In the Morning, I'll Say Hello - Chapter 5

In the Morning, I'll Say Hello is the scripts I wrote for a yuri comic series. It hasn't been illustrated, but I wanted to get it out there. I'll be publishing a chapter weekly until it's done (82 chapters!). Enjoy!

In the Morning, I'll Say Hello - by Jaime Lustig

Chapter 5

"Meetings and Rumors"

SCENE 1

We get some exterior shots of a giant mansion. A young Aiko (age 6ish) is playing with some toys in a luxurious, huge, living room. She's wearing a perfect dress. Her hair done beautifully. She's even got some delicate jewelry on, showing her wealth. The doorbell rings. She ignores it and keeps playing. The bell rings again. She furrows her brow. She looks around (as if expecting someone else to answer it) and is clearly annoyed. It rings again.

Aiko: "Urghhhh, where’s the maid?"

She goes over to the intercom, pushes it:

Aiko: "Hello, who's there?"

Just silence coming from the intercom.

Aiko: "I said, ‘hello,’ who's there?"

Still just silence. She grumbles and walks away and goes back to playing with her toys. The intercom rings again. She looks up, then just ignores it and keeps playing. It rings again. Then a third time. She gets really frustrated and mad, slamming a toy to the ground. She goes over to it and answers it.

Aiko: "This isn't funny, who's there?"

Just silence. She responds with the meanest face/voice she can muster.

Aiko: "Do you know who you're messing with? I'm coming out there and I'm going to report you to the police."

She throws opens the big front door, marches across a circular drive and down a long garden path. The gardens are luscious and landscaped to perfection with a fountain, sculptures, amazing rose buses, etc...showing their wealth and status. Once she gets to the pedestrian gate at the end of the walk, she sees a little girl on the other side of the gate (Yuka, also age 6ish) just standing there patiently. Aiko is a little shocked that it's just a girl.

                Aiko (to herself): "Is she alone?"

Aiko: "Well, what do you want?"

Just silence and Yuka blinking at her, a bit shy too, but really cute. A few panels of blinks (back and forth between the two) and then Yuka gives her a big smile.

Aiko: "I said, what do you want? Are you deaf or dumb or something?"

Yuka just holds a note out to her. Aiko snatches it up (from between the bars of the big entrance gate) and reads it.

NOTE: "My name is Yuka Kiyoura. I'm here to see Shiori Okumura for tutoring. It's a pleasure to meet you. Please accept this gift from my family."

Aiko looks up and Yuka holds out a box with pastries in it with another big smile.

                Aiko (to herself): "Even Shiori couldn't help this idiot."

Aiko points down to the ground, doesn't open the gate, and doesn't take the present.

Aiko: "Ughhh, Wait here!"

She stomps back into the house.

Aiko (to herself): "I wonder what would happen if I just left her there?"

Aiko: "Shiori, Shiori! You've got some weird little girl here to see you!!!"

Shiori comes down the stairs, looks a lot like teenage Aiko but with shorter hair. In her late teens/early twenties. She takes off her headphones.

Shiori: "Where is she? Didn't you say that my student was here?"

Aiko: "I left her at the gate."

Shiori: "Aiko! You left her outside?! I can't believe you sometimes. That poor little thing, left out there."

Shiori is rushing down the stairs in the big entry hall and towards the door.

Aiko (to herself) "Poor little thing?"

Shiori: "I hope she's still there..."

Aiko: "She's weird and doesn't talk. What's she doing here anyway?"

Shiori races out the door to get Yuka.

Shiori: "She's a prodigy and I'm tutoring her. Be nice!"

Shiori is panting a bit from running out the door and down the driveway/walkway when she gets to the entry gate. She opens the gate for Yuka.

Shiori: "You must be Yuka-chan? I'm so sorry about my stupid little sister. Please come in."

Yuka does a deep bow and presents the box of pastries again.

Shiori: "For us? They look wonderful, please thank your moth... I mean...please thank your sister for me."

Yuka looks up and smiles and takes Shiori's hand as they walk through the gardens. Yuka is entranced by the plans and butterflies and other bugs. The pretty birds, etc... Shiori watches her in her wonderment.

                Shiori (to herself): "God, she's totally adorable."

