DARKNESS
SUPERIMPOSE: Summer 1996
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - NIGHT
A GIRL is sleeping in her HOSPITAL BED.
GIRL (V.O.)
My health was never particularly
good, come to think of it ...
EXT. SCHOOLYARD
There are children running around, playing on the playground
equipment.
GIRL (CONT'D)
But I was able to attend primary
school like anyone else - in the
summer I'd play until I was burned
through and through ...
INT. SCHOOL CLASSROOM
A GIRL, twelve years of age or so, sits at a desk by the
window, looking out.
GIRL (CONT'D)
It was June, just after I had
entered middle school. It was just
before the midterm tests.
EXT. SCHOOLYARD
The GIRL, behind a window, looks longingly outwards.
GIRL (CONT'D)
It was the day after I ordered a
swimsuit for the summer. That was
the first day I'd been admitted to
the hospital.
EXT. CLOUDS AND RAIN
Looking UPWARDS at the falling rain.
GIRL (CONT'D)
It was a cold, unpleasant, drizzly
day.
INT. HOSPITAL BED
The same GIRL is lying on top of a HOSPITAL BED clad only in
her pyjamas. She has a WHITE BRACELET on her wrist.
GIRL (CONT'D)
Shrouded by the rainy sky - murky,
white, and damp.
The GIRL turns to look at the DOORWAY, and sits up. Several
GIRLS enter, brandishing boquets, chocolates, etc. They begin
conversing.
GIRL (CONT'D)
At first my classmates came to see
me - almost every day. When I was
out of the hospital, they'd come
and play on the weekends too. But
that was only at first.
EXT. TREES - AUTUMN
It is clearly AUTUMN now and the leaves on the TREES are red
and brown.
GIRL (CONT'D)
Autumn came ...
WIPE TO:
EXT. TREES - WINTER
It is WINTER now - the trees have no leaves and there is a
light dusting of snow on them.
GIRL (CONT'D)
... And passed into winter. I was
admitted and discharged, went in
for tests, was re-admitted ...
There were people in my class that
I had called my friends - but
before I realized what was
happening, they were merely
acquaintances - and then ...
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM
The GIRL is looking out the window once more, from the
vantage point of her bed.
EXT. STREET - GIRL'S POV
The GIRL watches a crowd of PEOPLE walking on the street
across from her window.
GIRL (CONT'D)
Then they were strangers. With each
change of the seasons I had faded
from more and more memories.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM
GIRL
I suppose they ... don't like
seeing me like this. If you've got
a normal life you wouldn't want
someone like me in it.
EXT. STREET - GIRL'S POV
GIRL
So they blank me out ...
EXT. HOSPITAL
The camera is looking at the SEVENTH FLOOR.
GIRL
I've passed all these seasons under
that white overcast sky, without
needing to speak to anyone ...
CLOSE UP: TEXTBOOK ON A DESK.
GIRL
My English textbook is untouched
from the first-year midterms ...
PAN UP TO:
INT. BEDROOM
The GIRL, looking at the textbook, sighs as she leaves the
room.
GIRL
As though ... Even time had stopped
for me ...
OPENING CREDITS ROLL
DARKNESS
SUPERIMPOSE: Early Summer 2004
EXT. CLOUDS
It is sunny.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
It was summer. The season of sweat.
EXT. BUILDING
There is a giant DISPLAY BOARD outside of the BUILDING.
NARRATOR
We were all staring at the display
board intently.
EXT. DISPLAY BOARD
This is a Japanese style test scoring board - rows of numbers
are printed on it, each with a light beside it.
NARRATOR
The test centre was pretty up to
date - the display was
computerized.
The DISPLAY BOARD begins to flicker to life.
NARRATOR
The lights on it - our indicators
of success - began to spring to
life. We were each watching for our
own number.
CLOSE UP: BOY IN CROWD
BOY
237 ... 237 ...
EXT. DISPLAY BOARD - DAY
The CROWD is composed mainly of twentysomething people - all
gazing intently at the DISPLAY BOARD. Some people begin to
leave now, smiles on their faces, and enter the BUILDING.
NARRATOR
About 80% of the lights came on.
Mine was among them.
INT. TRAIN CARRIAGE - DAY
The TRAIN CARRIAGE is almost empty. The BOY from the CROWD
earlier is sitting on a seat, holding a BOOK.
NARRATOR
I took the train home. It was a
quiet time of day - all you could
hear was the rattling of the train
car as it swayed.
CLOSE UP: BOOK
This BOOK is marked 'HIGHWAY CODE'.
