Gino claims he’ll show them the real Manila Experience and takes Jao and Mikay to one of my most favorite places ever in Manila– Plaza Rajah Sulayman, in front of the Church of Our Lady of Remedies in Malate. Mikay says admiringly that she didn’t know Gino had this in his blood. Gino: Mikay, Mikay, Mikay. There’s a lot you don’t know about me.
The two introduce Jao to Manila street food*– isaw and kwek-kwek (complete with Gino flapping around and making chicken noises), sago’t gulaman, and balut.
Later, they hang out by the fountain, and Jao shows Mikay the fan and necklace he bought. Mikay quizzes him on the Filipino words, and Gino flashes him the answers behind Mikay’s back. Ha.
Meanwhile, Dad asks Mom why she didn’t tell him about Diego. She’s quick to assure him that Diego was just being nice and didn’t mean anything.
At the fountain, Jao takes out a copy of some song hits* and Mikay uses it for a Filipino lesson. And thus he translates the first line of a song… Ikaw ang tunay na ligaya, tanging ikaw sinta… “You are my true happiness, you are the one.” All the while looking in her eyes. Yeah, that doesn’t mean anything, right, Jao. Both realize what they’re doing and look away, flustered.
All this isn’t lost on Gino, who’s buying something from a nearby vendor. When Jao remembers he has to go get something from the car, Gino comes up and gives Mikay a rose as a peace offering. He claims that their deal should be off, because Jao’s his friend, so he and Mikay can’t really avoid each other. He tells her how he and Jao met, and Mikay exclaims that her dream is to be a consul like his mom. She laughs at how he and Jao came to be friends, saying they deserve each other. Gino asks after Bianca, and Mikay tells him what Bianca said. So for now, she can only say PMAA, pahinga muna ako ate (I’ll rest for a while, older sister). Gino: See, I’m right sometimes. You did get tired. Since the reason for their deal has been invalidated, this means the deal is off and they can talk to each other in school again. Gino’s so happy with this that he gets up on the rim of the fountain and shouts it to everyone.
He also picks up the discarded song hits, and he and Mikay end up singing “Hinahanap-hanap Kita.” LOL, at the same time it’s a shoutout to his album… way to go, Daniel.
In the morning and at night, at
every minute that passes
I keep wanting you,
I keep wanting you.
In my mind and dreams,
in every turn of fate,
I keep wanting you.
When Jao comes back, Mikay says she has to go. Both boys immediately offer to bring her home. But then Gino remembers he doesn’t have a car anymore, so he hands Mikay over to Jao, despite the fact that she looks stricken. (But I think this isn’t due exactly to Jao himself, but to the fact that the neighbors are curious about him and she doesn’t want the attention.)