They enter the house and are in the big main entryway with the giant staircase. The house is big with tall ceilings, chandeliers, expansive expensive objects and paintings everywhere. Yuka is just turning her head, looking all about, staring and blinking in amazement.

Shiori: "Pretty over the top, isn't it? It’s not really my style, either."

They smile and laugh at each other in acknowledgement. Aiko is just watching them from the threshold of another room. She shoots out an evil look when Yuka looks her way, Yuka just smiles back kindly. Aiko huffs and turns and leaves.

SCENE 2:

Out in front of the school. Students are coming in. Yuka (current age-16) is digging in the dirt with a stick, looking for bugs and Aiko is sitting on a bench next to her talking to her.

Aiko: "...is going overseas for a few weeks again for business..."

Hatsue is getting out of the sports car in the background. Girls are screaming, rushing over to get a good look at her and the beautiful male driver (her alleged boyfriend). Hatsue is waving to the girls (mostly first-years) and walking into school, being greeted like a true “idol.”

Girls: "Fujimaki-san!"

Girls: "She's so beautiful."

Girls: "Ahhh! She looked at us!"

Yuka doesn’t notice the hubbub around Hatsue but Aiko follows Hatsue’s movements. Aiko looks back at Yuka. Yuka takes Aiko's hand and places something into it. Aiko laughs. Eriko walks by (a bit rumpled, and with a dark aura) and doesn’t really acknowledge either of them, just head down. She's cut up, bruised, and bandaged again. Her hair is wild and unkempt, her uniform rumpled. There are whispers and comments from the other students as Eriko walks by. Eriko is doing her best to ignore it.

Girl 1: "There's that alien, she just sticks out so much."

Girl 2: "She's so tall and crazy looking. It really is like she's from another planet."

Girl 1: "She could at least buy a brush and do something with that hair."

They're laughing at their own jokes but suddenly an acorn hits one of the girls on the head. She looks around to see where it came from.

Girl 1: "Hey, who did that?"

Aiko is stifling a laugh and trying not to look as pleased as she really is, Yuka is all but rolling on the ground silently laughing. The random girls look over at them and give a scowl. Aiko and Yuka stop laughing and look around too as if it wasn't them. When the girls look away, they start laughing again. Eriko turns back and looks over her shoulder, catching Aiko's eye. Eriko nods her head slightly.

Aiko (to herself): "Maybe she's human after all?"

Yuka smiles at Eriko. Eriko blushes and turns back away. Heart beat sound effects.

Sound effect: "ba-dump, ba-dump

Eriko (to herself): "What is this feeling?”

SCENE 3

Young Aiko (age 6-ish) is reading a picture book on a big expensive couch in a big lush living room. From another room, her mother calls to her.

Honami Okumura(Aiko's mom): "Aiko-chan?, Aiko-chan? Help mommy in the kitchen. We need to get dinner ready for your father."

Aiko: "Okay, I'm coming."

Aiko walks into the huge kitchen and it’s a mess, stuff everywhere, lots and lots of food is already made, way too much for a small family, dirty dishes piled up, mixing bowls, flour on the counters etc...

Aiko: “Where’s M-san? Is she off today?”

Honami: “No, no, I just sent her to do some other work, I felt like doing the cooking today.”

Aiko looks around at all the food.

Aiko: "Is father bringing guests home for dinner?"

Her mom doesn't acknowledge the question. We see the clock and its only 2:30ish in the afternoon.

Honami: "Your father will be home soon, and we must be ready."

We get a montage of the two of them working together, cooking more food. Making a mess, setting things on fire, it's clear that Honami doesn't know how to cook. They survey the results.

Aiko: "Do we have enough now? How many people are coming?"

Honami continues to ignore Aiko's questions, not really paying attention to her.

Honami: "Here, here, help me with this..."

Another montage of them cooking even more. Aiko is looking tired, but Honami is all energetic.

Shiori eventually comes home from school (college), walks into the kitchen.

Shiori: "I'm home. I'm so thirsty, it’s so hot out. My Literature professor just kept droning on and the air conditioning was broken..."

Her jaw drops open when she sees all the food and the mess in the kitchen.

Shiori: "What are you doing? There's no way we need this much food?"

