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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 62 — A Gift and an Awkward Piece of News.
62.1 A Gift with a Soul.
Ryu knocked on the cabin door.
Zayra opened it with a calm smile.
"I prepared something for you to eat."
She said simply, inviting him in.
Ryu entered and paused for a second.
A slow blink and his back relaxing slightly, his silent way of being surprised.
"I didn't tell you before because I wanted to surprise you.
The kimchi was made by my teacher in the Korean cooking class I took recently."
Ryu sat down, a little bewildered but happy about the thoughtful gesture.
He wasn't used to anyone caring for him like this,
which is why every small gesture from Zayra disarmed him without warning.
"She thinks of everything… even what I don't say."
The thought caught him off guard.
He slowly tasted the food, feeling the affection behind every dish.
On the table, off to one side, there was a small burgundy-colored case that caught his attention.
Ryu's gaze lingered on the case for a fraction of a second, but he quickly looked up again,
as if afraid to show too much curiosity.
Zayra picked it up and handed it to him with both hands,
showing a mixture of shyness and excitement.
"This is for you. I know the proposal wasn't easy,
that's why I wanted to give you something personalized,
an accessory with a piece of my homeland for you to carry with you."
Ryu opened the case with curiosity and astonishment.
Inside, rested an elegant watch, with a delicate Bolivianita gemstone embedded in the crown.
For a moment, he remained silent, unable to hide the emotion that such a personal and meaningful gift provoked in him.
He didn't understand why his throat was closing up like that.
He wasn't used to receiving something so... personal.
Gently, he took her hand and held it tenderly, without looking away from her eyes.
"Thank you."
He whispered.
"I didn't expect this, it's much more than I could have imagined.
This watch and the stone mean a lot to me."
She smiled, her heart racing, and leaned in to give him a brief,
warm kiss on the forehead.
He carefully put the watch on his wrist, as if sealing a silent promise.
"I promise to take care of this gift... and of you, with all my heart."
She replied with a sincere smile.
"And I promise to always be by your side."
In that instant, the silence was filled with a new complicity,
as if both understood that they were writing together the beginning of something much bigger than themselves.
The night faded, but the decision he had silently made stayed with him until the next day.
62.2 The Bridge Between Two Families.
The warm lights of the living room illuminated the space with sober elegance.
The two families, seated face to face, exchanged looks of respect and expectation.
Mr. Dae-Hyun appeared serene, while his wife Siraya sweetly observed the visitors.
Ryu leaned slightly forward, his back straight and his eyes steady.
His hands remained clasped on his knees, but his thumbs moved just slightly, betraying an uncommon nervousness.
"Mr. Choi."
He said with a clear and decided voice.
"I would like to formally ask for your daughter's hand in marriage."
A brief silence filled the air.
Zayra's father smiled at his wife, then exchanged a silent look of approval with Ryu's parents,
and finally turned back to Ryu with pride and nostalgia.
"From today on, you can count on us as your family."
He said with a firm tone full of affection.
Ryu nodded with gratitude and respect.
"Thank you, sir."
Shortly after, Mr. Dae-Hyun stood up.
"Let's go to the dining room. We have prepared a special dinner for you."
Ryu's family was surprised to see an impeccably set traditional Korean table:
kimchi, japchae, bulgogi, white rice, and banchan, served with the typical care of their culture.
"Zayra thought of this… she made my family feel at home."
Ryu struggled to keep his face neutral.
He wanted to smile, but his strict upbringing didn't allow it.
So he just lowered his gaze, breathing deeply not to show too much.
He nodded, observing the scene with contained emotion.
The dinner unfolded with warmth.
Bruno received a few words of thanks from Ryu for his help at the indigenous summit,
to which he replied with a slight smile and a "it was nothing."
Camila, from her seat, exchanged a knowing look with Ryu,
who gave her a slight gesture of thanks so subtle that only she could understand it,
for having helped him prepare the proposal without Zayra noticing.
***
At one point, Mariano stood up and said,
"Ryu, come, I want to show you something outside."
They both went out onto the terrace, leaving behind the moderate buzz of the family dinner.
"First of all, congratulations."
Mariano said with a sincere smile.
"Welcome to the family."
"Thank you."
Ryu replied, slightly surprised by the warmth of the gesture.
Mariano rested his arms on the wooden railing and looked at him sideways.
