From the moment he first laid eyes on her, Mavy Legaspi, 22, admittedly felt smitten over Kyline Alcantara, 20.

They first met at an acting workshop that they attended as observers/spectators.

Mavy was with his mom Carmina Villarroel and sister Cassy. The twins have yet to enter show business at the time, and they were just there to get a glimpse of what actors do to prepare for a role.

Then there came Kyline, ever bubbly and welcoming as she greeted Mavy and Cassy with such enthusiasm, as if they’ve known each other for a while.

During their guest appearance on PEP Live, the couple fondly recalled that first encounter and how it started their friendship that later turned into romance.

“Feeling close talaga ako,” said Kyline about initiating a conversation with the twins on the day they met around five years ago.

“Feeling ko, porket nakatrabaho ko na nanay nila, close na ako sa kanila. So, sabi ko sa kanila, ‘Hi, guys! Hi, Mavy! Hi, Cassy!’ Tas si Cassy, ‘Uy, hello!’ Si Mavy, ‘Uy!’

ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓

“Pero mas may reaction si Cassy.

“So, parang yung unang impression ko sa kanya [Mavy]… Siguro ako may thinking na parang pag showbiz family ta’s may anak, ang laki ng ulo, mahangin, mayabang.

“Kay Cassy, hindi, kasi madaldal si Cassy. Ta’s nung in-approach ko, hindi naman pala [mayabang si Mavy], complete opposite.”

Kyline got to work with Carmina in the 2017 Kapuso primetime series Kambal, Karibal.

Mavy, for his part, candidly said that he was mesmerized by Kyline’s bedimpled smile and fair-skinned beauty.

“Ang dami nagsasabi na napa-cute ni Kyline, and self-proclaimed din naman ni Kyline na, ‘Cute ako.’

“Yun una pumasok sa isip ko—yung pagiging cute niya. Tapos siyempre everything else follows. ‘Shucks, ang bubbly, napa-cute!’ Pag tinitingnan mo nang mas matagal, wow!”

Suggesting a word that fits Mavy’s description of her, Kyline jokingly interjected, “Napakaganda!”

To which, Mavy agreed, “Exactly! Lagi ko to sinasabi kay Kyline, nung unang tingin medyo tumibok yung puso ko. ‘Wow, napakaganda niya.’

ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓

“After that, everything clicked. Naging magkaibigan kami, best friends.”

But even when they were just friends, Mavy already made moves to express his attraction towards Kyline.

He recalled, laughing, “Lakas ng loob ko! Di ko alam kung saan ko nakukuha yung confidence. Minsan, pag may mga banat ako, ‘Ba’t ko sinabi yun?’

“Parang minsan nakaka-cringe dati. Siyempre dati bata pa ako. First meeting namin, 16 or 17 years old lang ako.”

Too embarrased by his childish pa-cute moves, Mavy could hardly describe what he did to get Kyline’s attention back then, so it was Kyline who revealed the exact pickup line that he used on her.

“Ganito po siya—tawanan kami, tapos sasabihin niya, ‘I like you… Joke lang!’ As a person, mako-confuse ka,” she recalled.

Admitting his fault, Mavy reacted, “May mga face-palm moments talaga ako, pag binabawi ko, ‘Wee… Naniwala ka naman?’

“Ta’s ako, [sa isip ko], ‘Ba’t ko sinabi ko, naniwala ka naman? Dapat sinabi mo na lang ang ganda mo, totoo naman.'”

Pointing out Mavy’s ligaw style, Kyline exclaimed with a laugh, “Torpe, in short!”

Mavy then was forced to admit that he really got it bad with Kyline.

“Sa tropa ko, hindi ako torpe, kasi extrovert talaga ako. Iba talaga nung nakasama ko si Kyline, napapatorpe ako. Hahaha!

“For some reason talaga. As in first time ko naramdaman yun. Shucks! Ano kayang feeling na to?”

Mavy went on to say that he first tried to get Kyline’s attention when they first worked together in GMA-7’s defunct weekly variety show Studio 7 (2018-2019).

He remembered how he would take back his compliments to her and then feel regretful afterwards.

His sister Cassy would even reproach him, “Bakit mo kasi binabawi?!”

All he could say in response to his sister, “I dunno! I dunno, man!”

MAVY FALLS IN LOVE WITH KYLINE

Mavy’s passive-aggressive papansin moves backfired on him when he finally got serious about pursuing Kyline.

ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓

By that time, they were already part of the still-ongoing Sunday musical-variety show All-Out Sundays, which started airing in January 2020.

“Nung time na talagang na-confirm ko and talagang naging mas seryoso yung pagko-court, siguro nasobrahan kaya na-overwhelm si Kyline nung time na yun.

“Lahat ng times na binawi ko yung compliments and pag-admit ko sa kanya na ‘I like you,’ sumobra naman ako.

“So, siguro yun ang naging dynamic, until it came to that point na I told myself, ‘Mav, relax lang, you don’t need to be extra or less, just be you lang.'”

