Makna Literal

Kyla Adams is a workaholic. I mean, who wouldn't be when you're working your dream job? She is one of the many writers for a startup business in North Carolina called "Clicked," where the focus is writing about hot gossip, new trends, and out of the ordinary experiences. Think of this social media app as an online magazine, where the workers are gossip hungry millennials and Gen Z'ers all trying to top one another. And the best part- Dakota Kramer; the hot young CEO at the top floor of the office building. Kyla is the job. She thrives on gossip and is a phenomenal writer, but lately her articles have been dryer than her dating life. After Dakota threatens to fire her if she doesn't step out of her comfort zone, Kyla and her friends drunkenly email Dakota an exciting new article proposal titled "EleDATE." What does the hell does this mean? Kyla must ride the elevator every morning, starting from floor 1 up to floor 50-the top floor- with a hand picked single guy from the office. The catch? She's blindfolded. She must rely on her instincts about the "bachelors" and the impressions they make during their limited time riding together- and they must remain anonymous. With over 100 employees in the building, 50 floors, and 20 single men willing to participate, this will sure make for an intriguing article and a literal make or break career moment. And let's face it... there's just something about elevators.

"Paman, ayo kita menikah!" Seorang gadis polos melamar seorang pria dewasa yang lebih tua 10 tahun darinya, itu hanya lamaran tanpa makna, setidaknya dibenak pria dewasa seperti Lucian. Namun, lamaran dari gadis bernama Leanna adalah awal dari datangnya masalah di masa depan. Leanna telah melalui kehidupannya yang penuh dengan siksaan , sejak depresi yang dialami ibunya semakin parah. Dia bertemu lagi dengan paman tirinya -Lucian Gu datang di saat-saat sulit dalam hidupnya, memberikannya kehangatan dan membuatnya jatuh cinta. Lucian cukup peka saat melihat gelagat gadis itu. Dia yang menunda pernikahan akhirnya memutuskan untuk menerima perjodohan dari keluarganya. Namun, gadis itu mendatanginya seminggu sebelum pertunangannya dan mengatakan hal gila. "Paman, kau tidak perlu menikahi wanita lain. Aku akan menemanimu sampai tua, jika kamu membutuhkan anak, aku akan melahirkannya untukmu." Bagaimana mungkin seorang gadis muda pendiam dan pemalu yang berusia awal 20-an mengatakan hal seperti itu dan mulai menerjang batasan diantara mereka? Banyak hal yang terjadi setelah ini mewarnai hubungan mereka.

Seni sastra adalah sesuatu yang indah dan mendamaikan hatinya, tetapi sosok Bintang lah yang selalu jadi sumber terangnya. Di mata Cinta yang terlahir dari kasta pembantu, Bintang adalah sosok mustahil yang tak mungkin digapai. Cinta hanya bisa melukiskan indahnya hanya dengan bait-bait puisi yang dibuatnya secara diam-diam. Alur cintanya mulai berubah kala sahabatnya " Sang Berandal" mulai menawarkan kontrak pada gadis culun nan polos yang tak paham apa itu makna cinta. Sebuah kontrak bergaransi seumur hidup yang mengajarinya arti cinta. Sebuah perjanjian di mana Cinta akan berguru selama setahun penuh secara "gratis" supaya bisa mendapatkan pujaan hatinya : Bintang Alexander Zulkarnsen, anak konglomerat —juragan sapi— terkenal yang tingkat keangkuhannya lebih tinggi dari gunung Everest. Tiga syaratnya terdengar begitu mudah. Yang pertama, tak boleh berkata tidak apapun situasinya. Yang kedua, tak boleh mengganti target. Dan yang terakhir : tidak boleh jatuh cinta pada mentornya. Jika Cinta melanggar salah satu syarat : ia harus membayar satu miliyar rupiah pada sang mentor.

Ga-eul was born in the lowest class status in Joseon. He belonged to the cheonmin or vulgar commoners—like butchers, shoemaker, shamans, magicians, etc. He never had a real name since he was born. Ga-eul was the one that is use to call him because of it's literal meaning that a baby boy born during fall. His family earns a living by performing at town alleys and even in gisaeng's places—typically located near the center of a town. After the early death of their parents, Ga-eul was forced to work harder for him and his sister to survive. Being a performer is not enough that's why he was urged to enter the gisaeng—trained to be courtesans, a prostitute, especially one with upper-class clients—world even though he is a male. He knows that he has a soft heart like a woman but doesn't want to be one. The life of Ga-eul is indeed miserable and unfortunate. He is literally going crazy on how he can managed to send his sister into a hospital—who has a osteosarcoma—tumor in the bone. A huge amount of money is needed for his sister's recovery. One night, while having a mental breakdown, he went to the gisaeng house to plead for his advance payment but the head gisaeng threw him outside. He cried out but then, a nobleman in his 20s approach and asked him to come inside again. He never knew that the nobleman was also struggling in a problem. He thought that the nobleman was just like the other middle class people. He plead but the nobleman offer him a huge amount of money. All he need to do is to marry him. The money offered was extremely helpful to resolve his problem, but should he really let the nobleman buy him?

