#Top10Memories

[akocomyk]

An Extra Pin

Cityland Calle Estacion

So, there’s one last pin I’d like to talk about.

This one’s a bit different from the rest though. When I was listing the pins and deciding which to include in the Top 10 and which to leave as honorable mentions, this one stood out—not for a grand story, but for the lack of one. And I don’t mean that in a bad way.

It’s still a collection of memorable moments, but they’re not as out-of-the-ordinary as the Top 10. They’re more like… small memories that could happen everyday.

It’s the same reason my house wasn’t included—or even considered—because, well, it’s my home. Practically everything that happens in an ordinary family home happens there, and those moments, while special, are just little pieces of a bigger picture. Someday I’ll recall them; someday I won’t. There will be scenes that I could remember and inject while having a conversation with someone.

So… yeah. This condominium building is where I’ve been staying for about half of my life these past few months. It’s where my boyfriend lives, so you get the idea. There were many firsts for the two of us there, along with the kind of moments that happen in anyone’s daily life—or in the lives of couples starting out together.

And now, it’s become my second home. Literally. Of course, I could always say figuratively that “QBE is my second home,” because of how much I enjoy working there and love the people I work with.

But for Nikki and I… As Jack Johnson says in his song, “Home is wherever we are, if there’s love there too.”

[akocomyk]

3rd Pin

Bonifacio Global City

Ages ago, I loathed going to BGC. I equated it with being stranded in hours of traffic and the struggle of finding transportation in and out of the area. My previous company had an office there, but I only went three times—if I remember correctly. Two of those times were because I absolutely had to be there, and the third was to say goodbye to my former teammates.

However, as I spent more time in BGC, the place started to grow on me. You can imagine. I accepted my work there, and honestly, it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made in recent memory.

It was because of my work that BGC became such a memorable place in 2024—that and a few other stories.

It was there I met new friends. It was there I started pushing my advocacies for the Pride Community and sustainability in my own little ways. It was there I reignited my passion for dancing. And it was there I experienced some of the most remarkable moments of my life.

When Seandale and I were together, before he started working at QBE, he’d come visit me at the office by the time I logged off, and we’d have dinner before I went home. When he did start his tenure, we synchronized our office days so we could have dinner together.

I had my first Valentine’s date with him. My first boyfriend and I were in a long-distance relationship, so we never celebrated Valentine’s Day together. With Seandale, we had dinner, and he gave me a crocheted tulip.

We also had our last “date” in BGC. It was Easter Sunday, and I was deciding whether to buy a new phone and, if so, which one. Seandale, an Apple enthusiast, urged me to get an iPhone. I initially leaned toward a Samsung phone paired with a watch—practical gadgets that wouldn’t strain my finances.

We browsed Uptown Mall but didn’t find anything that convinced me. Over coffee at Starbucks, we played Mario Kart on my Nintendo Switch. He couldn’t beat me. 😀 For the record, no boyfriend has ever beaten me at Mario Kart—maybe one or two races, but I always rank higher when scores are tallied.

We then walked to SM Aura. That’s where he convinced me to buy an iPhone. I’d pay it on installment and Seandale promised that he would partially shoulder the payment, indicating that it would serve as his gift for all the monthsaries that we’d have. He admitted he struggles to think of what gifts to give me, so paying for the monthly installment of the phone would be easier for him.

So yeah. That’s when I got my first iPhone. Truth be told, I didn’t think it was the most reasonable purchase ever. My friends in my previous work believed iPhones are just all hype and there are tons of other phones out there that had better specs for the same price. However, I eventually came to love the damn phone since it has features that aided my passion for arts, design, and storytelling—hence it also became a useful tool for work.

First photo I took from the iPhone.

Seandale and I broke up about nine days later.

The next time I’d see him was when he reported to the office the same day I did. We had dinner together and we talked about us. Yeah. We were over. It was at that time that he pointed out a waiter, saying he was the guy who messaged him weeks ago. For context: the guy claimed he knew me and that we’d had sex. Without proof, Seandale believed him.

Anyway, we were able to sort out that issue weeks before. I looked at that waiter and said to myself in an imaginary grimacing face, “Eww.” Further on that dinner, Seandale shared that he created a Grindr account to check if I was there, because he had also seen the said waiter there.

But like I’ve always said to anyone. I don’t have—and never had—a Grindr account.

I don’t think Seandale ever believed that.

Anyway...

Days later, while riding the BGC Bus home, I messaged Doc John. I needed to fulfill a promise.

Back on February 12, Doc John and I had our last dinner before we’d stop talking for a while. It was a very awkward dinner. He’d just come from his last session for his oral surgery training, then he’ll be going back to Bukidnon in a few days and wouldn’t return to Manila any time soon. 

That’s when Doc John told me that… he spoke to his closest friends about our dilemma—the two guys pursuing me. And his friend advised him that… I should just choose one immediately, so that it’d all be done with, and all the hurting the three of us were experiencing would already be over.

And I’d be lying if I’d say that I don’t totally enjoy Doc John’s company. It’s just that he had some irks or mannerisms that I couldn’t tolerate, and it would be wrong to ask him to change those for me because they’re not really detrimental and I thought that he might start losing himself for me.

And that’s just cruel. Nevertheless, any outcome from the situation we’re in was cruel.

Doc John’s photo souvenir from his training and the Minion toy he gave me for my birthday.

While Doc John and I were having drinks, I told him. I was choosing Seandale. Of course, he cried, and the only thing I could do was put my arms around him and say sorry. It was “double dead” for him, he said. After being friendzoned by the boy he loved from last year, here comes me, doing the same thing. It’s ironic because I was the one who helped him overcome his depression brought by that previous friendzoning.

In my defense, had he said months before that he was ready and we won’t be “just friends updating each other,” I would’ve pushed through with him. I would’ve stopped dating other guys, and the thing with Kenth Charles wouldn’t have happened.

After crying, Doc John made me promise that if ever Seandale and I broke up—whenever that maybe, even if it’ll be years later—I’d go talk to him again. We couldn’t tell if Doc John would still be available by then, yet I promised him that he’ll be the first person I’d talk to—then maybe we can try again.

If months before… he wasn’t ready yet. But now that he is, I have already found someone else. Seems like it’s just wrong timing. Maybe someday… the stars would align for us. Maybe that would be the right time.

We pinky promised to that.

Then I told him, when someone new comes to his life and is ready to take a risk on him, don’t be afraid to jump on it even if he’s still not okay. He may never know, maybe that’s the person who’ll change his life and be the reason for him to be okay.

