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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 50 — The Legend of the Toborochi
50.1 A Place to Stay
The sun was still high, although it no longer burned with the same intensity.
Among the trees, the squawking of parrots marked the passage of time,
and the air smelled of warm earth and dry leaves.
Ryu was still standing where they had kissed,
a mere brush on the corner of his mouth,
but enough to stir something deeper than physical impulse.
He unconsciously raised his hand to the corner of his mouth, as if he could still feel the touch.
"It wasn't just a gesture... it was a silent promise."
He thought, surprised by how much it had affected him.
"It's a reward. For understanding me and supporting me."
The phrase spun in his mind; he didn't know if it was a joke,
a sincere gesture, or both,
and his heart pounded as if it were unaccustomed to anything.
"Young man, over here!"
a feminine voice called out, hoarse but kind.
An older woman, wearing a floral dress and worn leather sandals, approached him smiling.
Her eyes shone with warmth, and Zayra was with her.
"I'm Mrs. Lourdes.
We're going to get you settled."
Ryu looked at Zayra, hesitating if he should go alone.
He blinked once, subtly.
He was accustomed to others guiding him, not to feeling lost.
She replied by raising an eyebrow.
"I'm coming with you.
I want to see where they're putting you."
"Are you worried they'll treat me badly?" he asked, in a soft tone.
She shook her head.
She watched Ryu, curious to see if he would tolerate a night without luxury,
aware that this test could define if he was the right man.
Zayra gave a gentle, mischievous smile and answered.
"No... I'm worried you won't be comfortable."
Ryu looked Zayra in the eyes and felt a hidden challenge.
He returned the smile, giving her to understand that he knew what she was thinking.
She looked away and pretended nothing was happening.
***
They walked behind the woman among the small houses.
The community had that kind of order without rigidity, a beauty without pretension.
Everything was clean, simple, alive.
The woman opened the door to a room in a low house,
with white walls and a low roof of corrugated iron reinforced with palm.
"You'll sleep here, in the bachelors' house, cool and safe.
If you need anything, knock on the communal kitchen window."
She said, pointing to a far corner.
Ryu went inside and looked at the room, a wooden bed, a chair, a table with a jar of water,
across on the wall, and a shelf with a candle.
No luxuries.
He stood still for a few seconds. His gaze swept over every corner with a calmness he didn't recognize.
"Nothing is missing. Everything is... in its place."
And yet, he didn't feel uncomfortable.
He turned and found her watching him intently.
"Too austere for you?"
She asked, her eyes shining and a smile that betrayed how much she enjoyed watching him decide for himself.
"It's different, but it's fine."
He replied.
She raised her eyebrows, genuinely surprised.
"You're not going to complain?"
Ryu gave a slight smile and countered.
"No... I'm not here for comfort."
The tone was serene, but his eyes had a strange shine, as if he were also talking to himself.
She lowered her gaze slightly but smiled,
as if that phrase had touched something soft inside her.
***
Zayra took his hand and said.
"Come. I'll show you the heart of Besoró."
They walked along the dirt paths.
He inhaled deeply, trying to memorize the smell of earth and smoke.
In his mind, that aroma already had a name.
"Home."
They passed children playing soccer.
Women grinding something in large wooden Tacús with a huge pestle.
This seemed very striking to Ryu, watching how the women used it.
She took his hand and brought him closer to the women.
Ryu tensed, but followed her lead.
The women were laughing and, seeing Zayra, they said.
"Zayra, what a joy to see you after so many years, you've gotten prettier."
Zayra blushed and smiling told them.
"I'm very happy to see you too, beautiful ladies.
I'd like to introduce you to my boyfriend, Ryu Kang."
Ryu inclined his head. They laughed and commented.
"Your boyfriend is very handsome, Zayra."
Zayra laughed and, as if telling them a secret out loud, she said.
"I know."
Ryu couldn't help but blush, he cleared his throat and fixed his gaze on the Tacú.
The women laughed seeing him so curious, and Zayra, amused, asked him.
"Do you want to try?"
At first, he hesitated, almost rigid, with a straight back and tense hands.
He swallowed, and his posture straightened instinctively.
Part of him feared making a fool of himself.
Another part wanted to prove he could do it.
Zayra made him sit down on the chair.
The women showed him how to position the Tacú between his legs, and instructed him how to move the pestle.
Up and down, with controlled force.
Ryu felt the weight of the pestle and the effort involved.
He lifted the pestle, lowered it slowly and, for an instant, slightly frowned, concentrating.
"How can they do every day?"
He wondered, admiringly.
A drop of sweat ran down his temple.
He didn't wipe it off. It was his way of accepting the challenge.
"We use it for our daily life."
Explained one of the women, smiling as she watched him.
Ryu began to pound the meat, following the rhythm they indicated.
