The silence did not last long. On the second floor, it was shattered by heavy footsteps echoing up from the stairs below. They did not belong to Secretary Ardi, who had just been thrown out, but to the wooden sandals of the boarding-house owner.
"EXCEL! GET OUT HERE!"
The shrill, piercing voice of Ibu Nining made Excel, who had just been about to brew some instant noodles, choke on his own saliva.
"I'm screwed," Excel muttered, smacking his forehead. "Si Lampir is here."
Ian, who was sweeping the floor with stiff, robotic movements, slowly turned his head. "Who?"
"The landlady. The terror queen of this alley," Excel whispered in a panic. He hurriedly shoved Ian a little farther back. "Stay quiet here. Don't do anything weird. Your face is way too suspicious."
The bedroom door was suddenly pounded on from outside.
BAM! BAM!
"Excelian Arkananta! Don't pretend you're dead! I know you're in there!" Ibu Nining shouted from behind the door.
Excel took a deep breath, carved out the sweetest smile he could manage, and opened the door a crack. "Oh, Ibu Nining, the most beautiful woman in the world... What brings you here so early? Want to share some cake?"
Ibu Nining planted her hands on her hips. Her short, plump body, wrapped in an orange batik housedress, looked ready to devour Excel alive.
"There is no cake!" Ibu Nining snapped mercilessly. "You're two weeks behind on rent, and now you're hanging your underwear and T-shirts on the front fence! My boarding house's fence isn't a public clothesline! You're ruining the view of the whole alley!"
"Aw, I'm sorry, Ibu. The clothesline in back is completely full," Excel pleaded with a sheepish grin. "I'll move them this afternoon."
"This afternoon?! Right now!" Ibu Nining barked, her eyes bulging. "If you haven't taken them down in ten minutes, I'll fine you fifty thousand! And you'd better pack your bags and leave if you haven't paid the rent in full by the end of today!"
"Come on, Ibu... Have a little mercy. My commissions have been really slow lately," Excel whined pitifully.
As Excel continued begging, a towering figure stepped out from behind the door. Ian, holding the broom like a royal spear, bent slightly so his head would not hit the doorframe.
"What's the problem?" Ian asked curtly, his deep, cold voice echoing down the hall.
Ibu Nining's harsh words suddenly caught in her throat. The fifty-two-year-old woman tilted her head back, looking Ian over from the floor all the way to the top of his head. Her gaze lingered on his strong jaw, high nose, and the aura of expensive handsomeness radiating powerfully from the man before her.
The anger that had been blazing inside Ibu Nining abruptly went out as if someone had doused it with ice water.
"U-uh..." Ibu Nining blinked several times, straightening her housedress and plastic glasses. "Who... who is this? How is he so handsome?"
Excel glanced at Ian, then at Ibu Nining. His eyes widened as he realized the landlady's attitude had changed completely. What a shallow old lady! Excel screamed inwardly.
"He's... my brother, Ibu. His name is Ian," Excel answered quickly, before Ian could produce another stiff remark. "He's just staying over for a little while."
"Oh... Ian," Ibu Nining's tone changed a full one hundred eighty degrees, becoming incredibly gentle and full of exaggerated motherly warmth. "Ian is Excel's brother? Why would you stay in such a tiny room?"
"I'm helping," Ian replied flatly, without a smile.
"Oh my, handsome and hardworking too!" Ibu Nining praised him, smiling so broadly that her upper gums showed. "Are you holding that broom because you're going to sweep the yard downstairs, Ian?"
Ian glanced at the broom in his hand, then slowly nodded. "Yes."
"Oh, don't overdo it, Ian. Let Excel do the sweeping," Ibu Nining said warmly, shooting Excel a brief glare before turning her sweet smile back to Ian. "Have you eaten yet, Ian? My food stall has delicious nasi uduk."
Excel gaped. "Wait, Ibu? Didn't you just say you were going to fine me fifty thousand and kick me out?"
"Who said anything about kicking you out?!" Ibu Nining cut him off sharply. "I was only giving you a friendly reminder! Besides, since Ian is being so hardworking and helping clean up the boarding house, I'll cancel your clothesline fine!"
Excel nearly choked on the air. "Huh? You're really canceling it, Ibu?"
"Yes! I'll even give you until the end of the month to pay your overdue rent!" Ibu Nining declared. Then she turned to Ian with eyes full of admiration. "Ian, if you need anything, just tell me, okay? Coffee? A new towel?"
"No, thank you," Ian replied stiffly.
"Oh, and such a polite voice, too... All right, I'll head downstairs now. Don't work too hard, Ian!" Ibu Nining called flirtatiously before walking down the stairs, humming softly.
After Ibu Nining's footsteps had completely faded away, Excel leaned against the wall and stared at Ian in disbelief and awe.
"Unbelievable," Excel muttered, shaking his head. "I've lived here for two years, and this is the first time I've ever seen Si Lampir go soft. Is your face some kind of street love spell, Ian?"
Ian furrowed his brow. "A love spell?"
"Yeah! Your face just saved my wallet and my home today!" Excel laughed out loud, giving Ian's broad shoulder a friendly slap. "Nice one, Ian! Turns out your handsome face is good for something besides nearly bringing down my bedroom door."
Ian watched Excel laugh heartily. The red-haired young man's smile was completely carefree, and the tense atmosphere in the boarding house suddenly turned warm.
"So... I don't have to pay the fine?" Ian asked to make sure.
"Nope! You paid it with your visual appeal to Ibu Nining," Excel chuckled as he took the broom from Ian's hand. "Go sit over there. I'll finish sweeping. You're officially this boarding house's lucky charm now."
Ian stood silently where he was, watching Excel begin sweeping the corridor while whistling cheerfully. For the first time in his life, Ian felt grateful for the face that people in his office often considered cold, because today, that face had just made the red-haired young man in front of him smile with satisfaction.