walang kwentang note: kung naabutan at naalala niyo pa, ang don't lie to me segment ni john/sweet lapus ang peg ko sa chapter/interview na 'to. hahaha. if hindi niyo alam, pwede niyo i-search!

also, this is a long ass chapter... bear with them hahaha :D

anddd, please don't mind the inconsistent spacing. sisihin si wattpad, ‘wag ako :[

──────

INT. DON'T LIE TO ME STUDIO - 2:00 PM

JANI (DLTM Host)
   Let's welcome the talk of the town, the unexpected pairing, this generation's Action Drama Queen Letizia Mari, and the Versatile Drama King, Raguel!

[ crowd cheering ]

LETIZIA
   Hello, everyone. Hello, Jani. It's been a while!

RAGUEL
   Good afternoon, everyone! Good afternoon, Jani!

JANI
   Oh, Raguel, 'wag mo ako ngitian ng ganyan! Bakla ako, marupok ako sa ganyang ngiti.

RAGUEL
  [ Laughs ] I'm not even doing anything!

JANI
  Ihhh, ang pogi mo eh.

[ The crowd, Letizia, and Raguel burst into laughter ]

JANI
   Oh, 'yung isa diyan, nakikitawa... baka nagseselos, ah? Kyeme ko lang 'yon!

LETIZIA
   [ Laughing ] What?

JANI
   Oh, ba't nagre-react? Wala naman akong binanggit?

LETIZIA
   Ewan ko sa'yo, Jan!

JANI
   Pero ang blooming mo ngayon, Z. Gumaganda ka. Diba, Raguel?

RAGUEL
   H-Huh?

JANI
   Kako, gumaganda siya, diba?

RAGUEL
    Ah, yeah, yeah...

JANI
   [ Raising their eyebrow while grinning malisciously ] Oh, ba't nauutal?

RAGUEL
   Grabe, wala pa 'yung mga questions, nang ha-hotseat ka na agad? [ Laughs ]

JANI
   Okay, seryoso na! Ziaguel, you're both one of the most popular actor and actress right now. Lahat ng teleseryeng pinagbidahan niyo ay palaging number one sa ratings. Ang mga pelikula ay laging patok sa takilya. Kaya't noong ibinalita na magtatambal kayo para sa isang pelikula, lahat ay natuwa!

JANI
   Usap-usapan kayo ng mga parlorista habang nagrerebond, nagmamanicure at pedicure, pinaguusapan din kayo ng mga estudyante habang nagrereview sa midterms, trending kayo online; mapa-twitter, facebook, instagram, o tiktok. pati mga aso ng kapitbahay, pinag-uusapan kayo!

[ The crowd, Letizia, and Raguel laughing ]

LETIZIA
   How did you know that?! [ Laughs ]

JANI
   So eto na nga! Letizia, Raguel, alam niyo naman ang rules ng Don't Lie to Me, hindi ba? Kailangan niyong sagutin ang mga tanong na mabubunot niyo. Nalikom na namin ang mga tanong audience at sa box na 'to kayo bubunot. [ Jani points at the box in their lap ]

JANI
   Nandyan sila Inspector De La Paz at Santiago para i-check kung lie or truth ang sagot niyo.

JANI
   Kukuha rin kami ng isang tanong mula sa twitter dahil trending worldwide ang #DLTMWithZiaguel! Grabe na talaga ang kasikatan! Hindi mareach!

RAGUEL
   Nakakakaba naman 'to. Exam ba 'to? [ Laughs ]

LETIZIA
   Right! I'm getting nervous na rin!

JANI
   [ In a maliscious voice ] 'Wag kabahan kung walang tinatago...

[ Letizia and Raguel exchanging looks ]

JANI
    Okay, sinong unang bubunot?

RAGUEL
   Si Z muna! Ladies first!

LETIZIA
   [ Whispering while elbowing Raguel; only Raguel can hear ] What the fuck?

RAGUEL
   [ Smiling, not minding Letizia ]

JANI
   Okay, bunot na Letizia.

[ Biting her lower lip, Letizia pulled out a piece of paper from the box and gave it to Jani ]

JANI
   Ohhh, swerte. Light question lang. No controversial. Sayang!

