Hey Jan! Happy birthday. I am honestly not that good at writing letters anymore so... don't expect much!

I'm glad you made it to 24. I know it hasn't been an easy way there. I know that you've been working harder than you ever had to be a better person and I really admire that. You are capable of being so much and I can see that you're slowly realizing it more and more as time goes by.

It's a bummer that you can't throw a nice get together for your birthday because I miss you lots! I also miss the food at your house hahaha but I hope when all this blows over we can spend more time together.

We've known each other since we were pre-teens. Now we're pretty much in our mid-twenties!! Crazy. But I'm glad you and I have been there for each other through it all.

I know that there were times where I could've been a better friend to you. I regret those moments where I felt like I gave up on you. I wanted to apologize for that, so I'm sorry. I want you to know that I never loved you any less even when I wasn't around.

I think both of us have done a lot of growing in the last couple of years. We're so different from when we first became friends but I like to think that those two 12-year-olds are still in there somewhere. Just hanging out, watching anime and playing video games.

I hope we can find more time to be like those kids again.

Oh, I also wanted to thank you for keeping me alive for months after everything with my family blew up. I don't think I ever got a chance to sincerely thank you for it. Really, Jan. You saved my life. If it weren't for you I probably would've been struggling so much. Technically you even brought me to Aimee.

You're one of the best things to ever happen to me and you've also led to some of the best things in my life.

The first 12 years of our friendship have been pretty crazy but also pretty amazing. I'm sure the next 12 will be just the same.

Happy birthday!

Love,
Dean

P.S. I'm always here for you okay? It makes me happy whenever you reach out. Please do so more often.

HELLO JAN!!! happy fucking birthday! you're 24 now! i turned 24 a few months ago and it seems ok. welcome to the club!

i hope you like this little thing that i pulled together for u. it's a little messy but w/e i had fun doing it anyway. see how i even enabled your love for catradora?? today lang yan, kaya sulitin mo na.

we haven't known each other for very long, but i'm already looking forward to years of friendship with you. you've shown me so much kindness from the day we met (you said hi and introduced yourself first!) and through all of the times when i didn't know who else i could turn to. i realize now that you have a talent of making people feel welcomed and cared for, and i hope you never lose sight of that. even more, i hope you learn how to treat yourself the same way.

i know there might be times when you don't feel like the best version of yourself right now, but i'm glad it's the one that i get to have in my life. i even wish you were in it more! and i'm thankful of everything you do to make it happen when it's possible. there are only a few people in the world i would drop everything to hang out with them, and you're one of them.

always remember that you have a place in my heart, jan. your house is the only one i will ever enjoy going to in paranaque, and i will ALWAYS go to a jan antula (jk) party. i hope you have an amazing day!!

with love,
aimee

ps it was dean's idea to include that pic.... u know the one.........