Honami: "Of course we do, don't be silly, your father will be home soon."

Shiori: "mom, remember, he's on a trip for another week. It's just us tonight. How are we going to eat all this? Who are you cooking for?"

Honami just looks at her blankly, then scans around the room at all the food and all the mess. Then she notices the maids and other staff starting to gather in the doorways (whispering to each other a bit). She starts crying and sobbing then turns dark and starts yelling:

Honami: "Get out! Get out! All of you! You can't speak to me that way!"

Then she collapses on the ground sobbing and shaking.

Shiori (calmly): "Aiko, go play outside, I'll help mom."

The staff take Aiko and walk away with her. Shiori goes over to her mom and gently drapes herself over her, holding her, then scoops her up and helps her walk back to her room where Shiori puts her to bed. Aiko is playing outside in the garden as seen through the window of Honami's bedroom.

SCENE 4:

Various scenes of students in class, the school-day passing. Eventually we see Yuka at her desk, at first backlit by the sun through the window, then we see her face clearly, cute and radiant but also distant. She is off dreaming in her own world, staring out the window, not paying attention to the room around her. She is watching the leaves blow on the tree outside, a bird flits and a squirrel runs on a branch, a bee flies into a flower...lots of pastoral type images. We then see Eriko with her head down on her arms on her desk, but turned and looking at Yuka.

Eriko (to herself): “What’s she looking at? She's always staring out the window. What is she thinking? Why doesn't she talk? Why am I thinking about her? What is it about her?”

In the background we hear a voice quietly as if far away from Eriko's current thoughts/reality..

Voice: "Arishima-san?"

Yuka turns to meet Eriko's eyes. Eriko blushes and lowers her head down more on her arm.

Teacher: "Arishima-san! Arishima-san!"

The room breaks out into snickering and stifled laughter. Eriko straightens up to see the teacher standing in front of her desk.

Teacher: "This is becoming a bad habit Arishima-san."

Eriko doesn't say anything, but looks down.

Teacher: "Anyway, you have been paged to the guidance office. Please report there immediately."

There are whispers from the class as Eriko departs the room.

Girl 1: "Why do you think she was called?"

Girl 2: "She must be suspended for fighting again."

Girl 3: "I'm sure she deserves whatever it is."

Aiko watches Eriko leave, then looks at Yuka, but Yuka is back to staring out the window not having paid attention to the others.

More scenes of class with a suggestion that some time is passing. Eriko’s desk is empty. Yuka is at the blackboard doing a complex problem. Students are writing. Etc...

Yuka is looking out the window again. From the vantage point of the window, we see Eriko running out of the school and down towards the street in obvious distress. She stops just as she hits the gate and looks, she has the glint of a tear in her eye. Yuka sees her, but it's unclear whether Eriko can see Yuka through the window. Eriko turns and keeps running out the gate. Yuka puts a hand up against the window pane.

SCENE 5:

Young Aiko (6-ish) is looking around the house, peeking into different large rooms. They're filled with expensive stuff, but there are no people around. The house feels empty. Eventually she hears some voices coming from a room. In it she sees Shiori and young Yuka in a tutoring session. Shiori is explaining some concept from a book...

Shiori: "That's great Yuka-chan, you've got it!"

Yuka is looking up at Shiori with a pleased and angelic smile on her face. Aiko sits down and begins to look through the notebooks and text books. It's all geometry and trig (higher level math than they should be doing at 6 years old).

                Aiko (to herself): "What is this stuff?"

Shiori checks her watch.

Shiori: "Ahhh! look how late it is, I've got to go!. Are you okay getting home by yourself this late Yuka-chan?"

Yuka nods affirmative (still silent, even at this age).

Aiko: "Where are you going?"

Shiori has a devilish grin on her face.

Shiori: "Shhh, don't tell mom or dad."

Shiori gets up, changes her outfit into something nicer and sort of clubby and then prepares to leave Aiko and Yuka together.

Shiori: "Bye bye, great job today Yuka-chan!"

Yuka waves goodbye, then turns and is just sitting there politely staring at Aiko. Aiko just starts giving her an evil look back.

Aiko: "You don't need to stay here, you can just go already."

Yuka nods and gathers up her stuff into a backpack and goes to leave, but stops in the doorway.