The next time I saw Doc John was when we watched Rent at the RCBC Plaza.

Months after, I’d already been watching movies with Nikki in BGC. The first was Strange Darling. We wore matching AF1 triple white shoes—I’d been wearing mine for dance training earlier that day. It was the first time we kissed, as we exited the cinema. We had difficulty going home later that night because it was raining so hard and a lot of people were stranded on the pavement between malls and other establishments. We kissed again under my umbrella that sheltered us from the rain, and that’s when I said, “I’m happy when I’m with you.”

The next movie was Wicked at Uptown Mall cinemas. He was a fan of the musical, and though I’ve never really watched the musical itself, I’m just a fan of the songs “Defying Gravity” and “Popular”. Other than that, I’m really not familiar with how the story goes.

But damn. God, I was crying so hard during that Ooziest scene.

Nikki and I have shared many more lunches and dinners in BGC since then. And probably more in the future.

[akocomyk]

4th Pin

City of Manila

Particularly the area around the National Museum and Intramuros—with an honorable mention to Quiapo.

Unintentionally, the National Museum has become one of my favorite places to visit. The first time I went there was back in college—I can’t recall if I visited it earlier during the many school field trips we had when I was younger.

Fast forward to 2024. I was there on February 10, and Seandale was with me. The day started with us attending Mass at Quiapo Church—this was when he gave me his promise ring. He also handed me a letter afterward when we were having coffee at Starbucks.

The letter was an ode to how much he loved me and served as a sort of parting gift since he was trying to let me go at the time. For context: two people were pursuing me—Doc John and Seandale. He was pushing me to pick Doc John instead of him and promised to still be there for me, even if we didn’t end up together. He told me that if Doc John ever hurt me and things didn’t work out, he’d help me rebuild myself.

I didn’t like that gift—or what he was saying. Even though I’d known Doc John longer, I enjoyed Seandale’s company far more, which was one of the reasons I leaned toward choosing him.

Anyway, we went to the National Museum of Natural History—arguably my favorite of the three museums in Manila, though the Fine Arts comes very close. It was Seandale’s first time there. I think it was my fourth? Some of the interactive exhibits didn’t work as they did back in 2022, the first time I visited.

Seandale wasn’t very enthusiastic about the displays at first, but I encouraged him to appreciate them more—I mean, duh, it’s a museum; you’re bound to learn something new. And he did. I like it when he tries new things, especially when he learns from them.

After the museum, we went to Intramuros. We walked around and visited San Agustin Church, Fort Santiago, and Manila Cathedral. We enjoyed some sorbetes while hanging out at the park in front of the cathedral.

To cap the night off, we went to the Bonifacio and the Katipunan Revolution Monument. That’s where we talked—mostly him telling me to choose Doc John, and me brushing the idea off because it was him I wanted. It was him I loved. I even stated the idea that I should just choose no one—so no one would have me and all of us will be devastated equally. I thought that was the fairest solution I had.

In the end, I told him to just wait. And on February 13, Seandale became my boyfriend.

On February 17, we—my sister and her friends from work—joined WanderManila’s One Night in Intramuros walk tour. Two of my sister's friends couldn’t make it, hence we had extra tickets—so I invited Seandale to come. I knew it was his best friend’s birthday so I doubted if he would say yes. Then he said, he’d always choose every chance to spend time with me.

That day, we originally planned to have lunch at Ying Ying Tea House in Binondo, but it was unfortunately too crowded and we’d have to wait hours to have a table, so we decided to eat at Intramuros instead. We went to Barbara’s for their unlimited lunch buffet, located just across San Agustin Church, which was the assembly area for the tour later that evening.

After lunch, we killed time at La Cathedral Café, where Seandale joined us. Then we returned to San Agustin Church for the tour.

The tour? Not what you might expect. It was a walking tour around Intramuros—the highlight being Fort Santiago, our last stop. The tour basically involved stopping at notable sites where the guide would tell stories. We weren’t hunting ghosts, if that’s what you were thinking. It was more of a dive into places where paranormal activities were recorded and historians were able to back it up with actual events to somehow explain why the place was haunted.

Then life happened.

The next time I was in Intramuros was for our Takpul volunteering activity at work on October 5. Takpul is our twist on the Swedish plogging activity—jogging while picking up trash. It’s a mix of health awareness and environmental preservation. I participated as our team’s photographer and as an active member of Team Verde supporting our initiatives.

It was a hectic day for me because we were also preparing for a dance competition—I’d joined the dance club at work. Two dancers joined Takpul as well, so I spent much of the time with them and ended up taking a lot of photos of them.

Seandale participated too, but he was grouped with another team, so I didn’t get to mingle with him that much.

As a reward for the volunteers, we were given a guided tour around Plaza Moriones and Fort Santiago. Unfortunately, it wasn’t even close to our One Night in Intramuros tour. I found it soulless and lacking in energy and depth, and probably because our guide is still inexperienced—I could feel his nerves whenever he spoke.

AND FINALLY.

On December 15, Nikki and I visited the National Museum of Fine Arts and Natural History. He had never been to any of them, so I suggested it. These museums have become some of my favorite places, even though they bring back so many memories. Maybe going there repeatedly can replace old memories with better ones?

Nikki seemed to prefer Fine Arts over Natural History. We spent more time appreciating the paintings than looking at preserved animals. Plus, he’s terrified of snakes. He literally dragged me away from DEAD snakes in glass displays.

Although he enjoyed seeing Lolong—the largest crocodile ever held in captivity, whose remains are now preserved in the museum. He literally greeted him like an old friend, one of the museum visitors even looked at him strangely. Apparently, he’d seen Lolong when he was still alive during the time he and his family visited the animal’s poorly kept enclosure in Bunawan.

And… that’s it for the City of Manila.

[akocomyk]

8th Pin

RCBC Plaza

When all hell broke loose with Kenth Charles on the 26th of December 2023, and I posted a 💔 note on my instagram, one person was quick to react and ask me how I was.

It was John.

He kept checking up on me in the days that followed. At the start of the New Year, he wanted to watch a musical with me and he wanted me to check anything that’s available for January. It was going to be his birthday gift for me.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get to watch any that month. But we did manage to see each other a couple of times.

