Month: October 2013
Ito-san wa Ore no Yome (My Wife is Ito-san)
The tragic fate of Aya Toujo in the romance epic that is Ichigo 100% changed my perspective on love and romance, be it real life and fiction as well as my preference in anime and manga characters.
(Yes, she’s the one in my header)
Thanks to her kindness, intelligence, sweetness, reservedness, and selfless sacrifice, I’ve always went for the Yamato Nadeshiko type, such as:
Akino Yoshizawa of Countrouble
Haruna Sairenji of To-Love-Ru
Azuki Miho of Bakuman
…as well as many others. Let’s stop for now because the list might get too long.
Anyway, point is that once again, in my current ongoing favorite feel-good school life harem romance manga, I’ve found another Aya Toujo. I have found a new crush in the manga titled Wagatsuma-san wa Ore no Yome (My Wife is Wagatsuma-san).
The manga is about Hitoshi Aoshima, an ordinary high school boy who has a crush on the pretty, smart, athletic, and popular Ai Wagatsuma. However, Aoshima isn’t exactly an ordinary high school boy, as he has the ability to time-slip, allowing him to have glimpses of how the future will turn out depending on his current actions. Of course, with the manga being a romance, his time-slips are mostly focused on who he will end up. And despite the manga’s title strongly hinting on who’s the main girl, it’s still a harem, so there are other girls who are vying for his affection. Among them is Ran Ito – Aya Toujo’s latest reincarnation.
Hurray for no BL! (not that I hate gay people or anything, I just don’t like BL)
While Aya is a novelist, Ran is a mangaka on the other hand. However, despite that rather simple yet closely-knit difference, Ran is pretty much just like Aya, as they share almost the same traits and story. They’re both sweet, caring, and so reserved that they keep their talents to themselves and shy away from others until they were noticed by their beloved. And sadly, these two artisans had unrequited affections for their inspirations. Aya drew inspiration and had affections for a worthless and indecisive jerkass, while Ran, although suffering a less bitter fate, was bittersweet at best. You see, she fell for Aoshima, but Aoshima is hellbent on having Wagatsuma as his wife, so he turns her down. Nonetheless, he sees a future when his wife Wagatsuma bought all of Ran’s manga. He reads it, and finds out that the hero of the story is patterned after him. And I couldn’t help but relate, as my works too before were, modesty aside, not only noticed but praised as well by my previous inspirations, who also couldn’t return the feelings.
However, despite the pain and sadness of being not loved back by any of them, I received so many things in return. Among these many things, perhaps the most evident is the improvement of my talent in writing, as well as in my personality and character. Though my feelings for them are long gone, the inspiration and impact they have left will always remain. If it wasn’t for them, I probably would’ve written not as often and not as good. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have as much memories to recall. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have done my very best in all the things I do so that I can become a man worthy to be loved back someday. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be who I am now and who I will be in the future. And because of these things, even though they never felt the same way for me as I did for them, I am eternally grateful for them, from the bottom of my heart.
But of course, an artisan like me needs a perennial muse, and I’d prefer that she would be an artist as well, just like Ran. We’ll make manga – I’d write different stories of different genres, and she’d be the one to draw, just like Bakuman. We’d do mostly fantasy, shounen, seinen, school life, slice of life and romance (I wonder if she’ll let me do ecchi, mature, and H stories). They’d be bestsellers not only in the Philippines, Japan, or US, but everywhere in the world. They’d all be worldwide phenomena, just like Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, and Fairy Tail. And among our hit works, my favorite would be the one that’s about a girl that got her heart broken by a guy who can see the future, only for her to find a guy who likes her and happens to be a big manga fan and has a talent in writing. Ah, an ordinary nobody like me can only hope to end up with a beautiful and talented mangaka like Ran…
Oh Ran, you hope so too?! ♥
Greek Geek Tragedy
Despite being thousands of years old, Greek mythology is still very influential in our modern culture, including in our arts, be it literature, film, animation, and games. I mean, Lin and I only went out on movie dates twice, and both movies we watched – Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters and Elysium – were loosely based on Greek mythology. And the day after we watched Elysium, I watched Hercules on the Disney Channel. Heck, I even ate Greek chicken wrap when we had coffee in Starbucks. And somehow I thought that it was a sign. Like in the myths, I, the hero and artisan, has fallen for a beautiful maiden and muse that is Lin. However, it totally evaded my recollection that most, if not all heroes, as well as and especially their romances, ended up in tragedy either because of a predestined cruel fate, the playful tricks of the gods, or their own folly. In my case, it was the latter, coupled by the fact that the maiden I have fallen for is a treacherous witch.
