Kiray stands tall

She’s 4’11”. At 5’11”, he towers above her.

But when they entered the Kia Theater Lobby for the recent MYX Awards where she was one of the hosts, Kiray Celis and fashion model Kirst Viray seemed oblivious to the height gap between them. Their body language said it all. The two — who both wore the same deep shade of green that night — stuck close to each other the whole night.

They sought each other’s eyes as the press asked them what the real score between them is.

Kirst kept singing Kiray’s praises.

“She’s fun to be with. I’m never bored when I’m with her.”

The feeling seems mutual. Kiray admits she has introduced Kirst to her family — a sign that they’re getting closer by the day. Her family members’ comments are neutral and obvious — the guy is tall.

Kiray prefers to keep mum about more important things, like whether her family likes Kirst, or whether they have grilled him about his intentions.

After all, Kiray says, “Ang tanda ko na po! (she’s 21),” and can very well decide for herself.

They first met at work — on the set of a Brillante Mendoza film, which Kiray says will not be shown in local theaters. This, she adds, proves beyond reasonable doubt that what they have between them is real, and not for promo purposes.

Suddenly, the unusually quiet Kiray begins talking non-stop.

“I’m getting pissed off (with the speculations). Stop it, stop it, stop it!”

The otherwise cheerful comedienne suddenly acts like a lion protecting her pride and her right to privacy.

Asked about the real score between her and Kirst, Kiray pauses, turns away from the press to consult her date, and proclaims in Filipino, “We have no answer to that question. We don’t want to answer the question.”

Her unsmiling face shows Kiray’s not joking, and means every word she says. But she opens up a bit and lets Kirst take a peek at their bonding moments.

“We bond over any kind of food and music. She loves to sing in videoke bars,” reveals Kirst, whose abs made Kiray squeal Lion King when she touched it (the moment was captured on YouTube).

Other photos show Kirst massaging Kiray’s leg because all that standing and walking on high-heeled shoes can be painful. The model from Pangasinan also accompanies Kiray in showbiz commitments, and patiently waits in the store until she’s done buying clothes.

Neither does he mind if Kiray playfully puts a hand on his forehead on their way to Gapan, Nueva Ecija, where she jokingly says he’s her “PA (personal assistant)” for the day. She jokingly pulls strands of his long, flowing black hair and he smiles good-naturedly.

The scenario is so happy, the couple refuses to entertain negative thoughts from anyone — especially bashers who see Kiray’s Instagram photos of their sweet moments.

“We don’t want to read the negative comments,” says Kirst.

Kiray follows this up with a confident “We don’t care!”

Yes, Kiray is no longer the little girl we saw in Goin’ Bulilit. She’s all grown up and ready to fall in love.