He's they guy you can call up, text or IM to anytime and you end up talking to about anything that comes to mind. He's the person who listens to your weird and wacky ideas which your gal pals usually frown or raise their eyebrows upon hearing. He puts up with your stupid, mababaw, crazy or even mushy realizations about life, and even though he may not always agree, he gives you more perspective and lets you in to his deeper and more serious side. You'd still chat a lot about the simplest and out-of-this-world things even though both of you have papers due the next morning.

He's the first person you think of texting everytime you're bored or even if you're not and you just want someone to talk to. The guy that you're comfortable with just chilling at each other's house, either playing video games or having movie marathons with. He's the guy who can come up to your room and no one in the world would think any kind of malice towards it. The one who you can sleep together with, literally, without any of your parents breaking into panic. And, NO, he isn't gay. (hahaha!)

He's the person you bring to any type of party there is. Your friends, most of the time, expect that he's your date but when he isn't, it's no big deal. He keeps you company, makes you feel pampered (when you need it) and treats you like a lady if and when he needs to (kahit pakitang tao man lang, hahaha!). Pag may humihirit, it's either you both brush it off and smile or laugh at yourselves when you get to talk about it afterwards. He's the guy who makes you use his jacket when it's cold, without the gesture meaning anything else other than the fact that it's just cold.

He's your "cover guy" and he's always game everytime he needs to be one. He's the one you bring along to show off so that other guys would think you were taken, and if and when that ex of yours suddenly pops out of nowhere. He's the one who can hold your hand, play around with your hair, let you rest on his shoulder and act really sweet towards you just because he wants to be and nothing more. All of that can happen without either of you thinking that those things mean anything more than that. The catch for all the sweetness, however, is that he could also be brutally frank and tell you all the mean things in the world he wants to say at dahil gusto niya lang mang-asar. And when you become fed up at napipikon ka na..he'll either say sorry and make lambing OR continue torturing you till kingdom come. (hahaha!)

Your family knows and absolutely loves him. Your parents ask about him a lot and how he's been doing, especially when it's been a while since you guys last hung out. He's invited to every family affair there is and it's been that way ever since you can remember.

He's the guy who tells you everything.. from "Grabe, *insert girl's name* is so hot..." to "P*tang ina talaga yung nangyari kanina. !@&#*!&!@*!!?" and EVERYTHING else in between. He makes you listen without judgment...and know the right time when to laugh like there's no tomorrow or be serious as hell as you can be. He lets you in to his pa-gwapo side, his gago-ako-today side, his shut-up-and-leave-me-alone side and even his manyak side.

After all his ranting, however, he stops and asks what you think. He lets you share your side of the story and you open up to him. He patiently listens like a kuya while teases every so often like a kid brother. With him, you know that things are kept safe between only the both of you and he keeps his word true. You can even tell him how many times you and your crush saw each other that day and how kilig you are..he'll say you're pathetic and just laugh at you without you getting offended.

Sure, you have other guy friends but he's the guy you have this kind of "connection" with..not romantic at all but when it's about you or for you, he's there and he gives a lot of effort without any of you even realizing it. He's the guy you can go out with anytime and share ANY type of drink ...from your favorite latte to all out tequila shots (hahaha!). He tells you that he misses you without that weird and ilang factor. You know he cares for you and respects you greatly and he shows it too. It's because he loves you in a kind of way nobody, not even him, can explain.

You sometimes hear people tell you that you guys look good together as a couple but just trying to think about it gives you the creeps (hahaha!) and you kinda sense that he feels the same, but not in a bad way. He's the best candidate you have for the guy-best-friend or boyfriend role, and yet he never really is any of that. He's simply there. Ever ready to listen and be there for you without needing or demanding anything else in return.

Either you’ve found one true friend or you’ve found someone who loves you in ways you never expected. The boy-next-door will always put you and your happiness first and foremost. He will stay because he wants you to be a part of his life. You are special and close to his heart for reasons both of you will never understand.

For as long as he wants to be, and for as long as neither of you realize it, he will remain the “boy-next-door.”