And then life happened. We stopped seeing each other for a while, and we also stopped sending messages. We didn’t talk again until the latter half of April 2024. By then, several musicals were already ongoing, but I suggested we watch 9 Works Theatrical’s local production of Rent, which was being performed at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium at the RCBC Plaza. Beyond my sentimental affection for the song “Seasons of Love,” the musical’s themes around HIV/AIDS awareness are causes I hold close to my heart. These are also why when Seandale and I were still together, I expressed interest that we watch it together—but shit happened.

And so, there we were. After months of not seeing each other—and dealing with life’s twists—I got to spend time with John again.

The musical was... how do I even describe it? Mesmerizing. Impactful. I cried at least twice during the show. I don’t know if John noticed, but honestly, I didn’t care.

We had dinner at Denny’s after, and we... talked.

Then we kissed each other goodbye.

That was the last time I saw him.

[akocomyk]

The Risk

2023’s Most Memorable Moment

Where do I even begin?

Haha. 😅 There’s one last love story—one last heart—that I need to talk about. It may not have been the longest situationship from last year, but it was the most genuine. And if I had to choose from the long list of people I’ve met and dated, I’d always choose him.

Cup of Joe is one band that I discovered and got so addicted to after I broke up with my ex. The song I chose for this moment is my favorite from them, and I thought that it was a song I could dedicate to my ex, but somehow, I always felt that it wasn’t meant for him.

And I was right. It was meant for me and my babe.

Charles... Babe?

Can you tell me how do I move on from loving someone who has done nothing but love me in the way that I deserve to be loved? You’re the one who has a long list of ex-lovers, maybe you know.

Remember what I said back in December 26? That in my dating life for 2023, you were the cherry on top. It’s not because you’re the one who ended that phase, but because you were the one that hurt the most. I didn’t include your name in the roll call for that memory because I didn’t meet you in Bumble.

I’ve been telling you this before… I’m still in question of what made you decide to transition from us being just casual online friends to potential lovers.

I’ll never forget how we first met in a Zoom call, and then we connected in Twitter. You were my “happy crush” then, which was why I always replied to you whenever you messaged me. Months later, in October 20, you asked for my Instagram account and began pursuing me.

One of the first things you ever told me was that you were not out to your friends or family, and that you value your privacy. This wasn’t a problem for me. Then came a time when you shared to me how much you cried when you watched Heartstopper and Gaya Sa Pelikula because, unlike the characters in these shows, you still haven’t found the courage to come out to the people you love. So I told you, “Everyone has their right time for that.”

After talking consistently for several days, you began telling me repeatedly that you like me, and I held back myself from saying the same to you because I was trying to guard my heart and I didn’t want to give you the idea that I was easy to get. Honestly though, I’d be lying if I say that I didn’t have the same feelings for you.

Of all the guys I dated, you were the only one who wanted to ask permission from my family first before courting me. You knew your place as well, you respected my individuality, and you didn’t ask me to stop seeing other guys—at least, at first 😉.

I really enjoyed talking with you, and I mean all versions of you. The Swiftie. The deep talker. The ranter. The ML player. The “Did you know…” guy. The avid listener. Even the maker of bad “Tito jokes”. Talking to you gives me so much comfort because I know that no matter how savagely honest I can be with what I think or feel, you would never invalidate me. It just shows how modest, kind, and respectful you are.

But you know what’s my favorite version of you? It’s the one who drunk texts me. 😜 Other than the fact that I find it so funny when you chat me while you’re tipsy, I enjoy hearing you speak without your inhibitions. It feels like I’m seeing your heart without the usual barricade of your logical mind. You were drunk when you begged me to stop seeing other guys. And that’s also when you first sent me a voice record of you saying, “I love you.”

I didn’t want to immediately say it back because, at that point, you still haven’t given that much effort for me. But to tell you the truth, it took me a hard time to stop myself from doing so. I needed to use my head now, you know, after being in a relationship where I was the only one exerting the maximum effort to build it.

You said sorry every time you drunk texted me, and told me to don’t mind the things you said. You say sorry quite a lot, actually. When you over slept. When you forgot to say good night. When you took too long to reply. When you think you’ve offended me even when I wasn’t offended at all. And you’re so cute when you ask me, “Galit ka ba? 🥺”

I’ve never been angry at you. That’s one thing that you never got me to do. But you got me to do other stuff, though.

You got me to play Mobile Legends. No one has ever made me do that. Don’t ever think that I didn’t enjoy playing the game.

You made me eat breakfast—and I’m sorry I still miss it often.

You got me through my dilemma with my past work. That’s why you were the first person to know that I’ve passed the application process in QBE, and that I’ve already accepted their offer.

And… there’s many more.

December 15 was one of my most favorite days this year. Obviously because it was the first time we met in person, and you insisted that you’d go visit me here in Cavite City. I love that the first thing you wanted to do when you got here was to visit my mother’s grave, so I took you to her. And I really didn’t have an itinerary for that day, my idea was just to walk you around my hometown—which we did, and I told you stories about my life as we visited various places. You even met Trish who is one of my best friends.

In the afternoon, we went to the cinemas to watch Wonka, which apparently no one wanted to watch that day aside from us and two other folks. It was there when you asked permission if you could hold my hand—of course, I said yes. Then you also asked permission if you could kiss me, and I said, “Of course!” I mean, you already kissed me twice by then, and you said I tasted like sour cream and cheese, thanks to Potato Corner.

I didn’t remember much about how the film Wonka went, but I will never forget how I felt at home when I was with you.

You brought me back to my house that night, and we were so bummed that we missed our city’s annual “Navidad” parade. We were also bummed that we didn’t kiss each other goodbye despite wanting to.

Come the Christmas holidays, I knew something was rather off with you, and I took it as maybe it’s just because you missed your family in the province so much, knowing that you haven’t spent Christmas with them for years and you’re just spending it now with your friends.

Then on the morning after Christmas, you told me your father called you the night before, and that he was disappointed at you. And you told me you’d come here to Cavite to discuss everything personally.

I was in complete unrest the entire day as I waited for you, and when you finally arrived at our gate that night… I knew some shit’s gonna get real.

We walked, your arm over my shoulders, and you told me what happened.

You came out to your parents—told them over chat—in the first week of December. Your mom replied first, but your dad only replied on Christmas day when he called you. You also told them that you were seeing a guy—me. They weren’t mad at you, they didn’t scold you, but you knew they were disappointed.

I hugged you, even when you didn’t want to ‘coz you just wanted us to keep walking.

And then… you could no longer put words to your thoughts. You just kept saying, “Sorry,” every second. So I said, “I know what you’re trying to tell me without you having to say it out loud.”