JANI
   So here's the simple question, kung hindi raw ba kayo naging artista, sa tingin niyo raw ba nando'n kayo sa college program na kinuha niyo? Ang simple-simple, Ziaguel! Sabay na sagot! Don't lie to me, yes or no?

[ Answered at the same time ]

LETIZIA
  Yes

RAGUEL
   No

JANI
   Sumagot sila ng walang pag aalinlangan... Inspector De La Paz at Santiago, is it truth or lie?

[ BOTH TRUTH ]

JANI
   Ayun naman! Ayan ang mga gusto ko! Hindi nagsisinungaling! Oh ikaw muna Raguel baby ko, bakit no? At if hindi 'yon, ano 'yung nakikita mo?

RAGUEL
   [ Laughs ] Well, I took Engineering. Civil Engineering to be exact. And to be honest, I don't see myself as an Engineer anymore. Kung hindi ako nag-artista, for sure nasa business world ako ngayon. Tumutulong sa business ng pamilya ko.

JANI
   Family business! Ang shala naman! Yayamanin!

RAGUEL
   [ Laughs ] 'Di naman!

JANI
   Eh, ikaw Zia girl, bakit yes? At ano ba kurso mo before?

LETIZIA
   I took Fashion Design. Well technically, nasa showbiz pa rin naman ako, although nasa background lang. I really love fashion, eh. So ayon. 'Yon lang.

JANI
   Ohhh, I can see it! Bagay sa'yo!

LETIZIA
   Thank you.

JANI
   Okay, move on na agad sa next question! Ikaw naman ang bubunot Raguel.

RAGUEL
   Sana anong favorite color lang namin 'yung tanong.

[ Everyone laughs ]

JANI
   Next question is... ay! Ang tarush ng tanong, ah! Kung kanina, simple lang, ito naman, malalim. May depth!

JANI
   So eto na nga Ziaguel, do you feel like you are the perfect actors for the movie that you are currently shooting? Maraming artista ang pwedeng gumanap, pero kayo ang napili. Tingin niyo ba kayo ang pinaka-perpekto para dito? Ziaguel, don't lie to me, yes or no?

[ Answered at the same time ]

RAGUEL
   Hmm... yes.

LETIZIA
    Yes.

JANI
   Parehas nag-yes! Truth ba?

[ BOTH TRUTH ]

JANI
   Okay, Zia, Raguel, what makes you think na kayo ang perfect para sa role niyo sa movie niyong Second Chances? Nakakarelate ba kayo sa role niyo?

LETIZIA
    Well, first of all, I don't think there's no such thing as perfect actor/actress. It made me perfect for the role because I know to myself that I did my best, I'm doing my best, and I will do my best to give life to the character that I am portraying.

LETIZIA
   Besides, my role needs to be good in action scenes, and you know, I'm kinda for that [ Laughs ]

LETIZIA
   At kung nakakarelate ako sa character ko? Hmm... I think, yes. Why? Secret. [ Laughs ]

JANI
   [ Grunts ] Ang hina naman namin sa'yo! Dali na. Ba't ka nakaka-relate?

LETIZIA
   [ Laughs ] Fine! Well, I can relate to her because we both suffered from heartbreak and didn't let it pull us down. We took advantage of it and became stronger. [ Smiles ]

[ Raguel is staring at her intently ]

JANI
   Ang lalim ng hugot ni Letizia! At anong heartbreak? Pwede ba maki-chika?

LETIZIA
   [ Laughs ] I won't na.

JANI
   Sayang naman! Di bale, next time, matatanong ko rin 'yan! Eh ikaw Raguel, what makes you think that you're perfect for the role?

RAGUEL
   [ Clears his throat ] Uh, well, like Z, I think there's no such thing as perfect actors. I don't want to elaborate on that kasi baka sabihin niyo ginaya ko lang si Z.

[ Crowd laughing ]

RAGUEL
    And hmm... how I relate to it? I think pinaka nakakarelate ako sa fact na we both experienced being in a situation where almost everything was not happening the way we wanted it to. Parang kalaban ang mundo.

[ Raguel looks at Letizia and is shocked when he sees that Letizia is staring at him with eyes full of curiosity. ]

JANI
    Grabe! Ang lalim ng hugot! Tingnan niyo ang audience! Hindi na naka-smile! Next question na nga! Zia, bunot!

LETIZIA
   Here...