NARRATOR
In my lap there was a brand new
copy of the Highway Code. In my
breast pocket there was a brand new
license.
INT. TRAIN CARRIAGE
BOY
So now I'm a driver, too ...
It becomes apparent by now that the BOY is the NARRATOR.
BOY (V.O.)
I tried to whisper it as if it were
a profound thing, but it really
didn't excite me all that much. I
hadn't particularly wanted to be
able to drive. I had no other
motive for taking the test - except
maybe peer pressure, I guess.
EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT
BOY (V.O.)
I told my parents I had got my
license.
INT. DINING ROOM
The BOY sits here with his FAMILY - his FATHER, MOTHER, and
younger SISTER.
BOY (V.O.)
All they said was, 'well done.' I
tried to borrow the car - just to
see what would happen - but all I
got was a simple 'no'. I guess
that's just the kind of people my
parents are.
INT. BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING
The BOY lies in bed groaning. He clutches his CHEST.
BOY (V.O.)
The next day I woke up with
excruciating chest pain.
EXT. AMBULANCE LIGHTS
BOY (V.O.)
Bad enough that I had to be taken
to the hospital.
EXT. HOSPITAL
This is the same HOSPITAL that the GIRL is in.
BOY (V.O.)
I wasn't particularly fond of the
hospital. There was a long wait.
Longer than I had expected.
INT. HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM
The BOY sits in a chair. He looks like he's about to fall
asleep.
The BOY'S FATHER is discussing something with the TRIAGE
NURSE. They both look at the BOY.
BOY (V.O.)
When at last they had seemed to
have straightened up - I had been
getting ready to go. But it turned
out that I was going ... being
taken for X-rays and blood tests.
INT. HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM
The BOY, FATHER and a NURSE enter from one of the doors
leading into the hospital. The NURSE turns and begins talking
to the TRIAGE NURSE, who gradually begins to look more
worried.
The BOY and FATHER sit down. Everyone in the BOY'S FAMILY
looks anxious.
INT. HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM - NIGHT
The BOY and FATHER sit here. The BOY, looking bored, puts
down a magazine.
BOY (V.O.)
I had read almost all of the
magazines in the waiting room that
day. Just as I reached for another
...
MEDIUM SHOT: BOY, FATHER SITTING DOWN
A NURSE comes and says something to the BOY. He rises from
his seat and begins following her through a door leading
deeper to the hospital.
BOY (V.O.)
... They came and took me away.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAYS
The BOY walks along with the NURSE.
BOY (V.O.)
My brand new driving licence was
still in my pocket.
The BOY fishes out his LICENSE from his pocket and looks at
it.
BOY
Looks like I'm not going to get a
chance to use this just yet ...
FADE TO:
DARKNESS
SUPERIMPOSE: Autumn 2004
BOY (V.O.)
It was about the time of year when
the cicadas finally start to shut
up.
EXT. HOSPITAL
BOY (V.O.)
I was in hospital, as usual.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM
The BOY sits in a HOSPITAL BED, reading a MAGAZINE. He is
wearing pyjamas and has a BLUE WRISTBAND.
BOY (V.O.)
Oh, I hadn't been in there all
summer. I'd been in and out, back
and forth. I'd had my first
operation the previous month.
They'd discharged me afterwards but
I still came in a lot. Luckily it's
only a five minute walk.
A NURSE enters, and gives the BOY a glass of water and two
pills.
BOY (V.O.)
And so the cycle continued:
admission, discharge, tests,
readmission, and on, and on ...
Whether it was for PET scans or
Iressa treatment, I don't know -
but before I knew it the cycle had
been going on for months.
The BOY has a drink and swallows both the pills.
He thanks the NURSE, who exits the room.
The BOY gazes out of the window ...
BOY (V.O.)
My appetite shrank, while the
number of medications I'd been
expected to take just kept growing.
I felt like I could see myself
weakening. Even my legs seemed to
wither ...
EXT. HOSPITAL
The camera is on the FOURTH FLOOR. The BOY is looking out ...
BOY (V.O.)
It wasn't my imagination. I could
weigh myself and the scale would
not lie. And yet ... Somehow it
didn't really seem all that
personal.
It was like I was watching it
happen to someone else. Like it was
a scene from a drama on TV.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM
The BOY resumes reading his MAGAZINE. He looks slightly pale.
BOY (V.O.)
I was unable to understand what was
happening to my body all of a
sudden. I hadn't even grasped the
fact the changes were real. So -
personal as it may be - I still
watched it from my disinterested,
detached position.