When she talked to me after so many days of not hearing a single word from her, I was charmed once again, as if nothing happened. As if there was no silence between us for a long time. As if she did me no wrong. I forgave her even though she offered neither an apology nor an explanation for her behavior. And because I forgave her, I gave her the benefit of the doubt. I wanted to prove myself and my friends that we were wrong about her. I wanted to be proud of her. Thus, despite her tainted image in my eyes and my friends, and despite their warnings, I gave her another chance. And I thought she gave me another chance with her. Except that I was wrong on so many levels about everything – wrong about me and my friends being wrong about her, wrong about giving her the benefit of the doubt, wrong about letting her off without an apology or an explanation, wrong about giving her another chance, wrong about thinking that she was giving me another chance, and wrong about letting her charm me once again. Perhaps the only thing I have done right was forgiving her. The only problem was that I did not do the next best step after doing so – forgetting her.
Two dates – it should have meant something. It usually does. After all, a girl wouldn’t go out with the same guy twice if she doesn’t like him, right? That’s what I thought, and once again I was wrong. I already jumped to the conclusion that just because she knows that I like her and we already had two dates already meant that everything that happened meant something. And that is why I thought that once I have succeeded in asking her out for a split-the-bill movie date (Actually, it’s not originally my idea, but my friend’s. He’s not teaching me to be stingy or get even for shouldering the first two dates, it’s just that splitting the bill would prove that she’s not after the free movies and coffee. And I think he’s onto something) three Sundays ago, I would confess to her on Cosplay Mania. Except that the date never happened. Once again, exactly just like before, I heard nothing from her.
Was she ignoring me…again? I prayed not. Maybe she’s got her reasons. Well, whatever they are, I’m not buying any of them because:
1. She has a Facebook account that she regularly checks.
2. I saw her Facebook and found out that she had a photoshoot with someone else on the day when we were supposed to go out.
Even if I knew the truth, I still wanted to know what her reason was going to be, so I only left a few messages everyday for almost an entire week after she didn’t give me a response still didn’t give me any response, making my chatbox between me and her like some sort of madman’s monologue. At that point, I knew that it was already over, that everything had already happened exactly the way it did before.
Just like before, I heard nothing from her for an entire week yet she spoke to me in a convention as if nothing happened. Just like before, Fernan and I saw her again in a convention with her photographer “friend”. Just like before, Lin ignored me. Just like before, I ignored her as we made our way.
I wasn’t going to let it end that way. I wasn’t going to let it end as if everything just took its natural course. I wasn’t going to let it end as if she did nothing wrong, or even worse – as if everything was my fault for falling way too fast. I demanded an explanation for everything, be it the truth or otherwise. Thus, I talked to her on the second day of Cosplay Mania. I asked her why she didn’t even respond with even just a single word to my many messages, and all she told me was that all she does in Facebook is check the notifications, post a status, then log out. Liar. And as we talked, I saw a stuffed bear on the floor.
I admit, I was both threatened and jealous of the man that gave it to her, so I wanted to know who it is and if he’s the reason why she didn’t speak to me for a week. Apparently, it was the photographer during her photoshoot last Sunday. Wanting to know more, I asked her if he’s already expressed his intentions. She told me that he hasn’t. Then she added that she’s not exactly looking for a relationship as of the moment, and if she did like someone, he wouldn’t have to court her, they’d just be a couple right away. Well, if she’s not looking for a relationship, and if she doesn’t believe in courting, then why is she even hanging around with him? Why did she hang around with ME? Was I just a friend to her? Well, if that’s the case, even though it would hurt, that would’ve been fine. But even if she sees me only as a friend, she still shouldn’t have ignored me after we have went out, lied to me, and talked to me as if nothing’s wrong when everything seems to have blown over. Heck, even if she doesn’t see doesn’t see me as a friend, she shouldn’t have done what she did. She, or anyone for that matter, shouldn’t treat anyone the way she treated me. And she seems to be doing it again on a new guy. Bitch.
I’ll be honest – after she lied to me, there was still a part of me that was telling me to believe her and continue with my plan. And honestly, I thought it would’ve been a perfect moment to get everything back to the way I always thought things would be – us going out, me liking her and believing that she too feels the same way, me finally confessing to her, she saying that she feels the same way, and us finally becoming a couple. But I already know better that time. I already know that what I think will never happen, not because the Sisters of Fate does not want so, but because she does not want so. Fool me once, shame on her. Fool me twice, shame on me. I cannot permit a third time to happen, because I could no longer imagine how low I would be if I do.
