"In the Morning, I'll Say Hello" - by Jaime Lustig
Chapter 25
"Someone Precious"
SCENE 1:
A dimly lit large formal dining room. Light
coming in in streaks through the windows, almost a film noir sort of vibe with
deep shadows. There is a single place setting on the side of the table (with
nothing on either end). There are four chairs, one on each side. The table is
emaculately set but only has the single place setting.
We see the slipper-ed shoes of a
house-staff going down the hall, up the stairs, down another hall and then
approaches a door. The staff knocks and gets no reply.
House
staff: “I apologize for bothering you Ojou-sama, your dinner is ready.”
Aiko is reading on the window seat in her
bedroom. She looks up, but doesn't open the door.
Aiko:
“Thank you Ukiyo-san, I’ll be right down.”
Ukiyo:
“Your father called to say that he would be eating with clients tonight and
would not be home for dinner.”
Aiko:
“That is to be expected. Father’s work is very important. Thank you.”
Aiko
(to herself): “Why does he even bother calling anymore?”
Ukiyo:
“Thank you miss.”
Next we see the dining room table again,
this time there is food at the single place setting. Aiko is eating in silence,
alone, in this massive and cold room. She turns and looks at a family portrait
on the wall, a formal picture of mom, dad, Shiori (her sister) and Aiko (when
she was very young). There are reflections going across it, obscuring the
parents' faces.
[Flashback]
Young
Aiko is going down the hall into Shiori’s room.
Aiko:
“Shioriiiiii, Shioriiiii, it’s time for dinner.”
She
barges in but the room is dark and empty.
Aiko:
“Shiori?”
She
looks around and sees a note on the desk.
Note:
“Dear Aiko. I'm sure you will be the first to find since no one else ever comes
looking for me. I have left home and won’t be back. Please know that my heart
breaks leaving you alone there, but the thought of marrying that wretched man
just for the sake of dad’s business is too much. I can’t be part of this family
anymore. I need to find my own way, out from under our name. You are smart and
strong. If you want it, dad will leave the whole company to you and you can do
remarkable things with it. He has always favored you. But me? I’m just there to
be married off to fuel his desire for power. It’s not your fault that he loves
you like a daughter but only thinks of me like a commodity to be traded. I
can’t go on like this anymore, not when I have someone who sees me as precious,
who doesn’t want me because of my name or my connections, but because of who I
am inside. I know dad will never acknowledge our love so we are running away
together. I am so sorry but I know you’ll be okay. Someday we’ll see each other
again, but please don’t try to find me, my heart is already torn too much. Love
Shiori.”
Young
Aiko crumples to the ground, crying over the note.
[Flashback
ends]
Back to the present. Aiko staring at the
family picture. She looks down at her food.
Narration
(from Shiori's note): “...someone who sees me as precious...”
Aiko
(quietly): “But you were precious to me too...”
She gets up and goes over to the liquor on
the buffet. She pours herself a glass, drinks it quickly, and pours another.
She looks up at the portrait again, looks at Shiori, then her father, and
throws the glass at it, shattering the glass, liquid splashing on the picture.
The phone rings in the background.
SCENE 2:
Eriko and Heizo are sitting having a quiet
dinner (warm and relaxed, a total contrast to the scene we just saw), the TV is
on in the background...
TV:
“in other news...a prominent American actor was found dead of an apparent
self-inflicted gunshot wound. The suicide note left behind gives chilling
details of drugs, underage women...”
Heizo:
“Sorry, let me turn this off, you're too young to listen to all this nonsense.
I forget sometimes that I’m supposed to be protecting you from the world at
your age.”
Eriko looks up and a bit shocked.
Eriko:
“P...Protecting? Me?”
Heizo
(lovingly): “Yes, of course. I don’t know where you came from or what brought
you into my life, but you're here now, and you are safe with me, and I intend
to keep it that way!”
Eriko lowers her head and gives a warm,
quiet affirmation.
Eriko:
“mmmmm”
Right then the phone rings.
Heizo:
“Hello, Arishima here..........ah yes, Kiyoura-san, it’s good to hear from you,
it’s been a while. How’s the little miss feeling?........Is that so? Well,
Eriko-chan never tells me a thing, such a teenager..........hohohohoho, I guess
we share the same problems there!..............Saturday? No, no, she doesn’t
need to help around here...............let me put her on.”
