Started: 04/27/2021 Ended: 08/24/2021 Ang hirap palang tumanda. Ang hirap magbayad ng bills. Ang hirap suportahan ng pamilyang akala ay isang milyon ang suweldo mo. Ang hirap ngumiti sa nanay na mataas ang tingin sa'yo pero hindi ka kayang ipagtanggol. Ang hirap tabihan sa hapagkainan ng tatay na pinag-uubusan mo ng pera pero hindi ka maalala. Ang hirap mag-abot ng tulong sa kapatid na baon sa utang. Ang hirap intindihin ng hipag na nakakapagpa-rebond pa kahit kapos na kapos na. Ang hirap pakisamahan ng bunsong halos ilahad ang mga palad tuwing makikita ka. Ang hirap ngitian ng mga taong tanong nang tanong kung bakit hindi ka pa nakakapag-asawa. Ang hirap humarap sa mundong isasampal sa'yo na mag-isa ka. Tulong, bigay, utang. Isang iling mo lang, madamot ka na. Kasama mo sila kapag may maibibigay ka, pero hindi mo sila mahahanap kapag wala na. Ikaw ang kakayod, sila ang tutuka. Ikaw ang iiyak sa pagod, sila ang magtatamasa. Iyon ang summary ng buhay ko. Sobra-sobra ang naririnig na paghingi, kulang na kulang ang naririnig na pasasalamat. Sobra-sobra ang pagpapasensya, kulang na kulang ang natatanggap na pagpapahalaga. Sobra-sobra ang binabayaran, kulang na kulang sa kasiyahan. Kaya nang dumating sa buhay ko ang nag-iisang lalaking hindi ako nakita bilang naglalakad na alkansya, ang nag-iisang lalaking nakinig sa mahabang listahan ko ng problema, ang nag-iisang lalaking nagbigay sa akin ng kakaibang saya, ipinangako ko sa sarili na sa gitna ng hirap ng pagtanda, magtitiis ako basta't siya ang kasama. Kahit pa ang kapalit noon ay pagtalikod sa minahal na pamilya. Kahit pa ang kapalit noon ay paglaban sa mundong pinatatakbo ng kapangyarihan at pera. Kahit pa ang kapalit noon ay ang pagdurusa't pag-iisa. Siya ang ginhawa, pahinga, at kasiyahan ko. Dumating man ang araw na tanaw ko na ang dulo. Dumating man ang araw na wala na kaming sagot sa lahat ng bakit at paano. Dumating man ang araw na pareho na kaming talo.

THE WATTY AWARDS 2021 WINNER: ROMANCE Due to an unexpected pregnancy, ex-lovers Ryo and Frankie are forced to live under the same roof. They can't stand each other but when the moments from their past are slowly catching up, their lingering feelings seem to be much stronger than they thought it would be. *** When Frankie Castañares broke up with Ryo Canencia, she is determined to move on and never meet him again. They are living well on their own with her working hard to be a magazine editor and him reaching his dream of becoming a professional basketball player. But with the news of Frankie being pregnant with Ryo's child, they've got no choice but to act civil and live under the same roof. They bicker over the simplest things and their situation couldn't get any easier than they ought to be. With them still hung up on their past, can they be brave enough to settle their differences and start all over again? Disclaimer: This story is written in Taglish. Cover Illustration by 17aila_

(Game Series # 3) Avery Brienne Eliseo never wanted the 'normal' life. Ever since she was born, she already knew that the life she'd lead would be far from what's normal... until her stupid cousin decided to 'protect' her by giving her a new life. But she wasn't stupid. She knew that one day, she'd have to go back to save his ass. She needed to make friends--powerful friends. She needed people who would be of help when she needs protection. And where would she find powerful friends? In law school. The students there are the future presidents, senators, and congressmen of the country. She needed to be friends with powerful people... And when she met Maven de Marco and learned that he's the most powerful one? She's determined to make him hers.

