…at 19 and a working student in college, Gregg is sure that whatever love is meant to others, his is definitely something special…  He knew that loving and being loved in return should be the real thing.   And sex?  He said, its not sex but making love.

……….

Claire came to the city to find work.   She knows that it will be an uphill battle for her to find a decent job especially that at 36, married, and now separated with 3 dependents, she will be competing with the much younger  work seekers in the city.   Her desire to find work immediately was for her 3 kids, who were abandoned by their father earlier on.

Its one of those crazy days for Aning,  who for the last three decades has been operating a dormitory in those small back streets in the city.   She was just informed by her daughter that the utility inspector visited the dorm and warned that it be shut down unless the necessary permit is submitted to their office in 48hours.   She knows that her seven bedroom dorm with nineteen occupants cannot pay up the monthly bills, but without it, she also cannot survive -  she wish that someone will occupy the vacant beds in the ladies quarters soon.

Gregg  went running back to the dorm to get his forgotten school ID, otherwise, he cannot enter the school gates for his final exams.  Oopps! he bumped unto something or someone & hurriedly apologized and gave an absent-minded smile, went up to the second level, to the room he is sharing with his brother and a townmate.  Three in a room isn’t so bad since there’s still space for their study tables and the rent is very affordable for his working student allowance and whatever his parents send them for their monthly needs.

While scouring the room for his misplaced school ID, he heard footsteps on the stairway and going to the other side of the building in the ladies quarters.  He thought the lady he bumped into will be inspecting the accommodation – - well, for the sake of Nang Aning, he hope that she will.

Claire thought the room is a little bit cramped for three persons and asked if there’s a room for one occupant -   Aning was thinking fast and offered her daughter’s small room…  she plan of having her daughter transfered to the room with 2 others and rent out the small room to Claire who may have her kids come to the city to visit from time to time.