Epilogue: Years Later
The cool breeze swept through the open garden venue, rustling white petals scattered along the aisle and swaying the delicate string lights overhead. The sun had just begun to dip beyond the ridgeline, casting the whole scene in soft gold. Friends and family filled rows of white chairs, champagne flutes in hand, faces glowing with joy.
At the front, Mikha stood in a well-tailored barong-inspired suit, her hair tamed but still rebelliously peeking out here and there. Aiah stood beside her, radiant in a modern minimalist gown, hand resting lightly over Mikha's.
And now, stepping up to the mic, was Colet—best woman, resident chaos agent, and undisputed keeper of all embarrassing stories. She cleared her throat dramatically, the mic squeaking slightly, and gave the couple a devilish grin.
"Ladies, gents, and lahat ng hindi pa makamove-on sa single life, magandang gabi sa inyong lahat!"
The crowd laughed as Colet beamed, pausing just long enough for the teasing to land.
"Ako po si Colet, proud best woman ng bride—si Mikha. Yes, best woman, kasi kahit sinong lalaki hindi kakayanin ang level ng chika na kaya kong i-deliver ngayong gabi."
Laughter rippled through the crowd. Mikha groaned under her breath, already regretting giving Colet a microphone.
"Now, as your designated memory keeper tonight, let me take you back... to the humble beginnings of this glorious love story. Kasi let's be real—kung may award para sa pinaka-chaotic meet-cute, kayong dalawa na 'yon. Hands down."
She pointed to Mikha with exaggerated theatrics.
"Imagine this: A few years ago, Aiah and I were supposed to go on a blind date. At a chill bar. Simple lang, nothing wild. Enter Mikha—na sobrang loyal, sinamahan ako para mag-'discreet wingwoman' from a distance. Emphasis on discreet, which clearly, hindi umubra."
Mikha covered her face with her hands. Aiah bit her lip, trying not to laugh.
"Lo and behold, dumating si Aiah, all poised and mysterious. And instead of checking who's who, she walks straight up to Mikha, sits down, and says, 'Hey, are you my date?'"
The crowd let out a collective "Awww" and laughter.
"At ito naman si Mikha—alam niyong dapat sinabi niya agad ang totoo, 'di ba? Pero hindi. Hindi. She just... panicked. Nagpa-pretend siya. Hindi niya sinabing, 'Uy, hindi ako si Colet.' Alam niyo kung anong sabi niya? Wala. Umupo lang siya. Nagpa-dalá sa kilig. The audacity!"
The room roared. Mikha shook her head, laughing helplessly.
"And you know what's worse? The date went so well that she forgot to even text me na dumating na si Aiah! Ako pa 'tong nagkandaleche-leche sa cafe bathroom trying to stage-manage everything like a teleserye director!"
Colet paused for effect, then softened her tone.
"Pero real talk... That mix-up? That awkward, messy, absolutely hilarious first meeting? That was the start of something real. Kasi from that day on, Mikha—who had always been a fixer of things—found someone who didn't need fixing. And Aiah, who always kept her walls up, found someone who made her feel safe enough to tear them down."
She looked over at the couple, her voice growing more heartfelt.
"I've watched you both grow—not just together, but because of each other. Through the weird street food dates, late-night climbs, IKEA furniture disasters, and the quiet, ordinary days that made everything real."
"Mikha," she said, locking eyes with her best friend, "I'm proud of you. Hindi dahil nagkaroon ka ng lovelife—finally—but because you learned how to show up. Fully. For someone who deserved it."
