[ Iskwala Series #2 ]

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THIS IS A BL STORY!

Jackson Ramirez has always followed the rules-his family's, society's, everyone's but his own. Trapped in a life dictated by expectations, he buried his passion and silenced the voice that once made him feel alive. So when Kenzo Adachi walked into his class-blunt, intense, and always acting like he owned the room. Jackson couldn't help but feel . . . annoyed. Annoyed by his confidence. Annoyed by how he said whatever he wanted. Annoyed by how free he was. But Kenzo? He saw something else. He saw a bird trying to breathe through its cage. And Kenzo, the kind of man who lives by his own rules, was ready to go beyond the boundary-just to help Jackson learn how to fly.

Santiago Alverio is torn between family expectations and his own internalized fears from homophobic relatives. As he enters a casual fling with Diablo Delgado, he discovers that love, patience, and acceptance might be the blueprint to healing and embracing his true self. *** Santiago Alverio has always lived by the rules of his family, peers, and a silent world that tells him who he should be. As a civil engineering student, he hides behind toxic masculinity and the fear of being noticed because of expectations and a homophobic upbringing. Then comes Diablo Delgado--fearless, affectionate, and unapologetically himself. What begins as a no-strings "friends with benefits" arrangement slowly converts into something deeper. With every touch, every unguarded smile, Diablo breaks the walls Santi has built around his heart. But love is never simple. Santi is caught between family pressures, societal judgment, and his own insecurities. Will he ever realize that happiness was never about meeting expectations but about choosing the person who makes him feel whole? DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish. COVER DESIGN: Rayne Mariano ILLUSTRATOR: Ri Ot

Yolo never expected his heart to betray him- least of all for Trever, the boy he loved teasing, the presence he keeps pretending he isn't desperate to feel again. A basketball varsity player and an architecture student, Yolo always believed his life was simple, predictable, and straight. But growing apart didn't make the feelings disappear. If anything, the distance only made every accidental eye contact sharper, every avoided conversation heavier, every unspoken word louder. And worst of all, Trever's attention is already leaning toward someone else- leaving Yolo with nothing but the ghost of what they used to be. Now Yolo is caught in the cruel tension between wanting and pretending, torn between the safety of denial and the ache that refuses to quiet down. How do you let go of a feeling you were never supposed to have- especially when it's for the one person you never stopped looking for? book cover by sereighn arts