It was so hard for me to walk then because I felt like my legs had turned to jelly. I wanted to just lie down and cry on the rain sodden asphalt.

You said you took the risk… because I was the risk w🫀rth taking. You said, “Gusto mo bang itago rin kita? ‘Di mo deserve ‘yun.”

You said, “Sorry I’m not strong enough to go against my parents. Sorry I’m not as strong as you.”

We sat on the pavement in front of our house. We talked more. You said sorry many more times, I told you I wanted to fight for you.

You said, “I love you.” I looked at you and said, “I love you too.” I never thought hearing and saying those words could feel so bittersweet. There were millions of butterflies in my stomach, but they evaporated the minute they spread their wings.

A lot more happened that night. Like how we planned to get drunk, but my homophobic father kicked us out, so I just sent you home. I cried to my sister and told her everything. When we’re both in bed in our own rooms, we couldn’t sleep so we just went on a call until we slept and woke up the next morning.

Shit.

You know, my mother taught me me to fight and never give up for the ones I love. When she was dying, she was still fighting up until her very last breath—maybe even beyond. The doctors told us that they did everything they can to revive her because they could feel that she still wanted to live, but her body just couldn’t make it. The last word she said to me before she was taken to the ICU was, “Hindi ko kayo iiwan.”

I am my mother’s son, and I am like her in many ways. I don’t just look like her, I also love like her. And if I can, even when it’s against all odds, I would still fight for the people I love ‘til there’s only one last glimmer of hope.

But yeah. You needed to be firm with your decision, otherwise coming to me that night would’ve been for nothing, according to you.

It takes great courage to come out. You don’t know how much I wish you’re brave enough to stand firm as well with who you are. You’ve taken a risk, partly because of me, and it’s sad that despite you taking that risk, I only ended up becoming the sacrificial lamb.

My friend said I deserve someone better than you because I don’t deserve to experience what you did.

Forgive me if the skeptical and overthinking part of me tries to paint an unpleasant picture of you—chains of what-if’s that map out a reason to make sense of it all. Like… What if you made it up? You know… just to give me a good story that’ll force us to end our relationship before it even started. What if you did it just to get rid of me, for whatever reason reason that maybe? Maybe you got turned off by my complicated family? My blunt honesty? Or maybe you actually found someone else? Maybe… you found out I was worth more than what you initially wanted me to be, so you got scared that I might end up like your many exes and you wouldn’t want that, so you decided to stop pursuing me before we fall deeper into our feelings.

But we’ve already fallen.

Babe, you are the most memorable moment of my 2023, and I’m grateful for that. Thank you for giving me the best and worst days of the year.

Like we said, maybe in a parallel universe, there’s a version of you who’s brave enough to stay with me. And in this universe of ours, maybe we’re only destined to have a sad, beautiful, tragic love affair.

Regardless, if in this lifetime, you finally find the courage to love freely, come back to me and reclaim the heart that was once yours.

I love you, boss, popcorn, hooman, babe.

I LOVE YOU, CHARLES. Always.

[akocomyk]

Return of the Mermaid

2023’s 3rd Most Memorable Moment

If we had a dose of Vitamin C last January, we had an actual mermaid last December.

By Mermaid, I mean my very close friends, Monica, who immigrated to the US shortly after we graduated high school and has only been here in the Philippines for a vacation every few years—the last time was in 2019, and it was also a contender for my Top 10 Moments list for that year but sadly fell short, giving birth to our #JusticeForMermaids group chat.

Anyway, we had a better plan this year, that’s why it placed really high—and my 2023 wasn’t eventful, to be honest.

We rented an Airbnb rest house in Amadeo, Cavite, but before we headed there, we had lunch at Balay Dako. Some of the food we ordered were their signature paella, lumpiang sariwa, camaron rebosado, ginataang langka, and chicharong bulaklak—Monica had been craving this for days, and tried to order in two different restaurants she had been to recently, but they were sadly unavailable.

After buying some groceries, we then went to our Airbnb. The place was very cozy, it had a small, four-feet deep pool, and we had the entire place to ourselves.

When we’ve already settled, we had a mandatory photoshoot at the side of pool, then we went back inside our room to present our ✨ Life update ✨ presentations, which was Wilma’s idea. I created mine just that morning, right before I readied myself, and I simply copied the stuff from my blog and placed it on a pdf.

Wilma went first, then me. I also introduced to them the guy I was seeing who joined us via Zoom—they were so thrilled to meet him. Marjette, Monica, and Trish followed after me in that order. These presentations went on until 11:00 PM, and we finished one bottle of pink moscato—around 75% was consumed by me, so I was a bit drunk when it was Trish’s turn. And even though I’d love to share all their juicy stories here, they’d kill me if I did.

The following day, we played Cards Agains Humanity, and then went out for a while to buy food for breakfast. Then, we took dip in the pool right after eating.

Upon checking out, we hit the road going to Imus—we were gonna have lunch at Wilma’s house. It was a last minute idea, so her mom just prepared all the food she could get out from the fridge for us. We stayed and rested there for a while, then took a short drive going to Monica’s house for her dinner party.

We brought Wilma’s Tetris Jenga and played for one round, but we never got to finish it ‘coz we were already invited to eat. The moment we returned to our table with our food, the wind blew the jenga tower that we’ve built so far.

Our high school friends, Sarah and Jef, came to the party as well. And we sang karaoke while emptying the three remaining bottles of pink moscato—again, I think I may have drunk 75% of those, meaning I was more wasted then than I was the night before. My most favorite song that we sang that night was Rivermaya’s “You’ll Be Safe Here” because it was such a throwback, and we were harmonizing when we were singing.

You know why I love this memory so much? I woke up the day after feeling a bit depressed ‘coz I just missed being with them. Stuff like this happens only once every few years, and we haven’t even been complete yet—Celine was missing here, Monica wasn’t present back in January.

Maybe we should plan for the next winter solstice, then?

[akocomyk]

#LoveLabanSaQc

2023’s 4th Most Memorable Moment

The biggest Pride event in Southeast Asia happened on June 24, 2023 at the Quezon Memorial Circle during the PridePH Festival.

I was one of the +110,00 who gathered there to fight for our rights, and I was part of the delegation of my former company who joined the Pride march.

During this time, I had already been active in Bumble and I’ve already told my newfound friends who would also be attending that we could meet there.

One of those friends was also an employee of Accenture, and we talked about meeting there on the PridePH event since we both signed up as volunteer representatives for the Pride March.