Every strike seemed fascinating to him, as if he were discovering a new world in something so simple.
He looked up at Zayra, and she smiled, encouraging him; he responded with a slight nod.
"What is this for?"
He finally asked.
"It's for the majadito."
The woman replied, with a playful smile.
"You're doing well, young Ryu."
Ryu was surprised by how entertaining it was.
For the first time in a long time, he wasn't thinking about results or strategies.
He was just... present.
The effort, the aroma of the meat, and the contact with tradition captivated him despite its strangeness.
50.2 Arevara and the Hummingbird God.
After the encounter with the Tacú.
Zayra led Ryu to the Toborochi tree that opened like a giant umbrella.
They both sat at its base.
Ryu saw how lovingly she looked at the imposing tree.
Suddenly, she spoke.
"You know, Ryu... this tree symbolizes two things, transformation and resistance."
Ryu looked at her curiously, tilting his head slightly, awaiting the explanation.
She leaned gently on his shoulder.
"Close your eyes."
She whispered with a faint smile.
His breathing slowed.
He closed his eyes without arguing, an unusual act for someone who rarely ceded control.
He obeyed, and his world became only her voice.
He felt the warmth of her closeness, the rhythm of her breathing, and the calm she conveyed.
"Many years ago..."
She began.
"There was an indigenous princess named Arevara."
In Ryu's mind, Arevara walked among mountains and rivers,
her dress floating in the wind, her eyes full of determination.
"She fell in love with the Hummingbird God."
Zayra continued.
"But he wasn't a common hummingbird.
He could take human form, a man from distant lands, of ethereal beauty and deep gaze.
They fell in love, married, and were expecting a child."
He could imagine the Hummingbird God, elegant and strong, embracing Arevara with tenderness.
He felt a shiver; it was like seeing a living painting.
"A fortune teller predicted that their child would be the most powerful priest,
destined to defeat the evil spirits and bring peace to the community."
Ryu frowned. Dark shadows loomed over the scene; he unconsciously squeezed Zayra's hand.
She gently stroked his arm, conveying calm.
"The spirits of darkness attacked.
To keep his wife and child safe,
the Hummingbird God put them in a magic chair so they could escape."
She continued.
"The Hummingbird God fought with all his might to protect Arevara and the child...
But he was mortally wounded."
Ryu felt a knot in his throat.
He saw the Hummingbird God fall, and tears began to trace lines on Arevara's face.
The myth resonated too much.
It wasn't just a foreign story,
something in his chest recognized that loss, as if he, too,
had left parts of himself to protect something he loved.
"Torn by loss."
Zayra whispered.
"Arevara fled in the magic chair with her son to the foot of a Toborochi like this one.
She prayed to the gods for help, and the tree received her in its trunk.
There she gave birth and cared for her son, preparing him to fulfill his destiny."
Ryu could imagine the rough texture of the bark,
the smell of damp earth, the wind gently moving the leaves,
and the small figure of Arevara cradling her son.
His heart tightened.
Zayra lowered her voice to a whisper.
"She knew she would never see the Hummingbird God again...
So once her son left, she decided to stay and merge with the Toborochi."
He closed his eyes harder, seeing how the tree trunk lit up,
how Arevara slowly transformed into the Toborochi flower,
an intense pink that seemed to glow with its own light.
"Once a year,"
Zayra continued, her voice soft and almost reverent.
"Her flowers bloom. And the hummingbirds return, drinking their sweet nectar,
as if the love of Arevara and the Hummingbird God had transcended nature.
Life and love are renewed every year."
He remained silent, breathing slowly.
He could feel the magic of the legend, seeing the flight of the hummingbirds,
the light of the flowers, and the eternal love that flowed between them.
Zayra stroked his hand, drawing slow circles with her fingers.
"That's the Toborochi."
She whispered.
"The strength that does not surrender."
Ryu let out a deep sigh, his mind still full of the story, his heart beating with every detail.
Zayra smiled, and her finger drew slow circles on his arm, as if making sure he was truly there,
sharing the magic of the Toborochi and the legend that had survived time.
***
He opened his eyes slowly.
He wasn't just looking at the Toborochi, but at Zayra, and he understood that both were roots and destiny at the same time.
He cleared his throat and commented.
"Now I understand why you like this tree so much."
Zayra smiled softly, resting her head on his shoulder again.
"Yes... that's why I love this place.
For everything it holds, and for everything it teaches us."
Just then, the voice of Chief Pedro rang out from the center of the community.
"Zayra, Ryu! Dinner is ready!"
Zayra looked at him, the last light of the sunset gilding her face.
"Let's go. Today it's majadito."
"Is that food or a threat?"
"Both."
She said, and ran off laughing.
He followed her, lighter than he had been all week.