#Yatiz is a story focusing on the lives of young people in a small seaside municipality called Carmen in the southern part of the Philippines. The name is based on a cuss word here, "Yati/Yatis" that has no English equivalent but is closest to WTF.
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APRIL 21, 2023・FRIDAY・18:43
Hazel is holding on to the railing as she walks up the stairs.
JR is following her at a distance.
They're making their way towards a roofed deck that has a wooden log for a bench. The platform is overlooking three large fishponds, illuminated by the string lights installed around the area.
Hazel exhales as she takes a seat on the bench. She stretches her arms and legs as she slips off the tote bag and puts it on the dining table in front.
JR takes a seat a few feet away from her.
"Vegan ba ka?" Hazel asks.
"YOU A VEGAN?"
JR looks at her, unsure of what to say.
"Pwede ka mukaon ug manok?" she clarifies.
"ARE YOU ALLOWED TO EAT CHICKEN?"
He nods and crosses his arms, disinterested.
She offers her a lunch box. "Okay. Beef steak."
"BEEF STEAK, IT IS."
He looks at the box and considers it for a second. But he shakes his head. He resumes passively staring at the pond.
Hazel just smiles and stares at him as she leans against the bench.
"Natagak gud ko dira sa ikaduha nga pond tong bata pa ko," she says with a laugh. "Katong kinder pa ko, ginalaag man ko diri pirmi ni papa kada-mahuman akong klase." She sweeps some of her hair behind her ear and smiles, lost in her memories. "Sa una, dagko kaayo na ang mga isda dira sa pond. Ana gani akong mama nga sa una daw kalingawan daw namo nang mutudlo siya ug isda tapos mangutana dayon siya kung unsa siyang klase. Tapos pirme daw nako itubag kay shark. Kay siguro bata pa ko...Dako gyud sila sa akong utok."
"I REMEMBER I FELL ON THE SECOND ONE WHEN I WAS A KID."
"WHEN I WAS IN KINDER, MY DAD WOULD ALWAYS TAKE ME HERE AFTER CLASS."
"THE FISHES HERE WERE HUGE. MY MOM EVEN SAID, WE USED TO HAVE THIS GAME WHERE SHE WOULD POINT A FISH AND ASK ME WHAT'S IT CALLED. AND THEN APPARENTLY, I WOULD ALWAYS SAY THAT IT'S A SHARK. MAYBE BECAUSE I WAS STILL A CHILD...BUT THEY ALL JUST LOOKED HUGE TO ME."
JR remains silent.
Hazel shrugs and takes out another lunch box from her tote bag. She opens it and starts to eat.
"Nganong naa man ta dinhe, Hazel?" he asks. "Ingon na ko sa imo di ba nga dili ko interesado sa imo?"
"WHY ARE WE HERE, HAZEL?"
"I TOLD YOU I WASN'T INTERESTED IN YOU."
She nods.
"Unsa? Abi nimo'g malooy ko sa imoha kay tungod nag-share ka about sa imong pagka-bata?"
