Chapter 20

• The cool morning air seemed unable to ease the tension that had taken over the situation there. Ayu swallowed hard, feeling every pair of eyes fixed on her, piercing into her soul that still felt restless. "Forgive me if I have disappointed the villagers and our ancestors," she said, her voice trembling, but clearly audible to everyone present.
• She kept her head bowed, respecting tradition and the elders, but inside her, a new courage began to ignite. "But I want to ask... does tradition really leave no space at all for my heart to feel love?" the words slipped from her mouth, hanging in the air that suddenly felt heavier.
• A small sigh escaped from the crowd. Some villagers exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond to Ayu's question, which they thought was inappropriate to ask. The elders wore stern, unreadable faces, as if trying to digest every word Ayu had just spoken. Ayu felt her heartbeat quicken, her chest rising and falling with anxiety.