It was the month of July, 8:00 in the evening in Metro Cebu. The traffic jam had become slightly worse because there were big vehicles came into the highway streets. As what commuters have seen in the present time, the city streets were crowded. There are no other parking lots were available in public places and establishments, especially when people wanted to park their vehicles in the city malls’ parking lot area.

In the street of Manalili, a stunning, black-colored Isuzu stuck on the highway due to the present traffic jam. A businessman named Sri Sanjay Nagabharana Subramanian (read as sh-ree); who was the one driving of the said vehicle. While waiting for the forward of vehicles, he was having a small phone talk on his company’s businessmen. iPhone 5s was his phone brand and black in its color case.

“Okay, our meeting will be transferred Friday…this week…yes…because I’m attending an important matter…have a good night sleep. Bye.” said Sanjay as he ended the phone conversation.

On his headwear, he was wearing a Batik printed blangkon – a Javanese headgear in Javanese style. He was wearing his black and gold colored beskap – Javanese attire for men while adjusting his Dolce and Gabbana eyeglasses. He was with his wife, a professional orthodontist named Amira Chitradevi Yudhishkara-Subramanian – wearing kebaya in apple green color and she had her hairdo called sanggul, secured with her golden tusuk konde hairpin.

Amira’s makeup is matte finish as she was holding a silky, smooth papered wedding invitation card on her hand looking their names inside. The couple was both working in different fields, from real estate and health. The said wedding invitation was the wedding of Çetin Yunus Haznedar (read as che-tin), a Filipino-Turkish CEO and his bride-to-be girlfriend, a Filipina-Indonesian Mitrachandra “Mitra” Yudhishthira. As Amira read the invitation, she called his husband for a moment.

“Hon,” called Amira.

“Yep, what’s wrong? Waiting for the vehicles to move in,” asked Sanjay.

“The time’s wedding is 9:00 pm as what I’ve read in the invitation.”

“Susmaryosep! Okay. So what time tonight there? On your watch?”

“Wait. I have to look my watch first.”

Amira looked at her golden Gucci wrist watch.

“My goodness! It’s almost 8:00 PM and the wedding will start at 9:00!”

“8:00 PM, what do you say?”

“Argh! Hon, 8:00 PM! One hour later will be the wedding ceremony!” irritated Amira to his husband.

“You sure?” reacted Sanjay surprisingly.

“Yeah! Can’t you hear that huh?! Sirang plato jud kaayo ka! (You’re such a broken plate!)”

“Utro ‘sab ka! (You too)”

“Ugh! Sanjay, we have to hurry and go there to the reception area! We have to prepare ourselves for the wedding!”

Sanjay nodded on his wife’s choleric complain as he slightly moved his vehicle and move forward together with the other vehicles. He asked his wife where the wedding’s venue is.

“According to the invitation, the venue is at the Grand Ballroom, Waterfront Hotel & Casino in Lahug! Get it?”

“Get it, hon,” said Sanjay and later, he clicked his tongue thrice.

“How grumpy my wife is. She’s totally prepared her own fashion ,” he added in a silent-toned murmur.

Amira sighed and takes a deep breath because she was getting nervous about being late. She picked up her matte lip-gloss and foundation inside of her pink-colored, Coco Chanel purse. Then, after applying lip-gloss on her lips, she lightly applied foundation powder using her makeup brush.

In the exterior view of Waterfront Hotel & Casino, located in Lahug, Metro Cebu, there were automobiles and MPVs entered the hotel as they parked in various parking lots. Most of the vehicles’ brands found in the said parking lots were Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Subaru. The people from the respective vehicles were also attendees of the wedding.

At the grand hallway of the hotel, Ahalya Mayaratridevi Yudhishkara-Sarsaba walked together with her husband, Yusuf Iqbal Sarsaba and looking for an elevator to ride in. She and his husband belonged to the wedding’s principal sponsors. The husband was wearing udeng – a Balinese headwear and baju safari – Balinese topwear; whereas Ahalya was wearing Sundanese-style kebaya. While walking, she contacted Amira for a while with her Huawei Mate 9 phone.

