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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 33 — Chiquitana Women
33.1 Entrepreneurial Chiquitana
Zayra's eyes opened to the persistent ringing of her cell phone. It was five in the morning, and the light barely filtered through the curtains. She answered, still half-asleep.
"Daughter…"
Her mother's voice sounded calm but urgent.
"We need your help.
There's a summit today for women from the Chiquitanía communities.
They want to learn how to protect their sales and contracts. Can you come?"
Her drowsiness vanished instantly.
"Of course, Mom. Just give me a moment to get ready."
***
At the breakfast table, Ryu was already drinking coffee, absently reviewing some papers.
He looked up when he saw her come downstairs with a determined expression.
He leaned slightly forward, his eyes narrowed, trying to gauge her mood.
"Good morning, Zayra. Everything okay?"
He asked, turning his coffee cup between his hands.
"There's an important meeting of Indigenous Chiquitanía women.
They're going to talk about how to sell their products without being cheated.
I need to give them a short training."
Ryu set down his cup.
"Then I'm coming with you."
She raised an eyebrow, surprised but not arguing.
"Are you sure?"
"I want to go."
He interrupted gently.
"If it's important to you, I want to see it with my own eyes."
The road wound through ancient trees, filled with the song of birds and the fresh scent of the earth.
Zayra's mother was waiting for them at the entrance.
"My daughter!"
She hugged her warmly and then greeted Ryu with respect.
"Thank you for coming with her, young man."
When they arrived, the place was already buzzing with activity.
Women from different communities were setting up rustic tables laden with scented oils, cassava flour, and artisan soaps.
One of the elders approached with a broad smile.
"Zayra! So good to see you here again!"
Zayra hugged her with respect and joy.
"I couldn't miss it. Today, we're going to learn together how to defend what is yours."
The elder, Rosita, looked them over and asked.
"And who is this little Chinese guy with you?"
The elder had called him Chinese guy, and Ryu felt a slight flush rise to the back of his neck.
His jaw tensed slightly, and he blinked a couple of times.
Lightly biting his bottom lip, he ran a hand over the back of his neck, trying to compose himself.
Glancing discreetly at Zayra, he felt a faint relief when he saw her calm smile.
"Mrs. Rosita, he's not Chinese, he's Korean. He's my boyfriend, his name is Ryu Kang."
She explained with a conciliatory smile.
The woman laughed.
"Ah, that's good, Zayra. He's a very handsome young man."
When they walked away, she leaned toward him and whispered.
"I'm sorry, Ryu. Older people sometimes make those kinds of mistakes… don't take it personally, okay?"
He exhaled through his nose, a brief laugh escaping as his eyebrows furrowed slightly.
He ran a hand over the back of his neck, his fingers tensing a bit as if he wanted to prolong the moment without Zayra noticing.
"I'm fine…" he murmured.
"Just… Chinese guy, huh?"
He raised an eyebrow, an ironic glint in his eyes but without malice.
"I'll try not to seem so... generic."
A slight smile tugged at the corner of his lips before his expression returned to a calm one.
His gesture, a mix of discomfort and self-control, showed that he didn't hold a grudge,
but the comment had not gone unnoticed.
***
Zayra discreetly looked around.
The murmur of people was still inside, but the courtyard was empty.
She took a breath.
"Ryu, will you come with me for a moment? I think I left something in the car."
He nodded without much thought.
They walked a few steps to the truck.
Zayra stopped, as if looking for the keys in her bag.
Then she looked up.
"I apologize… for what happened a little while ago."
Her voice was soft.
"Here, people sometimes speak without thinking. It's not out of malice."
Ryu watched her, surprised by her sincere tone.
Before he could respond, she made sure no one was looking,
then leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek, a warm, fleeting touch.
Ryu blinked for a moment longer than normal,
then turned his head slightly toward her, as if wanting to confirm it was real.
His fingers tensed, motionless, as if wanting to prolong the contact.
"I just wanted you to know that you're welcome here."
She added, smiling shyly.
For a second, Ryu felt the tension in his chest disappear.
He didn't expect the gesture, but Zayra's frankness was strangely reassuring.
Zayra and Ryu returned to the community hall.
