Legal Disclaimer
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 54 - Echoes of Golden Strings
The afternoon sun fell upon the temple's stained-glass windows, coloring the interior with reflections of gold and crimson.
Outside, the murmur of the crowd mingled with the birdsong and the distant sound of violins tuning up.
It was festival day.
Zayra adjusted the hat of one of the children and gestured for them to line up.
"Daughter, go with the childrenplease.
I don't feel well."
Her mother's words still echoed warmly in her mind.
That was why she was there, fulfilling the promise, with the community's children.
And beside her, a little further back, Ryu, who watched everything with his usual calm and a discreet distance.
"Enay, help me keep the little ones from letting go."
Zayra requested kindly.
Enay, standing with her arms crossed, let out a loud sigh.
Her eyes shone with that impatient fire of someone who always speaks her mind.
She was the chief's daughter, and although everyone respected her, few dared to contradict her.
"Yes, I know."
She replied, rolling her eyes and taking the hands of two children who were walking distractedly.
Under her breath, she told them.
"Don't get too close to the gentleman..."
She said, glancing toward Ryu.
"Why?" An innocent child asked.
"Because he doesn't speak like us."
Enay replied, lowering her voice.
"And he probably doesn't even understand what we're saying."
Zayra turned, her brow slightly furrowed, rolling her eyes and thought.
"God, this child."
Ryu lowered his gaze for an instant, evaluating the interaction, but let Zayra guide the situation.
"Enay..." Zayra asserted in a soft but firm tone.
"Don't do what you wouldn't like done to you."
She looked at the children and, as if she were a school teacher, added.
"Children, remember we always respect all our visitors, right?"
All the children smiled and nodded at Zayra's words.
Enay pouted and softly said.
"I just said it so they wouldn't feel weird."
She scoffed and added.
"Besides, my father says respect is earned, not demanded."
Zayra shook her head.
It wasn't the time to correct her, the children were already starting to run.
Ryu remained still, but his breathing barely shifted, as if something had moved inside him.
He was used to diplomacy and masks, not to someone taking his side without asking for anything in return.
For an instant, he allowed himself to admire her... and that was too much for him.
The children's murmuring broke the moment, reminding them that there was still ground to cover.
The group entered the church. The air smelled of incense and old wood.
The children settled in front of the small altar where the presentation would begin.
Zayra moved from side to side, making sure everyone was ready.
Enay, meanwhile, whispered with two of her friends on the back pews.
"Yandé is coming."
She said with a mischievous glint.
"I bet he is."
"But Zayra is already with that young man, isn't she?"
One of the friends asked.
"Zayra and Yandé always get back together."
Enay whispered with an air of certainty.
"That other guy is just passing through."
"But Zayra seems to like the young man."
Another friend said, looking at Zayra.
"Yeah, but I haven't seen a ring on her finger."
Enay let out, shrugging.
"And without a ring, there's nothing."
Giggles mingled with the sound of strings tuning.
Zayra was focused on the children and didn't hear those venomous words. However, Ryu heard everything.
His expression did not change.
Only a slight hardening in his jaw.
A silence heavier than a thousand words.
"Passing through..."
"Without a ring..."
The phrases were etched in his mind, floating among the echoes of the place.
The concert began.
A baroque melody soared from the violins, pure and crystalline, filling the church with an almost spiritual air.
The children played with devotion, trembling slightly, but every note came from their hearts.
Ryu looked up.
The chords enveloped him, stealing his breath for an instant.
It was as if time stood still.
Zayra came closer and spoke in a mere whisper.
"This music was born in Europe, but here... here it found its home."
Ryu couldn't help but ask.
"In your community?"
She immediately countered.
"In all of Chiquitanía. The Jesuits taught it centuries ago, and the communities preserved it."
"Preserved it..." he repeated, without taking his eyes off the altar.
"They didn't imitate it, they made it their own."
A little girl stepped forward and began to sing in Guaraní.
Her voice trembled, but it was so clear it sounded like a prayer.
Ryu felt a shiver.
His eyes softened as he listened to the melody.
It was perfect, not in technique, but in soul.
For an instant, Ryu allowed himself to admire the purity of the moment.
"What does it say?"
He asked softly.
Zayra looked at him. The reflection of the golden stained glass illuminated Ryu's serene profile.
For the first time since she had known him, his eyes did not seem cold.
They seemed... warm.
After a pause, she replied.
"It thanks god."
The last chord faded, and silence filled the temple.
The children smiled, proud.
The audience applauded fervently.
Suddenly, a small child, distracted and fascinated by the stained glass, took a step back without looking.
His feet slipped near a raised step, and he was suspended, about to fall.
"Watch out!"
Enay cried, but it was too late.
Ryu reacted instantly.
With precise, measured steps, he caught the child in mid-air, maintaining his seemingly imperturbable calm.
He gently placed him on the ground, making sure he wasn't hurt.
His breath remained contained, but inside, a warm pulse reminded him that,
no matter how much control he had, he was still human.
The child cried softly, but he was safe.
"Thank you..."
Enay whispered, surprised and admiring, watching him in silence.
For the first time, she didn't utter a sarcastic comment.
Her gaze followed Ryu's every move, mixing surprise and respect.
She had never seen anyone act with such decision, care, and authority without needing words.
Zayra approached and led the children to the vehicle.
While they were settling in, Ryu leaned slightly toward Zayra.
"Thank you for bringing me."
The light of the sunset now fell upon them, just like at the beginning, but this time something had changed.
Not just the color of the sky, but the look in their eyes.
"Did you like it?" she asked, moved.
"More than I thought."
He replied, letting a contained emotion show.
She looked at him proudly and asked.
"And what were you thinking?"
"That it was just a concert."
He answered honestly.
"And now?"
She said with a mischievous look.
Ryu lowered his gaze, his eyes fixing on the crowd of children and parents.
"Now I understand more why your community means so much to you."
Zayra didn't reply.
She just smiled, that serene smile that seemed to heal everything around her.
Behind them, Enay watched in silence.
For the first time, she said nothing.
She just pressed her lips together, confused.
Because... something inside her had also changed.
Outside, the bells chimed in the Santa Cruz sky.
And as the crowd left the temple, Ryu paused for an instant, looking at Zayra among the people.
He reflected.
"Without a ring... so that's what they think of her."
However, he knew very well the path he had decided on, and that was alongside her.
His fingers barely tensed, an imperceptible gesture.
It was no longer just a deal that bound him to Zayra, it was a decision he had made without words.
And soon, she would know.