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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 60 — The Promise Under the Toborochi.
60.1 Before the Jump.
Zayra watched herself in the mirror as she straightened her hair.
Ryu's words still floated in her mind.
"Get dressed. Tonight will be a special night."
She smiled like a fool until, suddenly, she paused.
"Special night…
What exactly did he mean?"
Her reflection flickered, and suddenly, the air caught in her chest.
"No…"
She whispered.
"What if… he asks me to marry him?"
The thought was so unexpected that the iron grazed her finger.
"Ouch!"
She exclaimed, shaking her hand.
The pain was minimal, but the trembling that ran through her was not.
She set the iron down on the vanity and began to pace the room.
Her breathing was a contained whirlwind.
She took a step back, breathing deeply.
Her hands were shaking, as if her body already knew what her mind did not yet dare to admit.
She didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or run away.
It wasn't the fear of saying "yes."
It was the fear of being betrayed again.
Of opening a door that would lead her to another disappointment.
She rested her hand on the vanity and closed her eyes.
In her mind, the images mixed, Ryu helping the community, defending her, accompanying her.
Waiting for her just to make sure she was alright.
He had never promised her anything, and yet, he had never left her alone.
His presence was like that warm silence that calms the soul after a chaotic day.
"Do I love him…
Enough to stay by his side for life?"
She thought, and her heart constricted.
Because loving him meant accepting that it was no longer just her.
It was them.
***
She sighed, letting her father's voice echo in her memory.
"If you let him go, maybe he won't return.
But if you choose him… maybe he'll stay forever."
Her cell phone vibrated, pulling her back to reality.
It was a message from Ryu.
< "Zayra, I'm waiting for you under the Toborochi tree, where you always are.">
She smiled, inhaled deeply, and said.
"Then… if it's going to hurt, let it hurt beautifully."
Her smile turned into determination.
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained."
She told herself, sure, as if the weight of uncertainty had finally found its place.
She smoothed down her pink dress, put on the locket with the Toborochi flower,
took a deep breath, and looked at herself in the mirror one last time.
For the first time in a long time, she didn't look broken.
She looked ready.
60.2 The Proposal.
The Toborochi stood majestic in a secluded part of the hotel, its branches extended like a protective giant.
Camila had arranged for square wooden chandeliers to hang softly between the branches,
illuminating the area with a warm, cozy light.
The table, elegantly set with crystal glasses and comfortable chairs, waited in the heart of the tree.
A path of stones was covered with a delicate mantle of pink-toned Toborochi flowers, forming a natural carpet that led to the table.
A hidden speaker played romantic instrumental music, enveloping the setting in an intimate and magical atmosphere.
Ryu thought, looking at the spot with a mixture of nerves and hope.
"Camila knew what she was doing…
Choosing a private place to ask Zayra to be my wife.
Thank you, little sister…"
His hands trembled slightly as he adjusted his shirt collar, a small slip that betrayed the inner storm he kept under control.
Breathed deeply, clinging to the idea that love was not weakness, but the most solid strength he had ever known.
He adjusted his shirt with slightly shaky hands, awaiting her arrival.
***
Zayra appeared on the path,
her eyes widening in surprise as she discovered the path of flowers leading her toward the Toborochi.
Her breathing became steady, and a soft emotion invaded her chest.
The nervousness vanished as soon as their eyes met.
It was as if the world, finally, remembered its natural order.
In the calm that Ryu gave her, Zayra felt something that went beyond love, the certainty of having waited for him forever.
She smiled, moved, seeing how much thought he had put into creating something so perfect.
In a low voice, almost to herself, she commented.
"What a beautiful detail."
He watched her advance along the path.
His breathing slowed a little, trying to calm the slight tremor in his hands.
For an instant, he closed his eyes and clenched his fists, as if he could grasp all the calm he needed.
Then he took a deep breath and opened his eyes with his characteristic firmness,
ready to cross that invisible bridge to a new life.
Inside, he felt that strange mixture of anticipation and fear,
a knot tightening his chest as if he were about to cross an invisible bridge.
Kneeling to propose was not customary in his homeland.
Much less natural for him, a man accustomed to control and composure.
However, he knew that this gesture was a tradition in Bolivia.
More than that, it was something that if he didn't do it,
it could lead to great misunderstandings with the woman he had decided to share his life with.
So, despite his discomfort, he wanted to do it her way.
Zayra arrived at the center, stopped, surprised, and brought a hand to her mouth.
"Ryu…!"
She looked down with a trembling smile.
And silently thought she had never seen him so handsome… or so human.
She felt her heart leaping with emotion,
and placed a hand on it to try to relax a little.
His gaze sought hers with a mixture of vulnerability and determination,
while his voice barely trembled as he spoke the words that would change their destinies.
"Zayra, I am not a man of many words or grand gestures, but what I feel is clear.
I want to share my life with you, to have you as my wife."
A brief silence seized the moment.
The ring in the box was sober, elegant.
A small white diamond flanked by two very light amethysts.
She took Ryu's hand, looking at the ring with emotional eyes.
"Yes, Ryu….
I want to walk with you, wherever this takes us."
They looked at each other, and without more words,
they leaned in for a soft kiss, charged with sincere feelings.
The outside world dissolved.
All that remained was their intertwined breaths and the sound of the wind among the lanterns and branches of the Toborochi.
In that stillness, time seemed to surrender between them.
***
The silence spoke with the harmony of the moment that would be etched in their hearts forever.
Dinner was over, and they were heading toward the cabin.
He took her right hand and saw her reddened index finger.
His fingers gently traced the reddened skin, outlining a soft smile that revealed his most human and tender side,
rare to see for those who only knew the imperturbable CEO.
"What happened here?"
He asked softly.
She cleared her throat, a little nervous, and looked down.
"I burned myself with the iron…
I think it was the nerves."
He couldn't help but feel happy, as he had only just realized that both of them were nervous.
Ryu sketched an almost imperceptible smile, tilting his head slightly like someone accepting a revealing truth.
For the first time, he understood that he was not alone in his anxiety.
Zayra also felt the weight of that moment.
That gave him an unexpected warmth, a silent bond that reinforced his decision.
To change the subject, she sketched a mischievous smile and expressed.
"I think this moment deserves to be remembered."
She took his hand tenderly and, without warning,
captured the moment in a photo where the ring shone under the dim light.
He looked at her, surprised.
Then he allowed a frank, unreserved smile to spread across his face,
as he also wanted that moment to last forever.
He finally got to loosen up.
Then he felt a warmth in his chest,
as she looked at him with that mix of defiance and innocent joy.
As they walked toward the cabin, the lights of the Toborochi slowly faded behind them.
Zayra smiled in silence, but in the depths of her eyes, something more than happiness shone.
Because that night she had not only said "yes"…
She had also begun to prepare something that Ryu would never forget.