DARKNESS
SUPERIMPOSE: Winter 2004
BOY (V.O.)
It was a winter's day. The time of
year when Christmas is just winding
down.
They let me go home for New Year's.
EXT. HOUSE - EVENING
It is pouring rain.
BOY (V.O.)
I arrived home amidst pouring rain.
EXT. ROAD
The ROAD in front of the HOUSE. A SILVER COUPE pulls up. The
FATHER and BOY exit, dashing for the cover of the HOUSE.
INT. DINING ROOM
The BOY and FAMILY are here. The FAMILY seem weary and have
somewhat strained looks on their faces.
BOY (V.O.)
My parents had always seemed quiet
and aloof. Today they greeted me
with smiles and laughter, even if
it seemed forced. Even my sister -
who normally has nothing to do with
me - had made me my favorite stew.
The BOY picks up a tangerine and begins peeling it.
BOY (V.O.)
We sat around the table, peeling
tangerines. I was touched to be
surrounded by such kindness.
The BOY stops peeling his tangerine. A thought has just
struck him.
BOY (V.O.)
Just then I began to realize.
The BOY fishes around in his pockets and pulls out his
LICENSE.
BOY (V.O.)
I probably wasn't going to get much
use out of this.
The BOY stares at it.
BOY (V.O.)
That's what I thought, as the
forced smiles and cheer washed over
me. That's all I thought, in the
same calm, detached way I had been
thinking about this whole affair.
DARKNESS
SUPERIMPOSE: January 2005
BOY (V.O.)
I returned to the hospital in the
new year.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAYS
The BOY and FATHER walk along with a DOCTOR.
BOY (V.O.)
For once I didn't return straight
to the fourth floor. Instead I went
... I was taken to a different room
- a discussion room.
The BOY, FATHER, and DOCTOR enter a discussion room.
INT. HOSPITAL DISCUSSION ROOM
The BOY and FATHER are seated on chairs around a small
rectangular table. The DOCTOR is opposite them. He is
discussing something with the FATHER.
BOY (V.O.)
My father was with me - and there
was a doctor too - and they both
talked with me. Or rather at me. I
listened. Was made to listen.
It turns out that this was what
they called 'disclosure'. The
doctor took a long time to explain
everything - and used lots of
medical jargon and long words in
the process too. But all it came
down to was that I was going to
die.
BOY
I see ...
The FATHER and DOCTOR look somewhat saddened. The BOY is
indifferent.
The FATHER and DOCTOR resume talking. The DOCTOR produces
documents - the FATHER and DOCTOR discuss them, with the
FATHER signing one every so often.
BOY (V.O.)
This was my only reply. I had no
other words for the whole session.
The doctor and my fother were
locked into business mode.
BOY
(muttering)
... So it's this simple ...
BOY (V.O.)
That was the only thought I had
about this.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAYS
The BOY, FATHER, DOCTOR all walk through the hallways. The
DOCTOR has a BUNDLE OF DOCUMENTS in his hands.
BOY (V.O.)
That day I was transferred from the
fourth floor to the seventh - and
from a six-bed ward to a private
room.
The BOY and train enter an ELEVATOR.
INT. ELEVATOR
The DOCTOR pushes the button for the SEVENTH FLOOR.
After a short while, the doors open ...
INT. HALLWAYS OF 7F
The HALLWAYS are clean - the floors are well polished and the
ceiling is high.
A NURSE greets the DOCTOR - the DOCTOR, BOY, etc. exit the
ELEVATOR.
BOY (V.O.)
First of all, the floors were
spotless. Secondly, the ceiling was
higher than the other ones.
The NURSE shows the BOY and FATHER the room the BOY is to
stay in.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM
There is a large BED with plain bedsheets, a PAINTING on the
wall, a POTTED PLANT or two, and a gigantic WINDOW. There is
also a TABLE by the wall.
BOY (V.O.)
The rooms were very nice, and they
had large windows. The sunlight
streamed in through them as if they
were designed for it.
The BOY tries to open the window - a safety latch, anchored
firmly in place, stops it after 15 centimetres of movement.
BOY (V.O.)
But the windows only opened a
little ... I tested them out.
They'd only open enough to stick my
head through.
The BOY retreats to his BED - sitting with his back againt
the wall, he seems thoughtful.
BOY (V.O.)
The colour of my ID bracelet had
changed as well.
The BOY looks at his wrist - a WHITE BRACELET is there.
CLOSE UP: WHITE ID BRACELET
BOY (V.O.)