Heizo hands Eriko the phone, Eriko has a
puzzled look.
Heizo:
“It’s Kiyoura-san.”
Eriko:
“H...hello?”
Suzu
(on the phone): “Hello, Eriko-chan?”
Eriko:
“Ummm, yes.”
Suzu:
“I don’t know if you know this, but Wednesday is Yuka’s 17th birthday and I
wanted to throw her a party on Saturday. Can you come over?”
Eriko
(to herself): "A party..."
Eriko:
“Oh, ummmm...okay.”
Suzu
(laughing): “HA! I see what Arishima-san was saying, it’s hard to get two words
out of you, you’re almost as bad as Yuka! Well, I’m happy you’re coming. Don’t
tell Yuka okay? It’s a surprise! Oh, and don’t worry about a birthday gift,
unless of course you already have something picked out for her!”
Suzu says this with a devilishly gleeful
look in her eyes.
Eriko:
“Picked out?”
Eriko remembers the necklace she was
helping Yuka try on and that Suzu gave to her in secret that day.
Suzu:
“Oh nothing, nothing. See you Saturday Eriko-chan, bye”
Eriko
(blushing, quiet): “A birthday gift...”
Heizo:
“hoho, little-miss’s birthday? Well, I’m sure you’ll find just the right
thing.”
SCENE 3:
Later that evening, in her room. Eriko
opens the drawer of her desk and takes out the small box in the drawstring bag.
She opens it, pulls out the necklace and is staring at it as it glints in the
light of her desk lamp.
Eriko:
“A birthday gift...”
[Flashback]
Suzu
takes something out of her purse, it's the little parcel that was bought and
wrapped in the store (a small box in a drawstring bag). She hands it to Eriko.
Suzu:
"Here, this is for you."
Eriko:
"Wait...what? I...I can't possibly...I’m sorry..."
Suzu:
“...You’ll understand. Treat Yuka well and that will be your repayment to
me."
[Flashback
ends]
Back to the present:
Eriko
(to herself): “Did Kiyoura-onee-san always intend for me to give this to her?
What would she think if I gave her this? Would she think it’s just a gift from
a friend? Would she remember...?”
Eriko remembers the look of Yuka’s neck,
brushing her hair back, as she tried to put the necklace on her. Eriko blushes,
puts the necklace down and stands up and goes over to the window. It’s dark
out. She’s looking out at the stars.
Eriko (to herself): “Calm down Eriko. You’re just friends. Kiyoura-san doesn’t think of you as anything other than that. How could she, you're both girls? Is...is it okay that I want...what do I want from her? ARGHHHHH”
She slaps her cheeks with both hands. Eriko
lazily hangs out her open window, her head down on one arm which rests on the
windowsill, one arm drooping over the edge.
Eriko
(to herself): “It’s just a necklace that she liked in a store. It won’t mean
anything to her, its just a nice gift. That's all.”
Eriko gets up and goes over to the desk,
puts the necklace carefully back in the box/bag and into the drawer.
Eriko:
(to herself): “Somehow, I feel like I’ll miss this. It was a little piece of
you that I had all to myself. Could I really give this to you?"
She puts a circle around Saturday (June 6th)
on her calendar above her desk and writes “party.”
SCENE 4:
By the shoe lockers in the school. End of
the school day, students are leaving. Eriko rounds the corner with Hatsue to
see Aiko and Yuka in an intimate (but not romantic) moment, it’s as if they
exist in their own bubble, unconcerned with the random school kids around them.
Eriko
(to herself): "Could we ever be that close?"
Aiko:
“....I’m so sorry that I can’t have dinner with you tonight. I have an
appointment I can’t miss. I’ll make it up to you. Will you forgive me?”
Yuka fake pouts then vigorously nods 'yes'
with a smile.
Aiko:
“Thank you. Even though I asked, I knew you would. My ride is probably here.
I’ll see you tomorrow Yuka. Say ‘hi’ to Suzu-chan for me, I hope she isn’t
going to make you cook dinner tonight on your own birthday.”
Aiko says the second half of this as she
leaves and is waving goodbye – heading towards the black town car down by the
entrance to the school.
Hatsue turns to Eriko, they are far enough
away from Yuka to not be overheard.
