Prince Clemente and Althea Alban share love story

On "Fast Talk with Boy Abunda" Friday, Prince Clemente and Althea Alban openly talked about their love story and how they overcame their seven-year age gap.

According to the couple, everything started when they top-billed 2021's mini-series "My Fantastic Pag-Ibig."

They already knew each other previously and would courteously greet one another whenever they bump into each other in GMA but there was really no attraction between them. "May age gap kami, so yung mga times na yun, hindi ko siya nakikita na parang type ko," Prince said.

It wasn't until the last day of their two-day taping for "My Fantastic Pag-Ibig" that they really started talking.

Thinking nothing of it, Althea was surprised by Prince in the service van on the morning of the taping. "Pag pasok ko ng van, naamoy ko na. Sabi ko may ibang tao dito. Nasa likod siya, nagtatago. Tapos ginulat niya ako," Althea said.

He wasn't trying to charming, Prince said. "Playful lang. Mahilig ako manggulat."

But after their taping, he recalled receiving a message from Althea, asking for his number. "Meron akong pictures natin, send ko na lang sa yo. Anong viber mo?" 

Althea said it was really to ensure the high quality of the pictures but after that, "siya na yung nag-gu-good morning."

It took them a full year of messaging each other before they started to feel something different toward each other. 

"Duon ko na-feel na laging hinahanap-hanap ko na yung text niya," Prince admitted. "Pag gumising ako, hahanapin ko na yung 'good morning' niya. Pag walang text, medyo pansit yung gising ko." 

"Nung time na nag-uusap kami, 16 pa lang aso so malaking issue yun," Althea said.

There is a seven-year age gap between Prince and Althea.

"Hinintay niya talaga ako [to turn the] right age," Althea said.

It was only when she turned 18 that Prince finally expressed his intention to court her. "Duon na ko nagsabi, 'seryoso ako, gusto ko manligaw.'"

"Sa parents naman niya, nagpunta ako sa bahay nila para magpaalam, 'ito intention ko sa anak niyo, gusto ko manligaw'," he recalled.

According to Prince, Althea's parents were somewhat surprised. "Nagkasama na kasi kami sa isang show, tapos nagpupunta na rin ako sa kanilang bahay. Pero sa pagtagal ng panahon, naging OK naman sila."

They don't feel the age gap at all, both agree. "Nagkakaintindihan kami, pareho kami ng mga gusto. Halos pareho ang ugali namin. So parang never ko nang naisiip na may age gap kami. Actually, hindi ko ramdam na may age gap kami pag naguusap daming dalwa," Prince said.

He is Althea's first boyfriend, while she is his second serious girlfriend, Prince said. — LA/KG, GMA Integrated News