The bracelet I'd worn from my first
admission onwards - the one that
had my name and my blood type ...
The BOY looks at his BRACELET.
BOY
It's white now, huh ...
EXT. HOSPITAL
The camera is on the SEVENTH FLOOR. The BOY looks out from
the window...
BOY (V.O.)
A high ceiling, a white bracelet,
and a window that barely opens at
all ...
INT. HOSPITAL LOUNGE
A fairly bland room. Several round tables each have a few
chairs. There's a couch in the back.
There are some narcissi (daffodils) on the windowsill.
There is a TELEVISION here - a boring holiday special is
playing.
BOY (V.O.)
The TV programs celebrating the new
year were still going on when I had
come ... Was transferred to the
seventh floor.
PAN OUT to reveal the GIRL, watching the TV disinterestedly.
BOY (V.O.)
Come to think of it, that's how I
ended up meeting her ...
DARKNESS
SUPERIMPOSE: Winter 2005 - 7F
BOY (V.O.)
There was this place - kind of like
a lounge - across from the nurses'
office.
INT. HOSPITAL LOUNGE
BOY (V.O.)
This generally deserted place had a
few chairs, a couch, and a TV. A
large one at that.
The TELEVISION here is displaying a meaningless holiday
program.
BOY (V.O.)
Stupid programs commemorating the
new year were still being
broadcast.
The GIRL, sitting in a chair, stares disinterestedly at the
TV.
BOY (V.O.)
And ... There was a girl who looked
absolutely bored watching the
absolutely boring TV. Short. In
pink pyjamas. With a white bracelet
on her wrist ... Just like me.
Impressively long hair that almost
reached her hips.
The BOY stands at the entrance door to the LOUNGE. The GIRL
takes no notice of him, her face affixed to the screen.
BOY
Hey ... Do you find that
interesting?
BOY (V.O.)
There was no real purpose in asking
- I had nothing else to do.
GIRL
Not really ...
The GIRL pays no heed to the BOY at the door.
BOY (V.O.)
And she kept staring at the TV like
I didn't exist.
BOY
(mumbling)
... Then don't watch it ...
The BOY walks over and sits beside the GIRL. She still
ignores him.
BOY (V.O.)
Side by side, we watched TV. There
was nothing else to do. Nothing we
could do.
The TELEVISION blathers on.
BOY (V.O.)
New Years' programs. A useless
selection of comedians and other
oddities. Every so often the
laughter of the host would resound
dryly in the lounge.
GIRL
Say ... Tell me ...
The GIRL still makes no eye contact.
GIRL
... How many times is it for you
now?
BOY
What do you mean?
GIRL
How many times have you come here?
... To the seventh floor?
BOY
Sorry. I can't tell what you're
talking about.
GIRL
I see ... It's your first, then.
The GIRL pauses.
GIRL (CONT'D)
Since there's nobody else around
... And since it's my duty ...
BOY
Duty?
GIRL
There's this rule here ... Someone
here has to tell newcomers the
truth.
BOY (V.O.)
I knew nothing. I understood even
less. As if I didn't exist ... She
began her speech.
GIRL
Then listen closely ...
BOY (V.O.)
In her methodical, mechanical tone,
she explained to me. It was
different from what the doctors had
told me. In their crisp,
businesslike voices they had said:
INT. HOSPITAL DISCUSSION ROOM
The BOY and FATHER sit here. A DOCTOR sits across.
Documents are strewn over the table.
DOCTOR
The seventh floor is where you will
go to wait for advances in medical
care. It's a place where one can
heal one's heart.
BOY (V.O.)
Perhaps they were correct in a
general sense.
INT. HOSPITAL LOUNGE
BOY (V.O.)
But, according to the girl, that's
just what the doctors said.
GIRL
This place ... The seventh floor ..
Is the only place in the hospital
where medical treatments don't take
place. It's just a place where ...
You wait for your life to run out.
BOY (V.O.)
Those were her words to me. I'd
thought so as well. I'd felt it
even before she'd spoken.
GIRL
See, it's my second time here ...
BOY
Second time?
GIRL
Coming here. To the seventh floor.
Nobody on 7F stays here from
hospitalization until death.
BOY (V.O.)
While there was zero possibility
that you'd be cured - you were sent
home if you were stable. But when
it worsened again you were brought
back.
GIRL
... That cycle only ends in death.
Whether it's at home or on the
seventh floor, you are going to
die. No way to escape it.
The GIRL pauses. She is still not looking at the BOY.
GIRL
I'm only going to say this once ...
