MANILA – In a very rare opportunity, KC Concepcion did not hold back as she reminisced about her past relationship with Piolo Pascual.

Speaking with G3 San Diego for #LiveWithG3 on Monday, Concepcion shared that her attraction to Pascual started even before they actually worked together in “Lovers in Paris.”

“There was a time he visited on set when I was doing my movie with Chard,” she said, referring to “For the First Time” with Richard Gutierrez and directed by Joyce Bernal.

Concepcion said she personally went to Bernal to ask her about Pascual.

“And then sabi niya bakit. Sabi ko, ‘Para siyang may halo. Parang may light.’ I remember that. So parang at that time, na-realize ko tinamaan pala ako. 'Yun pala 'yon,” she said.

Describing what they shared together as something “very real” for her, Concepcion said it was actually her very first publicly announced relationship.

“There’s a reason why we ended up together, for me. People have so many things to say about him. I always say na may pinagsamahan kami. He’s like 10 years older than me. He started out like a kuya to me so I know exactly what people love about him,” she said.

“People know naman that it was very real for me. I was so young and naïve. It was announced publicly, that’s why it also had to be announced in public when it ended,” she added.

Concepcion said they also had to let the public in on the truth when they parted ways because she did not know how else to let some brands know that it was hard for her to continue working with Pascual at that time.

“I can’t pretend. I cannot act on set. I cannot act like we are together just to sell something. I was also very honest with myself at that time and I just said there’s no way I could continue to work with him,” she said.

When asked if she ever regrets having to give that controversial “The Buzz” interview where she revealed their breakup, Concepcion said: “I regret that we had to end. I think that in any relationship, you really have faith in it and you go into it not thinking that you want to end it. You go into it thinking that you want it.”

More than the interview, Concepcion said she just regretted that their relationship did not last.

Despite everything that happened, Concepcion said it makes her happy that she and Pascual are in good terms now.

“As with any breakup, you cannot be best friends with an ex. We are civil, we are okay. We had our little quality time in London when we did 'ASAP' in London and it was a really funny, nice catch-up after everything. He asked if we could talk and without saying too much, we were able to talk a little bit,” she said.

Concepcion said she really appreciates the times that Pascual still opens up to her.

“He knows that I know him. He knows that I care for him for who he truly is. He knows that I will always be watching him from afar,” she said.

To end the interview, Concepcion shared the greatest thing she learned about being in love, falling in love and falling out of love with Pascual.

“We all go through things in life. Whatever you go through, you will bring into the relationship that you have. So you have to make peace with the things you went through before, before you go into a relationship kasi kung hindi, bitbit mo 'yun,” she said.

“I think what I learned is you will take with you the things that you have not settled in your life if you’re not honest with your life and your partner… Don’t waste what can be in the long term for something that is so short term.”

Pascual and Concepcion ended their relationship in 2011.