Team Kathniel

MANILA, Philippines - Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo have been asked hundreds of questions all throughout the three years they’ve been paired up. But two, in particular, are rehashed ad nauseam. The ubiquitous, “What was your first impression of him/her?” and the prying “Kayo na ba?”

“Buti na lang wala ’yan sa questions mo,” Kath says to me, smiling, looking equal parts sweet and dangerous in her strapless leather dress.

No one knows the real score between Kathryn and Daniel, but there are telling clues. Twice during the course of our no-cameras-present interview, Daniel asked Kath to pull up her sweetheart-cut dress, clearly unhappy with the (minimal) display of cleavage. He says it in the protective tone of a boyfriend who doesn’t want other guys checking out his girl. She, on the other hand, affectionately describes him as “such a baby boy” at one point. Apparently, behind Daniel’s swagger is fear of the things that make Kath’s blood sing: Bungee jumping, walking along the edge of a high-rise building — everything that ups her levels of adrenaline. “Gusto niya yung mga kinakatakot ko,” Daniel says matter-of-factly. As for their level of closeness, Daniel reveals that on a scale of one to 10, it’s “70.” Need we say more?

INSEPARABLE

Like other love teams before them, Daniel and Kathryn were “awkward” around each other in the beginning. “In our scenes, hindi kami masyadong makatingin sa isa’t isa. Ang stiff, ang unnatural ng kilos,” she recalls. But time — and constant togetherness — has a way of breaking down walls. You only have to watch She’s Dating the Gangster to see that all traces of awkwardness are gone, and in its place, matchless chemistry. You only have to hear them speak about a particular shared moment to understand that the feelings between them are more than friendly. Their most favorite memory ever, one they’ll both cherish until they’re Sharon and Gabby’s age, is their recent trip to Subic. They were with friends; it wasn’t for work. “Kami kami lang nag asikaso ng mga bagay bagay dun,” shares Daniel, grinning broadly.

Ever since they started shooting their upcoming flick Crazy Beautiful You, the two have been inseparable, land-locked in an undisclosed location in Tarlac. In the process of making this fourth movie, “Ang dami naming nakilalang tao,” Kath shares. Daniel says they got the chance to hang out with the indigenous Aeta group in Tarlac, another first they experienced together. “Napaka angas nila. Napaka simple ng buhay nila,” he says.

UNBREAKABLE

A lot of people predicted the end of KathNiel after that controversial audio recording of Daniel talking about a girl that wasn’t Kathryn rocked the Internet last year. But they’re still here, visibly closer than ever. The greatest test to their love team isn’t a viral “scandal,” according to the twosome. The biggest challenge is keeping things fresh. “Ang dami na naming nagawa…” Kathryn trails off. “Ang importante, magpakita kami lagi ng bago,” finishes Daniel. And show something new is exactly what they do in Crazy Beautiful You. This time, the roles are reversed: Kath plays the rebel wild child, Daniel essays the part of the responsible good boy. This is a dream project for both. “Parati naming sinasabi, ano kaya ako naman yung pasaway next time. Ito na, finally,” narrates Kath.

Three years into the game and KathNiel shows no sign of slowing down. They ponder the secret sauce behind their staggering success and chalk it up to two things. Kathryn says it’s about the fans (“Mahal naming yung mga sumusuporta sa amin, hindi namin sila kinakalimutan.”), Daniel thinks it has everything to do with time. (“Lamang lang kami sa haba na ng pinagsamahan. Factor yun sa tagumpay ng love team.”) Both agree that being “typical teenagers” is their ultimate ace. “Siguro nakikita nila yung sarili nila sa amin,” Kathryn guesses.

At this point, Kathryn and Daniel refuse to think about the day the powers that be at Star Magic say, “Okay, we’re pairing you with other people.” They’re happy with their tandem, thank you. “Eh paano yun, Daniel, walang forever,” I tell him; To which he says, “Malay mo, p’wede pala yun [forever].”

* insert fangirl screaming here *

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