Pada tahun kelima pernikahan, Julia Trevon merasa vitamin C yang dibeli suaminya terlalu pahit. Jadi, dia membawa botol obat itu ke rumah sakit. Dokter memeriksanya, lalu mengatakan bahwa isi botol itu bukanlah vitamin C. "Dokter, bisakah kamu mengulanginya sekali lagi?" tanya Julia. "Berapa kali pun aku mengulanginya, hasilnya akan sama." Dokter menunjuk botol obat itu sambil berkata, "Ini isinya mifepristone. Kalau diminum terlalu banyak, bukan hanya bisa menyebabkan kemandulan, tapi juga akan merusak tubuhmu." Tenggorokan Julia seakan tercekat sesuatu. Tangannya yang mencengkeram botol obat itu menjadi pucat. "Nggak mungkin. Ini adalah obat yang disiapkan suamiku untukku. Namanya Victor Camden. Dia juga dokter di rumah sakit ini," ujar Julia. Dokter itu mengangkat kepala, menatap Julia dengan tatapan yang aneh, seakan ada makna yang sulit dijelaskan di sana. Akhirnya, dokter itu tersenyum. "Nona, sebaiknya kamu memeriksakan diri ke psikiater. Kami semua sudah mengenal istri Dokter Victor. Dua bulan yang lalu, dia baru saja melahirkan seorang anak. Jangan berkhayal seperti ini, kamu nggak punya harapan."

Shotgun marriage usually happens when there is an unintended pregnancy resulting in marriage in a hurry or enforced but... not in my case. "Desmond Cro'esnt, do you take this woman to be your wife, to live together in matrimony, to love her, to honor her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?" I looked straight into Desmond's eyes. They are raven black and it does match his long, wavy black hair. "I do," he answered as he smiled innocently at me. Making himself look promising. Then, the priest turned to me. "Neiva Ariella Hillstone, do you take this man to be your husband, to live together in matrimony, to love him, to honor him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?" I still can't believe that I'm going to marry this man. He looks happy, waiting for my answer. His white suit is making him look even kinder. The only witness we have here is the priest and his men in black suits, currently pointing a gun right into my head. "Time is running, Neiva. It's either you marry me or you die." His innocent smile turned into a devilish one. This suits him more because this is the real him. And that answered your question. My shotgun marriage happened to be the literal meaning of it. I closed my eyes and deeply breathed before answering, "I do." "You're mine now." He pulled me by my waist and pressed his lips against mine. I am now officially the wife of this Psychopath Billionaire Mafia Boss.

Palagi siyang nagigising sa sahig, basang-basa sa pawis, hingal, at hubo't hubad. Sa nakalipas na buwan, ganito ang nangyayari. Ang hindi niya inaasahang malaman ay ang literal na lalaki sa panaginip niya ang siyang nagbibigay sa kanya ng pulang marka sa buong katawan. Ang problema ay ang lalaking ito ay misteryoso, at mas gugustuhin niyang magkaroon ng isang tunay na lalaki sa totoong buhay kaysa magpantasya sa isang lalaking walang mukha na laman ng kaniyang mga panaginip. ~~~ Si Jewel ay inaasahang maging isang mahinhin na tagapagmana ng Hasyenda Mangubat, ngunit siya ay nalulong sa mga erotikong nobela. Palihim niyang bibilhin ang mga librong iyon at itatago sa kanyang silid upang maitago ang kanyang bisyo sa kanyang mga magulang. Nag-aatubili siyang pumayag na pakasalan ang anak ng Alkalde, si Gideon Manasseh, sa pag-asang matitiis ni Gideon ang kanyang mga bisyo. Ngunit, sa kanyang pagtataka, ang kanyang bagong asawa ay mukhang mas mahigpit pa kaysa sa kanyang mga magulang. Hindi lamang ang kanyang mga bisyo ang kailangang itago sa bagong asawa, kundi pati na rin ang kanyang mga sekswal na bangungot. Dahil ang mga malaswang panaginip na iyon ay tila gumagapang palabas sa kanyang pantasya tungo sa totoong mundo... at ito ay mas nakakatakot pa kaysa sa inisyal niyang hinuha ukol dito.

