Unrequited love has always been one of the most relatable stories to tell. Many of us have experienced being in Gemma (Kaori Oinuma)'s shoe, caught in the bittersweet ache of loving someone who may never look our way, just like her feelings for Patrick (Joshua Garcia) in "It's Okay to Not Be Okay."
Could there still be hope for Gemma—will she keep on waiting, or decide it’s time to move on? For now, let us check out this Kapamilya Update compilation of scenes that perfectly capture the way her heart lingers on Patrick, no matter how unreachable he seems.
Her affection for Patrick is often revealed in fleeting moments, such as that time she ran a work-related errand near his place, so she went to make an effort to see him. While enjoying street food, they looked back on their days together at Sta. Monica Hospital more than three years ago, with Patrick recalling how he used to shadow her during rounds and how she would spend her breaks reading romance novels and patient care books. This made Gemma smile, touched that he remembered such little details. Low-key reaching out, she suggested that he consider moving back to their place in Maravida since he and his brother Matmat (Carlo Aquino) were about to relocate again in time for the rainy season. However, Patrick thought of it as a bad idea, considering how the bad memories they had in that place might trigger Matmat.
Patrick accompanied her to the bus terminal after their simple ‘date.’ Just before saying goodbye, Gemma told him again that Maravida would always be an option and that she’d only be a call away. She then cast one last look at him before boarding the bus.
Imagine how happy she was when Patrick eventually changed his mind and decided to move to Maravida with Matmat and their friend Jason (Francis Magundayao). She welcomed the trio at the Maravida Port. It turned out she had already arranged a place for them to rent in her relatives’ compound, where her mother Nanay Li (Rio Locsin) works as the caretaker. She showed Patrick around the seaside compound, where a welcome lunch prepared by Nanay Li was waiting. During the meal, Nanay Li mentioned that Gemma talks about him a lot. And when Patrick pointed out that the food was too much for them, Nanay Li teased that she only cooked everything Gemma had bought at the market and that Gemma even added shrimp for the occasion. A blushing Gemma scrambled to change the topic by urging everyone to just dig in already.
When you like someone, you’ll find a way to stretch out your moments together. Gemma did just that when she gave Patrick a ride back to the compound after their shift at OK Hospital, then joined him on the walk to their homes. And hoping to extend their time together, she kept the conversation going by asking about his day at the hospital.
Gemma would sure do anything to make lovely memories with Patrick. Back to her perky self in another scene, she noticed him browsing online for camping vans for Matmat, so she offered to ask her uncle, who rents them out, if there’s one available, hoping they could plan a trip together.
In another scene, Gemma tried not to show it in her actions, but the sparkle in her eyes gave away the thrill she felt when Patrick checked on her after the hair-pulling incident with Mia (Anne Curtis), even more so when he said he wished he hadn’t let Mia sleep in his house so the confrontation never happened, explaining that she had only stayed because of the heavy rain and that he regretted bringing her there at all. This made her feel like Patrick was taking her side.
But that rush of happiness slipped away when Patrick got honest and drew the line, leaving her 'friendzoned.' In this scene, he handed her a bunch of calamansi, knowing that eating something sour is her way of coping with pain, just as she was doing in that moment with sour mangoes after being slapped by a patient. Gemma laughed at the gesture, teasing that it's as if he were saying she would always end up getting hurt by the patients. Patrick smiled and told her it wasn’t necessarily the patients, though she might still be hurt by what he was about to say, telling her she is kind and deserving of a love that is whole, though he was unable to answer her question on whether he was rejecting her because he already liked someone else or because he and Matmat would eventually leave Maravida after a year.
All he managed to say was that he would understand if she gets angry with him. But instead of taking offense, Gemma chose to accept his feelings, as long as it meant they could still remain friends.
So, is Gemma giving you that second lead syndrome already?
Watch “It’s Okay To Not Be Okay” on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (KOL), A2Z, and TV5, weeknights at 8:45 PM. Catch it in advance on Netflix and iWant.