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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 92 — Reconciliation
92.1 The Advice
He checked the time difference before calling.
He figured it was a reasonable hour in Bolivia.
Taking a deep breath, he dialed his sister-in-law.
The phone rang twice.
"Hello? Ryu? What happened?"
Camila answered, alert.
There was a brief silence on the other end.
"Camila… do you have a moment? I'm sorry, but… I think I ruined it."
His voice sounded low, tired, and strained.
Camila didn't respond immediately.
She already knew that tone.
Ryu told her what had happened and mentioned the "thank you" that sounded so distant.
It wasn't the first time he had turned to her.
Without realizing it, she had become the only person capable of translating Zayra's world for him.
Once he finished explaining everything, there was a silence on the other end, followed by an:
"Elay… this isn't going to be easy."
Ryu rubbed his forehead.
"Why? I thought I'd show her how much I care…"
"Because you didn't do enough, Ryu," Camila said firmly. She took a deep breath and continued.
"Have you stopped to think about everything Zayra did to make Bolivia easy for you? None of that was a coincidence."
Ryu remembered everything he had lived through with her and felt a warmth in his chest that he struggled to describe.
He sighed and barely managed to reply.
Yes…"
"And you… what have you done there to make her feel comfortable?"
She asked, her voice softer but still steady.
"Did you explain how your culture works? Did you take care of her the way she took care of you?"
Ryu's silence said it all.
"Ryu…"
She continued.
"It wasn't the mistake, Ryu. It was the silence.
She can understand that you messed up, but not that you wouldn't talk to her face-to-face.
She always asked you for honesty… and that night, you left her alone."
"Camila… what do I do?"
He asked, his voice barely a whisper.
On the other end, she put down some papers and added seriously.
"It's not enough to just say it.
She needs an action that leaves no room for doubt,
like in those dramas where the protagonist realizes time is running out and acts."
Ryu inhaled and said in a dejected tone.
"I tried to make her feel like she wasn't a stranger.
I looked for a tree similar to the one she loves in Bolivia… I left a branch with a note for her on the table."
Camila let out a brief,
joyless laugh and commented.
"I know it wasn't with bad intentions, but she is hurt.
And when a woman feels she wasn't considered beforehand, a late gesture doesn't always cut it.
Besides…"
She paused for a second before speaking.
"I know you tried, but a box on a table feels distant."
Ryu fell silent.
The pressure in his chest increased.
He looked at his wrist, at his watch. The bolivianita stone sparkled small, but powerful.
He straightened his back almost by reflex.
His father always said that a man doesn't make amends from a place of weakness,
but from determination.
"I just understood…"
He said quietly.
"What exactly did you understand?"
She asked, sounding a bit worried.
He rubbed the back of his neck and commented.
"She gave me a home there… and I haven't known how to give her the same here."
Camila smiled on the other end of the line.
"Exactly. Don't discard the tree; take her to it yourself. Let her see that you actually put thought into it."
"And after that?"
Ryu asked, a bit unsure.
"Invite her somewhere intimate, be clear, and apologize.
Let her know that she has a home there too."
A short silence followed.
Uncertainty tightened his chest.
He clenched his fist and whispered.
"And what if she still doesn't forgive me?"
His fingers stopped moving.
The mere idea of losing her didn't hurt his pride… it hurt his instinct.
Camila smiled hearing the fear in his voice.
It wasn't pride; it was love.
That gave her peace, and she finally commented.
"Ryu, she loves you. But don't confuse love with eternal endurance."
Ryu ran a hand over his face and exhaled slowly.
In the business world, he had learned to forecast losses.
But no one had taught him what to do when the risk was his heart.
"Thank you, Camila."
He barely managed to say.
She picked up her papers again and spoke.
"Don't thank me. Do it right."
He let out a faint, weary laugh.
"I will."
Silence drifted into the call, and then she added
"And Ryu…"
Ryu straightened his back and asked.
"Yes?"
Camila replied in a tone half-serious, half-joking.
"Don't overthink it. Act."
And the call ended.
92.2 The Longest Silence.
The afternoon was cool, but Ryu's hands were sweating as he parked in front of the academy.
He didn't know whether to go in or text her.
"No."
He told himself; he knew he had to do this in person.
He took a deep breath, adjusted his jacket, and got out of the car.
He saw her coming out among her classmates.
Her face was calm, but not at peace; it was the mask she wore when she was burning inside.
"Hi, Zay…"
Ryu said in a low voice, opening the passenger door.
She looked at him for a moment, nodded, got into the car, and spoke.
"Thank you."
It was a frozen "thank you."
Emotionless more painful than a scream.
***
During the first few minutes of the drive, he tried to start a conversation.
"I thought we could go see something."
Silence… Ryu's jaw tightened.
"I know you're upset."
She didn't respond.
