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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 51 – Zayra Jealous?
51.2 — The Gaze Hunter.
The long, polished wooden table took up almost the entire center of the communal hall,
adorned with Toborochi garlands and steaming clay bowls.
Zayra and Ryu sat near one of Chief Pedro's advisors.
At the opposite end of the table, Yandé and Enay watched the newly arrived people enter.
Enay said nothing, but his gaze slid coldly over Zayra, as if he carried a silent judgment between his sealed lips.
***
The door opened.
A subtle murmur ran through the table, like the rustle of leaves before a storm.
Salomé entered with a feline stride.
She wore a light fabric dress that floated around her legs as if it had a will of its own.
Her brown skin glowed under the warm light of the hall, and her eyes,
deep and dark, did not seek company they sought attention.
There was something in her walk, in her posture, that spoke of an urgency difficult to decipher.
And in that desire to be the most admired person in the room,
she noticed a very handsome, foreign man sitting next to Zayra.
Ryu did not see her at first.
But all the men in the place did.
***
Salomé glided toward the table, took a seat next to Yandé,
and without losing her smile, slightly inclined her head toward him.
"Cousin, who is that young man over there?"
She asked, faking innocence.
"Is he new around here?"
Yandé did not look at her. He only took a sip of water.
"He is Zayra's boyfriend. Don't get involved."
"Aha…"
She murmured, but the smile did not fade.
In his visual field, Ryu began to feel it.
As if an invisible ray were pointing at him.
The sensation of being watched forced him to turn discreetly, until he found her.
Salomé, with her lips slightly parted and a fixed gaze.
And the gesture, as direct as it was unnerving.
She was gently biting her lower lip.
Ryu immediately turned his face away, uncomfortable.
He felt a subtle shiver run down his back.
He leaned forward slightly, instinctively evaluating the situation, without losing his composure.
"Who is that woman…? Does she doesn't know about boundaries?"
He had the feeling of having been chosen without asking to play.
As if someone had crossed an invisible line that he was not willing to ignore.
Ryu looked at Zayra.
His eyes sought a response almost imperceptibly.
***
She had noticed, her gaze was serious at Salomé as if setting a limit to her shamelessness.
But Salomé simply averted her gaze.
Zayra's lips were pressed tight, without a trace of a smile.
She was not a jealous woman.
But her anger did not only come from what Salomé was insinuating, but from what she represented.
Ryu looked at her, as if asking for permission to understand, or to laugh awkwardly.
"Who is that woman?"
He asked in a low voice, trying to sound unconcerned.
Zayra did not look at him, she simply kept watching Salomé and replied.
"Her name is Salome."
She answered dryly.
"I recommend you stay away from her."
Ryu stayed silent, nodding slowly, but his gaze discreetly scanned Salomé.
The tension in his chest was not from temptation, but from the clarity of the conflict.
"If Zayra tells me to stay away from her, there must be a good reason…
Even though I don't fully understand it yet."
Zayra did not take her eyes off Salomé, as if giving her a warning.
She was analyzing the situation.
"God, this cunumi, always causing problems…"
Salomé, for her part, averted her gaze,
but occasionally looked at Ryu with a blatant lack of shame.
Ryu had not realized it, but the men in the communal hall were already glaring at him.
For Zayra, this was a problem, she knew, very well that almost all the single men in the place courted Salome.
Suddenly, she reflected that the situation was not Ryu's fault.
So she took a deep breath to regain her composure and stated.
"Ryu, I'm telling you this, not because it bothers me…"
She turned to him and emphasized with a warning tone.
"If you touch her, all the men here will want to kill you.
She is a spark in a room full of gunpowder."
He began to look around and noticed that the men in the room were looking at him with distrust.
He slightly adjusted his jacket, a gesture of automatic control.
It was not nervousness; it was recalibrating his presence in front of those who were evaluating his place.
"I understand…"
He whispered, although something in his chest tightened.
Not only because of the warning, but because of how Zayra had defended him,
with that serious and straightforward tone.
***
The dinner continued.
The Majadito (a local dish) was delicious, but Ryu found it difficult to savor it.
Each bite led him to think about the situation they were going through.
Eating was a routine, now, it was a conscious act.
A brief, almost subconscious thought appeared in his mind.
"All this would be simpler if she weren't looking at me in such a blatant way."
Salomé was no longer looking at him, but her presence still lingered like a heavy perfume in the air.
Zayra, for her part, maintained silence.
