From their 'cupid' to the trip that started it all: Bea Alonzo, Dominic Roque look back on their love story

Newly engaged couple Bea Alonzo and Dominic Roque have quite a love story to tell!

From the matchmaker who encouraged them to make a move, to the first trip that made Bea completely fall in love with her now-fiancé, the couple walked down memory lane and recalled the early days of their romance.

On the latest episode of "Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho," Jessica Soho sat down with Bea and Dominic for their first-ever interview as an engaged couple. The sweet duo revealed that their co-actor, Ian Veneracion, was their "cupid."

"Si Kuya Ian po talaga 'yung nagsabi sa akin na 'Hoy, parang may pag-asa ka kay Bea ah,'" Dominic said.

["Kuya Ian was the one who told me that I might have a shot with Bea."]

However, he admitted, "Kahit naman din po ako nung time na 'yun di ko rin naman po inisip na magiging girlfriend ko siya or ngayon fiancée ko po."

["I never thought that she'd become my girlfriend or my fiancée even."]

In 2015, Dominic met Bea during the birthday party of their common friend.

"Nakita ko siya. Crush ko po siya nung time na 'yun na pero inisip ko na imposibleng magkaroon ako ng chance kasi that time nasa relationship din po ako. Ilang years magkaibigan po, nagkaka-message kami kumustahan, pero alam ko sa sarili ko na hanggang doon lang ako," he said.

["The first time I saw her, I already had a crush on her. But I thought that I didn't stand a chance. I was in a relationship at that time too and knew my limits."]

Bea, meanwhile, shared that when she first saw Dominic, she said to herself, "Oh my God! Sino 'tong batang 'to?"

["Oh my God! Who is this man?"]

She confessed that she had already found him cute since that day.

"Sa totoo lang nung time na nag-uumpisa kami, wala na ata akong kilalang mas pasensyoso pa kay Dom," the Kapuso actress said. "At that time na I was really broken. Nasasabi ko sa kaniya lahat, siya 'yung naging parang punching bag ko."

["Since we started seeing each other, Dom has been very patient with me. At that time, I was really broken. I was able to truly open up to him."]

"Hindi ba sinasabi kasi nila before ka pumasok sa isang relasyon kailangan buo ka, naniniwala ako doon pero in this case tinulungan niya ako mabuo ulit 'yung sarili ko. He helped me pick up the pieces. I was really broken," she added.

["They say that before you enter a relationship, you have to be whole. I really believed in that. But in this case, Dom helped me pick up the pieces. I was really broken."]

Fast forward to 2019, Bea and Dominic had their first trip together after a friend who was supposed to go with them backed out.

"Sabi ni Nina sa akin, 'Bea, parang masama 'yung pakiramdam ko.' Sabi ko 'Hala si Dom lang kasama ko, sige kaming dalawa na lang,'" she said.

["Nina told me that she wasn't feeling well, so Dom and I ended up going together."]

"Habang nandoon kami sa train, I swear, biglang parang totoo pala 'yun parang nags-slow mo 'yung mundo mo tas biglang napapatingin ako sa lips niya," she added. "Nung time na 'yun parang iniisip ko 'Oh my God ang cute pala talaga niya, parang type ko siya!' After that train ride, biglang nagkamalisya na kami."

["While we were on the train, it felt like the world slowed down, and I found myself looking at his lips. I kept thinking, 'Oh my God, he's so cute!' I think our feelings started to develop after that train ride."]

Unfortunately, Dominic had to head back home the next day.

"Seriously nalungkot ako nung aalis na siya. Sabi ko, parang type ko yata siya," Bea said.

["I was sad when he had to leave because I was starting to like him."]

They started going out before the pandemic, and things unfolded naturally for the couple.

"For someone like me at that time na I was really broken, tinulungan niya ako mabuo ulit 'yung sarili ko," Bea said.

["For someone like me who was really broken at that time, he helped me pick up the pieces so I can be whole again."]

In July 2021, they publicly announced their relationship.

Just like any couple, however, they had their trials.

They said there were times they thought they would break up.

"Mainly ang pinag-aawayan talaga namin oras kasi very career-oriented ako at saka siguro dahil ito na 'yung naging buhay ko for 22 years," Bea said. "Hindi ba sinasabi natin na habang bata, work lang nang work, but sometimes we forget to just pause a bit and enjoy your life. 'Yun 'yung learnings ko from him."

["We'd fight over the lack of time that we spend together. Maybe it was because I'm very career-oriented as this has been my life for the past 22 years. When you're younger, you want to keep working, but sometimes we forget to just pause for a bit and enjoy our lives. I learned that from him."]

Dominic said that he thought Bea needed to learn balance because they were both getting older, and they needed to dedicate time for each other.

"Lately, I've friends na may mga asawa na namatay po kaya parang iniisip ko lang po na parang kung kanino man na mag-asawa na pwedeng mangyari 'yun, sayang 'yung oras. Ang importante po sa akin is 'yung time na magkasama kami," he said.

["Lately, I have friends who lost their spouses, so I thought to myself that we should start spending more time with each other."]

Bea revealed that Dominic actually gave her an ultimatum regarding making their relationship public.

"Sabi niya, 'Kung hindi pa natin 'to gagawin official, huwag na lang,' binibigyan niya na ako ng ultimatum, oh my God parang ayaw ko siya mawala sa buhay ko," Bea said.

["He told me, 'If we're not going to make things official, maybe we should stop seeing each other.' I didn't want to lose him."]

Dominic proposed to Bea in a photoshoot at the Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Quezon City on July 18.

Bea shared the happy news with the world, posting gorgeous black and white photos of their special life event.

After acting out proposals many times in her acting career, Bea said the real thing is still the most special.

"For me, this is like a movie too; it's just that this time I have a happy ending," she said.

Bea said the wedding will "most probably" happen next year.

To see how much Bea and Dominic really knew each other, the couple took on a surprise "Never Have I Ever" Challenge.

Towards the end of the interview, the couple were surprised by their friends, Gabbi Garcia, Khalil Ramos and Dimples Romana through video greetings.

"Congratulations! Bea, napakatamis ng ngiti ko dahil nakita ko ang kasiyahan sa mga mata mo. At salamat, Dom, for you know, making sure that our queen Bea will always have a hand to hold kung wala man kami sa tabi niya. Mahal na mahal ko kayong dalawa and I wish nothing but the best", Dimples said.

["I'm so happy for you because I see the happiness in your eyes. Thank you, Dom, for making sure Bea will always have a hand to hold. I love you both and wish you guys nothing but the best."] —JCB, GMA Integrated News