I may be Corporal Levi at that time, but she is no mere common titan that I can slay. Heck, even a deadly titan-shifter would tremble at her presence. Yes, she is a titan, but not the ones like in Attack on Titan. Rather, she is a titan that is like in Greek myths – ancient immortal beings that preceded the Greek gods, and not even the entirety of humanity can hope to win against her. And I am but one mere man, so I fled. A hero would have not, but I am not a hero. Well, I was a hero before, her hero to be exact, but I no longer want to be, because heroes fall more often than they rise.
And I no longer want to fall for her again, so I flew away. Icarus had fake wings, the Military in Attack on Titan had the 3D maneuver gear, while I had nothing at that time, yet I still flew, so fast in fact that was I able to catch up to my friends who were walking even though I told them to go ahead.
Marlen asked me how I was able to catch up to them even though I don’t have my 3D maneuver gear on, so I just joked that I’ve been fighting titans so long that I can already fly perfectly fine without one. But I didn’t tell her that I’ve been losing ever since, except that night, for that night was my first true victory over Lin and my feelings for her. A victory that I was only able to achieve by realizing that she is not even worth fighting for and suffering losses for over and over again because she is a liar.
Not Lin. Probably Gaby or Annie, but not Lin.
Definitely Lin, except for the racks, ’cause she doesn’t have those things…
Since I have already won, I will no longer be fighting for and flying towards her. Instead, as far and as fast as I could, I flew away, this time around towards a new girl worth being a hero for. After all, like I said, heroes fall. And if being a hero means falling, then it might as well be for a girl who is worth it – worth fighting, winning, losing, living, and dying for. Worth the glories and shames of this life. Worth my time, strength, and whole heart. Worth my love. I am uncertain whether she has already come into my life or is yet to do so, but I know that she’s going to love me, neither as a hero nor a poet, but as who I am.
And together we will write the greatest epic this world has ever known, so great that it will make the entire Greek mythology seem like a children’s story. Of course, that’s an extremely tall exaggeration because Greek mythology has a gigantic impact on literature and popular culture, but you get my point. 🙂
To my dearest Lin, a short unstructured poem inspired by the Greek myths.
Dear Lin,
Though women like you are my weakness, I shall fall head over Achilles’ heel for you no more.
I strongly doubt you can launch a thousand ships just like Helen, so I’ll launch ships for you, except that I’ll replace the P with a T.
And even if you become a titan or ride a Trojan horse, you can no longer breach the walls of my heart.
Though you are as powerful as a titan, your reign is over, just like theirs, for God of all gods will be sending the goddess.
The Return Of The Maniac To Cosplay Mania
Over the weekend last week, Cosplay Mania – the Philippines’ biggest and most well-known cosplay convention, was held at the SMX Convention Center in SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City. With so many cosplayers, cosplay enthusiasts, photographers, otakus, as well as people who are casually into geeky stuff from all over the country as well as from other countries (especially Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore), it is one grand two-day feast in celebration of popular culture and visual media, with a much greater focus to cosplaying in general. But to me, this is just a footnote to what Cosplay Mania means to me. To me, Cosplay Mania is my gateway to the cosplay scene (click to read about my first Cosplay Mania, which is also my first ever cosplay convention) – a world where characters that I only find in anime shows, manga and comics, and movies come to life, a world that caused me to meet new true friends and pretty girls that are either real or fake (most recent one is fake), and a world that made me realize that I want a reinvention and become a fictional character myself on certain days of the year. Thus, this year, as a nod to the cosplay and otaku scene becoming a great part of my life and to the convention that opened this secret realm, I return for my third and so far the best Cosplay Mania I’ve had.
Day 1
Just like my first Cosplay Mania, all I brought was a cellphone, a digicam, and some money (tons of it actually). The only difference is that this time I already am a cosplayer myself for a year now and have friends in the cosplay scene. But as much as I love to cosplay and hang out with my cosplayer and otaku friends, I already set in my heart that Day 1 will not meant for that. Rather, it will be just like my first Cosplay Mania – a beautiful day for hunting and slaying, for I will be seeing a lot of pretty girls dressed and acting as fictional pretty girls, and I will have my picture taken with them.
