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This light novel is inspired by the beautiful landscapes and cultures of Bolivia and South Korea. However, the characters, events, and situations portrayed are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real persons, places, or events is purely coincidental. This content does not intend to represent or reflect the historical, social, or cultural reality of either country. The author disclaims any legal liability arising from the interpretation of these elements.
Chapter 3 – Collision and Backpack Swap
Two identical backpacks hit the floor at the same time.
– For the love of God! – she exclaimed, looking down, quickly bending to pick up hers…
and at that moment, she felt someone crouching in front of her.
When she looked up, she saw a tall, very handsome young man with striking Asian features and a furrowed brow.
White shirt rolled up, linen pants, Italian shoes.
He looked like a magazine model… except for the irritation in his eyes.
They stared at each other for a second and, distracted, picked up the wrong backpack.
***
Ryu Kang hated standing in line, especially at foreign airports.
He had just finished a video call with his brother, who had been teasing him about how the great family CEO had to go to Bolivia to get married for business reasons.
He had agreed—but without enthusiasm.
What he hadn't expected was to be run into by a woman more hurried than polite.
Ryu stood up, took a precise step back, straightening his shoulders instinctively.
He looked down to check if his jacket had shifted, then looked up, narrowing his eyes just slightly.
– Could you watch where you're going? – Ryu said, in perfectly cold English.
– Excuse me? You stepped in my way! – Zayra replied, unfiltered,
swallowing the anxiety that had been choking her since saying goodbye to Catherine.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and muttered under her breath in Spanish:
– ¡Mire por dónde camina, idiota! Estoy cargando con el peso del mundo y usted está ahí como una estatua.
(Watch where you're walking, idiot! I'm carrying the weight of the world and you're just standing there like a statue.)
Ryu smiled sarcastically and answered in decent Spanish, with a slight Korean accent:
– ¿Está prohibido mirar el teléfono mientras se espera en la fila? No sabía que eso fuera un crimen por aquí.
(Is it forbidden to look at your phone while waiting in line? I didn't know that was a crime around here.)
She blinked. Spanish? At first, she frowned angrily… then with absolute embarrassment.
– Bah! – she muttered, trying to reclaim a shred of dignity.
– Totally out of place!
***
He pressed his lips together—a habit he had when things didn't go as planned.
She adjusted her backpack, passed by him.
As if the boarding gate were a runway for models with contained fury,
she lifted her chin, pressed her lips, and walked with quick, purposeful steps.
Only, in her rush, she almost knocked over a safety cone.
She pretended it was part of an improvised choreography and kept walking, as if nothing had happened.
Ryu watched her walk away and wondered what kind of woman she was.
In his mind, she was chaos in jeans and messy hair.
He hated chaos. But… why did he feel a flicker of warmth that didn't come from the sun?
He exhaled, lifted the backpack with his hands, and prepared to board the plane.
He just wanted to get to Santa Cruz, make his parents happy, and find a way out of this unwanted engagement.
Inside the backpack he held rested a locket with a Toborochi flower.
Inside hers… a gift that could change her life.
Neither of them knew it yet, but this backpack mix-up would spark a chaos that not even fate could stop.