Volunteers had to attend a briefing session a day before the event so that we’d know what our group’s plan would be. My friend wasn’t able to attend this because he was on the night shift, so I did my best to relay to him all the important information he needed to know.

Then apparently, he received another email saying that he’s one of the volunteers who would have an “extra role” for our group, since he ticked the box in the registration form indicating that he’s willing to help the core team members of our Pride group. He mistakenly thought that ticking the box meant he simply wanted to join the march.

As explained during the briefing, some of these roles include holding flags, banners, picket signs, and people who would be left in our assembly area.

My friend was worried because he didn’t want the additional role—he just wanted to walk—yet he got assigned as a banner bearer. Then I volunteered to help him do that in case he got tired.

On the day itself, it was so difficult to contact anybody because of the sketchy network signal. People say this was for security reasons since there would be a huge crowd. So... I wasn’t able to meet any of those people I said I would meet... Except, of course, my friend from Accenture.

As promised, I helped him carry the banner—which by the latter half of the march was only carried by me and his other friend—and that’s how I ended up being in the front of my former company’s delegation.

We walked roughly five kilometers around Quezon City, starting from the memorial circle and going back. Seeing other people greet us, “Happy Pride!” brought such warm feelings to my heart. And upon our return to the venue, it was already packed, and the crowd was welcoming us with cheers and applause. That’s when I first thought, “WOW! There’s A LOT of people now.” And Nica Del Rosario was playing on the center stage when we’ve already returned to our group’s assembly area.

This was my first time joining a Pride march and a PridePH Celebration. Like I said in my original post about this moment, I promised that I would participate to it even if I’d be on my own. The experience was exhilarating and liberating, and to be amongst my community is just... you know, I felt like I can be myself wholeheartedly without the fear of being judged.

That said, I made yet another promise to myself—and another friend of mine—that I’ll join the next Pride celebration again.

[akocomyk]

It sipped away like a bottle of wine ♫

2023’s 5th Most Memorable Moment

Let’s start this first by introducing the main characters of this memory. All of them have actually been mentioned in the earlier entries in this list, but we shall use aliases for them.

Jeff, he’s the guy I promised to date until the end of 2023. Val, he graduated college from the same school I graduated high school from. And Surge, he’s a teacher.

On the first week of August, I’ve been constantly talking with Val. He’s the apple of my eye then, even when it’s quite difficult to find time to have a chitchat since he’s in the night shift. Still, when he’s not busy, he messaged me even at midnight. He was the first person who made me stop talking to other people, and made me stop swiping in Bumble. During the anniversary concert of my cousin’s local restaurant, I was chatting him, telling which bands were playing.

Val and I met once at a local café here in our city, then we walked around until we got to the bus terminal.

There was a turning point when Val had become too busy with work and had days when he no longer chatted, until he became inconsistent. It hurt me a little bit, so in turn, I went back to swiping in Bumble.

Come this time, Jeff was still in the picture. We still talked, albeit not as frequent as before, and I no longer had the same enthusiasm as I did. We still met on some weekends then for breakfast.

Then here comes Surge, a new Bumble match, whose first message asked if he could see an unmuted video of my “Best Part” cover in my profile. And I replied something like, “Dude, just press the unmute button.” Then he wanted to see more, so we immediately connected in IG after. That’s when he saw all the covers that I posted on my profile, and he showered me with compliments and gave me a bunch of song requests. He even sent a voice record as well, just to demonstrate what song he was talking about. And... OMG, I was... I mean, if there’s love at first sight, could there also be love at first sound? or voice?

That’s how we began. We found so many connections between the two of us. He enjoyed talking to me since it was nothing like he experienced before within the time that he used Bumble. And I really enjoyed talking to him too. Eventually, Surge became the second person to make me stop swiping in Bumble. And at that point, I really thought he could be the one. I then stopped chatting with Val, and I barely chatted with Jeff.

Surge requested that I make a cover of my most favorite song in the Taylor Swift's album Lover. So I—who’s not really much of a Swiftie—listened to the entire album and even asked help from a Swiftie friend. Eventually, I made my own indie folk rendition of the song “Cornelia Street”.

Surge went gaga when I sent that video to him. Apparently, it was his favorite song in the album too. He said that prior to meeting me, he always cried when he heard that song because it reminded him of his ex. However, hearing my rendition made him smile.

There was a time in August when my sister, her friend, and I were in IKEA. Surge and I were chatting until he had to take a nap. Then here comes another factor in the equation. While we were in line at the cash register, Ge (my ex) sent a message, after two months of not saying any word to me. And then... we talked about the stuff that we missed in our lives since we stopped messaging last June. Apparently, he was about to start working for the government then as an RND. He sent a selfie, like he used to, and that’s when I saw that he still wore the necklace and promise ring that I gave him. And he also had some indirect statements that make suggestions about us. We then continued to message each other occasionally after this.

Fast forward to my sister’s birthday. Jeff, on the night before, asked if we should still continue our situationship, to which I said yes ‘coz I promised him ‘til the end of 2023. He had been wondering because I’d been cold to him in the recent weeks. He agreed to my answer initially. However, while we’re having my sister’s party and I was slightly tipsy, he messaged me that he’d make the decision for us and he would like us to just be friends. And I was like... okay. I’d agree then, but I hate to break my promise. A day after, he posted an IG story of him checking in at a hotel that I’ve been to before, so I asked what he was doing there, and he told me he’s having a staycation with some guy.

Okaaaay.

On the other hand, Surge was in Sagada. He told me he he’s saving battery and data before he climbed up there, but he was able to post some stories throughout his stay there that lasted for around three days.

Val sent messages to me the day after my sister’s birthday, checking if I was okay, because he missed yung pangungulit ko. I apologized for not being able to talk to him in the past week or so, and said I would make sure na kukulitin na ulit kita. And we started messaging each other constantly again after this.

On August 28, while we were at a wake, Surge sent me a long message after almost three days of ignoring me. He said he wasn’t ready for commitment, and he was still unsure about what he needed to prioritize at that point in his life. He said that I didn’t do anything wrong, he just didn’t want to use me to fully move on from his last breakup since he knew he still hadn’t fully recovered.

I accepted his words. I told him I liked him, and he told me he liked me too but I deserve someone better. I wanted to cry then, but I couldn’t because it would’ve been totally weird—I mean yeah, we were at a wake, but you know.

A few days later, I went back to check on his Bumble profile. Then I saw that he made a few updates.

‘Di ready for commitment pero gagamit pa rin ng Bumble? Pinaglololoko niyo ba ‘ko, Sir? May BFF mode naman ‘di ba?