So listen closely now ...
BOY (V.O.)
She continued speaking, string at
the TV screen all the while. This
wasn't idle chit-chat about lights
out time or where the kitchen was
or anything. This was completely
diffrent.
GIRL
The third time you're discharged
... Resign yourself. There is never
a fourth time. You'll never go home
again. If you ever want to escape,
go to the farthest train station.
Eat nothing. That is the simplest
shortcut. You'll be less of a
burden that way ...
BOY (V.O.)
It was if she was packed to the
brim with matters like those. This
was probably an oral tradition ...
Relevant only to those doomed to
die ... And kept by those who came
for that purpose.
BOY
Is this the duty you were talking
about?
GIRL
Yes. That's right. Do remember to
perform it for a newcomer someday.
The GIRL stands up, tosses her hair, and takes steps towards
the exit.
GIRL
I have to go get my temperature
measured, so ...
The GIRL turns her back and exits.
BOY (V.O.)
In the end, she didn't look at me
once.
DARKNESS
SUPERIMPOSE: January 10, 2005 - 7F
BOY (V.O.)
New year celebrations had ended and
the students were beginning a new
term ... And just as ever ...
INT. HOSPITAL LOUNGE - AFTERNOON
The BOY and GIRL sit here, watching TV. The windows are open
a bit.
BOY (V.O.)
She and I sat in the lounge,
watching TV.
BOY
Kind of boring...
GIRL
So it is.
The BOY and GIRL both keep their eyes on the screen.
BOY
Is this place always like this?
GIRL
What are you getting at?
BOY
I'm getting at how it's always
deserted.
BOY (V.O.)
Other than the doctors, nurses, and
staff, and other than her, I hadn't
seen another person.
BOY
Did everyone go home for the new
year?
GIRL
Do you really want to know?
BOY
Uh ... Well.. I didn't mean ..
GIRL
Then I won't tell you.
BOY (V.O.)
We disinterestedly tossed back and
forth this exchange. It didn't
qualify as conversation. From time
to time, the breeze would make her
hair sway, and as if in agreement
the flowers on the windowsill did
too. This is how we wasted day
after day ... Staring at that
boruing TV.
There are FOOTSTEPS from the hall.
NURSE
Oh. Here you two are.
BOY (V.O.)
From what I'd seen, she was the
nurse in charge of the seventh
floor.
NURSE
Well, Miss Setsumi, any fever?
GIRL
I'm fine.
BOY (V.O.)
... Setsumi. So that was her name.
NURSE
You really shouldn't be moving
around like this.
SETSUMI doesn't care.
NURSE
Don't you understand? You're making
everyone worried.
GIRL
Well, whatever ...
NURSE
What kind of an answer is that?
Children these days ...
BOY (V.O.)
The nurse continued to scold and
pick at her for a while. And the
girl ... The girl named Setsumi ..
Didn't even notice at all. She just
kept staring at the screen.
NURSE
I'll be coming later to draw some
blood, okay?
The NURSE leaves the doorway.
BOY
Hey, you know ... mind if I call
you Setsumi?
The BOY looks at her BRACELET - it's WHITE, and has 'Setsumi'
and 'Blood type: O' written across it.
SETSUMI sighs.
BOY
Is something wrong? Setsumi?
SETSUMI
Why are you calling me that?
BOY
Hm?
SETSUMI
You're younger than me ...
BOY
Wait. I'm not younger than you.
SETSUMI
Never mind. It's just what I
thought.
BOY (V.O.)
It wasn't that I was offended that
she called me 'younger' than her -
it was just that it looked that I
was five or six years older than
she was.
The BOY takes out his LICENCE and hands it to SETSUMI.
BOY
I may not seem it, but I'm 20 years
old.
SETSUMI makes an indifferent sound.
SETSUMI
You're younger after all ...
SETSUMI glances at the LICENSE and hands it back.
BOY
I don't really get what you're
saying.
SETSUMI
It doesn't matter ... I'm just a
little older than you, that's all.
BOY (V.O.)
Her eyes were fixed on that TV, but
it looked like she was looking at
something far away ...
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - MORNING
A NURSE is just exiting. The BOY, sitting atop his bed in
pyjamas, picks up a BOOK and begins leafing through it.
BOY (V.O.)
After my morning checkup the next
day ...
The BOY waits a bit and gets up. He leaves the room. A look
of concentration is on his face.
INT. HALLWAYS OF 7F
The BOY walks into the open ELEVATOR at the end of a hallway.
BOY (V.O.)