“Hey! Hello!” shouted Amira after receiving a phone call.

“Ay! Hi…A-Amira. Good evening.” greeted Ahalya nicely.

“Good evening, too. Why are you calling me? Are you in the reception area?”

“Not yet, Amira.”

“Huh? Not yet?!”

“Yeah, I’m still on the hotel’s ground floor with Yusuf after family shopping. We’re walking to the elevator so that we’ll find the reception’s location.”

“Okay. I get it.”

“Where are you now by the way? We just newly parked our car outside and we’re finally here.”

“Right now? I and my husband we’re now in Gen. Maxilom Avenue and we’re still stuck the traffic again! Again! ARGH!”

“Chillax, girl. We’ll see each other in the reception area--”

Suddenly, Ahalya’s close friend, Marissa Sukanyadevi Yudhishkara-Purushottama approached her nicely. Later, the two women greeted gladly each other. Ranvijay was wearing Buginese costume. She was with her husband, Ranvijay Shankara Purushottama and her adult son, Paulus Raghavendra Purushottama. Marissa was wearing tangerine Javanese kebaya, like Sanjay and Amira. The women’s husbands had their simple handshake with a small conversation. Paulus had nothing to say but he kissed his relatives’ hand as a sign of respect. He was wearing Jambi Malay costume.

“Um…mom,” called Paulus to his mother.

“Y-yes?” asked Marissa.

“Hello, Paulo! My darling nephew! How are you now?” greeted Ahalya surprisingly.

Paulus faked a laugh as he answered he’s fine. But deep inside, he was shocked yet irritated on his aunt’s ‘surprise act’. He requested his parents, including Ahalya and Yusuf – his aunt and uncle to go directly to the elevator so that they won’t be late in the reception area.

Meanwhile, in the hotel’s junior suite, Evita Janessadevi Narayana Haznedar-Abraham combed her shiny, wavy mahogany hair and applying black mascara at the same time. Evita’s husband can’t attend to the wedding because her newly husband, a Dutch national was in Amsterdam, Netherlands. She is the mother of Shinta Pushpadevi Haznedar and also the groom. Evita’s elder sister, Sarasvati Pushpitadevi Narayana Rosaroso (The letter ‘v’ read as ‘w’) was busy straightening her hair with her personal makeup artist.

She was focus playing her iPhone 5s phone, especially her favorite app game, Chocolate Crush Eternal. Sarasvati was the only widow of the Narayana family after her husband died from the plane crash happened in Bandung, Indonesia. Evita’s daughter, Shinta, was in the junior suite. Evita’s roommates were Sarasvati and her daughter, Donita Karuniyadevi Narayana Rosaroso slowly applying her matte-finish lipstick. Donita is perfectly beautiful; however, she doesn’t improve her own beauty because she was definitely a boyish girl. She was wearing Javanese formal attire. As Evita noticed her niece, she starts complaining her. In terms of costume clothing, Evita was wearing a Riau Malay costume without wearing hijab, Javanese-Yogyakartan attire for Carolina and Sarasvati was wearing Javanese style kebaya.

“Donita! You’re still applying your lipstick?” asked Evita.

“Yes, aunty.” responded Donita.

“Oh my God! You’re so slow in applying your own makeup! You have to be more beautiful than others!” complained Evita.

“Aunty I—"

“Then, you have to be more beautiful. Like Samantha!”

“Aunty Evita, I don’t want to! I’m still applying lipstick on my lips, and after that, I have to comb my hair. Done! Voila!”

“Impractical! You have to be more beautiful like Samantha. Come on, make-up some more!”

“She’s already beautiful but I don’t want to upgrade my beauty more. Anyways, this is just my normal beauty at all.”

“Sweetie, just follow your aunt’s words now. Okay?” said Sarasvati to her daughter nicely while playing.