Hatsue:
“It's Kiyoura-san's birthday today, and Okumura-san's missing it? What’s that
about?”
Eriko just shrugs and goes to turn away.
Hatsue follows quickly after her.
Hatsue:
“Wait up, wait up! Now’s your chance to go home alone with her!”
Eriko:
“I...can’t.”
Hatsue:
“Why not?”
Eriko:
“I have to...ummm, get a gift...”
Hatsue:
“Oh my god, you’re going shopping for her! What are you going to get for her?”
Eriko
(blushing): “I don’t know.”
Hatsue:
“This is big, this is big, I’m so excited!”
Eriko:
“Do...do you want to come?”
Hatsue:
“Oh, umm, out shopping?”
Eriko
(To herself): “Oh crap, I forgot how scarred she is to be around men”
Eriko realizing how afraid Hatsue is
retracts her question.
Eriko:
“I’m sorry...I didn’t mean...”
Hatsue:
“No no, I’m just so used to buying everything online so I don’t have to go out
in public. I want to help you, really....but...”
Eriko smiles kindly.
Eriko:
“Don’t worry. It’s fine.”
Hatsue:
“You’ve really softened...maybe someday I’ll be able to go out like
normal....anyway, do you have any ideas?”
Eriko, thinking back to holding the
necklace last night.
Eriko:
“Ummm, maybe...but I’m not sure...I need to look around.”
Hatsue:
“This is a big step, what you get for her could change everything!”
Eriko
(flustered): “A big step?! Change?! But we’re just friends?”
Hatsue teases her.
Hatsue
(sarcastically): “Right. Just friends. Then it really doesn’t matter, does it?
I’m sure she’ll like anything you get. No need for any special meaning behind
it. Right?”
Eriko blushes in frustration and
embarrassment.
Eriko:
“Ummm...yeah.”
Eriko
(to herself): “Am I that obvious? Can she tell?”
Hatsue:
“Come on, I’ll have Tetsu drop you off in the shopping district.”
They get their shoes on and get ready to
leave. They pass Yuka.
Hatsue:
"Bye Kiyoura-chan. Happy birthday!"
Yuka smiles at Hatsue and Eriko and Yuka
make eye contact and blush slightly.
Eriko:
"Um...happy...birthday."
Yuka waves goodbye to Hatsue and Eriko as
those two leave together. Yuka finishes putting on her shoes and getting her
stuff together and then leaves the school on her own, it’s somewhat sad that
she’s all alone on her birthday.
SCENE 5:
It’s dusk. We're looking at a huge strange
white mansion-type property. It's heavily fenced in. Indiscriminate people are
walking around the grounds (some are old and in wheelchairs, some young in
hospital-type gowns, some look like nurses or doctors in scrubs and lab coats).
Aiko's black town car pulls up to the front of the building. Aiko, who has been
in the building, gets into the car. She's wearing street clothes, not her
uniform.
Driver:
“Did you have enough time, Okumura-sama?”
Aiko:
“Yes, more than enough, thank you.”
They drive away. Various scenes passing by
the windows. It’s getting darker and darker. Aiko continues staring out the
window. They pass by people working in shops, women and children walking hand
in hand down the sidewalks, etc...
Aiko
(to herself): “someone who sees me as precious...”
Aiko:
“Driver, please let me out here, there’s something I need to do.”
Driver:
“Are you sure that’s okay, miss? It’s a school night. Should I wait?”
Aiko:
“No need. I’ll call you when I’m ready to be picked up.”
The driver looks concernedly at the place
where they stopped, a busy night-club street filled with bars.
Driver:
“Excuse me miss, this isn’t my place, but what would your father say?”
Aiko:
“MY FATHER HASN’T SEEN ME IN MONTHS! I’ll call you when I’m ready.”
Driver:
“Very good, miss.”
She gets out of the car and slams the door.
She walks in to the front of a very exclusive club, goes right past the line
and towards the bouncer.
Bouncer:
“Hey little girl, go home and finish your homework.”
Aiko walks right up to him and says,
quietly, but fiercely:
Aiko:
“I own this place, I’m going in.”
The others in line around them are
grumbling.
Person:
"Who does she think she is?"
Person:
"She doesn't even have any meat on those bones, who's she fooling?"