I’m kidding.

It was this time that I tried learning how to play “Tadhana” by Up Dharma Down on the piano, just to relieve my emotional breakdown. Dahil ‘di ko na kaya ang pag-alab ng aking puso.

Charot.

Jeff asked if we could go out one last time that next weekend, after reading some of my blog posts. That wasn’t the last time we saw each other.

Val and I eventually stopped talking, just some occasional kumustahan.

Surge never talked to me again but we’re still connected in IG.

Ge greeted me, “HNY! 🎊”

[akocomyk]

Turning 29

2023’s 6th Most Memorable Moment

Anyone here who loves playing Zelda games? If you do, then the heart that I chose to represent this memory might be familiar to you.

If you wanna read a more detailed version of this memory, please go here.

Anyway, I used that heart because my closest friends in my previous company created a Zelda-themed birthday e-card for me. And I was sooo happy about it because I had always wished that they’d make something like that in the past years, and when we discontinued creating e-cards for our teammates, I was a bit saddened that this wish would never come true.

In those five days that I celebrated my birthday, I had a fixation on one song so I kept on listening to it. I even made a cover of it with a ukulele.

I think this song is also fitting because, on my exact birthday, Gerald and I had a date in SM Mall of Asia. While he wandered off for a while right before we met, I waited for him at Starbucks as I finished my coffee. A few days later, my teammates sent me a birthday cake at my home and it's flavored coffee caramel.

Now... I don’t know what else to say. 😅 I mean, I already told the story in my original blog post and I wouldn’t want to reiterate the events here.

In a gist, it’s just a series of simple joys and celebrations that went on for five days, and I spent it with my former partner, close friends, my dentist, and my family.

These were enough to make me happy.

[akocomyk]

Goodbye, Accenture

2023’s 7th Most Memorable Moment

And hello, QBE.

For those who haven’t caught up wih the news yet... Yes, I’ve already left my job at Accenture and I’m currently on my third week here in QBE.

During the days I was going back and forth in Manila to get through my pre-employment requirements, someone special to me shared The Philppine STAR Playlist 💙💛 on Spotify, and it’s been on my library ever since. One of the songs in that playlist that I’ve listened to in repeat was this:

I mean... just the lyrics “Gusto kong ibigay buhay na gusto mo,” are the perfect words to embody the reason why we strive to provide the best life for ourselves and the people we love.

Whenever I was asked to tell the story why I chose to leave Accenture, I always start back in April or May this past year. That was when recruiters from other companies reached out to me via LinkedIn and offered opportunities. During that time, I updated my resumé and portfolio.

A very close friend of mine from work was very supportive of me. She thought that my promotion has long been overdue, and if this can only be offered outside of our company, then so be it. She advised me to jump on the opportunity now when I’m still young and flexible enough to handle the transition, because I deserve to grow in my career. I don’t deserve to be wasted doing the same things over and over when I can already go out there and do more—earn more.

Going back to our story... Of course, none of the applications from that era was successful. I simply kept on the positive mindset. If they didn’t hire me, then maybe because God spared me from the worse. And besides, I still had Accenture with me—and maybe, the overdue promotion would come soon enough. At least I was able to refresh my interview skills and see my worth in the career market.

Fast forward to last October when a very harrowing announcement rattled our minds, bodies, and souls. I was almost positive that the long-awaited promotion isn’t coming this year. This triggered me to send various applications simply out of spite—good thing I have an updated resumé and portfolio.

Then, my application for QBE was noticed. In those series of interviews, I knew I did my best, but I was also unintentionally making a fool of myself.

Obviously, it didn’t hurt my chances. Maybe my personality shone through and they felt it? And maybe that’s exactly what they need? Then there’s also my relentless eagerness to learn new things.

Anyway, so the entire recruitment process lasted for around two weeks, then I was given a job offer and I accepted.

I talked to my former lead who just got back from her vacation in Japan, and she was shocked at how quick the events unfolded. Then I received the news that all three designers under her have tendered their resignations.

That’s just… Wow. 😅

So now, three weeks in, work at QBE seems promising, judging from the stories of the people I’ve encountered so far. And guess what? Most of my teammates are former employees of Accenture as well.

Let's all hope and pray for greater things ahead.

And here's a my first selfie in the office during my first day.

[akocomyk]

Dating Game

2023’s 8th Most Memorable Moment

When my ex and I broke up, one of my friends urged me to talk and meet new people through Bumble dating. It can be my distraction and coping mechanism from the heavy emotions I was feeling. My goal was to just enjoy the dating experience and not necessarily focus on getting in a relationship—if it does happen, then good, but if not, then that’s also okay.

What’s important is for me to not wallow on the side effects of my grief.

When I set up my profile, I included a video of me doing a cover of Daniel Caesar (and H.E.R.)’s song.

Did it work? It damn well did.

And in turn, it gave me one of the craziest experiences in my life—and there’ll be more about this as we go further up the Top 11 list.

In the first one to two weeks I’d been swiping and talking, at least five people expressed their intentions in going out with me. There was also a period when three people were courting me at the same time. And... Yeah, this wasn’t even the crazy part I mentioned earlier.

There were 14 notable people in this experience, including those I had been in significant talking stages: Steph, Pat, Shan, Gerome, Boom, Rupert, Vry, Adri, Jai, Kenneth, Kim, Keith, James, and John.

Most of these people I talked to or went out with from June to August. One of them was the guy whom I promised to date ‘til the end of 2023. One had halitosis. One hoped he could get a partner before he moved to the US. One I liked but was inconsistent. There’s one guy I really vibed with and we had mutual feelings for each other, but he said he was indecisive and I deserve someone more than him. Then there’s a dentist who hasn’t moved on yet from his past heartbreak—we still talk to this day.

So, unfortunately, none of them ended up being my partner—at least, for now? I mean, we can’t tell what the future has for us. However, I’m still thankful that these people have been a part of my 2023. No matter how small that part may be, I’d still have them etched in my memory.

I’m no longer as active in Bumble as I was before. Because... reasons. And one of those reasons is… dating can be quite exhaustive. You talk to people, you let them in to your life, you meet them, etc., and even after doing all this, nothing happens still. You’re just left emotionally, physically, and financially drained. And it’s not easy to take in the fact that you hurt people when you’re incapable of loving them back, even when they’ve done nothing wrong and only mean to make you happy.

Kaya nga may nagsabi sa’kin ng, “Loving you is not for the faint of heart.”