I snuck past the nurses and went
into the elevator.
He pushes the button for the FIRST FLOOR.
BOY (V.O.)
When I got to ground level I went
out the outpatient doors and walked
out of the hospital.
EXT. HOSPITAL PARKING LOT - MORNING
BOY (V.O.)
My goal was the farthest train
station I could get to. It wasn't
that I wanted to escape ...
BOY
At the seventh floor or home, none
of us die anywhere else, huh...
The BOY begins walking. People passing him by take no heed of
him, even clad in pyjamas.
BOY (V.O.)
That's what I'd been told. And this
station, to which this girl called
Setsumi had been to many times ...
At least, just once, I wanted to
see this place with my own eyes.
BOY
It's not as if there's going to be
a guard on duty.
BOY (V.O.)
Even so, we were inhabitants of the
seventh floor.
Different from everyone else. And,
thinking of vague maybes, I headed
towards that station. My legs
settled into a lazy pattern as I
glanced at the people going to
school or work.
EXT. SUBWAY STATION - MORNING
The BOY is standing in front of the station. People bustle in
and out of the station.
BOY (V.O.)
After maybe 25 minutes, or 4 bus
stops as I calculated, I made it to
the station.
BOY
Wow. Lots of people.
BOY (V.O.)
I stood out a bit 'cause I was in
pyjamas ... But I felt if I could
get a ticket I'd be able to go
anywhere. No questions asked. I
still had no idea why I was told to
go to the farthest staion.
BOY
Looks like I could escape if I
really wanted.
BOY (V.O.)
She must have come here many times
herself ... But why was she still
on 7F?
The BOY stares at the station.
BOY (V.O.)
I stood there, thinking about it,
as these people passed me by.
INT. HALLWAYS OF 7F - NIGHT
The hallways are dark - it's passed lights-out time.
The BOY wanders aimlessly.
BOY (V.O.)
That night. Bored of reading and
unable to sleep, I wandered the
hospital alone. Certainly it wasn't
supposed to happen after lights-out
- but we on 7F had a particular ...
Liberty.
The BOY walks into an OPEN DOOR marked with 'Hospital
Lounge'.
INT. HOSPITAL LOUNGE - NIGHT
SETSUMI sits at a chair, looking out of a barely open window.
BOY (V.O.)
That's where I found her.
The BOY stands in the doorway.
BOY
You've been looking outside today?
SETSUMI
... Mmm.
SETSUMI still stares out the window. Her eyes are unfocused
on anything.
The BOY sits down at a nearby table and looks at the ceiling.
BOY
I went to the station today. The
farthest one, just like you taught
me.
SETSUMI
I see.
BOY (V.O.)
Her response never changed. I
thought that since she'd been there
too ... But now I thought about it,
did the fact that she was here ...
Mean she didn't want to escape in
the first place?
SETSUMI
I'm going to be ... Going home
soon.
The BOY is a bit shocked. He turns to look at her.
BOY
What?
SETSUMI
... That makes next time my third
... We may not see each other
again.
BOY
I guess so.
BOY (V.O.)
She was probably getting a
temporary discharge. And since
nobody was discharged more than
three times ...
SETSUMI
Oh. Which one have you decided on?
BOY
Decided?
SETSUMI
Where you're going to die ...
There's an eerie SILENCE in the room for a bit.
BOY (V.O.)
When that word, 'die', came up so
abruptly I was at a loss for words.
The BOY hangs his head. He seems indiffrent.
BOY
I don't know ... Haven't thought
about it, really.
SETSUMI
Well ... It is your first time,
after all.
BOY (V.O.)
It wasn't as if I was going to
exist here forever. Just like
everyone else, I'd be admitted and
discharged, grow weak, and finally
... I'd have to choose in the end:
Here on the seventh floor, or at
home surrounded by forced smiles.
SETSUMI
I ... Don't want to die at home.
But I don't want to die here either
...
BOY
What are you going to do?
SETSUMI sighs. She still makes no eye contact.
SETSUMI
I guess ... The only thing ... Is
to go somewhere ... While I still
have the strength ...
BOY
Somewhere? You can't be ...
BOY (V.O.)
This girl, staying here on 7F,
could have escaped any time she
wanted. When I thought of that ...
BOY
... Do you have any other place to
go?
SETSUMI
Do you ... Want to stop me?
BOY
What?
SETSUMI
Or do you want to come with me?
BOY
That wasn't really what I was
thinking about ...
SETSUMI
Then... Don't ask ...
BOY (V.O.)