Donita got irritated and angry because of her mother’s words. Her eldest sister, Preciosa Karuniyadevi Narayana Rosaroso, was not around on the wedding because she was at home, somewhere in Mandaue City. Meanwhile, a few hours later, Carolina Madhuradevi Narayana Raghavendra – the youngest sister of Narayana family entered to the junior suite. She is the most beautiful of the Narayana sisters. She is married to Hendra Mahaindradeva Maheshwara-Raghavendra, and had two adult children named Rahwana Mahajudika “Judika” Narayana Raghavendra and Samanthara “Samantha” Preetidevi Narayana Raghavendra. The parents were assigned as principal sponsors, whereas the children were candle bearers.

Samantha’s brother was entered in the other suite, located on the sixth floor. She entered in the junior suite as the Narayana sisters’ daughters finally see to each other. Donita and Shinta saw Samantha in an extravagant makeup, wearing Betawi costume attire with a kerudung – a headscarf. The three sisters started their fun and bubbly conversation.

Meanwhile, on the sixth floor, in the executive suite, a 36 year old young man named Samuel Murillo Aragones wears his baju surjan in Solo style (i.e. Solo is from Central Java, Indonesia), with his white shirt as his upper top. He started wearing his headband in Sundanese style. He was in a relationship to a lawyer who worked in the Cebu City Supreme Court, named Atty. Juni Lyre Indradevi Altamira. Fortunately, they’re in 6^th year relationship as a couple. Juni was wearing a Minangkabau costume without wearing a horn-shaped headwear as an additional accessory. As she finished applying her makeup, she approached Samuel for a while.

“S-Sam?” called Juni to Samuel.

Samuel looked at Juni’s charming face.

“Hey, Juni. You look so beautiful tonight.”

“Ay sus! What a coincidence, babe! You’ve just said that kind of compliment tonight, huh! Before, since we were high school sweethearts, you called me elephant because I’m fat!”

Samuel laughed with a humor on Juni’s beauty.

“--and we were in a relationship outside college, when I became petite and slim, you still called me pumpkin-skinned because of my face?! Ugh! !”

“That’s what I looked at you before ever since I’ve met you.” laughed Samuel as he recalled their memories.

“How dare you!” irritated Juni as she pushed his boyfriend lightly.

“Haha. But now, you’re beautiful…very beautiful.”

“Sure?” ensured Juni to him.

Samuel faked a smile to her as he slightly laughed on her.

“Ugh, Samuel! Speak honestly! Or else I’ll file you a case if ever you continue doing that.”

“Okay, okay. I’m honest…I’m honest that you’re beautiful…inside and out.” laughed Samuel continuously.

“Really?”

Samuel nodded honestly to Juni’s compliment, and then, they kissed their lips fluffily with matching romantic hug. Suddenly, someone’s knocking the suite’s door. Juni was the one approaching to the door and she slightly opened it.

“Yes?” asked Juni.

Juni saw his close friend, Timotheus Giuseppe “Tito” Singanamala and the wedding’s best man. She smiled sweetly as she saw her friend as they had a little conversation as close friends. Tito is already married to Shakuntala Punyadevi Amarillo-Singanamala and the best woman. He was wearing a Javanese costume in Yogyakartan style, but his footwear was leather shoes.

“Juni, let’s go to the Grand Ballroom. Everyone’s fall their line.” said Tito.

“Huh? Are there in the position line?” stunned Juni.

Tito nodded his head as Juni called Samuel to exit directly to the suite. The clock strikes at nine in the evening, and everyone’s fall their line. The wedding’s motif was Javanese wedding but the wedding procession is still Western, because most of the attendees were Filipino Catholics and Protestants. The minorities were foreign nationals, such as Turkish, German, Indonesian and Korean businessmen were also fall their line. Everything in the wedding was very extravagant yet diverse. Before the emcee started speaking in front of everyone, the procession was started. A few hours later…

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this most important moment in the lives of this couple. Live at the Grand Ballroom, Waterfront Hotel and Casino, Lahug, Cebu City, let me introduce myself, I am Mr. Jayakumar Purusshottama Samudra – your emcee for tonight. We invite you to leave behind the worries and concerns of everyday life and join us in the celebration of their marriage. This is an opportunity for us to share not only in the joy of Mitra and Çetin’s love but also to reaffirm and appreciate the love and the friendship we experience in our own lives. May we all celebrate by being fully present during our short time together.”

