This week, Mom Stella takes another look at her family and their relationships with one another; Jao and Gino go on competing for Mikay’s attention, and the cuteness continues; and Ashi Behati throws a spoke into her son’s plans.
Behati goes to the palace to talk to the king, and finds him, as usual, looking up at his family’s portrait. The bombing incident has given her an excuse to leave the country for her own safety, and to be with Jao. The king gives his permission, saying he too wishes he was with his wife and daughter. Since Behati’s going to Isabel’s home country, the king says wistfully that he’s always wanted to go there– if Isabel and Ariya were still alive, he’d have been to the Philippines before Behati.
The woman who’d opened the door to Jao and Mikay was Dr. Santos’s wife, and she receives them graciously when they explain they need to see her husband. She explains that the scientist isn’t home, and that he’s never talked about Yangdon– it’s like it’s hard for him to talk about his time there. However, he’ll be home the day after next, so maybe they can come back then, and she’ll try to see how she can help.
At the hot dog stand, Gino watches as Jao and Mikay arrive, and Jao offers his hand to help Mikay step down from the curb (although she isn’t standing on a particularly high step). Having delivered Mikay to her destination, Jao says good night, and Mikay waves him off with a smile. It’s all just nice and friendly, but Gino looks uneasy.
We look in on Kiko, who doesn’t have any appetite for dinner despite Aunt Anna coaxing him to eat. Aunt Ellen even offers to cut his hair in any style he wants.
Mikay sees Gino wearing the hotdog costume and teases him about it– now he knows how it feels to wear it, and it’s a good thing he didn’t catch fire. Gino grumps that he should just let it burn back then so that his dad wouldn’t see him wearing it. “But you should have seen his face!” he tells Mikay. She asks why he kept his job a secret– doesn’t he know that honesty is the best policy? “Fine,” Gino says. Speaking of honesty, there are two things he wants to tell her. The first thing is that his grandfather influenced her sponsors so that she’d lose her scholarship.
Quick cut to Pratchit, attempting to see the rebel leader, but he’s quickly blocked.
Back to Gino… The second thing he wants to tell Mikay is that he wanted her to fall in love with him because he couldn’t believe that she wouldn’t. She stares at him– does that mean everything he showed her, the way he treats her, was a lie? “No!” he protests. He really wants to help her, but all she ever does is shove him away. She doesn’t get angry or press the issue– all she says is “I know you’re good, somewhere in there. Just work on it.” “You know, you’re the only one who ever said that to me,” he comments. Shades of Sebastian Valmont and Annette Hargrove, somewhere in there.
Diego comes by to tell Mom Stella that he’s going back to Canada because his mother needs him, so he’s leaving the market to be managed by his siblings. He’s leaving after the pageant. Mom is all “Okay, have a safe trip,” and he says he’s thankful that they met again. He’s about to leave, but she asks where he’s headed, because she’s just about to close up shop for the day.
Gino insists on bringing Mikay to her home, only he realizes he can’t afford the fare, so he asks if they can walk instead, claiming it’s good exercise. Ha.
Diego and Mom are also walking, laughing and reminiscing over their school days. Diego suddenly says that he had a lot to tell her– such as the fact that he still feels nervous when he’s around her.
Somewhere along the way, their paths converge– Gino and Mikay see Mom getting into Diego’s car. When Mikay gets home, she mentions to Mom that she saw them earlier, but doesn’t ask questions.
In school the next day, people turn to look at this guy walking down the corridor… and then Mikay, intent on something else, collides with him, and looks up slowly… it’s Kiko, looking cool and totally different in high-top sneakers, fitted jeans, a short-sleeved shirt, and a new haircut. She exclaims that he looks good, and he plays it cool. They say goodbye and go their separate ways.
The king asks the drukpah to suggest ways of dealing with the rebel situation. One of them says that they shouldn’t tell the people about it yet, so as to avoid panic. Subachi suggests that they take steps to ensure the king’s security before the rebels pick them off one by one.
Jao and Mikay make another visit to see Dr. Santos, and this time the scientist is home. He says he can’t help them, however– his research on the project is gone, thrown away long ago. It’s clear that the man won’t talk about anything regarding his work in Yangdon, and this leaves Jao at a loss. When Jao and Mikay leave, however, Mrs. Santos follows them out to ask them not to lose hope. They should come back and try again, and he’ll loosen up if they try long enough. It’s the only thing she can do for a kababayan (compatriot, someone from the same country). Wait… is she Yangdonese?
When they get back to the car, they found out that it’s broken down (must be related to that car they took when they were in Yangdon, huh, lol). Mikay can’t stay and wait, however, since it’s already evening and she has to get to work, so she hails a passing jeepney. It’s full, but she wants to get out of there, so despite Jao’s protests, she sits on the back step. Jao immediately tells her to move over, and sits down beside her– “I’m going with you.” She tells him to get down and stay, and Han protests that he’ll fall off, since he’s not used to stuff like this, but he just orders Han to stay and fix the car. And then looks at Mikay with a little smile. She looks annoyed, but the jeepney begins to move.
Quick cut to Behati packing, taking out the medallion, promising her father she’ll be back.
Jao and Mikay sit silently for some time, each clinging to the rail beside him to keep their balance. And “Tunay Na Ligaya” plays softly… Jao asks if the jeepney will go by the place where she works. No, but she’ll take another jeep when they get to the city. He immediately objects– they’ll take a taxi! Then the jeepney lurches, and both are jounced from their seats. Mikay finds herself clutching Jao’s arm, since he’d reached out for the opposite rail to prevent her from falling. They freeze, and both let go quickly. But then Jao holds out his hand, palm up. “Let me hold your hand. Come on, it’s okay.” And she puts her hand in his. They ride the rest of the way like that, as the jeepney goes on. So cute…!
Mikay falls asleep again in the taxi, and Jao smiles to himself when he hears her snoring. She slips to the side in her sleep, and he gently reaches out and pulls her head against his shoulder, watching her sleep. She stirs, and looks up, and sees his face very close. After meeting his eyes, she sits up and apologizes for falling asleep, but he says it’s okay, she needs to rest. Then she remembers she needs to ask him a favor– could they cancel tomorrow’s lessons? It’s Mom’s pageant, and she wants to go. “Of course you should support your mom!” Jao says, and Mikay squeals happily, grabbing his hand in both of hers as she thanks him. Then she sees the look in his eyes, realizes what she’s doing and lets go. Ha. They look away for a while, but then smile at each other.
Vicky asks Gino where Mikay is– Gino mutters in annoyance that Mikay isn’t even thinking that someone might be waiting for her… and here come Mikay and Jao, running.
Kiko meets Dindi, and asks if he looks like John Lloyd Cruz now. Dindi says no, but he looks good. He’s more concerned with whether other girls would notice him, since, yunno, he wants to stop thinking of Mikay.
Vicky bawls Mikay out for being super-late, and threatens to deduct half of Mikay’s salary for the day. Jao immediately protests, saying he’ll just help for the rest of the shift instead,to make up for Mikay’s tardiness. Gino casts him a look and asks Vicky not to cut Mikay’s salary, ha. Vicky tells him to just make up his mind, since he’d been mad at Mikay earlier, but gives in.
