Karylle and Dingdong Dantes are now officially on. The two, in fact, admitted what has long been talked about in whispers –that the kiss the actor implanted on Zsa Zsa Padilla’s daughter in one SOP episode was for real. At the posh launching ofEncantadia, a fantasy series, Karylle divulged almost everything to us in a one-on- one interview.

She said she was impressed when she first met Dingdong three years ago in Ateneo. He was charming, alright, but she liked best was his lack of star complex. “He was so simple,” Karylle quips.

The first impression, actually, lasted for more than what it was worth. The next thing Karylle knew, she was already in SOP where Dingdong was also a regular. And then came that infamous kissing scene in a dance sequence. “It was part of the dance. Siyempre, hindi naintindihan ng mga tao na may story ‘yung dance, na in the end may ganoon. Hindi naman namin napag-usapan. Noong sinabi sa amin na gagawin ‘yon, since nagagawa namin ‘yon sa soap o sa movie, parang walang malisya…dahil alam naming may istorya, sige, gagawin namin. Hindi kami actually nag-agree, hindi napagusapan.

So, did the actor court her after implanting a kiss on her? Karylle’s answer sounded vague. She said, “It’s hard to say if the guy is courting you. Parang guys nowadays, they’re very safe. Hindi ko masabi kung kailan nag-start kasi hindi naman katulad ng dati na ina-announce muna “I’m courting you.” Even more vague is her revelation in the presscon – that she could not particularly reveal the exact date when she agreed to be Dingdong’s girlfriend. Zsa Zsa is very vocal of her approval over her daughter’s choice for a boyfriend. Ang this is what Karylle explained to us. “Hindi naman botong-boto. She likes him. She knows na very respectable siya and hardworking. Hindi naman sa pinupush niya. Ang tanong lang doon ay, okay ba siya? Okay naman siya eh. Alangan namang sabihin mong hindi okay si Dingdong, eh, wala ka namang maipipintas. Siyempre, may ganoon parati, hindi naman mawawala ‘yon. The thing is, sa akin naman, maraming positive ‘yong naririnig ko, so wala namang kaso ‘yon eh.”

And yes, Karylle did ask Dingdong about Antoinette and his apparently having a baby. And she was told that Antoinette was already a past and that they did not have a baby.

Dingdong is Karylle’s third boyfriend, the first from showbiz. “He’s very futureminded. I can see so many good things he wants to do not only for himself and for his family. May pakialam siya sa mundo, kumbaga. Doon ako sobrang nabilib sa kanya. He fixes stuff for his business, he wants to get into new things. Marami siyang gustong maachieve.” And as a boyfriend, eventually, Karylle was influenced by the actor’s love for good health. She has become health-conscious also. “Ang hilig ko ngayon magworkout. When we have time, sasabihin niya, mag- orkout ka ngayon. Parangyou’re just trying to stay in the same level na, ginagawa niya ito, gagawin ko rin. Medyo good influence siya.” So there. Loud and clear. Karylle and Dingdong are now an item. Take it or leave it. DP

" I can see so many good things he wants to do not only for himself and for his family. Doon ako sobrang nabilib sa kanya...He wants to get into new things. Marami syang gustong ma-achieve."