06/01/2026
π΄π πͺπ―π°π³π«π―πΆπΆπ« ππΉπ°π¬π΅π« π©π¬πͺπΆπ΄π¬πΊ π΄π π³πΆπ½π¬πΉ
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βπΎππΌππππ 1: THE OLD DAYS
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βManila, Philippines β 2008
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ββππͺππ¦πΊ! ππ’πͺπ΅ πΆπ±!β I huffed, my worn-out rubber shoes slapping against the concrete as I chased after the boy with messy black hair who was already halfway down our street.
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βHe spun around, grinning so wide his eyes crinkled at the corners. βHurry up, Lia! Weβre gonna miss the street food vendor if youβre this slow!β
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βI finally caught up, leaning against a lamppost to catch my breath. Riley handed me a plastic bag with two pieces of kwek-kwek, still hot and crispy. βI already paid,β he said, plopping down on the curb. βMom said we can play until sunset, but we have to help her with pansit later.β
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βWe sat side by side, eating our snacks and watching kids play tumbang preso across the road. Riley had been my neighbor since I was five β our moms were best friends, so we practically grew up in each otherβs homes. He knew everything about me: how I hated math but loved drawing, how I cried when my pet goldfish died, how I dreamed of becoming a writer one day.
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ββHey,β he said suddenly, breaking the silence. βWhen we grow up, promise weβll still be best friends? No matter what?β
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βI held out my pinky finger. βPromise. Even if you become a doctor like your dad wants, and Iβm just some girl writing stories.β
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βHe hooked his pinky around mine, his touch warm even through the thin fabric of my school uniform. βYou wonβt be βjust some girl.β Youβll be the best writer in the whole Philippines, and Iβll be your number one fan.β
Chapter 2 to be continued...
