Regine and Ariel

February 14, 1995
Mr. and Ms.

Ariel Rivera fell in love with Regine Velasquez and Regine fell in love with Ariel…now is falling in love such a crime? Maybe. Maybe not. The point is they did…fall.

Hesitant to delve in his relationship with Regine because of his abrupt parting with actress Gelli, Ariel has been issuing short, clipped, one-sentence, one-word answers to questions from reporters pertaining to his and Regine's very controversial romance.

They should be given a fair trial rather than being adjudged. It's unfair. "We can't say anything about it because it's their opinion. I mean, I can't change that and no matter what I do, that's how they feel. I can't do anything about it. Right now, I'm just keeping quiet 'cause I don't want to say anything…first of all, I've nothing naman against them," Regine reveals, a bit misty eyed.
Ariel mutters, "I think it will just die down naturally."

In the studio of Jun de Leon, Ariel and Regine would rather be somewhere else than being interviewed. Their voices were close to a whisper. Hesitant.

Regine starts, "Actually, it has something to do with music also…doon nag-start, when we worked together, got to know each other." "Nung one time, nag-show kami, yung Two Hearts, One Beat…we had to talk, of course. Kaming dalawa yung magkasama. And yung show kasi was like a play, a love story so siyempre kailangan talagang may rapport," says she.

Ariel adds, "During the show, we had to almost show true emotions so that the people can believe…" "That we're in love…only acting, of course." Regine butts in. "Basta paggising ko nalang isang umaga…ah okay 'yun na pala yun," relating how she realized she was already in love with Ariel. "We started out as friends…we didn't know it would turn on this way. Basta it did."

"What I like about him?" she muses. "First of all he's very mature. I like that kasi parang I haven't had any experience about, you know, relationships, and life in general. I mean I would like to think that I'm mature, but I'm not that experienced in life and somehow he is. He's gone through a lot already so that's what I'm looking for." "Isa pa, he's very malambing, very caring, very very good person. And also, the biggest thing I like about him is the way he treats his family. I love my family and when I see him, actually I see my father."

"My ideal man is my father, he's my idol. The reason why I didn't have any boyfriend is because I tend to compare men to my father, 'caue he's a super great man. I've been looking for that, which I saw in Ariel. " she reflects.

Ariel on Regine: "I like her simplicity, her outlook in life…her childlike qualities, her bubbly personality, her respect for her elders."

He whispers, "I love her lips. Everytime we're doing a concert, she always gets mad at me because everytime we sing together, I always stare at her lips, she always looks into my eyes, well ur supposed to look at the eye, but me, I look at her lips and she gets conscious." Ariel reveals.

Regine and Ariel common little things: He says, "We're very similar in our upbringing although I grew up in Canada…it's basically the same, how I've grown, how she's grown. We're both very, very close to our family, whatever we do, we consider our family first, that's our basic similarity.
But does he still communicates with GELLI? "LET'S NOT MENTION ANY NAMES," he requested.

"With me, I want to be friends first and be developed to lvoe and we'll go fine together. When you're friends you'll get to know the person unlike when courting all the good qualities are brought out and are only shown," she says. "There comes a time when u want to get hold of ur life, I just want to be happy." Ariel says.

"I call him Ariel, what else should I call him?" Regine says laughing. 'Honey' is one suggestion, 'Sweetheart', 'Babes'…I call her Reg," he reveals.

"Our priority is our careers. Just because we're together doesn't mean we have to be attached all the time. That's overdone." she enthuses. "That's where the efforts come in, the schedules, we have to try harder." "What's important in a relationship is communication 'coz it's base on trust." Regine replies.

Ariel and Regine have fallen in love at the wrong time, but one thing is for sure as they left the studio with hands entwined, both looking at each other, undoubtedly, caught up in each other's spell. They're madly in love. And that's that.