Aiko: "What?"

Yuka's face turns red, she starts holding her hands in front of her, squeezing them together, her legs tight together, and she's a bit fidgety (she needs to go to the bathroom).

Aiko: "Sigh. You don't need my permission."

Yuka is just standing there, looking flushed and a bit distressed.

Aiko: "It's down the hall to the right."

Yuka turns and hurries away. While waiting for Yuka to return, Aiko sees a child's drawing on the table, the person in it is labeled "Shiori-sensei." Aiko takes it and folds it up and puts it in her pocket. Yuka comes back to the door looking much relieved.

Aiko: "If you’re done, you can go now."

Yuka just stands there blinking and looking shy, then turns her head both ways and then shrugs.

Aiko: "Don't tell me you haven't figured the way out yet?"

Yuka nods a bit, quite shyly.

Aiko: "Fine, I'll show you out. But for a math genius, you sure have a lot of things you can’t do.”

They walk through hallway after hallway, room after room, in the mansion, down the stairs. No one is around. Just the two little girls in this big, quiet, austere space.

Aiko walks Yuka to the door, Yuka smiles and turns to look at Aiko across the open front door threshold. Aiko shoots her a dirty look and shuts the door in Yuka's face.

Aiko: "Weirdo, why is Shiori wasting her time with her anyway?"

Yuka is looking at the closed door, then she turns, and flits away down the path to the main gate pausing at various gardens along the way, waving to a butterfly, smelling a flower, etc... We see Aiko peek at her from behind a curtain as if curious.

SCENE 6:

Outside on the school grounds. Kids are hanging out eating lunch. More whispers from classmates about Eriko's suspension.

Girl 1: "I heard she was found sleeping with S-sensei!"

Girl 2: "S-Sensei? Eww, he's so gross. That's why there should only be women teachers."

Girl 1: "Do you think that would stop her?"

Girl 3: "Actually, I think she and her gang broke those windows in the chemistry lab."

Girl 2: "Maybe they found out she really is an alien and they sent her back to her planet?”

All girls: "Hahahahahaha...."

We see a bee going from flower to flower. Eventually it makes its way right in front of Yuka's eyes which cross as it hovers near her face.

The framing of the panels backs up to expose Aiko in the distance looking at Yuka (still Yuka is in the foreground, Aiko behind). The framing moves to Aiko's face as she is looking at Yuka, it’s a soft, loving face, like a mother loving on her child. Yuka continues to play in the garden.

Aiko: "Yuka, if you don't eat now, you won't have time." (

She smiles to herself.

Aiko (to herself): "You're always been like this, just like a little kid."

Yuka looks up and turns and smiles at Aiko. Gets up, dusts herself off and skips over to Aiko. Aiko picks ground litter (like leaves and petals) off of Yuka.

Aiko: "I don't know how your sister keeps your uniform clean, look at you."

Aiko starts opening her own bento. Yuka sits down with her lunch on her lap. In the background we have students continuing to whisper about Eriko.

Girl 1: "Maybe Arishima-san slept with more than one teacher!"

Girl 2: "Do you think she'll be expelled?"

Girl 1: "They don't expel aliens, they lock them in a lab and dissect them"

Both girls: "hahahahahaha"

Yuka just looks up at the classroom window, there is no one there. We see a flashback to the look in Eriko's face as she was leaving the school grounds the day before. We see inside the classroom now, kids eating lunch inside in groups, Eriko's empty desk, no bag on its side. Aiko looks and sees the worry and concern in Yuka's face.

Aiko: "Yuka, you’re thinking about her, aren’t you?”

Yuka nods 'yes' with a little nod.

Aiko: “Well, there's nothing you can do for her. I don't even know why you let her get to you. You don't even know her."

Yuka is sort of ignoring Aiko and eating but in a depressed sort of way.

Aiko: "Just forget that delinquent, you don't even know what happened to her, maybe she really did do something terrible. Maybe she had this coming?"

Yuka turns and gives Aiko a stern look. More comments about Eriko in the background:

Girl 2: "Someone said they saw her sleeping on the street the other night."

Girl 1: "Do you think she's a prostitute?"