Person:
"We've been waiting here for an hour."
Bouncer:
“What do you think you’re trying to pull...?”
Right then the host comes up and whispers
something in the bouncer’s ear.
Bouncer
(to the host): “What, her? She’s the daughter....but isn’t she still too...?”
The host is shaking his head 'no' the whole
time.
Host
(to Aiko): “I’m so sorry Okumura-sama, he’s new here, I assume you would like
your regular table?”
Aiko:
“That would be fine.”
They walk in together past the crowds. The
bouncer is left scratching his head. The crowd in line is grumbling that she
gets to go in while they wait.
Person:
"What a loud of crap!"
Person:
"Who's she sleeping with to get that treatment?"
SCENE 6:
Eriko is in a small store. She’s looking at
various knick-knacks, clothing, etc...
Eriko
(to herself): “Ughhhh, I hate shopping, nothing seems right. I don’t really
even know a thing about her, I don’t know what she likes. How can I pick out
something for her?”
She picks up some more things.
Eriko
(to herself): “I guess it’s just like Hatsue-chan said, it doesn't matter what
I get if it’s just a gift between friends. So why does it feel like it does
matter?”
Then her stomach rumbles.
Eriko
(to herself): "This is becoming a bad habit."
SCENE 7:
We see Eriko eating some food at a window
counter of a fast food type place. There are only a few people around. We see a
mom with a pony tail holding the hand of a small girl ordering food at the
counter.
Eriko
(to herself): "I wonder if I ever had that?"
When she’s done eating, she walks out the
front door, turns and starts walking. She's right near the club where Aiko
went. As she walks past the club and the dressed-up people in line, we see the
contrast between Eriko in her uniform coming from the fast food place (and all
her scruffiness) and the loud noisy neon of the club and the line of people in
fancy clothes outside. They are worlds apart. Just then there is a disturbance
in the doorway of the club. Aiko has left the club, comes stumbling down by the
line of people, and two guys come up to her.
Guy:
“Honey, it looks like you could use a friend right now.”
Aiko
(drunkenly): “I’mmmmm f....fine...”
She tries to push past him.
Guy:
“Hey girl, why are you being so hostile?”
Aiko
(drunkenly): “I shaiddddd, gedda wayyy fruuuum me!”
Aiko gives him a shove then stumbles and falls to the ground.
Guy
2: “Oh, so that’s how you’re going to play it, honey? Now I’m sure you need our
help!”
The two guys surround Aiko who is in a lump
splayed on the sidewalk (but sitting up, holding her head). They are about to
go for her (with lecherous looks in their eyes) when suddenly they are both punched
and knocked out. We see that Eriko and the bouncer have each taken out one of
the guys. Eriko and the bouncer then exchange shocked looks with each other,
then at Aiko and back up to each other.
Bouncer:
“That was pretty impressive. Do you know her?”
Eriko: “Ummm...yes...”
Eriko: “Ummm...yes...”
We hear sirens in the background.
Sound
effects: police sirens.
The host comes over.
Host:
“If you know her, then you know she’s pretty important around here. Please see
that she gets home safely. I can’t have the boss’s daughter getting hurt, but I
also can’t have her making a scene like this either.”
Eriko:
“Oh...ummm...okay.”
The Host hails a cab and sticks Aiko
inside, Eriko gets in and just as she’s about to ask:
Eriko:
“Excuse me...um...where...”
The door closes before she can ask the host
where Aiko lives.
Cab
driver: “Where to?”
SCENE 8:
The cab pulls up in front of Eriko’s place.
Aiko is passed out in the cab. She struggles to get Aiko out. Aiko is now
partly draped over Eriko. Eriko manages to drag her into Heizo's house where
she collapses on the ground by the entry way.
Aiko looks up at Eriko and is still
slurring her words.
Aiko:
“Wherrrre...youuur house? Whyyyy’d youuuuu bring meee herrrre?”
Eriko:
“I don’t know where you live.”
Aiko:
“Shiiit!”
She drops her head down.
Eriko:
“Quiet, Arishima-san is probably asleep!”
Aiko:
“Youuuu knoooow, youuuu talk moar whennnn you’re an....gry.”
Eriko is defiant then resigns herself.
Eriko:
“Whatever..... Let’s get you cleaned up.”
