A dumb suggestion from my friend says that there's a foolproof method to know whether you like someone romantically or not. It's simple. All you have to do is close your eyes, think of that person, and imagine kissing them. Kapag nandiri ka, e di hindi mo gusto. But if the opposite happened, e di, delikado ka na. I'm a hundred percent sure that I only see Chio Cervantes as a friend. I just got confused because he's suddenly everywhere right after my ex-boyfriend got into a relationship with a girl he told me not to worry about. Besides, hindi ko rin siya type. He's noisy. He's shameless. He procrastinates a lot. He likes wiping the sweat off his forehead and wipe it on my arm. He drives with both his hands which somehow doesn't look appealing . . . and for some reason he doesn't refuse picking me up even when it's late at night. He always brings an extra handkerchief because I keep on forgetting mine along with a shirt I can borrow in case I need to change. He brings me good food to take my mind off deadlines. He doesn't hesitate to communicate his feelings and I honestly envy him for that. And he makes me laugh. Whatever. But just to be sure, at dahil madali lang namang gawin 'yong method, I closed my eyes and imagined his lips against mine. I realized one thing after opening my eyes. I'm in deep trouble and there's no way of getting out. BETWEEN YOUR LIPS AND MINE Cervantes Series Second Generation #1 2022, ynativity

OLD SUMMER TRILOGY #1 Estella and Yori have always been rivals ever since high school because of debate competitions. They would always switch places for years until Yori transferred to Estella's school and both of them became members of the debate team. They may not be competing against each other in the debate anymore, but they are now competing for the honors and the top student spot. From enemies and academic rivals, they find themselves falling in love in a series of summers.

OLD SUMMER TRILOGY #3 "Winning is everything. If you don't win, you are a failure." Ice is living by those words. After her mom fails to participate in the figure skating championship because of a tragedy, she is expecting four of her daughters to pursue the same goal. Ice feels all the pressure when her sister wins during her time but pursues a different field upon winning. For Ice, the only important thing is figure skating. Nothing else matters. She is only allowed to feel something when she wins or loses a competition. Until she meets Lyonelle in the sports center during summer training, the swimmer who has already won every swimming competition he participates in. Unlike Ice, Lai has it easy. He can have fun, flirt, and be playful and still win. He is not pressured, because he doesn't think winning is the only thing that matters in a competition. He thinks enjoying what you do matters more. "And a smile from you matters too," Lyonelle teases Ice, but the latter just looks at him with no emotion on her face. "Ah, I failed... but it's okay. We still have sixty-four days of summer to spend together."

OLD SUMMER TRILOGY #2 Being the niece of the volleyball team's coach, Alia is hired to design the uniforms of the players. Seven, who has had a crush on her since the first time he saw her on the campus, feels shy and awkward whenever her presence is there. What more if one summer, the whole team will have to train in the coach's province near the ocean, where Alia is also having her vacation? Every night, since Alia cannot go to the house where the team is staying, the two would just write silly letters to each other and put them in a bottle, then hang the bottle in its usual spot.

(Yours Series # 4) Marian Eliana Nicolas just wanted to be left alone. She knew that she's not exactly the kindest person-definitely not the first person who'd come into mind if you get in trouble. She knew she's not likable. She made her peace with that. Gusto lang naman niyang magpinta at maka-graduate. Until she met Felix Chase Viste, iyong intern ng kuya niyang doctor. She was intrigued, to say the least. She almost thought that she was immune to catching feelings dahil sanay naman siyang maka-kita ng gwapo, pero wala naman siyang pakielam-until Chase. And because she doesn't like the word regret, sinubukan niyang makipagkilala kay Chase. She thought she'd find something not to like, but she was dead wrong. She liked everything she learned about him. But she was tired of figuring out kung ano ba sila. She wanted to ask what they were. Pero handa ba siyang malaman?

MiniZo

(Game Series # 8) Adriadna Deanne Manjarrez, NBSB, promised herself na kapag pumasok na siya sa law school ay magkakaroon na siya ng boyfriend. Sabi ng parents niya, kusang lalapit ang lalaki sa kanya basta mag-aral lang siya nang mabuti. Kalokohan. Naka-graduate na siya at lahat pero wala namang lalaking luma-lapit. So, she made a promise na pagpasok niya ng law school ay maghahanap agad siya ng boyfriend. She wanted someone na gwapo dahil naniniwala siya na kung masasaktan na lang din siya, sa gwapo na. And after a while, she finally decided to chase after Rhys Arevalo-gwapo, mukhang mabango, at top 1 sa batch nila. She wanted him to be her first boyfriend... kaso hindi siya mapansin nito. Sino ba naman siya? Ni hindi nga siya kasama sa top 10 ng batch nila. At ang balita ay type nito 'yung matatalino. Ginawa niya na lahat, pero walang umeepekto... until she decided to befriend his best friend Samuel Hayes Fortalejo.

Karaminah Viel Trajano has always been told that she's... peculiar. She just doesn't like the things that girls her age are expected to like. But she loves writing... that's probably the only normal thing about her. Problem is, her parents do not support her 'career' of choice. For them, it's nothing more than a hobby. It's either she follows their steps and become a lawyer or become a lawyer. She chose neither. Now, she's forced to work to make a living. But she's not really made for work. Given the choice, she'd spend the day daydreaming about her scripts and characters. Fortunately, someone offered her a job... Madali lang naman daw ito. Magiging 'manager' daw siya ng basketball team. She agreed... After all, how hard could it be to manage a bunch of boys who spend their days running back and forth on a wooden ground... right?

Four high school students living in a world of complicated first love, dream and friendship. (year 1996) Note: Original Sound Tracks are available at the end of every chapter. Book cover by: @BinibiningMariya Date started: June 12, 2019 Date finished: April 17, 2020