She was staring out the window as
she spoke. Dispassionate. Not
looking at me once ... The same as
ever. But then and just then ...
her usual expressionless face
looked sad to me.
SETSUMI and the BOY both look out the window.
BOY (V.O.)
I was a newcomer to 7F, taught that
your third discharge was your last.
She was a girl soon to be
discharged for the second time. I
still didn't feel that any of this
was real ... But would I, too, come
to wear a face like hers someday?
INT. HOSPITAL LOUNGE - MORNING
There is rain pouring down outside.
The BOY sits in a chair, watching the TELEVISION once more.
BOY (V.O.)
The rain at morning twilight.
Sometimes sleet, sometimes snow,
but always coming down. And there I
was, sitting, watching TV. The
seventh floor felt desolate as
always.
SETSUMI appears at the door.
SETSUMI
Anything interesting?
BOY
Completely boring.
SETSUMI walks over and sits down beside the BOY.
BOY (V.O.)
She was probably in the same boat
as me - nothing else to do. Nothing
else we could do.
SETSUMI is a little startled by something onscreen.
SETSUMI
Oh.
BOY (V.O.)
I had never seen her respond to the
TV before.
BOY
Is something wrong?
SETSUMI
... Not really ...
BOY (V.O.)
Those were her usual words, but her
response was anything but usual. I
looked at the screen - interested
in what could move her so.
EXT. FIELD
There is a FIELD onscreen - there are rolling HILLS covered
in trees, grasses, and flowers. There are a lot of NARCISSI.
BOY (V.O.)
I remembered those flowers from
somewhere - they were the flowers
adorning the windowsill.
BOY
(to himself)
Are those the same flowers?
The BOY looks at the vase of NARCISSI on the windowsill.
SETSUMI
No.
BOY
Oh?
SETSUMI
They're the same variety, but not
strictly the same.
SETSUMI glances at the NARCISSI on the windowsill. She
resumes watching TELEVISION.
BOY (V.O.)
She told me they were different -
but I couldn't see the distinction,
really. And it meant nothing to me
whether they were the same or
different. What did mean something
was that Setsumi usually never
spoke more than one or two words.
She was conversing in rare form
today ...
BOY
Do you happen to know a lot about
them? Flowers, that is.
SETSUMI
Not really.
BOY
Really? I can't see the difference.
BOY (V.O.)
The flowers onscreen - and the
flowers in the vase beside her - I
continued to talk as I stared
vacantly at the two.
BOY
Are those orchids or lilies?
SETSUMI is silent.
BOY
They're pure white, right?
SETSUMI is still silent.
BOY (V.O.)
I had no interest - but I still
kept trying to make her talk. But
... She slipped back into silence
soon enough.
SETSUMI still stares at the screen. The BOY continues looking
at the vase of NARCISSI.
BOY (V.O.)
Just when I'd become resigned to
the fact that she'd not say
anything more ...
SETSUMI
(quietly)
... narcissus ...
BOY
Hm?
SETSUMI
They're narcissus.
SETSUMI, for the first time, turns to face the BOY. She point
at the screen and looks at the BOY.
BOY (V.O.)
As she answered ... She turned to
face me for the first time. Her ID
bracelet was white. Her skin was
white. Just like the flowers
onscreen ... And I swore I could
see a tiny smile ...
DARKNESS
SUPERIMPOSE: January 16, 2005 - 7F
BOY (V.O.)
A few days later, plunging further
into the depths of winter. During
this time - the time the rest of
the world called 'exams' - we were
sitting watching TV, the same as
ever.
INT. HOSPITAL LOUNGE - DAY
The BOY and SETSUMI sit, watching TV.
BOY
This is boring.
SETSUMI
So it is.
SETSUMI and the BOY don't avert their gaze from the screen.
BOY (V.O.)
This exchange that could not be
called a conversation. We'd spent
all our days in this fashion -
killing time without meaning or
purpose.
BOY
Speaking of which - when is it for
you?
SETSUMI
Today.
BOY
Today, huh ...
BOY (V.O.)
That word, that 'today' - it was
the temporary discharge she'd
alluded to earlier.
SETSUMI
So ... We may not see each other
again ...
BOY
I guess that's true...
BOY (V.O.)
Even if she was readmitted to 7F -
it would be her last time. And in
that time, I'd probably be
discharged and readmitted myself.
It didn't seem likely that things
would line up so we'd see each
other again.
SETSUMI
Have you decided yet?
BOY
Where I'm going to die?
SETSUMI
Mm.
BOY
No, not yet ...
