When Naruto Birthday

Pangarap ni Mavie na makatanggap ng birthday cake, buong-buo at walang bawas ang icing. Mahirap ang kanilang pamilya ngunit nagagawa ng kanilang magulang, kapwa magsasaka, ang patapusin sila sa pag-aaral. Matalik na magkaibigan mula pagkabata sina Hugo at Mavie sa kabila ng magkaiba ang estado ng kanilang buhay. Nag-aaral ng political science si Hugo sa bayan at nangangarap magtrabaho sa gobyerno. Samantala, nag-aaral naman ng engineering si Mavie sa kanilang baryo na nangangarap na maipa-renovate ang kanilang kubo. Isang kalihim ng samahang ARC (Arts with Responsibilities Creatives) si Mavie. Sa tulong ng kanyang kaibigang si Salome, namulat siya sa paglilingkod sa kolehiyo. Ang mga dokumento ng samahan na maingat niyang hinahawakan ang magiging susi ng pagmulat ng kanyang mga mata sa totoong takbo ng kolehiyo, maging ang iba pang organisasyong humaharap sa mala-butas ng karayom sa pagre-request ng budget ng mga gaganaping programa para sa mga kapwa estudyante. Samantala, ang pangarap na birthday cake ni Mavie para sa kanyang sarili ang magiging pinto ng kanyang tadhana upang hanapin ng kanyang puso ang lubos na sinisinta. Ito ay sa kabila ng mga kinakaharap ng mga pagsubok sa gitna ng tagumpay.

This is a story of two close friends (Courtney and Judy) and the odds that meet them as soon as Courtney turns 18. They hope for a bright future together but have no clue on things that are yet to unfold in their lives.

After twenty-five years of trying to win over Gus Harding, I failed and died by his hand. But he didn't know that. He kept threatening, demanding I show myself immediately. The real heiress slapped him hard. "Genevieve is dead, and you didn't even care enough to see her one last time." Gus scoffed, claiming it was just another one of my tricks. Only when he saw my cold, lifeless body did he finally understand. I was gone for good. And this time, it drove him mad.

On my birthday, the dining table was loaded with all my favorites. My mom had been cooking and baking the entire afternoon, insisting everything be perfect for when Mike got home from work so we could celebrate together. But then, he called and said his first love had been drugged at a bar, and he had to go help her. I stopped him and begged him not to go. Mike snapped at me. "Jesus, Em, don’t pull this jealous wife crap. She’s alone, defenseless, and unconscious—I can't let some random dude take advantage of her!" My mother heard those words and was so enraged that she had a heart attack. She died on the spot. Just like that, my mom died on my birthday. I called Mike, asking him to attend my mom's funeral. But before he could reply, I saw Cathy Miller's latest Instagram post, captioned: [Mikey… after all these years, it was always you.] Mike had liked it. My thumb moved before my brain caught up, typing out the only words that mattered: [A homewrecker and a lying bastard. Hope you rot together.]

Celebrating your birthday means you acknowledge your existence as a human here on earth. But what if your special day in life turns into nightmare that haunts you forever? What would you do? Kimberly Jade Quesada loves to celebrate her birthday every year eversince she was a child. Lahat halos ng gusto niyang regalo ay nakukuha niya magmula sa mga damit, gadgets at kahit na ang presensya ng kanyang mga magulang na abala sa trabaho ay nagagawa siyang paglaanan ng oras sa kanyang kaarawan. Ito ang petsa na palagi niyang inaabangan kada taon kung saan nakukuha niya ang lahat at nararamdaman niya ang pagmamahal ng mga taong nakapalibot sa kanya. Pero paano kung ang mismong petsa na minamahal-mahal niya ay unti-unting maglaho at mapalitan ng pagkamuhi at pagkasuklam? Anong gagawin niya? "No matter how many times we argue, I still think that you are the best and will always be the greatest mom here on earth," saad ko kasabay ng pagdausdos ng luha sa gilid ng mga mata ko. "Open your eyes for me, Hyacinth. Mama, hayaan mo naman akong makabawi sayo," pakiusap ko pa habang nakayapos sa malamig at nababahiran ng dugo niyang katawan. She loves to celebrate birthdays not until binawi ng langit ang dalawang regalong ibinigay sa kanya.