Genesis thought she already found the love of her life. Bakit naman kasi hindi? They've been together for so long that she couldn't remember a time when she didn't know him. Akala niya sila na talaga. Malaki ang tiwala niya. She even put her life and dreams on pause para sa kanya... innocently believing that for him, she's the end game, too. Mali pala siya. But then she met Parker... who's probably the most broken soul she's ever met. Against better judgment, she fell for him. She was hoping that he'd fall for her too. She did everything right... or at least she thought she did. Pero mali na naman pala siya. Kailan ba siya sasaya? Just this once... sana naman.

(Game Series # 2) Aurora Marie Floresca just wanted to escape their house. Ever since her father re-married, palagi na silang nag-aaway dalawa. She wanted her father to be happy, of course, but not with that evil step-mother wannabe. Unang pagkikita pa lang nila, masama na ang kutob niya sa babae. She wanted happiness for her father, but definitely not with that woman... But unfortunately, the witch won. She managed to get her father to throw Rory out. She was forced to stay in Manila for the meantime. She didn't know what to do in Manila! Wala naman doon ang mga kaibigan niya. Wala siyang pamilya. The only consolation she got was the condo unit from her father--well, at least hindi naman yata gusto ng tatay niya na sa kalsada siya matulog. She'd probably get a job or study again, she wasn't sure yet, but she's certain that everything would be fine... until she realized that her next door neighbor would be keeping her up all night with all the banging against the wall.

From strangers to friends. From friends to close friends. From close friends to lovers. When Joey met Psalm, she didn't think that they'd ever be together. Paano ba naman, ex niya ang best friend nito! Psalm had seen her at her lowest, and she didn't think that there's a possibility of them being together... Pero habang tumatagal, mas lalong napapalapit ang loob niya dito. But how could they be together if he couldn't trust her? Trust... parang isang maliit na bagay lang, pero kapag wala sa isang relasyon, hindi mo alam kung hanggang kailan magtatagal.

Ever since Sari's sister married the seemingly perfect man, she had dreamt of her own happily ever after. Gusto niya rin ng gwapo, mayaman, at gwapo na papakasalan. She'd settle for nothing less. And when she set her eyes on Cohen Isaac Gomez de Liaño... she knew that she'd stop at nothing to get him to notice her.

It's hard to prove yourself when everyone thinks that everything's being given to you on a silver platter. And in Siobhan Margarette's case, she'll do everything to make everyone see that she's worth it. But what will she do if someone unexpected sees her worth? Will she stay and accept? Or will she continue pretending that she doesn't feel a thing... too?

When her longtime boyfriend proposes to her, Nari does not seem happy. She rejects him, hoping he would understand. But two years, seven days, three hours, five minutes, and thirty seconds later, Nari enters a church and watches him get married to someone else. *** At 21, Nari Miranda graduates from college wanting to complete her bucket list-being independent, visiting the US, traveling Europe, and adopting a dog-so when Benny, her longtime boyfriend proposes and surprises her with a house-their own house--she doesn't feel right. Until she follows the first thing she thinks of that moment: she rejects him. Nari hopes that everything will still be okay between them, but seeing Benny with another girl becomes too much for her. Feeling broken, she goes to a bar to drink her pain away and meets Preston, the man she always coincidentally crosses paths with, not knowing her life will take a whole new different turn. DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish COVER DESIGNED BY: Louise De Ramos

(Game Series # 4) Charisse Faith Viste believes in working hard. She does not believe in luck, only hard work. Bata pa lang siya, nasanay na siya na pinaghihirapan lahat ng meron siya. Being the only girl in a family full of guys, nasanay na siya na kung gusto niyang makuha, kailangan niyang pagtrabahuhan. And because of this, she grew up tough. She already accepted the fact that guys are just too intimidated to even give her a second glance. She'll always be too smart, too confident, too much for everyone. One day, she had this overwhelming feeling of sadness. She looked around and saw that everyone around her has someone by their side... Everyone has someone to embrace... Siya? Libro lang ang kayakap. She used to be fine with the idea of being alone... alone, not lonely. But not anymore. She needed someone to stop her from feeling so lonely.