Momo (left) and Nica (right)
Mich and I
Nonetheless, I saw my friends Nica, Owen, Nico, Momo, and Mich, and they saw me too. And since I was already there, I picked up my Recon Corps hooded cloak that I ordered from Nica and bought a Scouting Legion jacket in preparation for my cosplay for Day 2 (you guys already have an idea what/who I’m going to cosplay). A few hours later, my fellow hunter Fernan came and joined the fun. While he’s not allowed to have his picture taken with the beautiful cosplay girls since he has a prospect, it was more than enough for him to sit outside as we look at the cosplay girls who were passing by, talk about cosplay girls as well as girls in general (most especially about the girls we like and used to like), and taking my photo with them – somewhat reminiscent of what we used to do in UST, except that:
- We never bring a camera to UST.
- The girls there don’t want their contacts asked or their pictures taken, be it solo or with a guy.
- The girls there aren’t cosplaying.
And since we’re talking about UST, we went there afterwards to play some DoTA, just like what we did when we first went to Cosplay Mania. Unfortunately, we lost in all of our games, especially with the last one, since we lost despite Fernan getting 33 kills with Earth Spirit. But that’s okay, because even though it wasn’t exactly a good day for battle, just like my first Cosplay Mania and all the other cons I have attended, it was a very beautiful day for hunting and slaying.
Day 2
Finally, the big day. What makes Day 2 the big day, you ask? Well, it’s the day I’ll finally cosplay, hang out with my cosplay friends and a friend who I haven’t seen for quite some time now, hunt and slay a little bit as some sort of sideline, and hopefully meet a new girl (I’ll fill you in on what happened with Lin next time – ugh, I got so much explaining to do). Aside from the bare basics for slaying, I brought along my costume since I couldn’t wear it from home to the event venue (actually I can, it’s just that I can’t handle all the stares I’d definitely get if I traveled while wearing my costume). And since my costume included knee-high leather boots, I had to put it in a gym bag, while I had to put my camera, wallet, and cellphone in my messenger bag. I brought more bags in a cosplay convention than in a 3-day camp – talk about suffering for your art.
When I got there, the first thing I did was to change into my costume, since I was already safe from scrutinizing eyes, not to mention that I could no longer contain my excitement. While my costume was definitely incomplete since I lacked the harness and the wig wasn’t styled 100% accurately, that didn’t make me feel any less of a proud member of the Scouting Legion who aims not only to protect humanity from titans, but also reclaim the lost lands the titans have taken. And I’m not just any member of the said esteemed military branch, I am the leader of its Special Operations Squadron. I am Corporal Levi.
I hung out with Konan and Alex, old friends from my Akatsuki cosplay days, friends from Otaku Brigade – Aron, Jun, Marlen, Kenetsu, Lanie, Mikee, Charles (thanks for the donuts), Angelica, and Yhen. And since I’m looking forward to meeting someone pretty, I also hung out a little bit with Ehm and Princess (perfect Juvia, by the way), since I heard Princess’s elder sister is really pretty, and Princess is already pretty! But some woman that I don’t even know had to wait, because my friend Zacc, along with his girlfriend Janica, went to Cosplay Mania that day, and I just had to hang out with the two of them because it’s been quite a long while since I did.
Zacc isn’t exactly a cosplay enthusiast, as he’s there to find action figures worth buying. Nonetheless, he’s definitely no stranger to geek culture, as he’s one of the people I usually talk to about chapter discussions for Naruto, Bleach, and Fairy Tail ever since college. And I’m actually very glad as well as surprised that he’s also watching Attack on Titan (then again, considering Attack on Titan is a top-notch anime that is highly recommended and gets a lot of good word of mouth, I shouldn’t have), as he was able to recognize who I’m cosplaying. We went around the exhibitor’s hall looking for things to buy and cosplayers to take pictures with, although Zacc wasn’t able to find anything worth the fruits of his labor. However, he was able to find his old Tekken comrades instead, beckoning him for a game or two. Of course, Zacc refused, as he has already left his past as a warrior behind him, and is now a man content with the love of his beloved.
Afterwards, we ate at Karate Kid, discovered L from Death Note actually smokes, then went back to the event area to get my bag and for me to part ways, as they were still looking for cosplayers to take pictures of, while I headed out to go to my cosplayer friends. Unfortunately, it was already 8PM, and all I could do with them at that time was have a little chat and send them off. While it’s quite a shame that I couldn’t hang out with them on the day of the Philippines’ biggest cosplay event of the year, I always hang out with them during other conventions, and there’s always a convention around all year round. After all, I don’t always get a chance to hang out with my old college buddy that I haven’t seen for quite some time now, and in Cosplay Mania of all times.