Kyline, for her part, explained that she wasn’t sure whether or not to take Mavy seriously.

“Nung time na nao-overwhelm ako, I made him stop, kasi parang, ‘Wait lang.’

“Marami akong first na naranasan, naramdaman from Mav. It’s really foreign for me, yung feeling, yung experiences.

“I need to step back first and look at the bigger picture.

ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓

“Nung time na yun, nada-drown ako ng overthinking ko na, ‘What if love bombing lang to? What if facade lang? Baka ngayon lang to? Sa future baka magloko to.’

“Ang dami po talaga sa utak ko. So, parang ako, I stepped back.”

Mavy legaspi and kyline alcantara: the aminan ng feelings

Then they were paired with each other for the first time in I Left My Heart In Sorsogon, the Kapuso prime-time series, which aired from November 2021-February 2022.

It was around that time when he stepped back from actively courting Kyline.

Mavy told PEP.ph: “Dun niya siguro na-confirm na… Di na siya na-overwhelm. She’s taking me way more seriously dahil pinapakita ko sa kanya yung ako lang, genuineness, no plus, no minus.”

Kyline confessed that the time when Mavy wasn’t being a devoted suitor was when she realized, “Parang may nararamdaman din pala ako.”

Recalling how she realized that she’s falling for Mavy, she elaborated, “And again, kaya ako nagkaroon ng feelings kay Mav, hindi dahil sa mga pinapakita niya sa akin na regalo.

“Kasi I made him stop, e. Sadyang sinabi lang talaga ni God na, ‘I-face mo na yung totoong nararamdaman mo. Huwag ka na mag-overthink.'”

ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓

When asked if they had a heart-to-heart talk where they confessed their feelings for each other, Kyline readily replied, ‘Ay, opo, nagkausap kami. Heart to heart, yes, andun po si Ate Heart!”

She was referring to the time when she and Mavy were at the lock-in taping for I Left My Heart In Sorsogon, which was headlined by Heart Evangelista, Paolo Contis, and Richard Yap.

Kyline added, “Nasa day-off kami ng I Left My Heart in Sorsogon.”

ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓

It took a while before Mavy and Kyline went public about their relationship.

In July 2022, it was reported that Kyline introduced Mavy as her “boyfriend” when he flew to Korea to be with her while she was there for work.

Then eventually, they started to post more sweet couple photos on social media, cluing the fans in on the real score between them.

Kyline would later reveal in her podcast with Mavy, dated September 2022, that he waited for her for two years before they became a couple.

SUPPORT FROM carmina and zoren

In January 2023, Mavy and Kyline were photographed with Mavy’s parents Carmina and Zoren Legaspi together with Cassy and Darren Espanto.

Fans noted that it was like the three pairs were on a “triple date” since Cassy and Darren are also rumored to be an item.

ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓

That it was Carmina who posted the photo on her personal Instagram account showed netizens that Carmina approves of the young pairs.

As it is, Carmina and Zoren are very transparent about having a close relationship with their kids.

Mavy, who is proud to say that he’s a mama’s boy, admitted to PEP.ph that Carmina at first had to adjust to the idea of him having a girlfriend.

“Very vocal si Mama ever since nung bata pa kami na mas mahihirapan siya pag ako nagkaroon ng feelings sa isang babae dahil she really wants to protect her son.

“Very hard-on siya sa mga babaeng nagugustuhan ko.

“And it’s a different feeling now. Nakikita niya na, ‘Wow, growing boy ka na,’ and na seryoso talaga ako.

“Siguro nakikita niya yung dynamic na I’m not here to play games. Hindi ako nagbabasag-trip na I’m ruining my career, I’m ruining my personal life, I’m ruining my relationship with my family, with my friends, or I’m hurting someone that I love.

ADVERTISEMENT – CONTINUE READING BELOW ↓

“Siguro na-ovewhelm din si Mama na, ‘Okay, I think this is it.'”

Mavy added, “It hasn’t been the easiest, of course, but ngayon, little by little na, ‘My son’s growing up and he knows how to handle his relationships well, how to deal with mga problem that relationships go through.”

ON KYLINE’S PARENTS

As for Kyline, her parents are equally supportive of her relationship with Mavy.

She said, “Kahit naman po nung as in magkaibigan pa lang kami, super na-accept na nila si Mavy.

“Again, he’s such a gentleman and alam nila na ever since pinoprotektahan ako ni Mavy. He’s also there to defend me.”

She then confessed how Mavy really went out his way to win over her family when he was courting her.

“Masaya din ako dahil talagang yung unang niligawan ni Mavy yung mga magulang ko po, hindi lang yung mga magulang ko kundi pati yung mga kapatid ko.

“Kasi siyempre, yung mga kapatid ko gusto rin nila ako protektahan. Nung nakita nila kay Mavy yun, dun sila mas naging accepting towards Mav.

“And I’m really happy na mas inuna ni Mav yung family ko kasi family-oriented po talaga ako nang sobra sobra.”