what he said or did, he knew deep down that Shuri wouldn't listen—she would continue to use her ability to secretly protect him, just as she had in their past life.

In the past, Shuri had kept so many secrets from him, hiding the toll her power took on her health. He had been ignorant of her suffering until it was too late, and the guilt of that ignorance still weighed on him.

Now, knowing how fiercely she loved him, Noran was determined to protect her in return, even if it meant keeping her in the dark.

Shuri's hands rested on his shoulders, her touch both gentle and insistent.

"If you tell me what you've been hiding, I might consider listening to you," she negotiated, her voice soft but resolute.

Noran had expected this.

Shuri was typically accommodating, but he knew better than anyone how stubborn she could be, especially when it came to the people and matters she cared deeply about.

He felt blessed to be the recipient of her unwavering love, but that love also filled him with immense fear—the fear that her deep devotion to him would eventually lead her to leave him.

Noran sighed, his gaze drifting away from hers as he tried to gather his thoughts.

"I've consulted with many reputable mystics, those known for their ability to calculate the future," he began, his voice heavy with the weight of his confession. "But none of them could read mine. So, stop trying to seek them out for answers."

Shuri narrowed her eyes, her suspicion growing. "The ones you sought out must have used conventional divination methods. I'll help you find someone who possesses true foresight."

Noran's eyes snapped back to hers, his expression hardening at her words.

He didn't like where this was heading. "Even if you were to find someone with true foresight," he countered, his voice firm, "do you really think they could read my future when even you have failed to use your ability on me?"

Shuri's playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a serious, contemplative look. "And why can't our abilities work on you, hm?" she asked, her tone demanding an answer.

That was precisely what she wanted to know. Why was he different? Why was he the one person she couldn't read?

"Because I won't allow it," Noran said, his voice steady and commanding. "Just give up, Rin. I won't let you do what you did in our last life."

Shuri frowned, displeased by his answer. If it had been anything else, something that didn't threaten his life or concern his well-being, she might have listened to him or let it go.

But her instincts told her that Noran was entangled in something dangerous, something he was trying to shield her from. And that was a risk she couldn't—and wouldn't—ignore.

The gentle facade Shuri usually maintained cracked, revealing a side of her that she rarely showed. There was a fire in her eyes now, a determination that wouldn't be swayed.

Shuri leaned in closer, her breath brushing against his lips as she whispered, "Oh really? Let's see if you can really do that."

Without waiting for a response, she crashed her lips onto his, her kiss fierce and demanding. It caught Noran off guard, but he didn't resist.

Instead, he allowed her to kiss him passionately, fully aware of what she was trying to do. He knew she intended to use her divine ability through the kiss to break through whatever barrier was keeping her from reading him.

But, just as before, Shuri was met with darkness. Her vision was obscured, and she heard his voice, calm and unwavering, telling her, "Your ability doesn't work on me, Rin. Go back."

An invisible force seemed to push her away, jolting her back to reality. Shuri found herself staring up at Noran, who was now looking down at her with a displeased expression. She mirrored his look, clearly unhappy that her power had failed to work on him once again.

Before she could question him, Noran moved swiftly, capturing her lips in a forceful kiss, silencing her protest.

"Uhm!" Shuri gasped, surprised by the intensity of his kiss as if he were punishing her for defying his orders.

His hands moved with a purpose, gripping her shirt and pulling it down, exposing her skin. Shuri's hands instinctively went to his hair, her fingers tangling in the dark strands as she felt his hand groping her breast, his touch sending shivers down her spine.

His other hand slid behind her, deftly attempting to unhook her bra. Shuri's mind was in turmoil, torn between wanting him to stop because they were in his office, and not wanting him to ever let her go. The conflict raged within her, her body responding to his touch even as her mind tried to stay rational.

"R-Ran..." she managed to moan his name through the heated kisses. It was a plea, a protest, and an invitation all at once. His hand, content with teasing her breast, began to trail down her stomach, slipping between her legs, his lips never leaving hers.

The moment was charged, filled with tension and desire, when suddenly there was a knock on the door.