MANILA, Philippines – If you saw That Thing Called Tadhana, then you’ve been from Baguio to Sagada with Mace (Angelica Panganiban) and Anthony (JM de Guzman). You were also left wondering about the couple’s fate. (READ: The Baguio, Sagada tour inspired by ‘That Thing Called Tadhana’)

Director Antoinette Jadaone recently published a real-life copy of the book Mace and Anthony wrote and illustrated in the movie, and at the launch, she weighed in on what she thought happened to the couple. (READ: ‘The Arrow With a Heart Pierced Through Him’ from ‘That Thing Called Tadhana’ is a real book)

Note: The story discusses plot points from the film That Thing Called Tadhana. If you haven’t seen the movie and don’t wish to be spoiled, you may not want to read further. 

To jog your memory, at the end of That Thing Called Tadhana, Mace goes home to see her ex-boyfriend waiting for her with flowers. That scene cuts to another, set further in the future, of Anthony holding a copy of The Arrow With a Heart Pierced Through Him, which until that part in the movie, hadn’t been published yet. The movie ends there.

At the book launch, Tonette said, “Yung sagot ko (my answer is), I only know until the part I wrote, which is he was – he did the book… and dadalhin niya yung libro na yun kay Mace. Hanggang doon lang nasulat ko. Hindi ko talaga alam kung naging sila.” (READ:Antoinette Jadaone and the romantic road to ‘That Thing Called Tadhana’)

(He’s going to bring the book to Mace. I only wrote until there. I really don’t know if they became a couple.)

She quickly added, “Pero gusto ko na maging sila, pero yung hanggang part lang ng libro, at sa script, ganun lang din.

“It was meant to be – di naman open-ended, pero gusto ko kasi ganon, magend siya doon sa libro,” she explained.

(But I want them to be together, but I only wrote until the part with the book, and in the script, it was that way too. It was meant to be – not open-ended, but I wanted it to end at the book.)

As the crowd at the book launch started buzzing at the news of her answer, Tonette also said, “Hindi naman lahat ng lalaki na hindi gora magdedesign ng libro para sa babae.”

(Not all guys who aren’t interested in a girl would design a book for her.)

So Mace and Anthony’s fate might have ended vaguely on Tadhana, but will Tonette write and direct a Part 2 to clear the story up?

“Feeling ko Part 4 (I feel it will have a Part 4),” Tonette joked with the crowd at the launch. “Star Wars pala ito (It looks like this is Star Wars).”

Turning serious, Tonette said, “Actually Part 2, gusto ko magkaroon, pero gusto ko dapat ano siya, sa tamang dahilan, sa tamang panahon, sa tamang timing, so dapat hindi siya ‘gagawin lang kasi uso yung hugot eh, so gawin natin,’ o ‘uso yung mga ganoong love stories eh.’ So kung gagawan man, dapat yung tamang dahilan lagi.”

(Actually Part 2, I want to have it, but I want it to be for the right reasons, at the right time, with the right timing, so it shouldn’t be like, ‘let’s make it because these kinds of emotional films are in, so let’s do it,’ or ‘these kinds of love stories are in.’ So if we do make a sequel, it should always be for the right reasons.)

What do you think happened to Mace and Anthony at the end of That Thing Called Tadhana? Sound off in the comments below! – Rappler.com