Once and Again

Epilogue

It wasn't easy.

Network PR had a number of hits and misses in marketing this Alden Richards. They were unsure what projects to give him. He would decline team ups because the PR team would stir up rumours about it possibly becoming "real", which displeased him. 

He was bashed left and right, nothing he did pleased people like they once did and his career was at a stand still for a while.

But he had loyal fans. He and Patty had a solid fanbase that understood their friendship and their private relationships and only wanted both to be happy.  And they were.

Patty and Sam were now married.

And Alden? He was a smitten kitten. He would never give her up no matter what and would shout to the world (or caps lock in Twitter) that Maine made him the happiest man on all the planets of the solar system. Even after all the bad press and the floating status of his projects, he had Maine's support and they worked these problems out.

It was Maine who suggested that perhaps he should be a little more active in social media to increase his presence, so they did a couple of vlogs:  an episode on relationship advice to couples; another similar one but they had Patty and Sam so they had a boys vs girls session, and another one called Ask Alden where fans got to know him behind his well-crafted image.

Every episode went viral.

Viewers were hooked on Rj & Maine's chemistry and would gush over how Rj doted on Maine. Additionally, viewers loved the rapport between Maine & Patty and Alden & Sam (not to mention how the guys turned to mush when talking about their girls).

His network took notice again and he got a steady stream of projects.

And today, almost three years since they got back together, he was being interviewed because his movie has broken all box office records for the past couple of years.

"So, finally Alden! Your own movie where you're the lead actor and it's a box office hit. How do you feel?"

Rj smiled. "Sobrang happy po. Finally, finally! Dream come true."

"Many are saying that if you had pursued your highly successful love team with Patty years ago, you guys could've hit big sooner. What do you think about that?"

"Patty and I have always been on the same page naman po, Tito. We're very good friends and I'm also very close to Sam, her husband. Anything more than friendship – ay teka pala, I have to say mag-best friend sila ni Maine, baka magalit si Patty if I don't say that - anyway, yun nga po, anything more than friendship just wouldn't have felt right. We also knew that may impact sa career but it's a risk we took."

"Since you mentioned Maine, that decision ba has anything to do with your non-showbiz girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend?" Rj asked.

"Si Maine."

"What po about her?"

"Opinion ng marami sa industriya natin na she held you back from being the big star that you are now."

Rj frowned. "Hindi po totoo yun. Kung alam niyo lang po lahat ng sacrifices ni Maine for me, for our relationship. Besides, we all know Maine is very popular in social media. If anything, nag-increase nga po yung mga taong nakakilala sa akin because of her."

"Pero kung wala siya, either sumikat kayo ng husto ni Patty or you could've also been the most eligible bachelor, malakas ang benta nun."

"But that wouldn't have made me happy. Kung nawala siya sa kin... I can't imagine... baka hindi din maganda yung trabaho ko...  Opo, siguro mas mahirap, mas matagal maka-angat, but thankful ako sa lahat ng blessings ngayon and part po nito is yung pag-persevere in spite of all the challenges and I was fully supported by Maine."

"So, magtatagal pa kayo? Preferred mo na talaga ng non-showbiz na girlfriend?"

"Hindi po."

"So break na kayo?"

"No po. Maine and I - that's how it's going to be. Always. It's just that now, please address her as my wife."

END. =)