If there’s any good takeaway from this memory, it’s how I regained my confidence in conversing with other people. And more importantly, I was able to realize my worth as a person. In a sense, no longer will I accept the bare minimum if someone desires to jump on a commitment with me. I have witnessed what people are willing to do to win my heart, and it showed me the difference between the things that I deserve and don’t deserve.

[akocomyk]

Ice Skating + Johnoy

2023’s 10th Most Memorable Moment

Back in July, I started seeing a guy whom I met in Bumble, but I didn’t friendzone him after our first date because I still saw potential in him.

On our second date, I told him he wasn’t the only person I was entertaining, so he made me promise that we’d go out until the end of 2023, and then I’ll decide if I’ll friendzone him or not. However, we won’t be exclusive—we could still see other people as we please.

The last time we saw each other was in October 28 when we went ice skating in Mall of Asia, then went to see Johnoy Danao’s live show at Third Bloom Café in Naic, Cavite.

So... on our bus ride going to Naic, although I may be remembering it wrong, this song played on the radio.

Regardless, that song played in the background many times in the numerous dates we had, therefore I’m reminded of him every time the song plays.

Going back. This was the first time that I learned how to skate—I didn’t even have roller skates when I was a kid. AND I ENJOYED IT, despite the minor injuries I incurred while doing so. And I really wanted to try ice skating again until I can do it properly.

Then... watching Johnoy Danao in a very intimate setting was magical. He’s one of the biggest influences in my musicality, so you can just imagine how hard I restrained myself from fanboying inside the café. This wasn’t the first time I’ve seen him perform—he was in Leni’s rallies during the 2022 campaign period—but watching him up-close was an entirely different experience.

• • • • •

And to you, my ever so effortful friend,

Thank you for all that you did for me in the past year. You’ve made my 2023 a lot less boring and painful, and for that, I’ll always be grateful. Again, I’m so sorry for all the pain I caused you. I’m also sorry for only seeing you as a friend.

I picked this date out of all the dates we had because it made me realize what I have been looking for in you—the reason why I couldn’t return your feelings for me. Remember, I’ve always wondered what it was that you lacked.

You have some sort of emotional detachment—at least, that’s what it seemed to me. I recognize and appreciate the effort that you put into everything—and your gestures were very impressive—but I somehow couldn’t feel the genuine compassion, respect, and concern for me even when your actions intend to make me feel that I’m cared for.

And as a general attitude of mine, I tend to naturally reciprocate how others treat me. So with you, you can imagine me mirroring a frozen heart that’s unwilling to melt.

Nevertheless, if you do like the version of you when you’re with me, I hope that you retain this even when I’m not with you.

In the end, we both know another person deserves this kind of love from you. When they come, all that you do will be just enough for them.

Stay strong. I know you’ve already gone through so much shit in your life—I hate to be one of them—but I still wish you all the best.

At friends pa rin naman tayo 'di ba.

[akocomyk]

The 11 Hearts of My 2023

Looking back on how the year went, I thought I really didn't do anything quite remarkable—aside for getting my heart broken for at least three times. And to be honest, doing this annual tradition of mine for 2023 seems like a stretch.

Regardless, even when all the most unexpected things happened, both good and bad, life is still worth celebrating.

Which is why I'm still doing this Top 10 Most Memorable Moments list.

Since this is the eleventh year, I'm listing down eleven memories instead of the usual ten. And... I only had eleven memories in contention for the list, so it would've been a bummer for that one and only memory to be declared as an honorable mention.

And... I thought using hearts to symbolize how I felt for each memory is quite fitting since a lot of things this year revolved around some aspect of love.

Also, I decided to make a playlist for this—similar to what I did last year, wherein each song represents a memory.

If you wanna have a go on guessing what those memories are, here's the playlist:

[akocomyk]

1st Pin

Maybank Performing Arts Theater

There was one thing that kept my life sooo busy in the latter half of the year. Typically, it’s not work; however, it’s almost work-related.

You see, at QBE, we value our employees’ work-life balance and support our people’s well-being. Hence, we have these community advocacy groups (CAGs) that cater to our employees’ diverse interests.

One of those groups is the SynQ Dance Club (SynQ), which started as a group of dancers performing at outreach programs organized by our company.

As part of this year’s health and wellness program, dubbed MobilityCheQ, SynQ scheduled a series of Zumba sessions and various dance classes from May to August.

Part of my role as the Creative Multimedia Communications Specialist is promoting our various engagement activities through our communications channels. That said, I’ve worked a lot with our Inclusion & Wellness team and the POCs of our various CAGs.

Out of my sheer willingness to support these programs (for which I created the promotional materials myself)—and in support of my friends who made an effort to organize these activities—I promised myself I’d participate in all of them whenever I could.

So… yeah, I joined the first Zumba session that SynQ organized. That’s where I first met the group’s members and POCs, most of whom I’d only met virtually during our meetings.

During that Zumba session, Geri, the leader of SynQ, commended me, entertained by the way I danced, and invited me to become a member of their group. I was hesitant at first because, at that point, I was already part of the Pride Council, and our activities for Pride Month were fast approaching. I also intended to join MusiQ—the CAG for singers and musicians.

In the end, I gave in to their invitation. Geri instantly invited me to join their succeeding dance classes—in addition to participating in the Zumba sessions. She also gave me a heads-up that they were planning to join a dance competition in the coming months.

Once we received the competition details, we began preparing. It wasn’t an easy journey. At first, we weren’t sure if our requested budget would be approved—this would determine who our dance coach would be. Thankfully, it was approved, and we got the coach we really wanted.

We started conditioning ourselves, and that’s when I began going to the office frequently to attend training sessions. It wasn’t easy since our training schedule overlapped with my shift, and they didn’t always coincide with the days I had to be in the office for other work-related events. Some weeks, I had to commute from Cavite City to BGC and back four days in a row. Add to that volunteer activities on Saturdays, followed by dance training in the afternoon.

Coincidentally, Nikki and I had already started going steady by this time. He offered me a place to stay in his condo on days I had to be in the office. And… I agreed.

Anyway, training continued. I haven’t had this much dance training since I was a cheerleader in college. Granted, our routine wasn’t as physically demanding as cheerleading, but it still required proper skills and techniques. Having been trained in contemporary ballet, folk dance, and cheerleading, this was my first encounter with street dance genres like hip-hop, femme, dancehall, pop & lock, and waacking.

Of course, during these training sessions, I made new friends at QBE. They were the most fun people to hang out with.

