Caramel walked right in. She immediately tossed her bag onto the bed, grabbed Intan's pillow, and sprawled out comfortably.
"It's exhausting being this gorgeous."
Not long afterward, footsteps sounded outside, and the door opened. Intan appeared, looking tired and carrying her college bag.
She stopped.
"You bum! Instead of going to class, you're lying around in here! You keep skipping class—I’m telling your Dad later!" Intan scolded when she saw the anomaly stretched out on her bed, eating chips.
Caramel turned her head while chewing. "Hi, babe."
"What are you doing here?"
"Waiting for you, Intan, my precious diamond, my Diamond ... youuu are my mineee!" Caramel sang as she wriggled around on the bed.
"Since when?"
"Since before that old maid neighbor of yours threw a fit."
Intan immediately set down her bag. "Don't tell me you got into it with Ms. Reni again."
"Nope."
"Then what happened?"
"She started it. I mean, who throws something at my head?"
"Did you fight back?"
"Nope."
Intan looked relieved. She felt bad whenever there was trouble with one of her boardinghouse roommates because she was afraid she wouldn't be able to borrow money from them.
Caramel smiled. "I just made her do some self-reflection."
Intan, who was sitting with her back to Caramel, turned around without thinking. "How?"
"I told her she looked like an orangutan."
"Caramel! Are you insane?"
Caramel immediately sat down beside Intan. "I didn't start it!"
"Why do you always have problems with my neighbors?"
"Because they're so sensitive. They get mad just because I yell."
"Well, duh, Juminteeen. You're the one who's insensitive and oblivious!" Intan poked Caramel in the forehead with her index finger.
"I'm only sensitive and perceptive when it comes to love."
Intan rolled her eyes. "Love again. You ridiculous idiot."
Caramel flashed a huge smile. "Hey, I have news."
"What?"
"I'm having dinner with Mr. Carlo tonight."
Intan stopped while taking off her shoes. "What? Dinner?"
"Yep." Caramel smiled proudly.
"You managed to ask him out?"
"I didn't ask him."
"Then what? He asked you?" Intan pressed.
Caramel smiled confidently.
"Liar."
"Okay, it was a lie. But he agreed when I asked him."
"Did you threaten him?"
Caramel went quiet for a moment, then grinned. "A little."
"I have a feeling it was a lot."
Caramel burst out laughing. "I asked for compensation because my foot still hasn't been treated."
"You're insane. But your foot is really okay, right?"
Caramel smiled proudly. "It's all part of a heroine's struggle, R.A. Caramel."
"If R.A. Kartini heard you, she'd rise from the grave and rearrange your face. How dare you compare her struggle to that of a Gen Z unhinged girl like you."
"The important thing is, I'm going on a date with my darling Mr. Carlo tonight."
"So it's really happening tonight?" Intan asked, still not convinced.
"Yep. He's picking me up here."
Intan pointed straight at her boardinghouse room. "Here?"
"Yep."
"Are you seriously still pretending to be broke and living here?"
Caramel nodded casually. "Yep."
"You're way too good at this."
"Of course. That's just Caramel."
Intan immediately shot back, "Problem, not professional!"
"Jerk!" Caramel threw a pillow at Intan.
"Seriously, what's the point of pretending to be poor?"
"So I have an excuse to ask for compensation. If he knew I had money, I'd just go to the doctor myself."
"And what if Mr. Carlo finds out?"
"Then he better not find out."
"What if he asks?"
Caramel calmly munched on a chip. "I'll answer honestly."
"Honestly tell him you're a tycoon's daughter?"
"Honest? Your face is weird."
Intan threw the pillow back at Caramel. "Oh, my God!"
Caramel giggled, but immediately continued, "I have principles."
"What kind of principles?"
"If a guy likes me, I want him to like me because of my face, body, brain, personality, and charm."
Intan looked her up and down. "Your body?"
Caramel immediately puffed out her chest. "Don't underestimate a national asset."
"Keep telling yourself that!" Intan shot back.
"The important thing is that Mr. Carlo is interested."
"Do you really like him?"
This time, Caramel didn't answer right away. She gazed at the ceiling of Intan's room with a small smile.
"Maybe. It's more that I feel challenged."
"What about Frans?"
Caramel immediately waved a hand. "Frans is in the past."
"Just yesterday you said Frans was the one and only."
"Well, now he's the one and replaced."
Intan laughed. "That was fast."
"I'm a visionary."
"I believe you're just unstable, Maimunah!"
Intan immediately snatched back her potato chips, which had become Caramel's property the moment she entered Intan's boardinghouse room half an hour ago.
"So what are you going to wear tonight?" Intan asked.
Caramel immediately stood up, rising like she was fighting colonial oppression in the Fifth World War. "Now, that's a serious problem. We need a Full Plenary Meeting!"
"Don't tell me you're planning to wear something as flashy as a kindergartner's birthday party outfit." Intan was already suspicious.
"Been there."
"What?! When?"
"Yesterday, when I went to Mr. Carlo's office. Then he called me an Independence Day banner." Caramel told the story without the slightest hint of sadness or embarrassment.
Intan burst out laughing.
"But I'm sure that was actually a compliment, Tan," Caramel added.
"You are so ridiculously narcissistic! You'd better ask Mr. Carlo what he wants you to wear." Intan offered the suggestion before her best friend showed up dressed like an ondel-ondel in a failed attempt to be a Naykilla wannabe.
"So I should text Mr. Carlo?" Caramel asked as she picked up her phone, which she'd given the silent treatment earlier.
"Yes. Better do that so you don't wear the wrong thing."
Caramel immediately opened her chat with Carlo and typed a message.
[Hi, handsome Mr. Carlo. It's your adorable Caramel. Can I have the rest of your life?]
"Sent! Do you think he'll take long to reply?" Caramel asked.
"How should I know? Do I look like a Tarot card reader?"
"You look more like Mak Erot."
WEE-OO! WEE-OO!
A message notification rang out from Caramel's phone, sounding more like an ambulance siren. It was a reply from Carlo.
[Why? Just get to the point.]
"Oh my God ... why does the chat notification sound like mwah, mwah? It feels like I'm being kissed!" Caramel shouted excitedly.
"Good grief ... hurry up and reply."
Caramel immediately typed another message.
[Mr. Carlo, do you have any ideas? What kind of dress should I wear for our first date tonight? You must have great taste, which is why I might as well marry you so our wedding decorations and outfits will look amazing.]
Carlo replied quickly.
[Stop saying weird things. Just wear the kind of outfit in the photo I sent you.]
A photo arrived soon afterward. Caramel opened it immediately.
It was a photo of a millennial-era celebrity wearing bell-bottom jeans and a flannel shirt. It was absolutely not Caramel's style.
"Oh, come on ... is this really what millennial older guys like? This kid from the Pak Harto era is so annoying!" This was the first time Caramel had complained since Chapter One.