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.

PUBLISHED UNDER MANILA POP Young Love Series #4: September Elizabeth Ferreira September Elizabeth Ferreira has always hated life. One moment, everything is falling apart. The next thing she knows, she's being confessed at by someone she cannot even recognize because everything she sees doubles because of alcohol. September drank that night and everything sure was blurry to her. Her memory is foggy and she definitely forgot about everything that happened---even the mysterious guy who wore a dark hoodie and a black leather watch. As September tries to recall everything that happened the night she got wasted, she found herself discovering the truth little by little. Will September remember everything that happened that night? If she does, will the truth make her life a lot better? Or not? Started: November 20, 2021 Ended: November 20, 2021 Cover illustration by: @Zirree

DIM Series #3: Dominador Calleja (This is an epistolary) Dominador Calleja has always been the 7th wheel. Sawang-sawa na siyang nakikita ang mga kaibigan niyang parating sweet sa mga girlfriends nito. Bukod sa pakiramdam niya, parati siyang out-of-place, hindi niya mapigilang makaramdam ng lungkot dahil sa minsanan niya na lang na pagkakataong makasama ang mga kaibigan niya. It's a good thing that Novah Perez, one of his friends, is always willing to be the 8th wheel. Laging sumasakay ito sa kahit anong trip niya at sinusuportahan siya sa lahat ng bagay. But what if their feelings develop to something else? As Dominador adjusts with his friends slowly getting themselves into relationships, he finds himself harboring feelings for Novah Perez. Will they conquer the barrier of being close friends? Will Dominador finally end his title of always being 'the friend'? Or not? Started: January 31, 2022 Ended: April 21, 2022

TEACH SERIES #2: 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐌𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧 As children, Daryl Ajax Yoshida and Grenade Lionel came up with a game. Many years later, they grow apart as their lives take different directions. It seems like the young friends are riding on two parallel waves that never quite manage to cross. But fate play its game to give them one last chance to reunite. Grenade became his sons tutor, that is when things are heating up between them. Their relationship is deeper than simple friendship. Will they realize that even when they grew older, their game didn't stop? ______________ Genre: Adult Romance Started: July 28 2020 Ended: August 27 2020 Posted: Feb 25 2021 NOTE: • This is first draft/rough story. • I don't own the photo used for the cover.

TEACH SERIES #1: 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐌𝐞, 𝐒𝐢𝐫 Sascha begins her college year as an average education student. Not until Mr. De Vega comes in the scene, her new Professor. As she and Mr. De Vega grow closer, she realizes something. She finds it harder to stay away from him in school. Keeping their relationship, a secret suddenly becomes ten times harder. What will happen if they find out their secret? Would she risk it all just to be with him? Sometimes love is hard to fight, especially if you are not sure if it's real love. ___________________________ Genre: Adult Romance Started: Dec. 20 2019 Finished: Jan. 31 2020 NOTE: • This is first draft/rough story. • I don't own the photo used for the cover.

(Finished) Meghan Kortajarena is the current mayor of the Metro City - and she knows joining the politics would mean involvement with its dirty games. One night, her life was almost at risk until one mysterious man saves her from her impending death. The mysterious man was no other than Lieutenant Kade Velasco, the newly hired bodyguard of one of her father's Presidential Security Group (PSG).

PUBLISHED UNDER LIB Note: If you're not into flawed characters who make wrong decisions, don't read this. Save yourself from stress. Started: 09/09/2020 Ended: 10/07/2020 Solene Clemente was a typical Civil Engineering student who struggled to put up with her studies. Kung pwede ngang i-bake na lang ang napakaraming itlog sa test papers niya, ginawa niya na. At a young age, she experienced the harsh reality of life-poverty, abuse, and a broken family. But, as someone who could see the bright side of everything, she knew she could make it with only her mother and best friend, Duke Laurence Sanders, whom she secretly loved. Kahit pa naghihirap, basta kasama niya ang ina, kaya niya. Kahit pa madalas niyang hindi maintindihan ang lessons, ayos lang kasi may Duke naman na tuturuan siya. Na kahit gaano kalupit ang tadhana, patuloy siyang lumalaban sa buhay dahil may dalawang taong sumusuporta at nagmamahal sa kanya. She became too dependent on the love they could offer. But little did she know, like the sun she adored, she was destined to be alone.

PUBLISHED UNDER LIB Note: If you're not into flawed characters who make wrong decisions, don't read this. Save yourself from stress. Started: 10/07/2020 Ended: 11/18/2020 Elora Chin Valencia grew up in a toxic Christian family where she was viewed as the black sheep. Araw-araw ay ipinaparamdam sa kanya ng mundo na wala siyang lugar sa sarili niyang tahanan. She was a consistent dean's lister and an obedient daughter, which left her wondering what she had done so wrong to be disregarded as a speck of dust in the wind. They made her feel like she was just dirt, filling up the empty space. The one who would never have her own safe place. Feeling all of this contributed to her endless suicidal ideations. Baka nga tama sila. Baka nga wala siyang halaga at kailanman ay hindi na sasaya. She almost believed that. She almost held onto that notion. Not until she met the man in his BS Civil Engineering uniform and gorgeous grin, Troy Jefferson Dela Paz. He kissed her forehead, and her loud thoughts were silenced. Her demons calmed down. Her foes were defeated. For the first time in her life, she had proven her family wrong---a happy Elora Chin was possible. She was loved and well-taken care of. Troy embraced her sharp parts, not minding the wounds he might get. But fate had a lot of cruel things in store for her. Because when she thought she had reached the peak of happiness, she found myself drowning alone in the ocean she now called home, alone in her shame, alone with the waves she couldn't tame.

In the midst of solving mysteries and exploring their undeniable chemistry, Fifteen Salustiana is determined to help Xildius Vouganville confront his dark past and embrace the light once more. As they uncover the truth behind every crime, she must also seek the truth behind Xildius's fears. *** Desperate for money, Fifteen Salustiana takes a job as the personal assistant to the enigmatic Xildius Vouganville, or XV, a genius professor living in the eerie mansion of Villa Vouganville. XV, a master of anatomy and psychology, solves crimes from the shadows, haunted by a dark past that keeps him from stepping into the sunlight. Fifteen becomes XV's eyes and ears in the outside world, venturing out to gather clues and solve crimes. As they work together, she finds herself drawn to XV's brilliance and vulnerability. The more time they spend together, the more she realizes her feelings for him are growing stronger. Will Fifteen be able to help XV step out of the shadows and into the light, or will their love be consumed by the darkness? DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish.

Confused with his feelings for Max, Deib tries his best to suppress these and avoid Max at all costs. But when the saying 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' suddenly applies to him, can Deib keep his growing feelings in, or will he decide otherwise? Season Two of He's Into Her *** Starting out as enemies, Deib Lohr Enrile believes someone like him can't fall for someone like Maxpein Zin del Valle. No matter how he looks at it, he knows it won't happen. So, when he suddenly realizes he's starting to feel something for Max, he immediately shuts it down and decides to avoid her. But no matter how much he tries to keep it in, his heart keeps saying otherwise. After deciding to keep Max beside him and show her his true feelings, can Deib convince Max to let him in inside her life and heart? Or will Max's nonchalant attitude and complicated life eventually throw them apart? DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish. COVER DESIGN: Rayne Mariano