Anywhoooo, the last few days were the most crucial part of our training—and probably some of the most memorable moments I’ve had this year. It was exhausting but surprisingly fun.

And then, judgment day came. We invited all our friends at QBE to watch us perform. As members of the dance group, we were also allowed to invite people outside the company. Naturally, I invited Nikki. He said he’d feel insulted if I didn’t. He even had a company trip that same day but assured me he’d be home before the competition started—and he was.

Being backstage right before our turn reminded me of my cheerleading days, waiting to be called in. The adrenaline. The feeling of your heart stuck in your throat. I hadn’t felt that in more than a decade. It was frightening but exhilarating—like being drunk on adrenaline.

And then, we stepped on stage. That was it. I could see the spotlights, the faces of people smiling as we danced, and I could hear their cheers and applause. At that moment, the only thought in my head was, “Look at me, look at how good I am,” and it pushed me to do my best.

After the performance, I thought we did well. Sadly, we didn’t get a podium finish or even win any special awards. We almost placed third, though—we ranked fourth out of six groups, and the third placer edged us out by only 0.15 points.

I don’t know if it was just their bias, but all our friends who watched thought we deserved at least third place. Even Nikki, my proud and ever-supportive boyfriend, thought so.

Anyway, it is what it is. All groups wanted to win, and it just came down to whom the stars aligned for.

At least we have our friendship. At least we dancers—who were dying to feel the rush of performing on stage—felt it again after a long time.

And yeah, it became my most memorable moment of 2024. Nikki being there and meeting my friends was just the cherry on top. He told me that everything that happened made him happy.

So yeah, there’s still next year. Who knows? Maybe, for the first time in two consecutive years, my most memorable moment will be for the same event.

[akocomyk]

Other Pins Worth Noting

Before we head to the top spot of this year’s list, I’d like to highlight some of the other pins that were considered but didn’t make it because I thought they didn’t have as much gravity as those included.

Quezon City Memorial Circle

This was where Love Laban 2 Everyone: Pride PH Festival 2024 was held, and I joined the Pride March as part of the QBE delegation. It was only my second time participating in the march.

I blogged about this. Anyone who looks at current events and trending topics on social media would probably know how much of a disaster the event became due to the influx of attendees—a portion of whom were fans of Bini.

SM Mall of Asia

A very common dating place for me—yeah, Doc John and Seandale. I rode with both of them on the amusement park rides behind the mall.

One thing those two never got to do with me was go ice skating, which was a sentimental favorite of mine despite the fact that I’m not very good at it yet.

Nikki, however, brought me there and taught me how to skate—that was only my second time ever.

St. Peter Parish, Cavite City

I’ve always said that I prefer Lenten Season activities over Advent Season—especially the Easter Triduum.

When I was young and active in the church as part of the youth choir, I always completed these celebrations, and it’s been so long since I’ve done so.

Until this 2024. I participated in all the Holy Week traditions, beginning with Palm Sunday and ending with the Easter Vigil—even joining the Salubong. Most of them I attended at the church that’s close to my home.

[akocomyk]

2nd Pin

Ayala Center

You know how much the Everything Bagel is revered in the film Everything Everywhere All at Once? It even dares to pose the idea that you can put everything on a bagel.

Yeah, it’s crazy ridiculous. I’m not going to dive into that right now, but you can read about it here if you’re curious.

Ayala Center is kind of like that bagel for me. Whenever I think about it, it transforms into the convergence point of all the pivotal moments that happened last year.

This was where Seandale and I first met. It wasn’t even a planned date; I just asked if he wanted to grab dinner while I was logging off from work.

This was where I met with Doc John again after turning him down for Seandale. We had lunch there before heading to the RCBC Plaza to watch Rent.

This was where I met with Gerald—yeah, my first boyfriend. He borrowed my Nintendo Switch game The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening.

This was where I first met Nikki. We had dinner at Coco Ichibanya and coffee at UCC Café. He was so timid back then, admitting that he wasn’t used to dating—unlike me, who was already an expert at it. We also had our first museum date there—through the Ayala Museum.

You know that Sto. Niño de Paz Chapel at Greenbelt? I attended Sunday masses there with Seandale, Doc John, and Nikki—on different occasions, of course. And that Starbucks Reserve nearby? I’ve had coffee and kouign-amann there with all of them.

I’ve been to Ayala Center with Nikki and Seandale countless times; it’s one of our go-to places—more so with Nikki ‘coz his office is located there. But I’ve only been there with Doc John once—the day we watched Rent.

For him, that day was about rekindling what had been supposedly stopped back in February when I chose Seandale over him. He wanted to reignite whatever spark we had when we first met. He wanted me to fulfill his promise to him—and probably more.

For me, it was more about testing whether Doc John had changed—even just a little in those few months. Maybe this time, I thought, I’d be able to tolerate the mannerisms that irked me.

Sadly, he hadn’t changed. It didn’t make me regret my decision or think, “I should’ve picked John.” Instead, I found myself asking, “What if I had chosen no one?”

It’s funny though that when I still hadn’t made my decision back in February, Seandale urged me to choose Doc John but promised that he’ll be there to help me rebuild myself if ever things with Doc John don’t go happily. Ironically, it was Doc John who tried to help me rebuild myself when Seandale and I broke up.

During dinner at Denny’s, John and I decided we’d remain friends who updated each other regularly. I also told him I wasn’t ready yet and wasn’t sure when I would be ready to pursue a relationship with him.

So… yeah. In my dating life, Doc John was probably the biggest loser. He put in the most effort—effort I truly commend—but I still turned him down TWICE.

I don’t blame him if he doesn’t want to talk to me anymore. Even after that day we last saw each other, he didn’t stop pursuing me, stating the words, “I’ll still fight for you.”

Much to his dismay, I couldn’t give him the same effort in return. It was unfair—and he realized that eventually.

That’s why he has a boyfriend now. Not me, of course. Someone he so rightfully deserves.

On a more positive note, our dance group from work, the SynQ Dance Club, joined the charity fund-raising event and Christmas gala of the Australia-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ANZCHAM). It was held at the Makati Shangri-La. Our senior leaders were there to watch and cheer for us.

The event was basically a Got Talent competition where members of the chamber got to send representatives. All of them sent singers who sang big songs, and we were the only dance group. We performed a revised version of the piece we did for an earlier street dance competition.

Although we didn’t win the top prize, we were still proclaimed as the Crowd Favorite.

It was fine. You can’t split a plane ticket between ten people anyway, and no one can deny that we won the hearts of the people.