Skipping stages: Aga and Charlene’s love story

Charlene and Aga in Tokyo Marathon 2017 (Photo: itsmecharleneg/Instagram)

Many will agree that the getting-to-know stage is the first step to a romantic relationship. For others, this stage is synonymous to the friendship phase. Some skip to the dating or exclusively dating step before leveling up to the boyfriend-girlfriend point. Now married for 16 years, Aga Muhlach revealed that his wife, Charlene Gonzales, was never his girlfriend until they tied the knot.

In a guesting in the morning show “Magandang Buhay,” Aga shared how puzzling the unfolding of events in his married life happened

“She was never my girlfriend. ‘Di ako nanligaw (I did not court her),” he said.

While this fact was already revealed in 2013 when Aga was interviewed by HOLA! magazine, this was the first time that he told the whole story on television.

Aga was looking up, trying to reminisce as his features melted to the Aga back then, the emotions filling his eyes and the corners of his mouth.

“My god, sabi ko [sa sarili ko] naghahanap ako ng asawa that time (I told myself, I was already looking for a lifetime partner that time) Nandito pala sa harapan ko. Ito na siya (She was right in front of me. Here she is),” he recalled.

The veteran actor admitted that even now, he has a difficulty finding the right words to describe what happened. “Kasi kapag nagku-kuwentuhan kami, may nakikita akong… basta parang (You see when we talk to each other, I saw… something like) you know, this may sound cheesy or ano (what), but parang (it is like a) divine intervention. Para kang may nakitang (It was like you saw a) ray of light, parang sinasabi (as if saying) ‘Aga, she’s your wife. She’s the one,’ he narrated.

Before leaving for Singapore for a shooting of their sitcom “Oki Doki Doc,” Aga said that he was frantic in searching for a wife that he told his mom about it. “Alam mo sabi ng nanay ko (You know what my mother said)? ‘Sino, si (Is it) Charlene?’”

Aga was lost for words when his mom knew who he had in mind, in spite of not sharing a romantic relationship with Charlene. It looks like, the people around them already noticed how he treated Charlene differently, and found that his feelings were bound to be realized.

In the course of their three days of work in Singapore, Aga said that ‘there was so much love’ in him that he kept telling himself, ‘I’m gonna get you. You’re gonna be my wife.’ If Charlene rejected his proposal, Aga said that that is when he will court her.

“I just proposed to her. Nung naramdaman ko na (When I felt it),” Aga said.

“Sabi ko (I said), will you marry me?” he backtracked.

He said that at first, Charlene looked at him with surprise.

But then she started nodding and saying the most awaited word ‘Yes.’

“Naiyak ako. Ako ‘yung naiyak talaga (I cried. I was really the one who cried). My God,” Aga shared.

Aga went on by saying that months before they got married, they maintained their ‘non-couple’ status. “When we were all set, we went to Baguio, inayos namin (to organize our) wedding namin. That was the only time we really connected that we really started holding hands. When I kiss her… it’s like wow,” he said with all smiles.

Years after their marriage, Aga confessed that he is still wondering why Charlene said yes to him that she questioned him.

“Sabi niya (She replied), ‘I don’t know, it just… Because I just know you. I just saw something in you,’” he echoed Charlene’s words.

Aga, who claimed that he was a womanizer then, said that somehow Charlene saw the goodness in him.

“She’s always seen the real me,” he said.

While Aga was unable to come up with a logical explanation as to what happened and how things escalated to the family that he treasures right now, he said that what really is important in their marriage is the constant communication.

“My wife keeps me sane,” he said that as much as males are considered as the ‘stronger sex,’ he is giving all praises to his wife.