*CHAPTER 1*

The notebook was cursed.

Or maybe it was just tired.

---

*Cebu City. Ukay-ukay. 6:43pm.*

Ari found it under a pile of romance novels with missing covers.

50 pesos.

The cover was black.

No title.

Just a number in white paint, already chipping off.

`3`

She flipped it open.

First page.

Ballpen.

Messy handwriting.

`If you’re awake, come in.`

She laughed.

“Cheesy,” she said to no one.

The ukay ate was loud.

AC broken.

Everyone sweating.

She bought it anyway.

Because 50 pesos was cheaper than dinner.

Because she was 18 and lonely and the words looked like they were meant for her.

She didn’t read it on the jeepney home.

She didn’t read it while cooking instant noodles.

She put it on her desk in the boarding house.

4 people to 1 room.

Bunk beds.

Her roommates were already asleep.

2:14am.

She was still awake.

Closing shift tomorrow.

Again.

The light in the room flickered.

Once.

She looked at the notebook.

It was open now.

She didn’t remember opening it.

Page 2.

`Rule 1: Keep the light on.`

`Rule 2: If they’re here, they’re home.`

`Rule 3: Say you’re tired.`

Her phone buzzed.

Group chat.

`lakas ng ulan`

`ingat kayo`

She got up.

Boiled water.

Instant coffee.

Because she couldn’t sleep.

When she came back, page 3 was wet.

No cup near it.

Just... wet.

Like tea.

And in the middle of the wet, new words were forming.

Slow.

Like ink bleeding up from the paper instead of down.

`You’re tired.`

`Come in anyway.`

Ari dropped the mug.

It didn’t break.

The coffee inside was gone.

The mug was full of tea now.

Hot.

Smelled like ginger.

Like her Lola’s.

“Anong,” she whispered.

The window rattled.

The light across the street turned on.

Third floor.

Yellow.

She hadn’t noticed it before.

But now it felt like it had been on forever.

Her phone buzzed again.

Unknown number.

`upuan ka`

`may tsaa`

She didn’t answer.

She put on her hoodie.

Shoes still wet from earlier.

Walked out.

The rain was bad.

The light was still on.

The paper on the door was bleeding ink.

`Door’s open. We’re tired sometimes. Come in anyway.`

She pushed it.

Heat.

Noise.

15 people.

One pot in the middle.

White with blue flowers.

Steam going up even though the fire was off.

A girl looked at her.

“Wet ka,” she said.

Grabbed a towel.

“Upo.”

Handed her the mug that was already full.

Ari drank.

It tasted like home.

Like grief.

Like someone remembered her.

“No one asked my name,” Ari said.

The girl smiled.

“Rule 5,” she said. “A name is optional. You aren’t.”

At 4am, everyone left.

Ari stayed.

She picked up Notebook 3 from the table.

It was there.

On this table.

In this house.

The same one she bought for 50 pesos.

She opened it.

Under `If you’re awake, come in.`

New writing had appeared.

Her handwriting.

But she didn’t remember writing it.

`I came. -Ari. Year 51.`

The girl saw it.

Nodded.

“Welcome home,” she said.

---

*San Jose del Monte. Same time. 4:02am.*

Little Ren woke up.

No reason.

The chair was empty.

The light was on.

On the shelf, Notebook 3 buzzed.

Just once.

Like a phone.

He walked to it.

Opened it.

New line.

New city.

New name.

He touched the words.

They were warm.

“Ah,” he said.

“The light left.”

Outside, the city was quiet.

But somewhere in Cebu,

a door was open.

---

*The supernatural rules of Book 1:*

The light finds you when you need it.

The tea multiplies.

The notebooks write back.

Rebirth isn’t just for people.

Ideas can be reborn too.

And tonight,

the idea just got on a bus to Cebu.

*End of Chapter 1*

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