Rica and Bernard: The romantic ties that bind

You can’t deny it, this air of romance that makes the cool Pila, Laguna air tingle with excitement this balmy Thursday afternoon, when a group of press people visited Rica Peralejo and Bernard Palanca on the set of Sa Huling Paghihintay. Judging by the way she avoids her leading man’s eyes, you know Rica feels it, too. But she is doing her darndest best to deny it.

But what’s there is there. A few days after Valentine’s Day, the two, trapped in each other’s loving company, thanks to Erik Matti’s latest movie, must have realized the inevitable: they were hopelessly attracted to each other.

Bernard, now sporting a clean-shaven face (look ma, no more beard!) because of his good-guy role, is more vocal: "I made a song for her. It’s called O Ilaw," he reveals. That underwater love scene they shot in scenic Anilao, Batangas sure had an intoxicating effect on Bernard, who set his musical skills to work (he’s a member of the band Bizqit Factory), and came up with a song for his lady love, presto.

Everything came naturally, he says, as naturally as water flowing from a gurgling brook, sure of the path it will take. The lyrics, says the besotted songwriter, took a mere hour to finish; the melody, a day.

That done, Bernard summoned a friend who translated the lyrics to Pilipino. The result could make any girl swoon, and, as Bernard calculates, "bring a happy smile on her (Rica’s) face."

Excerpts:

Dadalhin kita sa aking paraiso/isisigaw ko ang iyong pangalan/Huwag kang magalala, di kita sasaktan/Walang humpay ang pagmamahalan.

The love serenade, admits this Lothario, is the only one he has written so far for a woman other than his mom, Pilar Revilla. And oh yes, it’s strictly for private consumption, not for commercial purposes. No way will you hear it played in Bizqit Factory’s tracklist of songs in their upcoming album of alternative pop-rock tunes for Neo Records.

The ladylove was at first embarrassed to hear Bernard recite the lyrics to her, with the movie press as willing audience, for the first time. She rewarded Bernard with a gentle ruffling of his hair, a gesture that was not lost on the movie press.

As if that’s not enough, Bernard surprised Rica on Valentine morning by sending her a bunch of flowers to her room.

The unsuspecting Rica thought at first it came from a fan. Until she was pleasantly surprised to discover it was her leading man who sent her the colorful blooms. "It’s my gesture of thanks to her for being nice to work with," the 24-year-old Bernard says sheepishly.

The location shoot served as welcome breather for Bernard, who admits the bubbly Rica brings a burst of life to his quiet, introspective self. To Bernard’s reticence, there’s Rica’s extrovert ways; to his reflective moods, her sunny disposition. It’s the age-old case of opposite poles deadset on attracting each other.

By his own admission the type who enters relationships nice and slow, not after three failed serious romances (starting at age 12 with an Italian teener, moving on at 16 with a college student and the last, with fellow celebrity Mylene Dizon), Bernard must have turned over warm thoughts of Rica many times over in his mind.

He has promised to keep in touch with her even after Sa Huling Paghihintay is shown – proof positive there’s something more than meets the eye between him and Rica.

Floored, the blushing leading lady keeps her thoughts to herself. She’s careful not to betray her feelings, especially with the prying eyes of the movie press watching her and Bernard.

But weeks after the Pila shoot, the previously subdued Rica was in high spirits, much like a person for whom the skies are bluer and the grass greener because of love. She was cracking jokes, as if she did not have a single care in the world.

Asked whether she will visit Bernard at Virgin Cafe, Morato, where he and his band were then performing, Rica refused to give a definite answer.

The otherwise spontaneous Rica was strangely at a loss for words. Perhaps she was afraid to give herself away. Or she simply wanted to keep everyone guessing, even if her mother has voiced out her approval of Bernard.

Whatever it is, the romantic ties that bind have started to weave their dramatic effect on Rica and Bernard. And from the looks of it, it will stay that way far longer than Rica, or Bernard would care to admit, for now.