La Querida

How did you get in here?

Do I look like a burglar, Joel?

Of course, your mom told me to come in

and make myself comfortable!

- Yeah, right. - So I did!

Grace, I'm tired.

Can you stop, Grace?

Do we have a problem?

We're gonna be married anyway, right?

Grace, please.

Grace...

Can you just stop?

The wedding is off, okay?

You asshole! Are you gay?

Get dressed, and leave!

Now!

You'll regret this!

Hello, Miss.

Goodbye.

Miss!

You dropped this.

Oh, thanks.

Can I ask a question?

Sure.

Why were you reading poetry

in front of Rizal's monument?

Whose poetry should I be reading instead?

Shakespeare's, or Andres Bonifacio's?

Touché. Sorry. Stupid question.

Well, you can't be that stupid if you know what touché means.

It's for my thesis. I'm a history major at UST.

Oh, wow.

My name is Maria.

Joel.

Nice to meet you.

Same here.

So you visit Luneta to get some inspiration

for your thesis? Is that it?

- Oh, I see. - Something like that.

There's-- No, I don't think I'll say it.

Nope, I think I will.

I know you won't believe this...

But I'm related to him.

Is that a pick-up line?

It's not.

Well, that's what my aunts tell me,

I don't know if it's true or not.

Can we grab a coffee

so I can properly explain

how we're related?

I knew that was a pick-up line!

Shall we?

Let's go!

Let's go.

So tell me,

how are you related to Rizal

when he didn't have any children?

Right!

But Josephine Bracken had a miscarriage, right?

Allegedly. So?

How many siblings did he have?

They were 11 in total,

nine girls and two boys.

You sure?

Yes, I'm sure!

Okay. Recite all their names, then!

Hey! Wait a minute!

I don't have all that memorized!

Here's what I can tell you,

you have the same name as her sister,

Maria Mercado Rizal.

Okay... I'm impressed.

Which one are you related to?

The eldest.

Saturnina!

Saturnina! Yes!

Saturnina Rizal married Manuel Hidalgo,

who was from Tanauan, Batangas.

And my mom, Daisy Hidalgo,

is her great-great-great-granddaughter.

I don't know the entire family tree.

That's just what mom told me.

Tell me about your mother.

Well,

aside from the fact that the Rizal family was part Chinese,

my mommy's mother is half-Chinese.

And she's proud of her heritage.

And then she married my late father,

who was pure Chinese.

And she expect me to marry a--

- Marry a Chinese girl? - Yes!

Wait, how'd you know that?

Hello? Isn't that your tradition?

Fuck that tradition.

All I know is, I'm marrying the woman I love.

Wow!

She picked someone for you, didn't she?

Yeah. But I refused.

Did I tell you that I left home?

I haven't gone home or to the office since.

Wait, so you work with your mommy?

Yup!

She's the CEO, I'm the COO.

Oh. Child Of the Owner.

Yes!

Because it's a family business.

Yeah.

Anyway, where are you staying now?

Somewhere close by.

I'm staying at a hotel near Kalaw.

- Nearby. - There?

Nearby.

- Nearby. - Right.

Yes, nearby.

Why?

Is that another pick-up line?

Hey! You--

You're just misreading things!

I haven't said anything!

Then why do you look all smug?

Wow, how is it my fault?

You're just reading too much into it.

Oh, please!

Me?

Shit, Maria!

Shit!

Go home!

Now!

Sorry, I have to go.

You mean you're just here in Manila, wandering around Luneta?

Yeah!

I even met a college girl a while ago.

She's a History major from UST.

Smart... beautiful!

Then good for you!

But there's a hitch, man.

Because an older guy came by a while ago,

looked Spanish.

He ruined the moment.

Wow. That's a bummer.

Now what?

By the way, how are you guys at the office?

What do you mean?

I should be asking you that.

When are you coming back to the office?

Think about our employees.

Auntie's been breathing fire for five whole days!

Like you're still not used to it, man.

I'm serious!

She literally transforms into a dragon.

From morning through the whole day,

she's pissed!

This is all your fault, you know that?

You do get why I left, right?

This is me standing up for myself!

For my right to choose the woman I will marry,

and share my life with!

I know. I understand what you're trying to prove.

But man, you could at least

answer your mom when she calls!

Or reply to her messages!

I texted her already.

I even told her I'm somewhere in Mindanao and there's no service!

You shameless runaway groom!

All this time you're just loitering around Roxas Boulevard?

Hey!

Dude, someone might hear you, come on!

Alright, here's what we'll do.

Let me know if anything comes up.

And as for mommy, get used to it, alright?

Fine, fine, just look out for yourself.

Okay. Bye.

Hello? Who's this?

Hi, Joel.

Hi, miss!

Good thing I told you where I was staying, huh?

Sorry about earlier, okay?

That's just how papá is.

Oh... he's your dad.

I thought he was--

- my boyfriend? - Yes!

I thought he was gonna beat me up!

He's pretty possessive.

Well, I'm not surprised.

All my friends say that, that's why I don't have any.

Is your dad Spanish?

Yes, sir!

His name is Eduardo.

Wow.

Cheers to that!

You know,

Papá is from Barcelona

But he met mamá in Hong Kong.

And then he followed her here to Manila,

and didn't let up until they got married.

And then you were born.

- Correct? - Yes!

Okay, okay.

And, you know what, my mamá left when I was four years old.

For many years, my papá said she was a whore,