As my murderer's claws tear into my abdomen inch by inch, my father and brother are seated in our family's banquet hall. They're celebrating Carly's 18th birthday and coming-of-age. "You'll always be my little girl." "Happy birthday, Carly." They light 18 pink candles for her. On top of the exquisite red velvet cake is a wolf figurine that they carved for her, and there are well wishes and laughter all around. Meanwhile, I'm curled up in a sewer filled with liquid silver as I bleed to death. My phone has been crushed, and I can't get out. I can only cry for help. A few days later, my father and brother show up together at the autopsy room. My brother stands by the operating table with a scalpel. He slices open the body and sews it back up like it's nothing. My father just covers his nose as he shoots a disgusted glance at my body. He urges my brother to hurry up with the autopsy report. "The victim is a young female wolf presumed to be of pure lineage. Before her death, she was subjected to prolonged captivity and torture. Her throat is nearly severed, her cervical spine is dislocated, and her chest cavity has collapsed. She was also injected with liquid silver before death." Hearing the report, my father looks so calm that it's just like a case study of no consequence. Neither of them can recognize that the body belongs to me—their daughter and sister!

"Give me one more chances, Via," kata Dante sembari menatap manik mata Olivia. "Nggak bisa, Dante. Aku nggak bisa," sahut Olivia bersikukuh. "Kenapa? Paling nggak kasih aku alasannya," desak Dante lagi. Olivia menggeleng. Merasa sia-sia saja jika ia memberikan alasannya. "Kalau begitu akan kucari sendiri jawabannya," tukas Dante menyudahinya. Manis. Bibir yang mengecup Olivia masih sama seperti lima tahun yang lalu. Manis dan akan selalu manis sampai kapanpun. Seperti kenangannya bersama Dante. Perpisahan Olivia dengan Dante bukanlah lelucon opera sabun yang selalu berseliweran di layar kaca. Ada satu alasan yang membuat Olivia nekat mengambil keputusan itu. Suatu rahasia yang sengaja Olivia sembunyikan sejak lama. Suatu rahasia dibalik kepergiannya.

Anggun sudah berada di depan pintu kantor ruangan Rico. Langkahnya terhenti ketika mendengar desahan seorang wanita. Tiba-tiba jantungnya berdegup keras, tangannya mengepal erat. Pikirannya, sudah kemana-mana. Dia memegang gagang pintu tersebut dan keberuntungan sedang berada di pihaknya. Pintu itu tidak terkunci sehingga Anggun bisa membuka pintu tersebut perlahan nyaris tak terdengar. Dan betapa terkesiap ketika dia melihat suaminya sedang bercinta dengan seorang wanita. Tubuh Anggun bergetar, napas memburu karena dia tidak menyangka bahwa Rico akan berselingkuh. Walaupun Anggun tidak mencintai Rico tetapi jika suaminya itu berselingkuh dia tidak bisa menerimanya. Sebenarnya siapa wanita itu? dan apa yang akan terjadi dengan pernikahan mereka? Akankah Rico memilih Anggun istri syahnya atau wanita yang sedang bercinta dengannya?

Almira Sekarayu, seorang perempuan muda dengan predikat The Most Eligible Bachelorette in Indonesia, punya standar tinggi mengenai pasangan hidupnya. Yang pasti lelaki itu harus lebih dari dia; lebih pintar, lebih kaya, dan lebih tua. Almi paling benci dengan laki-laki yang (menurutnya) sok kegantengan seperti Kalandra, seorang penyanyi terkenal dengan predikat Genious Musician, yang juga artis kebanggaan stasiun TV-nya. Namun, sebuah kejadian tidak terduga membuat keduanya harus berdua selama beberapa hari di tengah lautan bebas.

Nayla Samira Huri Seorang janda yang diceraikan suaminya karena dianggap tidak bisa memberikan keturunan 12 tahun lalu. Setelah menjanda ia meninggalkan Indonesia dan memulai bisnisnya hingga ia berkenalan dengan mantan Istri Wisnuaji Widiatmaja yang sering menceritakan kehidupan rumah tangganya dulu, seiring waktu tanpa sadar Samira telah mencintai Wisnuaji Widiatmaja tanpa pernah bertemu apalagi mengenalnya secara pribadi. Wisnuaji Widiatmaja Seorang pria yang betah menduda hampir tiga dekade lamanya. Ia lebih memilih membesarkan putra semata wayangnya tanpa ingin memiliki pasangan lagi di hidupnya karena ia merasa hidupnya kini telah bahagia tanpa perlu memiliki pendamping.  *** Lalu bagaimana Kehidupan mereka saat akhirnya Wisnuaji bertemu dengan Samira?