In Cosplay Mania 2013, not only did fiction and reality meet, but also of the different circle of friends: my college friends Fernan and Zacc, and my cosplayer friends. And I guess the past, present, and the future also did collide, as I spent with both an old friend as we did an old but gold activity, another old friend and his current and future partner, as well as not-so-new friends who I share a not-so-new hobby with. How long will I be going to conventions, either with Fernan hunting pretty girls or cosplaying and hanging out with my cosplay and otaku friends? When will Zacc, Janica and I get to hang out again? Will I find the girl I like in the cosplay/otaku community? I do not know the answers to those questions. How long will we be friends with my college and cosplay/otaku friends? Ah, that I am sure of – until I die, just like how long I’ll like anime and manga. In the end, Cosplay Mania 2013 will be one of the most unforgettable events I’ve been to. Truly, the biggest cosplay event in the Philippines never fails to make me happy.
P.S.: I didn’t find a girl worth making moves on during both days.
P.P.S.: I got totally sidetracked and never got to see Princess’s sister.
The Reason You’re Here:
The Reason You Skipped The Awfully Long Text:
Top Pics:
That perfect Saya Kisaragi stare.
Master James approves, Servant Saber.
Her name is Sugee Sue, and she came all the way from Taiwan.
It’s not our fault you don’t have a boyfriend, Kuroki-san.
If you know who he’s cosplaying, I’ll give you a prize.
This is a pink Zaku, boy!
We interrupt this peaceful sipping of coconut shake to give you…A TITAN ATTACK!
Unless your character’s from some super-obscure series, expect to find a clone in a big-ass event such as Cosplay Mania. By the way, my money’s on the Juvia on the left, and it’s not just because it’s Princess.
Have you guys watched The Ring?
Biased Cosplay Self-Evaluation Time:
- Expectation:
- Reality:
I’ll do better next time, Mister President. For the glory of humanity!
Birthday Blog: Twenty-Three Years And Three Days
NOTE: My birthday was on September 26, but I only had the chance to write about it now because I got busy with work…and playing tons of video games. Not to mention Cosplay Mania, which I’ll blog about later on.
September 26, 1990
Midnight. A woman named Laura was cut open across her belly as she laid down the table. Then a pair of hands reached into the cut, and took out a live child. A boy.
23 years and a day later…
September 27, 2013
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMES!” – that’s what my friends at work kept saying when we were drinking in honor of the day of my birth, even though my birthday was a day before. Talking and laughing about the usual stuff, we had so much fun, so much beer, and so much food. And it’s quite an achievement, because for the first time in my history of drinking with my friends at work, I neither took a nap nor got drunk. However, I won’t push my luck next time, because what happened was probably just some strange stroke of birthday luck.
After a few hours of sleep, instead of going to work, which I took a birthday leave from, I went to Cubao to claim my pay for being a contributor in Otaku Magazine. Then suddenly, what I thought would be just another visit at the publishing house became a meeting about the contents of the October-November (one issue for two months since most of the contributors are college students, not to mention that it would allow us to catch up) and December issues. I just wanted to get my pay so that I can already go out with my friends, but oh well, I guess it wasn’t that bad since we’re talking about anime and manga as well as other popular Japanese culture stuff in an official work-related meeting, and I doubt not a lot of people get to experience the same thing.
Once the meeting was done, I blitzed to Pacific to play with Fernan and Ivan and against Nhel and his Med student friends. Well, since it’s my birthday, we won. Oh how I missed marching into battle with my friends! And as much as I wanted to fight for another round, I could not, for I had to meet another important group of people: my friends from my RLE. We were supposed to meet at 7:30, and it was already 8 and I’m still in the heart of Manila, so I took a cab all the way to Greenbelt 2. I arrived at 8PM, and just in time actually (as expected thanks to Filipino time), as Fatima, Jacky, and the Ampie had not began eating yet.
We ate at the Burger Bar and had a lot of the usual catch-up chat college friends that don’t see each other on a regular basis usually do. After our orders were taken, Ampie and Fatima left Jacky and me, only for them to return with Ampie holding a cake. A cake that a girl I used to like (or still like, rather) bought. For me. For the first time in my life. Ever. Unbelievable. It’s an achievement, a milestone, really. Anyway, when they were done with their desserts (I didn’t order since I was too stuffed with the burger), we moved to the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf to continue our discussion that was moving to the territories of dating and the lives of our other college friends and acquaintances (mostly dating)…until 3AM.