Aiko:
“I dooon’t waaant youuuur helfff.”
Eriko:
“It’s too late for that.”
Eriko lifts Aiko up and walks her into the bedroom. Eriko drops her on her own bed. Aiko rolls over on the bed and appears to pass out. Eriko pulls covers over her.
Eriko
(To herself): “I can’t believe you. What the hell is your problem? You always
act so high and mighty, but what if Kiyoura-san saw you like this? Oh no, what
am I going to do for her birthday? I didn’t find anything tonight. Well, at
least, nothing that was as perfect as...”
Eriko sits at her desk. The overhead light
is off so there is only the desk lamp on. She pulls out the bag with the
jewelry box in it. She looks over and sees Aiko still sleeping. She looks at
the date on the calendar. She takes out the necklace and holds it up.
Eriko
(to herself): "That day in the store, the way you looked at this. It's
become precious to me and I didn't even realize it. We're barely friends but
the way you smile at me, the way you touch my hand, the way you reach into
me...do you feel that way too? I can't stop thinking about you, but what will
you think if I give this to you? Would you know what it meant to me? Or would
you just think it was a present from a friend? Why does that thought hurt the
most?"
She looks up at the calendar and focuses on
the 3rd (today).
Eriko
(To herself): “Today was your birthday. I hope it was a wonderful day.”
We see Aiko roll over in bed and open her
eyes a bit, she sees Eriko sitting there staring at the dangling necklace, put
the necklace back in the box, take a marker and draw a little heart around the
number 3 on the calendar. Aiko is about to gasp and clasps her hand on her
mouth and rolls over.
Aiko
(to herself): "Oh no! Please no!"
Eriko turns to look, but Aiko appears to be
back in the same position she was in before. Eriko gets up and leaves the box
on the desk (forgetting to put it away in the drawer) and leaves the room.
SCENE 9:
Middle of the night. Aiko is asleep in the
bed. Eriko made a small futon on the ground for herself.
Black panels with the two bright lights of
Kami-sama and Eriko’s mother.
Eriko’s
mother: “Not tonight! Please there is someone in her room. If she were to find
out...”
Kami-sama:
“That’s right, if someone were to find out before the year ends, it would all
be over. She would have no choice but to return.”
Eriko’s
mother: “Do you really want her to succeed?”
Kami-sama:
“I have no desire either way. What will come of will come. It is her personal
desire that created this situation and she will bear the fruit of that desire,
good or bad.”
Back to the room, the blue light sphere
forms above Eriko and she begins to elevate, the tendrils of light start
attaching to her body like a plasma globe. The light is illuminating Aiko,
stirring her. Eriko screams out silently in pain as she is brought into the
light and disappears. Aiko wakes up and sees Eriko’s futon empty. She sits up
in bed and holds her head.
Aiko:
“Ughhh, my head hurts, I need some water.”
She goes into the kitchen and gets some
water, looks around the living room, doesn’t see Eriko anywhere.
Aiko:
“Where is she? No wonder she comes in such a mess most days.”
Aiko walks back into the bedroom. She sees
the box/bag on the desk. She sees the heart on the calendar. She is about to
reach for the necklace, but she turns away. She looks at the time.
Aiko:
“Shit, it’s late! I could call my driver, but I don’t really want to put up
with him right now. I might as well get some sleep while I’m here.”
She gets back into bed. She sets the alarm
on her phone for 5am and goes back to sleep.
SCENE 10:
At 5am the phone vibrates to wake Aiko up.
She slowly sits up in bed, Eriko is still not there.
Aiko:
“Where is she? Whatever, I’ve got to get home and get changed.”
She calls her driver to pick her up. She
starts walking out of the room, sees the necklace box/bag, looks up at the
calendar, sees the two dates (the 6th with the circle and word
“party” and the 3rd with the heart around the number) and grabs the
box/bag and slips it into her purse.
She walks out the front door, waits on the
stoop, and gets in the car when it arrives. The dawn is only starting to break.
Back in Eriko’s room, we see the light
forming above the futon on the floor. Eriko emerges from the light in a bloody,
scratched, cut, and bruised mess. As Eriko slowly rouses back to wakefulness,
realizes she’s hurt, she looks over at her own bed in horror.
(to be continued...)
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