The two bowls of street-cart meatballs ordered by Aris were wiped clean in under ten minutes. The clear broth, which had originally been slick with oil and fried shallots, was now completely gone down to the last drop, leaving Mira leaning back against the lobby pillar with a happily rounded belly and a long, relieved sigh.

The atmosphere on the Balai Sudirman lobby porch slowly settled as the torrential downpour outside tapered off into a gentle, misty drizzle. The scent of damp earth and the cool night air of Jakarta blended together harmoniously, creating a mood that suddenly felt intimate and relaxed.

Mira, who was usually fiercely devoted to maintaining her jaim (image-conscious) streak around attractive men, completely abandoned every remaining shred of her pride that night. Sitting across from Aris—a man who had already witnessed her entire cosmic catastrophe of a day, from her concrete Super Saiyan updo and Borneo-shaped peanut sauce stain down to her size-13 construction-worker loafers—left Mira feeling like she had nothing left to hide.

"Aris, honestly..." Mira said, toying with the plastic bowl lid using her spoon and staring out at the puddles in the parking lot. "Out of all my twenty-odd years on this earth, today officially takes the crown as the unluckiest, most absurd, and most mortifying day in the history of human civilization."

Aris let out a soft chuckle, crossing his arms as he glanced sideways at her. "Why only realizing it now? Back at Bu Tati’s salon during the first scene, you really should have cataloged today into the world record books of global misfortune."

"Damn it, you're actually teasing me!" Mira protested, faking a pout while a genuine smile tugged at her lips. "Seriously though, Aris. This morning my intention was crystal clear: crash Satya's wedding to prove I'm thriving, completely happy, and totally over our breakup. Just to make him regret it to his core."

"And how did that turn out?" Aris teased playfully. "Any regrets from the ex?"

"Regrets maybe, but definitely not because I looked successful!" Mira burst out laughing. "Satya was probably standing on that stage thinking, 'Thank goodness I dumped this chick two years ago, or my life would be a daily circus act!' And to top it all off, during the group photo, I literally dragged him down with me straight onto the stage floor. Talk about psychological warfare revenge."

Aris couldn't hold back his laughter any longer. His crisp, rich laughter echoed freely through the quiet lobby, making Mira's heart skip a beat with that strange, fluttering rhythm once again.

"You really are one of a kind, Mira," Aris said softly once his laughter subsided, gazing at her with a gentle warmth that instantly spiked the temperature in the lobby. "Anyone else facing a cascade of disasters like you did since dawn would probably be sobbing hysterically in a corner of their room calling home. But you? You still found the time to crash an ex's wedding, throw down with an older woman over a wooden spoon, and rock a pair of size-13 men's shoes."

Mira scowled playfully, though her cheeks burned hot with a rosy flush. "What else was I supposed to do? What's done is done, served with extra sate sauce and crushed crackers. Crying about it isn't going to magically restore my baby pink dress to mall-fresh condition."

They sat together in comfortable silence for a moment, enjoying the soothing night air. The drizzle outside had finally stopped entirely, leaving behind a crisp, refreshing Jakarta night.

Aris rose from his spot, stretching his arms slightly before reaching into his suit pocket for his car keys. He smiled down warmly at Mira.

"It's past ten o'clock, Wedding Queen. The storm's over. Are you planning to hang out here playing VIP vagrant in a luxury lobby until the security guard sweeps you out with a broom, or would you prefer a ride home from a very patient, handsome lawyer?" Aris offered with quiet confidence.

Mira looked up, her eyes sparkling with immense gratitude. "I'd love a ride home! My feet are completely done for in these oversized shoes. But seriously, are you sure I'm not imposing?"

"Not at all. My car is parked in the main basement near the VIP elevator," Aris replied smoothly, stepping ahead to lead the way.

Limping slightly—one shoe a broken stiletto stub, the other a giant size-13 loafer—Mira shuffled along behind Aris, riding the escalator down into the dimly lit parking basement.

Reaching a row of impeccably polished luxury vehicles, Aris halted in front of a sleek, dark-metallic sedan of the latest model. He clicked his remote key fob, and the car flashed a bright welcoming wink.

"Right this way, Madame," Aris said, opening the front passenger door for her.

Mira beamed, sliding straight into the plush, fragrant passenger seat. It felt like stepping straight into heaven after walking through a marathon of worldly suffering.

Aris circled around the front hood, hopped into the driver's seat, and swiftly clicked his seatbelt into place. He slid his key into the ignition and turned it with total confidence.

Vroom... brrrr...

The engine roared to life for a solid two seconds, then coughed a pathetic little sputter: chug-chug-chug... click... and died entirely into silence.

Aris furrowed his brow, twisting the ignition key a second time. Brrrr... click-click... Zero signs of life from the motor.

The dashboard gauges and electrical displays flickered weakly before flatlining into total darkness.

The cabin plunged into an awkward, suffocating silence.

Mira slowly turned her head toward Aris, narrowing her eyes with heavy suspicion, while Aris stared down at the dead key in his hand with a mix of shock and monumental guilt.

"Aris..." Mira said in a flat, deadpan tone. "Don't tell me that a billion-rupiah luxury sedan belonging to an elite independent legal consultant..."

"Ahem... it appears..." Aris cleared his throat awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck, "...the car battery decided to throw a tantrum because we left the AC running while we were hanging out in the ballroom earlier."

Mira sat frozen in the passenger seat. Inside the completely dead luxury sedan parked in a dim basement, Mira lightly tapped her forehead, while her concrete Super Saiyan updo gave a defeated little shudder.

This cursed day genuinely refused to end normally.