She was looking out the window, not to punish him, but to avoid saying something that would hurt more later.
He licked his lips.
The silence weighed more than the air.
He gripped the steering wheel, aware that every meter brought them closer to the point of no return.
It wasn't his habit to act without calculation.
And yet, with her, he always ended up being guided by impulse.
At some point, he dared to try again.
"Zayra… I searched for this place. Just… come with me."
She took a deep breath, as if holding back an emotion on the edge.
"Okay."
Ryu felt the blow and went quiet; insisting would be a mistake.
He got out and offered his hand.
She left it hanging in the air and walked ahead.
His jaw tightened slightly not out of rejection, but out of accepting that he was the one who had caused this distance.
He followed her, swallowing the lump in his throat.
There were still a few steps left to reach the tree.
And he only had one chance.
92.3 The Tree and the Whisper
She walked forward without looking at him, firm and distant.
Between them, the cold turned into a wall.
They reached the peach tree he had found for her.
It was his attempt to unite their worlds.
Zayra rested a hand on the trunk; the rough bark anchored her, and her breathing steadied.
She closed her eyes; a shiver ran through her, as if the god Ñande-Yara were no longer so far away.
A genuine smile appeared on her face.
Ryu watched her in silence, not knowing what to say.
But that smile gave him a small moment to breathe.
The lump in his throat was becoming unbearable.
"How do I start? How do I make her forgive me?"
He couldn't find the answers.
Asking was not something he knew how to do.
With a mixture of anxiety and hope, he gently covered Zayra's hand on the trunk.
She tensed, surprised by the contact,
it was the first time Ryu had done something like that.
He hesitated for a second.
In his family, affection was shown through actions, not confessions.
But this time, he needed to break that rule.
He lowered his voice to a whisper, barely audible.
—"I adore you, too."
Not as an answer, but as a confession.
She didn't pull her hand away, though her eyes reflected surprise and a faint blush.
For an instant, the air between them changed.
The tree seemed to wrap them in a silent embrace.
92.4 Under the Peach Tree.
Both stood by the peach tree.
She turned slowly toward Ryu, surprised.
Her eyes were moved as she thought.
"I've never seen him express his emotions like this."
He, with a soft voice and breathing deeply, said.
"Zayra… I was wrong. I didn't see it in time. And it won't happen again."
It wasn't a light promise.
For Ryu, words were contracts.
She took his hand gently.
She felt relief like a breath held for days, though her face barely showed it.
Zayra gave his hand a light squeeze and, in a voice lower and more serene than convinced, said.
"It's okay… but we still have things to resolve."
This time, he didn't try to defend himself. He took a deep breath, smiled, and began to explain.
"The peach tree symbolizes protection and life blooming again. I thought it was what we needed."
She listened to him, surprised by the tenderness in his voice.
For the first time, he was saying more… and she processed it in silence.
Minutes later, with a new sense of calm, Ryu pulled out a small box.
Zayra pretended not to see it… but her eyes returned to it almost immediately.
He noticed.
A slight, almost mischievous smile played on his lips.
He moved it a little closer to her… then pulled it back just a bit.
"Curious?"
He Inquired.
Zayra furrowed her brow slightly, trying to maintain her dignity.
"No."
Ryu arched an eyebrow, and a smile escaped him.
He handed her the box.
She took it with a mix of pride and contained anxiety and opened it.
Inside, a delicate bracelet of soft green jade rested on dark velvet.
It wasn't ostentatious, but the stone shone with a firm, almost living calm.
Ryu had chosen a sober piece.
In his world, luxury was common; meaning was not.
She ran her finger over the smooth surface.
Ryu lowered his voice.
"Jade is important to us. It symbolizes protection… and bonds that endure."
He paused, looking at her more than the bracelet.
Then lowered his voice even more.
"I thought maybe… we needed something like this."
She understood.
She touched the bracelet delicately, noting the cool feel of the stone.
Her expression softened just a fraction.
"Protection?"
She asked, looking up at him.
He nodded with a slight smile.
"Yes. Wear it always. So, you remember that even if you are far from your land, you have a home here too."
Ryu slid the bracelet onto Zayra's wrist.
She felt an unexpected warmth, as if the stone were speaking to her in silence.
He watched her quietly, attentive to the slightest change in her expression,
as if negotiating something fragile and sacred at the same time.
Zayra's posture relaxed, and a faint light lit up her gaze.
"Thank you, I appreciate it very much."
She said in a sweeter tone.
Ryu took her hand gently, and this time, she didn't pull away.
He sighed, relieved, and added.
"It doesn't erase what happened.
But I'm not going to stay silent again."
She nodded slowly, still wary… though hope was already peeking through.
The silence became kind in front of the peach tree that now united them.
The peach tree stood behind them, firm and quiet.
Yet, roots are not truly tested during days of peace.