Love triangle and Kaori Oinuma's subtle acting build the heart of “Halfmates” Episodes 7 to 9

They say the more, the merrier—but we’re pretty sure they weren’t talking about awkward third-wheeling, right? Can we please vote to evict a housemate?

If the first six episodes of Kaori Oinuma and Jeremiah Lisbo's "Halfmates" had you giggling and blushing, Episodes 7 to 9 will have you clutching your heart because we're at a point where Dani (Kaori) realizes she’s falling for James (Jeremiah), but the arrival of his girlfriend Joane (Karina Buatista) as their new housemate throws everything into heartbreak.

Episode 7 opens with an awkward morning in the kitchen between James and Dani, following the tense events of the previous night where Dani overheard James and his unexpected visitor, Joane, arguing over the mess he’s gotten himself into with the double-sale scam of the house they both unknowingly purchased. The trouble doesn’t stop there, though, as Mama Siony (Peewee O’Hara) makes a surprise appearance, insisting on helping Dani at her snack bar since one of her staff members had to skip work.

To recall, Dani previously introduced James to her family as her business “manager,” so Mama Siony’s watchful eye is glued to his every move. Determined to see if James is truly hands-on in his supposed role, she notices his clumsiness and clear lack of knowledge about running a food business, forcing Dani to confess that James isn’t actually her manager.

"Eh, ano mo siya?" Mama Siony pointedly asks her granddaughter. But as James and Dani explain their situation, Mama Siony surprises them by revealing that she already knew he wasn’t working for her all along. Mama Siony drops a reality check, saying once the ownership mess is resolved and the scammers are brought to justice, only one of them will rightfully own the house, meaning the other will eventually have to leave. Her words hit hard—not just for James and Dani but for us viewers, too, who can’t help but feel a pang of sadness at the thought of one of them leaving.

After a hectic day at the snack bar, Dani and James share a quiet dinner together. Dani, ever thoughtful, prepares a special meal of avocado toast and a chocolate drink, perfectly adjusted to suit the taste and standards of health-conscious James. What starts as a casual dinner turns into an unexpectedly deep conversation, with the two sharing dreams, struggles with adulting, and even a glimpse into Dani’s past love life. She opens up about her ex-boyfriend, who married someone else while she was in New Zealand working as a nurse.

The dinner lasts until midnight—perhaps a subtle nod to fairytale endings. In a pure rom-com gold sequence, James catches Dani as she stumbles from her chair. But just as their closeness leaves us on the edge of our seats, the spell is broken when they see Joane standing at the snack bar's entrance. Uh oh!

Episode 8 continues the uncomfortable situation at the snack bar, but Joane surprises viewers with her sudden shift in tone. Instead of being her usual uptight self, she brushes things off, saying she witnessed what happened and assures them it’s fine. Dani then leaves the scene, giving the couple a chance to kiss and make up. Joane then announces that she has decided to move in with James.

Cue the subtle female rivalry, as Dani can’t help but notice Joane’s exaggerated actions, like her over-the-top morning workout routines, which seem more about attention than fitness. There's also a scene where Dani cooks danggit for breakfast, only for Joane to lecture her on watching her salt intake. James wants a piece of Dani's danggit but his girlfriend stops him because it’s unhealthy.

Viewers must pay close attention to pick up on the small but telling details scattered throughout the episode, like Joane receiving a suspicious text message from a certain Gary, which she dismisses as coming from a “makulit na client.”

Later that day, Dani vents her frustrations to Mama Siony, saying she finds Joane’s controlling nature annoying. Mama Siony, ever the voice of reason, hits Dani with a dose of hard truth: why be upset at Joane when she hasn’t done anything directly harmful? Ouch. While Mama Siony’s wisdom is always on point, it doesn’t take a genius to see that Dani’s feelings are less about Joane’s quirks and more about the jealousy simmering under the surface.

This emotional tug-of-war escalates when Dani serves pastries and drinks to James and Joane as they work in the living room. Joane, visibly annoyed, excuses herself to make her own drink in the kitchen but can’t help eavesdropping on James and Dani’s playful banter about her tax filing struggles. It’s a small moment, but it’s enough to spark a pang of jealousy in the gf.

As the episode progresses, more cracks show in James and Joane’s relationship, with another round of argument about James’ career. While she pushes him to accept a potential promotion, he resists, explaining he doesn’t want a more complicated position that requires dealing with clients and higher responsibilities. This leads to a heated quarrel, with Joane comparing James to their officemate Gary —likely the same Gary who texted her earlier—who just got promoted.

Dani innocently interrupts the couple with her funny story—talk about bad timing! Joane snaps and yells at Dani to leave the room. Not satisfied, she takes it a step further and trips Dani as she walks out. Furious, James calls Joane out for being unnecessarily mean and petty, sparking an even bigger fight. Pushed to her breaking point, Joane accuses Dani of harboring feelings for James, leaving both Dani and James stunned.