Literal na delubyo o sakuna ang tingin ni Darlene Lopez kay Ashford Walker. Simula nang aksidente o sinadya man ni tadhana na makilala ni Darlene si Ashford ay hindi na naging normal ang takbo ng kaniyang buhay. Hindi na nga naging maganda ang naging pagkikita nila ay dumagdag pa ang isang pagkakamali na maghahatid sa kaniya para kagatin ang trabahong magpanggap bilang isang lalaki na lingid sa kaalaman ni Ashford—kapalit ang salaping sasagot sa lahat ng dinadamdam niya. Hindi lang isang lalaki, kung ‘di isang hamak na body guard slash alalay pa ni Ashford Walker na punung-puno ng kayabangan at kahanginan sa katawan. Magiging amo niya ang lalaking uutas ng kaniyang buhay. Ang lalaking titigan palang siya ay nanlalambot na siya. Ang lalaking kayang patigilin ang ikot ng kaniyang mundo at patidin ang kaniyang paghinga gamit lamang ang pamatay nitong mga galaw. Si Ashford na dinaig pa ang isang bagyo sa lakas ng dinadalang hangin sa katawan. Si Ashford, ang lalaking pinantayan ang isang lindol, na walang ginawa kung ‘di yanigin ang kaniyang buhay. Makakayanan kaya ni Darlene na bantayan ang lalaki sa kabila nang kaliwa’t kanan na gulong pinapasok nito? O ang dapat ba niyang bantayan at ingatan ay ang kaniyang puso na nagsisimula nang tumibok para dito?

Diutus dari surga untuk menyembuhkan luka dunia, Rafael, malaikat penyembuh yang agung, menerima tugas terberat dalam keberadaannya: hidup sebagai manusia. Dengan kehilangan sayapnya dan kekuatan ilahi yang hanya tersisa dalam bayang-bayang, Rafael harus menavigasi dunia yang penuh dosa, penderitaan, dan keraguan. Di sebuah kota modern yang diliputi kegelapan, ia bertemu Liam, seorang anak yatim yang membawa "cahaya" istimewa yang dapat memulihkan harapan umat manusia. Namun, cahaya itu juga menarik perhatian Azariel, kekuatan gelap yang akan melakukan segala cara untuk menghancurkannya. Bersama dengan Dr. Elena Hart, seorang ilmuwan skeptis yang menyimpan luka mendalam akibat kehilangan anaknya, Rafael berjuang untuk melindungi Liam sambil belajar menghadapi batasannya sebagai manusia. Dalam perjalanan yang penuh tantangan, Rafael tidak hanya bertempur melawan makhluk kegelapan, tetapi juga melawan keraguan di dalam dirinya sendiri. Mampukah ia menyelesaikan misinya sebelum waktu habis, atau akankah ia kehilangan kesempatan untuk kembali ke surga? "Sayap Tersembunyi: Misi Rafael" adalah kisah epik tentang pengorbanan, harapan, dan perjuangan mencari makna hidup di tengah batasan manusiawi. Sebuah perjalanan spiritual yang akan menggugah hati dan imajinasi pembaca.

Di tengah malam Ramadan yang tenang, takdir mempertemukan Zidan, seorang ustaz muda yang disiapkan menjadi imam besar, dengan Salma, dokter jaga yang tangguh namun menyimpan luka masa lalu. Pertemuan singkat di lorong IGD menjadi awal dari keterikatan jiwa yang perlahan tumbuh di balik batas-batas yang tak mudah dilewati. Ketika Salma menjadi relawan di masjid tempat Zidan mengajar, kedekatan mereka diuji oleh benturan prinsip, perbedaan jalan hidup, serta hadirnya seorang anak kecil bernama Aisha yang sakit parah dan butuh kehadiran keduanya. Di tengah kesibukan merawat dan berjuang, muncul rasa yang tak bisa mereka sembunyikan, namun juga tak mudah mereka perjuangkan. Saat penyakit menimpa orang tua, tawaran pernikahan dari pria lain datang, dan tekanan dari masyarakat mulai membesar, Zidan dan Salma harus memilih: menjaga perasaan atau menjaga kehormatan. Sebuah akad sederhana di rumah sakit menjadi jalan sunyi yang mereka pilih. Tapi ujian tak berhenti. Dari gempa, kehilangan, hingga perpisahan panjang—semua menguji makna cinta sejati. Dan di Padang Arafah, mereka bersatu kembali... demi janji yang ingin diridhoi, bukan hanya oleh hati, tapi juga oleh Ilahi.