He stood a little apart, leaning slightly forward, observing in silence.
Every word and every laugh seemed to carry a story.
He barely furrowed his brow in concentration.
Amidst the greetings and preparations, Zayra felt the weight of her responsibility… and also a spark of pride.
Today, she wasn't just the daughter of the priestess of the Besoró community.
Today, she represented a bridge between two worlds.
33.2 Training Sessions
The community hall was full, with women of different ages chatting amiably.
Ryu immediately noticed the difference from the large national summit he had witnessed at the hotel.
Here, everything seemed lighter and closer.
The laughter was genuine, the women spoke with almost the same accent, and the atmosphere was full of familiarity.
As he walked between the tables, he caught a whisper beside him.
"Did you bring the child?"
"Yes, I had no choice."
Another voice answered, tired but cheerful.
"Roberto went to plant, and I couldn't find anyone to watch him."
As he discreetly turned,
Ryu saw a young woman with a baby sleeping on her back, tied with a white cloth.
Despite the effort, her eyes were fixed on the preparations.
Another woman murmured.
"I have to harvest tomatoes tomorrow… but I wouldn't miss this training."
Surprise crossed Ryu's face.
He admired the effort of these women, who cared for their children,
worked the land, and were still there, attentive and determined to learn.
There were also admirable women in Korea.
But the women here worked the land, a physically demanding job.
He also noticed that several had their small children sitting beside them,
entertained with pebbles or pieces of cloth.
No one complained, the effort was part of their daily life.
He leaned toward Zayra, lowering his voice so only she could hear.
"Zayra… how do they balance all this?"
She smiled at him, used to such scenes.
"Everyone contributes what they can.
Some are representatives, others come because they know these training sessions will change their lives."
They sat near the makeshift stage.
"Look."
Zayra whispered, pointing discreetly.
"Those women from the Montverde community make essential oils by hand.
They go into the mountains and extract the oil themselves."
She pointed to another group.
"They produce cassava flour; they got a couple of machines with loans."
"The ones with the colorful wraps make cosmetics with wild fruits, and the ones over there…"
Zayra smiled.
"They work with textiles…"
Ryu nodded, recognizing the value of the artisanal.
He had seen traditional markets in Korea.
But something about the dedication of these women felt different, rawer and authentic.
***
When the conversations quieted, Zayra's mother introduced her daughter.
She stood up, and the murmuring ceased.
She took a breath and began, her voice confident and clear.
"Sisters, today we are going to talk about something very important to protect the income of your labor.
contracts. You don't need to be a lawyer to understand how to fill in the blank spaces of the contract we will give you."
Zayra held up the document as they looked at the paper they had been given and said.
"The things you must look at in detail and fill in are:
That the people who sign are of legal age and that the copy of the ID they give you is the person who is signing. That the product, the quantity, and the price are in writing. That the payment and delivery deadlines are well-defined."
She paused to let them take notes.
Several women bent their heads, their hands quickly filling worn notebooks.
She continued.
"I just want you to remember that a good contract is your shield.
If someone defaults, you will have a document to defend what is yours."
Ryu watched as they raised their hands to ask questions,
and how some smiled at each other when they understood a complicated concept.
He noticed that one of the women, with a child in her arms,
was asking for clarification while rocking the little one without losing the thread of the conversation.
When Zayra finished, the representatives applauded her. She smiled and closed her papers.
***
Ryu looked at her out of the corner of his eye, impressed.
A faint smile showed his admiration.
He breathed softly, letting the emotion flow as he tilted his head slightly toward her.
This girl who sometimes doubted herself had naturally owned the moment.
He leaned in toward her and whispered, low but sincere.
"Impressive, Zayra."
Zayra felt her cheeks grow warm.
As the murmurs returned to fill the community hall, Ryu stayed, watching Zayra with a mix of admiration and curiosity.
***
From a corner of the room, someone was watching them closely.
The calm gestures, the silent closeness, the way they acted as a couple.
Everything was clear to that knowledgeable gaze.
A small glint of calculation crossed the observer's eyes, barely perceptible.
"So it's true…"
Zayra and Ryu, oblivious to everything, smiled at each other.
But someone else was already taking note of every detail, waiting for the right moment.