Episode 9 picks up right where we left off, with Joane’s accusation hanging in the air. Both James and Dani firmly deny the claim, but the tension is undeniable. James finally vents his frustrations by confronting Joane, pointing out that she is the one who has changed in their relationship, not him. He reminds her of how she used to support him no matter how simple his dreams were, and how things were different when she was content with who he was.

Joane storms off to the room where she sits alone and sentimental while staring at an old photo of her and James from their college days. Meanwhile, James heads to the garden to check on Dani, who’s nursing her sprained foot from the incident. Ever the gentleman, he apologizes on Joane’s behalf and chalks up her actions to anger. As they talk, he begins to open up about his relationship with Joane. Through flashbacks, we see how the couple started as close college friends, and how their bond deepened when James lost his only family member, his grandmother.

James’ voice softens as he tells Dani how much he appreciates Joane for everything she’s done for him, prompting Dani to advise him about making sure Joane feels valued and reminding him to communicate openly with her.

As James gets up to leave, Dani’s facade cracks, pretending to cry over the pain in her leg but in reality, it’s her heart that aches. Joane’s words linger in her mind because, deep down, Dani knows it’s true. She is falling for James.

This episode, aptly titled "Realizations," delivers a powerful mix of raw emotion and quiet reflections. Will Joane and James patch things up, or are they headed for a breaking point? And where does that leave Dani, whose feelings for James are no longer as easy to hide? One thing’s for sure: this love triangle just got even more tangled.

One of the standout elements in these episodes is Kaori's acting, especially in Episode 9. In the scene where Dani gives James advice about appreciating Joane, her words are sincere, but it's Kaori’s subtle expressions that hit hardest. Her vulnerability is so raw and yet so beautifully restrained, making it impossible not to feel for Dani.

This is a side of rom-com acting we don’t always see, where the heartache is more subtle, not loud or dramatic. Kaori delivers the emotionally charged scene without overdoing it.

We also can’t wait to see how the new twists unfold, especially as the teaser for the next episode hints at Joane's mysterious connection to 'Gary.' While Joane has her moments of being controlling and petty, the flashbacks to her past with James remind us why she’s fighting so hard to hold onto him. This layered storytelling adds depth to the narrative's love triangle mess.

"Halfmates" sure knows how to balance humor, kilig, and heartache. Here are some comments that perfectly capture the feels from Episodes 7 to 9:

btw kudos to kao and miah’s delivery, ‼️chemistry‼️ and timing!!!! 🥹 as in i can’t imagine anyone else playing dani and james 👏👏 #halfmates

— alexia (@alxt1111) November 15, 2024

Ang Ganda nang #Halfmates !! Parang K-drama 😭😭😭

— Pink ranger (@Pinkranger143) November 15, 2024

GRABE KA KAORI! ganda mo umiyak 😭 #Halfmates

— ♡ (@marclianhalsen) November 15, 2024

Halfmates episode 9. 🥺😭 AMAKANA DANI GIRL!!! Ikakasakit mo lang yan! Ikakaiyak mo lang yan!

grabe na talaga kayooo! Bat ang gagaling niyo. Parang mas ikamamatay ko pa ‘to kesa sa asthma ko!! HAHAHAHAHA #KaoriOinuma #Halfmates #HalfMatesEpisode9 #KaoMiah pic.twitter.com/Kvz6vViSbV

— ッ (@iiiambernini) November 15, 2024

Wahhhhh grabe galing ni kao dito Sa episode 9🫣 awit nasaktan din ako😭 pero Ang cute kiligin ni miah😁 haysssss my KAOMIAH 🧡#Halfmates

— cathNiJm (@s0lidjm) November 15, 2024

Grabe yung episode ngayon. Isang mahigpit na yakap dani (@kaori_oinuma ) pero grabe kudos sayo apakagaling mo talaga pati ako na iiyak sayo. #KaoMiah #Halfmates #JeremiahLisbo #KaoriOinuma

— joytotheworld (@nohatesana) November 15, 2024

Ramdam ko yung pain ni Dani. Galing mo @kaori_oinuma 💗 You really love your work kasi you’re doing your best every single time para mag improve at talagang kitang kita namin yan tuwing may bago kang project.

Stream #Halfmates Ep. 9 💗

— chini (@kaorilisbo) November 15, 2024

#Halfmates episode eight
effective ni karina nakakainis yung character niya😭 may ka situationship din pala sya and ako lang ba guys nakikita ko si jennylyn mercado kay kaori?

📍https://t.co/8xMbXu9Y4k

— vivian cabrera aquino (@vivv_iyana) November 12, 2024

Alam mo ‘yung feeling na gusto mong kiligin pero hindi pwede? The conflict has just started and I’m excited on how it will be resolved.

Pahingi nalang ng “Danggit” mo Dani kung ayaw ni mareng “Joanne Namamatid”!😂

Please watch #Halfmates’ Episode 8 here:… pic.twitter.com/tQFEOrV2Ak

— jvs (@imnotvibes) November 12, 2024

Catch fresh episodes of "Halfmates" every Tuesday and Friday at 5:30 PM on the ABS-CBN Entertainment's YouTube channel.