Yuka is shocked and angry at hearing this and goes to get up. Aiko puts a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

Aiko: "You don't know anything about her, don't be so quick to defend her!"

Yuka just grabs Aiko's hand, throws it off her shoulder, pushes her lunch at Aiko to hold, and walks back to the garden and is aimlessly and angrily digging in the ground with a stick, sulking. The bell sounds. Yuka doesn't move.

Aiko: "It's time to go in..."

Yuka still doesn't move, doesn't look at Aiko (intentionally); she’s got a determined, obstinate face on.

Aiko (to herself): “Is she really that mad about what those girls said? Is she angry at me?”

Aiko: "I'll see you back in there then. Don't be late."

Aiko gets up and leaves. People file in to school from the courtyard. Yuka is all alone outside, crouched small in the large yard which is silent now. She gets up, dusts herself off, and leaves the school grounds through the front gate.

We pan up to see Aiko looking out the classroom window. The framing switches to Aiko's point of view and we see Yuka leaving the school gate. But unlike Eriko, Yuka doesn't turn back to look up at the window. Aiko remembers the feeling of Yuka's hand angrily forcing Aiko's hand off her shoulder and the look in Yuka's eyes of anger.

Aiko (to herself): “Dammit."

SCENE 7:

Aiko's family mansion. Young Aiko (6-ish) is yelling in the house.

 Aiko: "Shioriiiiiiiii, Shioriiiiiii? See what I made!?"

Aiko is looking around for Shiori, rounds a corner and goes into Shiori's room and see's young Yuka there playing cards with Shiori. Her face falls and gets stern.

Aiko: "Oh, you're here?"

Shiori: "Yuka-chan and I were just getting ready to start another study session."

Aiko: "It doesn't look like that!"

Shiori: "Do you want to join us?"

Aiko goes in and sits down at the table in Shiori's room. She's silent but huffy, but still goes in.

Shiori: "I'll get us some tea and snacks, I'll be right back."

Aiko watches Shiori leave, then turns and gives a scowling look to Yuka.

Aiko: "You shouldn't be taking up her time. She has better things to do. And you're not even studying, you're just playing around!"

Yuka just blinks. Then hands some cards to Aiko. Then she gives Aiko a big smile. Aiko bats them away, scattering them around.

Aiko: "What's your problem? You really are a stupid idiot! No wonder you need Shiori to tutor you. You can't talk, you're too dumb to learn on your own, and you're in my house! Just...Just get out!”

Aiko has said this as Shiori is walking in. Shiori overhears this last statement. A tear forms in Yuka's eye. She gets up, bows and runs out of the room past Shiori in the doorway.

Shiori: "Aiko!"

Aiko: "What? It's the truth. You spend all your time with her!"

Shiori sets the tray on the table.

Shiori: "Stay right here, I'll be back to deal with you."

Shiori runs after Yuka. She tries to chase her down.

Suzu: "Yuka-chan! Yuka-chan!"

She can't catch up and the big front door to the house is open, the gate at the end of the garden path is open, and Yuka is nowhere to be found. Shiori sighs and turns around to see Aiko standing behind her. Shiori walks past Aiko back into the house.

Shiori: "She's gone."

Aiko: "At least she remembered the way out this time."

Shiori: "That girl has nothing and you treat her that way?"

Aiko: "What do you mean she has nothing?"

Shiori: "She has no mom or dad, she lives with her sister on their own, she can't talk, but she's a genius, and all I'm trying to do is help her be the best at the one thing she does have."

Aiko: "well...well...it's not like I really have a mom or dad either!"

Shiori goes from mad and stern, to understanding, her facial expression softening at Aiko's remark.

Shiori: "Oh Aiko. I know how hard things have been around here with mom like she is, and dad’s work and everything, but we'll get through it."

Aiko starts to cry.

Aiko: "But you're going to leave with that boy. I know it. And now that stupid girl is taking all your time. What am I going to do when you're gone?"

Shiori kneels down and hugs Aiko tightly. Aiko's face is shocked at first, but relaxes and she closes her eyes and puts her arms around Shiori too.

Shiori: I'll always be your sister, and we have so much to be thankful for, you'll always be taken care of. She's got nothing, no money and no parents. But you're my sister and I love you. That's something no one else can ever have."

(to be continued...)