"Well," Aiko, 29, told Funfare in an exclusive interview, "we do talk about it but we’re not in a hurry. Talk-talk lang."
Martin, 22, a half-German, half-Filipino model, adamantly denied accusations that he might just be using Aiko in his suspected plan to be an actor.
"No," said Martin (whose brother, Luke, is also a popular model), "I don’t have any intention to be an actor. I’m not using Aiko for anything."
"I have a feeling that this relationship will last," added Aiko whose marriage to Jomari Yllana was annulled. They have a son, Andre, seven years old. "I must admit that I developed a phobia for marriage after my marriage was annulled. But now, my outlook has changed. Dati, I looked at every guy as manloloko. I have a strong feeling that I’ve found the right guy, at last!"
After her break-up with Jomari, Aiko was romantically linked to a few other guys, including Victor Neri (with whom she went steady for two months) and band member Jonard Yanzon (for "a little longer," as Aiko put it). Martin admitted having had four girlfriends before he fell for Aiko.
"I started as her fan," said Martin whose father left the priesthood when he met Martin and Luke’s Filipina mother (the parents are separated). "I developed a crush on Aiko when I saw her in the movie 13, 14, 15 (where Aiko appeared with Carmina Villarroel and Ruffa Gutierrez). I like her eyes; they’re very expressive. I bought notebooks with Aiko on the cover. That’s how much I admired her."
They first met two years ago. It was Martin’s model-girlfriend (Aiko’s friend) who introduced them to each other. All the starstruck Martin could say face to face with his idol was, "Crush kita. I’m a big fan of yours." His girlfriend was slighted. "We fought because of that," Martin recalled with a laugh.
Never in Aiko’s wildest imagination did she think that she would fall for Martin two years later. They met again two months ago and, things simply fell into place. He was free and so was she. Two right people meeting at the right place (Dencio’s at Capitol Hills, Quezon City) at the right time.
"We really got to know each other when we spent a vacation in Boracay," said Aiko. "Martin and I are open to each other. We don’t hide anything from each other. He knows my past, I know his past. We had a heart-to-heart talk in Boracay. We lay our respective cards on the table."
Their romance is straight out of Notting Hill (ordinary mortal Hugh Grant falling in love with superstar Julia Roberts). Could it be just – knock on wood – a fling?
"No," stressed Aiko, "I don’t go for flings."
"No," stressed Martin, "I also don’t go for flings."
When Martin courted Aiko, he didn’t dress to the nines like Aiko’s other suitors. He was in simple T-shirt and rugged denims.
"And that was what impressed me," said Aiko. "He didn’t try to impress me."
When they first kissed, according to Martin, "It felt like magic."
Did he perhaps fall in love with Aiko Melendez the movie star and not Aiko Melendez the person?
"With both," smiled Martin. "I first fell in love with the movie star and then I fell even more in love with the person when I got to know her."
And now, they’re "talking-talking" about marriage.
"Basta," teased Aiko, "we will just surprise everybody!"
How soon?
(E-mail reactions at rickylo@philstar.net.ph)