Love gets complicated and heartbreaking when the person you like doesn’t reciprocate your feelings. The softhearted Cai (Barbie Imperial) from the afternoon soap Bagong Umaga can relate to this scenario as she slowly falls for her best friend, Ely (Tony Labrusca), who obviously sees her as nothing more than just a friend.
The Veradona heiress, Cai, is always pressured to excel in everything she does. When she got a poor grade in school, she felt scared just thinking of her mom’s possible reaction. In the middle of her worrying and crying, she encountered the charming Ely who would give her hilarious advice on how to get away with her parents’ wrath.
That incident paved the way for their friendship albeit she was annoyed at first. The next scenes showed Cai paying a visit to Ely’s house and practically anywhere he is. She would often invite him for lunch or dinner as well. He didn’t mind, thinking that she was just being the sweet best friend that she is.
The truth is she was starting to fall for him to the point of shutting off other girls that try to flirt with him. There was a scene where she threatened to share the video scandal of a girl chatting him up.
Cai showed her faith in Ely when she insisted that he would pass their exam just like her. Although he didn’t, they both celebrated her success over her favorite dessert. Later on, the best friends would get into a slight argument over her resorting to cheat in the exams.
Their friendship passed that test and remained solid until she could no longer hide her true feelings for him. In that climactic encounter, Cai planted a kiss on Ely’s lips and wore her heart on her sleeve, leading up to awkward moments and more conflict.
As carefully as he could, Ely told Cai that he only sees her as a best friend and he doesn’t want to be the one to break her heart. He said his honesty will save her from further heartbreaks.
Despite the rejection, she is determined to still make him fall for her. She decided to buy his pre-loved watch to help him save up for his needs and allowance. He tried to turn down the help, not wanting to take advantage of her feelings.
She always craves for his company and presence. No one can soothe her sadness than him, so she would follow him no matter where he is. However, when she dropped by the Magbanua abode, Cai accidentally kissed Dodong (Yves Flores), mistaking him for Ely.
The ‘kilig’ is getting more real, so don’t miss an episode of Bagong Umaga after It’s Showtime on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live, and A2Z Channel 11.