"What are you saying?" Shuri's voice cracked. "You can't die! I won't let you die again—"
"Rin, I didn't die back then..." Noran cut her off, his anguished eyes locking onto her tearful ones. "You were the one who died and left me..."
His words struck her like a blow.
"I... I left you..."
The realization crashed over her like a tidal wave.
Shuri had never considered her own death, always consumed by anxiety over his safety.
She didn't realize the enormous pain her death had caused him.
He held her gently but firmly, his hands trembling as he leaned over and rested his head on her shoulder.
His voice was raw and broken as he muttered, "... And now you want to leave me again. W-Why, Rin?"
At that moment, Shuri didn't know how to respond.
She realized that her repeated nightmares had blinded her to his perspective.
She was constantly terrified of losing him, not realizing he had already endured a life where she was gone.
Then it suddenly dawned upon her.
