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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.
Content Warning: This chapter contains sensitive and potentially disturbing themes. Reader discretion is advised.
Chapter 36 — What I Never Imagined About You
36.1 A Decision That Could Change Everything
Zayra was in her cabin. She had left Ryu sleeping in his, and her mind wouldn't stop racing.
Despite the change of scenery, she couldn't relax.
She tossed and turned in bed, trying to find calm,
but anxiety and stress wouldn't leave her body.
She saw the speaker and decided to play some relaxation music for meditation.
***
After a few minutes, her inner voice started speaking as if it had a lot to say.
"Oh my God… I don't know what to do.
How am I supposed to tell Ryu about my past?"
She wasn't ashamed of her past, but she worried about how Ryu would receive it.
Even if she didn't admit it out loud, she already cared a lot for him.
She inhaled deeply.
"What if I don't tell him… No, don't even think about that.
Omissions have short legs. Besides, I wouldn't want that to be done to me."
She shook her head in resignation.
"What if he leaves?"
she thought.
Suddenly, she imagined Ryu with his suitcases in hand,
disappearing into the crowd of a foreign airport.
A sharp pang went through her chest.
She blinked quickly, as if to erase the image,
but the emptiness it left was enough to make her realize how much space he already occupied in her life.
She sighed, opened her eyes, and suddenly focused on the crystal locket with the Toborochi flower on the nightstand.
She heard a whisper.
"You already know what you have to do."
She didn't know if it was her own voice or that of ÑandeYara, the god.
But she knew she had to tell the truth, regardless of the consequences.
The light entered her cabin with a deceptive softness.
She remembered the intimate moment from the night before and,
for the first time in a long time, she blushed all by herself.
She smiled faintly, but the smile quickly dissolved.
"I have to do it,"
she whispered, more to convince herself than to affirm it.
The decision no longer weighed on her.
It hurt, yes.
But the idea of building something on fragile ground hurt more.
This time, she wanted a true story.
With everything that implied.
***
She stood up, took a deep breath, and walked to Ryu's cabin.
She knocked gently on the door.
Ryu opened it, still looking sleepy,
but with a warmth that was already starting to feel natural to her.
"Is everything okay?"
"I want to walk in the forest. Will you come with me?"
She said, smiling.
Ryu blinked a couple of times, slightly confused.
His hands tensed for a few seconds before he relaxed and nodded.
"Sure. Give me a minute."
36.2 Zayra's Secret
Shortly after, they walked together under the shade of the Toborochi trees.
The earth crunched under their steps, and the air was thick.
Zayra looked straight ahead, but her mind was traveling to the past.
Every one of Ryu's steps was measured, his shoulders slightly tense,
but his eyes stayed attentive to her, as if he wanted to make sure he wasn't invading her space.
Suddenly, she looked at him seriously and began.
"Yesterday, you told me something important. About how you could stay here… if it was with me."
Ryu looked away to the sky through the branches.
"I meant it."
Zayra nodded, swallowing.
They stopped next to a thick Toborochi tree.
She placed her hand on the trunk of the Toborochi,
as if it could give her the courage to continue with what she had to say.
There was a silence.
***
Suddenly, the trunk changed color from gray to green.
Zayra took this as a sign to continue.
"Do you remember I told you I always prefer the truth, even if it hurts?"
Ryu took a deep breath, narrowing his eyes slightly,
his hands relaxed at his sides, as if preparing to hear something important.
"Yes."
She looked him in the eyes and said,
"Then I need to tell you something. Not out of pity.
Or obligation. But because if you ever decide to stay,
I want you to know exactly who you are staying with."
And so, in a calm voice, she told him her story.
From Sebastian, the unplanned pregnancy,
her father's reaction,
the abandonment, the hospital, the loss.
***
Ryu did not interrupt her.
Not even once.
His eyes remained fixed on her, as if he were afraid of missing a single word.
He took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing for an instant while his hands stayed still at his sides, as if holding something back.
A slight tremor ran through his shoulders, but his gaze remained fixed on her.
On the outside, he seemed controlled, but inside he felt angry and powerless.
He couldn't understand how a man like Sebastian could have put his partner through that hell.
He didn't understand how anyone could be so cruel to the woman who was now his world.
Rage tore through his chest like an out-of-control heartbeat, but he held it in check.
"If I had him in front of me…" He thought.
For the first time in years, he felt the violent desire to break his own composure.
He closed his eyes for a second and swore, without a word. And said to his self.
"Never again. As long as I breathe, you will never feel alone and helpless again, Zayra…"
***
The wind blew softly, and for an instant,
Ryu noticed how every leaf seemed to whisper calm.
The rage that had torn through him moments before slowly faded,
giving way to a silent thought he couldn't ignore.
"What if I'm not enough for someone who has already lived so much?
What if I'm just a beautiful pause in her life, but not her destiny?"
However, he didn't back away.
He took a step toward her.
Raised his hand and, instead of kissing her…
He closed his eyes for an instant before resting his forehead against hers,
letting a soft sigh escape, feeling the weight of the truth she had entrusted to him.
"Thank you for trusting me."
Zayra closed her eyes.
She felt her heart beating fast, but not from fear. From relief.
"I'm not ashamed of what I've been through,"
She added, looking seriously at Ryu.
"But I know it's not an easy past.
So, if you decide you don't want to be with me, I'll understand.
I just wanted you to know the truth before you decide."
Ryu pulled back slightly, just enough to look her in the eyes.
"I don't see you differently…I see you as stronger." he said.
Zayra smiled. This time, genuinely.
"The truth is… I wouldn't mind staying with you forever either."
They fell silent.
The moment was intimate, but not solemn.
Just real.
***
And then, as if he had remembered something, Ryu murmured with a little laugh.
"Though I still don't understand what heat has to do with couple intimacy in Santa Cruz."
He tilted his head slightly, and his shoulders relaxed as he listened to her laugh, showing complicity and relief.
Zayra let out a loud laugh. "I'll explain it to you little by little, Korean boy."
They both laughed, and the forest seemed to breathe with them.
Ryu remained silent for a few more seconds, watching Zayra as she laughed softly.
He felt a pleasant warmth rise to his chest, a mix of relief and tenderness.
Suddenly, the following idea came to him.
"I want to do something for her… a beautiful gesture.
To let her know that her past doesn't matter, that what we feel is worth more."
He narrowed his eyes and lowered his gaze for an instant, as if evaluating his next move.
"I'll do it… and the next time will be special."
As they walked back, Ryu felt something inside him activate,
a silent desire to surprise her, to show her that with him, Zayra would always be valued.
But he still didn't know how… The sun was setting between the Toborochi trees, and a fixed thought crossed his mind.
"The next time we meet… it will be different."