Shainne Hostalero

Translated from Japanese by Philip Gabriel and Ted Goosen Part of my 2018 resolutions and goals is to back to reading, especially the ones that have been stuck in my shelves for quite a long time now. I don't spend much my money buying clothes, shoes, makeup, and the like; instead, like a real adult, I spend it paying grad school tuition fees (huhuhu hahaha), insurance, business supplies, raw materials, and BOOKS. The first book I've read this 2018 was Crazy Rich Asians  by Kevin Kwan which I still have to share with you here. But, to be honest, it is already August (September) and it is just a few days ago that I've finished reading another, Men Without Women by my favorite author, Haruki Murakami. The book is also a shadow of what we all have felt inside of us, maybe once or twice. Gaining new stories, having a partner, losing one, getting our hearts broken, and moving on from there. We all have been there. Like the usual Murakami creation, it is full of many realiz...

Gray areas. That's what we had. All of a sudden, I've become hopeful in life. I was grateful to the universe that you came along, but disappointed that you came only to shatter me back to pieces I believed I was done acing.  In the last three years, I'm not in any way thinking about relationships anymore and I never did commit again. Then you came and vouched for me to open up my heart once again. I was hesitant but then I gave in believing that somehow I deserve this. I was happy that finally somebody took the courage and bravery to take on the lead and get me out of my old life setup - not that I'm not happy, but at least somebody was willing to make me happier, or so I thought. Somebody made me realize that, in a way, I needed somebody. All of those, I thought, were for the better. They were. In all fairness. But something was strange. I didn't ask nor I annoy for something I knew the answers to - what are we; who are we; and, what are we for each other. ...