JANI
   Ohhh, another deep question. Since the theme and title of your movie is about second chance, naniniwala ba kayo sa second chances? Wala munang lie detector. Gusto ko lang marinig ang sagot niyo! Konsensya niyo na lang kung magsisinungaling kayo [ Laughs ]

LETIZIA
   Well, depends, I think. I think there are people who deserves it and there are people who don't.

RAGUEL
   Gano'n din. [ Laughs ] Kasi gano'n naman, diba?

JANI
   Sabagay, oh eto, follow up question. If given the chance daw ba, anong babalikan niyo sa past niyo?

RAGUEL
   Ang dami namang follow up question!

JANI
    Isa lang?! Tsaka pagbigyan niyo na! Minsan lang ang Ziaguel sa Don't lie to me! Sagot na!

[ Letizia elbowed Raguel, urging him to answer first. Raguel grunted, yet he picked up his mic to answer. ]

RAGUEL
    Well, there are many good and bad things that happened in the past. But if I were given the chance to go back, I'll choose the days where I was the happiest. My college years.

[ Raguel looked at Letizia and looked away when he saw her looking at him. His brows furrowed when he felt his heart pound loudly. ]

RAGUEL
   I want to go back because like I said, there were good and bad things that happened. However, the good overpowers that bad. Tsaka, lahat ng masamang nangyari sakin dati, ano, it made me who I am today. Despite how some of my experiences hurt me, they still gave me lessons that I know I will carry with me until I'm old.

LETIZIA
   [ Clears throat ] Uhm, I will be a hypocrite if I say na wala akong gustong balikan. If I were to go back, I will, uhm, also choose my college years.

[ Letizia bit her lower lip before continuing, not minding Raguel's penetrating gaze, not minding her ravaging ribcage ]

LETIZIA
   I've always said naman na I grew up in a very very strict household. Ever since, lagi akong hatid sundo. Pero nung college, mas naging malaya ako. So, uhm, yeah. Despite the heartaches and bad things that happened after that, I still cherish those years. Because it made me forget how caged I was. It made me feel free... [ Smiles ]

JANI
    Wow! Ano ba 'yan! Naiiyak ako! Ang seryoso niyong dalawa! 'Di ako maka-joke! Tapos parehas pang college years! Akala mo magkasama kayo that time!

[ Letizia and Raguel looked at each other knowingly and laughed awkwardly ]

JANI
    Raguel, bunot na ulit ng question!

RAGUEL
   Uhm, here...

JANI
   Jusko naman! Serious question na naman! Nasisira ang image ko!

[ Crowd laughs ]

JANI
    Eto... may regrets daw ba kayo sa past niyo? Kung oo, ano 'yon? At kung ito ang pagkakataon para itama ang pagkakamali niyo, gagawin niyo? 'Wag na ulit mag-yes or no dahil nakikita kong nangungulit ang fans sa twitter na gusto nilang sagutin niyo 'to! Eto na nga! Tinatanong na! Kalma mga accla!

[ Crowd laughs ]

RAGUEL
    Well, of course, meron akong regrets sa past. Sino ba namang wala, diba? And if ito 'yung pagkakataon para itama, honestly... hindi ko alam gagawin ko.

RAGUEL
   But for the sake of answering the question, maybe yes. Gagawin ko. Kasi baka 'di na ulit dumating 'yung chance na 'to. 'Yung chance na maayos. Pero kahit hindi naman maayos, kahit mapaintindi lang [ Laughs ]

JANI
   Grabe! Ang lalim talaga ng sagutan! Ikaw, Zia?

LETIZIA
    Well, just like what he said, meron din akong regrets. Kasi, sino ba namang wala diba? And hmm, if this is the time where I can right the mistakes? Well I think I want to give it a shot.

LETIZIA
   I want to right all my mistakes. Hindi para bumalik, kundi para makaabante na.

JANI
   Grabe! Gustong itama hindi para bumalik, kundi para umabante! Ang lalalim niyo sumagot!

[ Everyone laughs ]

JANI
   Oh, walang bibitaw. Babalik pa ang Don't Lie to Me pagkatapos ng commercial break! Sana naman wala nang malalim na tanong, ano po?

LETIZIA & RAGUEL:
    Sana nga [ Laughs ]

JANI
    Magbabalik ang Don't Lie to Me, stay tuned, Ziaguels!