***
When the plates began to empty, Chief Pedro stood up and looked towards Ryu and Zayra.
He cleared his throat and said.
"Zayra. Can we talk for a moment?"
She nodded, approached Ryu, and whispered in his ear.
"Amorcingui… go to your room. I'll find you later, okay?"
Ryu looked at her for an instant, understanding the hidden gesture behind the word.
His lips barely curved, and he nodded in silence.
He walked towards the door, briefly crossing glances with Salomé's curious look,
who stared at him again as if she had not heard a single warning.
But this time, Ryu did not look back at her.
He directed his gaze back, towards Zayra, who was looking at him from the center of her world.
That was the gaze he chose to follow.
51.2 — Not Everyone Wants to Play.
The night progressed with the chirping of crickets and the rustling of palm leaves on the roofs.
Ryu walked along the damp dirt path, guided by the faint light coming from the houses.
He was heading towards his room, desiring a little peace, when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him.
He sped up, without rushing, but the noise did too.
"Hey, young man!"
Said a feminine voice, sweet, but with a certainty that sounded more like an order than a greeting.
Ryu turned around, his brow barely furrowed.
He took a step back without losing eye contact.
His breathing automatically controlled itself, and his fingers slightly tensed in his pockets.
"What does this woman want now…? I must stay in line."
The most provocative woman he had seen in the entire community,
approached with a smile that left no room for misunderstanding.
"Who are you?"
She asked, looking him up and down, with a slowness that immediately made him uncomfortable.
"Ryu Kang."
He replied, curtly.
"And where do you come from, Ryu?"
She asked, looking at him in a very provocative way.
"South Korea."
The suspicious man replied.
A pause settled between them.
She slightly licked her lips, as if she had just heard the name of an exotic dessert.
"Mmm… So, a foreigner. I like those who come from afar."
Ryu felt the hair on his back stand up.
She advanced, like a lioness hunting her prey.
"I'm sorry."
He said in a low, firm voice, without smiling.
"I have someone."
"And what's wrong with that?"
She replied, tilting her head with mischief, twirling her hair around her fingers.
"I'm not jealous."
Ryu took another step back, without seeing what was behind him.
His back hit one of the wooden columns supporting the eaves of the nearest house.
Salomé smiled when she saw him cornered and moved even closer, with a victorious smile.
Ryu's shoulders straightened, his posture became rigid but elegant.
Like a warrior who does not attack but also does not yield.
"I must be careful. Apparently, she doesn't beat around the bush."
"You are getting too close,"
He warned, coldly.
"And what's wrong with that?"
She insisted, now with a challenging smile.
Ryu had nowhere left to move.
"I'm not interested."
He stated. His tone was so dry and so resounding that,
for a second, Salomé's smile wavered.
But she immediately returned it to her face with haughtiness,
raising an eyebrow like someone who refuses to accept reality.
"Don't you see what you have in front of you?"
And then she took another step, as if she was going to touch him or, worse yet, kiss him.
***
A voice rose like a dagger in the darkness.
"Salomé!"
She stopped abruptly, and suddenly fear appeared in her eyes.
She recognized the voice immediately.
Zayra walked towards them with sure steps.
Her gaze was contained fire and although her voice had not risen in volume,
every word had cut through the air.
Salomé's defiant smile wavered, almost imperceptibly.
She knew what it meant to challenge Zayra.
It was not a matter of hierarchies, but of respect.
Zayra stood in front of her, placed a hand on her shoulder not roughly,
but firmly and pushed her away with a gesture that was as ancestral as it was elegant.
Ryu unconsciously relaxed his shoulders.
His frown softened, and a small sigh escaped him without him noticing.
"What a relief… Everything returns to its place when she is near."
Salomé did not move.
If Zayra complained about this,
things could change negatively for her.
Zayra smiled at her… but without sweetness.
Rage was visible in her eyes, and in a dry and firm tone she said.
"I would appreciate it if you leave my boyfriend alone."
She took Ryu's hand and, without adding another word, led him away from there.
***
Ryu, still a little tense, said nothing.
He only noticed how his heart settled in his chest as he felt Zayra's hand enveloping his.
They walked in silence.
The heat of the moment still pounded in his temples,
but as he looked at the starry sky, he felt everything slowly returning to its place.
His steps synchronized with hers.
He did not speak, but his eyes followed her with silent attention, absorbing the calm that emanated from her.
"Her presence is enough for everything to be calm."