"We know you don't have many friends here, so we want to organize a bachelor party for you."
Ryu looked at him with curiosity.
"A bachelor party?"
Mariano looked up, trying to decipher what his brother-in-law was thinking, and added.
"A quiet dinner at home, with my brothers, my brother-in-law, and anyone else you want to invite.
But first, tell me, what do you think of surprise shows?"
Ryu blinked, surprised, unsure if he had heard correctly.
"Surprise shows?"
His jaw tightened slightly, an almost imperceptible movement,
enough for anyone who knew him to know that he detested the idea.
Mariano laughed softly, noticing his discomfort.
"Don't worry, those things sometimes happen, but if you don't want it, no problem.
We want you to enjoy it your way."
Ryu nodded with a slight smile.
"Thank you for asking.
I prefer something quiet, the dinner sounds perfect."
"Done."
Mariano replied.
"And don't worry, the girls are organizing one for Zayra too, she will understand."
They both smiled, in a comfortable silence.
The night at Haon shone with the same calm with which the two families were beginning to intertwine.
In these lands, bachelor parties often have their own customs,
with jokes and surprises that may seem unexpected for someone from another culture.
62.3. An Awkward Conversation.
Night had fallen over the Haon hacienda, enveloping the terrace in a tranquil air,
barely illuminated by the small solar lamps along the edge of the garden.
The breeze was warm, scented with damp earth and freshly watered leaves.
Zayra and Ryu were sitting in silence, side by side, looking at the starry sky over the Chiquitano lands.
He held a cup of hot tea in his hands.
She, her fingers intertwined with his.
She finally broke the silence, with a soft but determined tone.
"I know my brothers are organizing your bachelor party."
She said without looking at him directly, as if measuring every word.
"I hope you have fun… And that you get to know them a little better."
Ryu nodded, without releasing her hand.
He caressed the back of her hand with his thumb, a gesture so subtle that he barely seemed conscious of doing it.
He cleared his throat and replied.
"I will."
She turned her face slightly, seeking his eyes.
"But there's something I want to tell you.
It's not a warning, just something I think is important to discuss."
He held her gaze, attentive.
"She always talks like this when she fears hurting my feelings…"
That realization squeezed his chest slightly.
She held his gaze and said.
"In these celebrations, sometimes surprises appear that no one planned.
Don't stress if something like that happens, I just want to avoid cultural misunderstandings."
The words cultural misunderstandings intrigued him.
He listened to her attentively.
She continued, in a calm tone.
"If someone shows up as a surprise,
I want you to know that it won't bother me."
She sighed and went on.
"I know it's not part of your culture and it might make you uncomfortable, but in Bolivia,
those things happen, and sometimes the reaction can offend gestures made with affection or as a joke."
She smiled, slightly embarrassed, and then looked at him seriously and in a tone of warning said.
"Obviously if it happens, you can only look, not touch."
Ryu raised an eyebrow, more out of silent jealousy than humor,
but his eyes shone with a tenderness he couldn't hide.
She commented with a small shy laugh.
"But seriously… I trust you."
He lowered his gaze to their intertwined hands.
For an instant, he was afraid of not being enough to navigate a world so different from his own.
His expression was serene, but his thoughts were racing like the wind.
"Thank you for telling me."
He finally murmured.
"I value it a lot, and although I don't want anyone else,
knowing what you think calms me down and makes me feel loved."
***
Zayra tilted her head and rested her temple on his shoulder.
"The same goes for me."
She added, a little uncomfortable.
"It's not an official tradition or something that everyone approves of,
but rather a joke or a test that friends and best men often do for the grooms before getting married.
I asked them not to do it, I don't know what might happen in the end."
Although his Korean upbringing demanded restraint,
a slight shiver ran through Ryu's body at the thought of those scenes so different from what he knew.
However, a fleeting thought reminded him that his older sister would be present.
That didn't completely reassure him, but at least it reminded him that he wasn't entering this new world alone.
He took a deep breath, squeezed her fingers lightly, and, with the usual composure of a CEO,
prepared himself to accept whatever came, even if his heart beat a little faster than usual.
He squeezed her hand with his and concluded.
"I trust you, Zayra."
They both knew their cultures sometimes clashed, but they were choosing each other anyway.
They remained silent, wrapped in the night,
the shared warmth, and that soft complicity that only those who understand each other beyond words possess.