Gian Celis

**Gian Ducusin Celis** is the main protagonist in Gigi Chan's web-comic Somewhere in My Past.

## Appearance

Gian has a bowl cut hair and his eyebrows are covered by his fringes. He has big rounded eyes which is said to be attractive, according to Kyle Ejercito. He is slightly over-weighted which he seems to be sensitive about.

He is commonly seen wearing a school polo inserted in his blue jeans without a belt. Outside school, he is seen wearing striped or pastel-colored shirts.

## Personality

Gian is a soft-spoken and shy person. He is quite timid but sometimes brave to do things for himself. He is also sensitive of his feelings. Gian is also fragile, especially to Joaquin. He is also well-behaved, making his school records clean.

His sexuality describes as a feminine gay, thus actions and preferences are feminine.

## Biography

### Background

Gian is born on April 13, 1973 to Mrs. Linda Celis and Mr. Guiller Celis. Gian spent his elementary at SPED (Special Education) where his art talent is honed. By the time he reached high school, he was enrolled on Sta. Lucia National High School. He meets Alliah and Verhonica as his first best friends. By second year, he meets Joaquin Cojuangco as his first crush and first male friend. Gian also revealed to Joaquin that he discovered he was gay when he started crushing on Tom Cruise in Top Gun. He was also bullied for his sexuality when he came out.

### Somewhere in My Past

Gian Celis is introduced as someone who doesn't know what love is until he meets a transfer student named Joaquin Cojuangco. He instantly falls in love with him for his handsome features.

While on the way home, he meets Joaquin again and he learns that they were neighbors. From then on, the two started to go to school together. As days passed, he and Joaquin became close friends. Gian also gets to learn more about Joaquin's background including the separation of his parents.

One day, Gian feels not going to the class. Joaquin then brings Gian to his car which he learned that he knows how to drive. The two decided to skip classes by going to San Pedro, Davao City. The two went to a a music shop which unfortunately, they are coincidentally met by their class adviser. Gian and Joaquin fled from the shop and went back to the car. Later, they went to their spot which features an overlooking of Mt. Apo.

Before the Christmas party, Gian luckily picks Joaquin's name from a Kris Kringle. He later buys a blank cassette tape at a department store for his gift for Joaquin. During the party, Gian gave the gift to Joaquin but he was disappointed when Rhey actually got his name. Going home, Gian receives a gift from Joaquin which is a Debbie Gibson debut cassette album "Out of the Blue."

In February of 1988, Gian was paired with Rhey for their booth in the school festival. His friends, Alliah and Verhonica came to their booth only to kidnap Gian for the Jail booth. At the Jail booth, Gian was blindfolded and was assisted to dance with the person paired with him which is actually Joaquin.

During Biology, Gian was paired with Rhey again for the dissection experiment. He had no strength in seeing internal organs in a frog. Joaquin approached him and he dissects the frog which amazed Gian and Rhey. Going home, Gian invites Joaquin to see the much awaited 1988 total solar eclipse phenomenon. Unfortunately, Joaquin informs him he might not be able to see it with him because he is set to take an entrance exam for his new school. This caused doubts for Gian.

In the 1988 eclipse phenomenon, Gian was surprised of Joaquin that he came to his house. Joaquin then brings Gian to the PTA Grounds. The two are able to witness the eclipse. When the sky began to dark, Gian tells Joaquin not to transfer for he will not be able to meet someone like him. Joaquin then assures Gian that he will no longer transfer to another school.

As Junior year begins, Gian and Joaquin are in the same class again. However, he was pissed by his new classmate, Kyle Ejercito, for stealing his sketchbook. The incident almost caused a fight between Kyle and Joaquin. Kyle asks Gian to draw him before returning the sketch. Gian then asks Kyle for payment and the two made a deal.

Going home from school, Gian and Joaquin encounters a strange man that blocks their way, only to show his private part. Joaquin was able to punch the man but he was punched back. With a nearby dump, Gian swiftly grabs a wood stick to attack the man. The man was later spotted by Nida, the storeowner and she chased him by spanking him using her broom.

During the class elections, he earned a courage to raise his hand and nominate himself to be the class muse. All of his classmates are laughing and mocking him after while Joaquin stood up and defend him. Because of his charm, all of his classmates were influenced by him to vote Gian as the class muse.

On their way home again, Gian and Joaquin saw a female Japanese spitz mongrel dog. Joaquin adopts the dog and he named her Happy. He and Joaquin agreed to switch ownership every week.

On a weekend afternoon after Joaquin invited Gian, Alliah, Verhonica, Kyle, and Rhey into his house for a group study, the group decided to play Agawan Base. As Gian is about to head to their base, Kyle chases Gian but he accidentally tripped his leg, causing a domino effect on him and Joaquin. The accident caused a sprain on Gian's ankle, resulting his absences in weekdays. At home, Joaquin visits Gian to take care of him.

During their semestral break, Gian joins with Rhey's ghost hunt, together with Joaquin and Kyle, in an abandoned house on Champaca Street. Inside the house, Gian saw two people who made love which he mistaken for ghosts. To his horror, he screamed and caused chaos among the group. The group ran towards the exit but they were blocked by gang members which reveals that the abandoned house is their place. Rhey kicks the leader and the group successfully fled the house. After running, Gian was left alone in the street. Eventually, he was rescued by Kyle and he brings him to a nearby Sari-Sari store to hide in the shadows.