September 28, 2013
It was already two days after my official birthday, yet the celebration wasn’t quite over yet, because on September 28, 2013, I invited Fernan, Ivan, Nhel and Gia (they’re a couple so they’re considered as one unit), and Zacc and Janica for a very small get-together at my house for the first time in my life. At first I thought it’s not going to push through since Nhel told me that Gia woke up late, so I made a few unnecessary and inconveniencing adjustments to the plan that caused Fernan and I to go in one big circle around Manila, Makati, and everywhere in between, but at the very least we were able to meet at Ayala Station at around 1:30, just in time to get home by 3PM and have lunch.
Upon reaching home after letting them experience what I experienced whenever I go home from UST, we ate beef stew, spaghetti, and siomai that my mother prepared. After the sumptuous meal, especially the spaghetti which Fernan seemed to like, I showed them the cake from Ampie which I blew over and over again (cue teasing and storytelling to my mother about Ampie being my great romance during my college days…which is kind of true), my Gundam, my manga collection and its holy grail which is the complete untranslated version of my favorite manga Ichigo 100%, and my beautiful and sophisticated girlfriend – my PC.
With its good specs and our fast internet connection, we (with we meaning Fernan and I, because Gia a girl herself and doesn’t exactly enjoy partaking in such activities, while Nhel is a very loyal boyfriend to Gia, not to mention the fact that she’s not exactly much of a hunter just like Fernan, Ivan, and I) stalked pretty girls on Facebook, watched Kotonoha no Niwa (review later), which was quite fitting with the weather since it rained. It was quite too short, and I probably should’ve went with the more mindless, lighthearted, fast-paced, longer, and violent God Bless America, but I guess it’s not that bad since they seemed to like it, except for Nhel who probably didn’t get to enjoy it much because of an awful stomachache that “probably” won’t be relieved by bowel movement even though we insisted that it “probably” would. We (I) also played a little bit of Dragon Nest as some sort of exhibition match (I only won 1/3 though) and queued for a match in DoTA 2. However, it was taking so long and my friends had to leave soon since it’s almost after dark, so we reverted to stalking girls on Facebook and watching Sistar’s MaBoy as well as Hyuna’s Bubble Pop and Troublemaker while Fernan and I were making commentaries about them Korean ladies. Gia and Nhel was amused, not because of the topic, but because of our enthusiasm with the topic. Nonetheless, despite all we did in our home was eat and go online, we had fun.
September 29, 2013
Aside from going to church as my sincerest gratitude for giving me one of the best extended birthdays ever, I messaged Lin on Facebook, asking her if she would like to watch Insidious Chapter 2 with me. No response. Oh well, I guess you can’t have everything, even on your birthday.
AFTERWORD
Family, friends from college and two workplaces, and a birthday cake from a girl I like for the first time in my life – ’twas a good 23rd birthday. This year, I didn’t receive any material gifts (that is until Zacc and Janica gave me a G-Shock watch on Cosplay Mania, and I guess the Neon Genesis Evangelion manga counts as a gift too since Father didn’t charge me a single dime for it), but I received something much more valuable – the realization that aside from my family, I am no longer alone. I used to be and got used to it, but I no longer am and no longer used to it. Sure, I probably got none in filling the “Love Interest” part (more on that later on), but I am more than blessed in the Friends and Family aspect. Well, not totally failed since Ampie did give me a cake, but I wanted to go out with Lin on our third and first-ever split bill movie date as the perfect closer for the celebrations. But that’s okay, and I didn’t let that fact dampen the festive mood since I got so many things I wanted.
And while I do want more (especially my two ultimate dreams to come true – to get the girl and become a published writer), I guess I’ll just have to thank God for the blessings I got for now – another year with the people important to me. The most important person in my life, the girl who will have me as the most important in her life can wait, my Aya Toujo, can wait, and I know she can wait too. After all, I’m just 23.
Oh by the way, to everyone who greeted me be it on Facebook, cellphone, or personal, and spent my birthday with me, I thank you all.
P.S.: Maybe she’s my college classmate and long-time crush who gave the cake.
P.P.S.: Or maybe she’s the girl from FEU who greeted me.
P.P.P.S.: Or maybe she’s the seventeen-year-old cosplayer.
P.P.P.P.S.: Or maybe she’s my coworker.
Photos:
The cake.
Me, Fernan, Nhel, and Gia. First time at home.
I put the I in the UNIVERSE. I hope I can put U too. 