“Mitra and Çetin have chosen this setting in which to be married because it provides an appropriate backdrop for the public affirmation of their love. Mitra and Çetin’s view marriage as a coming together at all levels of being – mind, body, and spirit. A marital commitment includes the willingness to be open and vulnerable, and the courage to take risks. Marriage is a conscious act of will.”

“To remain in marriage we must continually renew our will to be married. Marital partners accept the challenges that living together in love offer. They decide that they will face the fears that are a necessary part of establishing and nurturing an intimate relationship. And you, Mitra and Çetin have made the commitment to create and recreate this conscious partnership. Those of us who are married or in relationships may take this moment to consciously reaffirm our commitment to our partners and ourselves. Marriage consists of entrusting our deepest selves into the loving care of another. It is a public and legal act to be sure. It is also an emotional and spiritual act.

“The spiritual aspect of marriage must be embraced openly, seriously, and completely for the marriage to endure. Mitra and Çetin commit themselves today to each other in sacred trust. They promise to embrace conflict as well as peace; to work as well as play; to struggle as well as coast; to give as well as receive; and to be with, stay with, and move toward one another.”

After the wedding ceremony of Mitra and Çetin, everyone clapped their hands extravagantly. Juni was with Samuel, joined clapping their hands while watching the couple was happily married. The Raghavendras, and other powerful families such as the Rosarosos and the Haznedars, were also very supportive towards the couple also. The balloons and confetti fell down the whole venue.

“Please welcome, our newlyweds! Mr. and Mrs. Çetin Yunus Haznedar!” greeted the emcee.

The wedding’s dinner was already served by the hotel’s professional waiters and other personnel. And everyone’s falling in line to make the arrangement more accessible. It’s already 11:30 in the evening and the wedding party’s not yet over because the picture taking session ran continuously. The said session is longer than the actual wedding ceremony. It is happened after the dinner, when Samuel joined his number of friends to take pictures. His friends called him ‘Uncle Samuel’ because he acts like a teenager even though he’s in the 30s. He called Juni to join in picture taking session with them, but Juni received an emergency phone call and she started answering it.

Meanwhile, Ahalya summoned Paulus to buy additional cake for those people who wanted to eat more. Paulus agreed his aunt’s commandment, but Ahalya suggested him that he will going to the bakeshop with Samuel. Paulus suggested that he will buy the cake the next day. Ahalya disagrees and she needs the cake to be delivered. Paulus had nothing to say but he responded in a nod. Outside of the city, Samuel was with Paulus and going to the well-known bakeshop somewhere in Ayala Mall. As they reached there, the bakeshop was already closed.

“Damn! The bakeshop’s closed!” grumped Paulus.

“Yeah…It’s already closed because it’s late in the evening tonight.”

“Oh no, Uncle Samuel! What should I say to Aunt Ahalya? She needs the cake now!”

“Ha-ha. Aunt Ahalya’s like that. She’s a demanding person, Paulo. You know what, when I met her, she wanted everything to be delivered in no time. Like what happened one time, I didn’t plan to visit their house because I have a headache and back pain. However, she was forced me to--”

Suddenly, his nose and mouth were covered with handkerchief with kerosene, as he got electrocuted by one of the masked men using Taser. He was captured by masked men as he brought to the car. Paulus tried to stop capturing Samuel by them; however, he was stabbed by the other masked men. He fell on the ground, feeling unconscious. He had bloody wounds on his forehead and stomach. Then, the car runs away to the highway.