One day, Gian, Verhonica, and Joaquin noticed that Alliah has been missing the whole day. Later at night, Gian receives a call from Alliah and he finds out she ran away from her home after her father came. She tells Gian that she's currently in a phone booth at Bago Aplaya. Gian, Verhonica, and Joaquin went to the said place and fetched Alliah. After Joaquin drives Alliah and Verhonica back home, he breaks down in front of Gian, telling him he wished to have a caring father more than what he had which is abusive.

Gian was grouped with Rhey, Joaquin, and Kyle for their Filipino project. However, there is no female in their group to portray Maria Clara. The group agreed to have Gian play the character. At a department store, Gian was discriminated by a male customer for buying women's clothing. He was then defended by Kyle, Joaquin, and Rhey. The next day, the group rehearsed at Kyle's house. When their performance is done, the group was able to get a perfect score.

During Valentines Day, Gian tries to invite Joaquin for a friendly date which the latter accepted. The two went to watch a film at Galaxy Theater and ate a durian at a fruit stand. Going home, they were caught in the rain but the two played with it.

in their Senior year in 1989, Gian develop jealousy to Snooky, the name of Joaquin's admirer whose name is actually Serena. He became frustrated when he lost during the quiz bee while Joaquin and Serena won. The day after the quiz bee, Gian receives a call from Kyle, inviting him for a date. He and Kyle went to Insular Hotel for fine dining. Gian gets to learn more about Kyle's background in which he can speak Spanish fluently because of his Spanish blood. The two went to Magsaysay Park after which they meet Joaquin and Serena coincidentally. Going home, he hitched with Joaquin.

During their semestral break, Gian was invited by Kyle for a road trip at Kapatagan, together with Verhonica, Alliah, Rhey, and Joaquin. At night, the group had a spin-the-bottle game. When the bottle stops at Joaquin, Gian asks him whether he liked someone in the group. Joaquin then told everyone that he wasn't, which caused Gian to walk out towards the woods disappointed. He was then tailed by Joaquin. At the middle of the woods, Joaquin then tells that he did liked someone and he hugged Gian, giving the answer that it was him all along. The two was later spotted by Kyle. Going home from the trip, Gian had the courage to come out to his parents. Eventually, his parents accepted him, telling him that they've been observing him ever since and there's nothing they can do against it.

After their school prom, Gian and Joaquin slow danced to *Lost in Your Eyes* at their empty street. While dancing, Gian was embraced by Joaquin, telling him that he can't afford to lose him. Joaquin then tells Gian he will be leaving Davao to study a pre-med course in Cebu. Gian also tells Joaquin that he also leaves Davao to study Fine Arts in University of Santo Tomas.

During graduation, Gian tells Alliah and Verhonica that he and Joaquin are officially steady or in relationship. Kyle arrives on scene and he borrows Gian for a moment. Somewhere in a quiet area of the school, Gian was able to know Kyle's feelings towards him after he confessed it to him. He later appreciate Kyle's feelings.

A day after the graduation, Joaquin invites Gian to go to their spot. There, Joaquin confessed his feelings for Gian. The two then shared a kiss.

In the summer of 1991, Gian and Joaquin went a road trip to Kapatagan again. They are able to see Mt. Apo again but in a closer angle. The two shared a kiss again and later, they made love at a hotel.

During the night of May 11, 1992, Gian receives a call from Joaquin. He tells Gian that he'll be home later at dawn and he will also tell him who is the candidate he voted for president. He informs Gian about the package he sent for him which is an audio tape that contains songs that he must listen in case he misses him. Unfortunately, Joaquin wasn't able to come home because he died in a bus accident. Days later, Gian spread his remains at their spot.

In the present, Gian mentioned he migrated to the US. It is yet to be revealed whether he achieved his dream or who did he end up with.

## Relationships

### Joaquin Cojuangco

Gian had fallen in love at first sight to Joaquin Cojuangco and he labeled him as his first love. Aside from his physical appearance, Gian admired Joaquin's kindness and his willingness to help him in his difficult times. He and Gian are seen close with each other and inseparable as how other sees it. Behind his happiness with Joaquin, Gian hides a doubt whether his feelings are unrequited.

### Kyle Ejercito

Gian is first intimated by Kyle because of his mysterious nature. Later on, he notices Kyle's soft side. Although Gian appreciates Kyle's kindness, he is completely unaware of Kyle's admiration to him.

### Rhey Marasigan

Rhey is Gian's class president for two years since second year high school. Gian gets pissed of Rhey's cocky attitude. Sometimes, Gian is sarcastic to Rhey, as seen in Chapter 14 and 20.

### Alliah Montevano

Alliah is one of Gian's closest. She is the most encouraging among his friends.

### Verhonica Cobero

Verhonica is one of Gian's closest friends. She is straightforward to Gian and she gives advices to him on being closer to Joaquin.

## Trivia

* Gian Celis resembles mostly on the author, Gigi Chan. However, Chan sees the character as his alternate-universe self in the 1980s.
	+ Also, he and Gian shared the same birthdate.
	+ They both have talent in arts.
* Gian's celebrity crush is Tom Cruise.
* He is left-handed.
* He is an avid reader of Stephen King, Michael Crichton, and Sidney Sheldon. He also reads paperback romances like Harlequin and Mills & Boons.
* He prefers watching foreign shows than local (except *That's Entertainment*).
* He dislikes Mathematics.
* Blue is his favorite color. Sometimes, he likes pastel pink.
* His favorite song is *Shake Your Love* by Debbie Gibson.