SETSUMI
I see.
SETSUMI nods.
BOY (V.O.)
I still felt nothing about the
whole situation, and the doctors
hadn't told me about my first
discharge yet. Come to think of it
... I wondered what her decision
was ...
FOOTSTEPS from the hallway.
A WOMAN appears at the doorway.
WOMAN
Setsumi, everything's set.
The WOMAN nods at the BOY.
WOMAN
We'll be leaving soon, but are you
ready?
SETSUMI
Yes.
WOMAN
Have a nice day, sir.
The WOMAN nods at the BOY again and turns to leave. She
extends her hand to SETSUMI.
SETSUMI doesn't move. The WOMAN walks over and grasps
SETSUMI's hand.
WOMAN
Is something wrong, Setsumi?
SETSUMI
It hurts ... A little ...
The WOMAN is clearly worried by this.
WOMAN
What? Where? Your chest, your
abdomen?
SETSUMI
My ... Chest ...
WOMAN
(shocked)
S-stay right here. I'll get the
doctors right away ...
The WOMAN rushes out.
BOY (V.O.)
She took off. In a sprint. To the
nurses' station, no doubt. There
were two things left in this place:
me and her. Both in chairs. I
didn't know a thing about her
disease or its status. The only
things I did know were courtesy of
her bracelet: Her name was Setsumi,
and her blood type was O. But we
were inhabitants of the seventh
floor - and she was older than me,
if just by a little.
BOY
Hey, do you want to lie down over
there for a bit?
The BOY gestures to the COUCH.
BOY
It'll support your back ...
SETSUMI doesn't move.
SETSUMI
Doesn't matter. I'm fine now.
SETSUMI stands and exits.
BOY
Hey, wait ...
BOY
(to himself)
Don't do anything foolish.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - NIGHT
The BOY lies in bed, trying to sleep.
BOY (V.O.)
Nightfall. After lights-out.
The BOY gets out of bed and enters the HALLWAYS.
INT. HALLWAYS OF 7F - NIGHT
BOY (V.O.)
Bored of reading - as usual - i
wandered through the darkened
hospital.
The BOY arrives at the LOUNGE.
BOY (V.O.)
The usual lounge - pitch dark.
INT. HOSPITAL LOUNGE
SETSUMI sits, looking out of a window. The BOY is at the
doorway.
BOY (V.O.)
That was where I found her.
BOY
You're still here ...
SETSUMI
Yeah.
BOY
What's up? Feeling unwell?
SETSUMI
... Not really.
BOY (V.O.)
That was all she said as she stared
at the window. So her discharge had
been postponed after all. Nobody
knew when the next chance would
come - but it would likely be weeks
from now, not days.
BOY
Could it be ... that you ...
Feigned illness today?
SETSUMI sighs.
BOY (V.O.)
That was probably not the right way
to put it - we were, after all,
sick all the time.
BOY
What I'm saying is: you didn't want
to leave the hospital, right?
SETSUMI
I don't know what you're talking
about.
BOY
Because there's no 'afterwards' for
you now ...
BOY (V.O.)
There was no answer to my question -
only silence. She had asked me so
many times before about where I had
wanted to die. It had always been
that I didn't know and she didn't
want to die on 7F or at home.
BOY
So you ... Have no other place to
go after all ...
SETSUMI
What about it?
BOY
No, nothing.
BOY (V.O.)
This familiar lounge, flooded in
darkness. Her familiar stance,
looking out the window, blotting me
out of her mind. This place we
called a hospital and its darkened
lights at 11 PM. This was the
tangent point between what was
normal and what wasn't. On top of
that, we were inhabitants of the
seventh floor - bereft of any
choice save for one: death on 7F or
death at home.
SETSUMI continues to stare outwards.
BOY (V.O.)
The outside world that she was
staring at, from the pitch-black
height of 7F. The normal world. The
buildings and home were still
radiant with light and the people
overflowed as they went home. And
although I was still vaguely aware
of it ... I was already an
inhabitant of 7F. Already an
abnormal person. There was no
longer any way for me to go back to
the normal world now.
EXT. CLOUDS AND RAIN
SETSUMI
... My time is at a standstill ...
SETSUMI (V.O.)
I'd spent so many seasons, so many
overcast skies, without the want or
need to converse with somebody. At
first I'd look down at the healthy
kids going to school, or the people
walking back and forth on the
streets. And when I got tired of
that, I'd watch TV. There was
nothing else to do. Nothing else I
could do.
The camera pans back to reveal SETSUMI, watching TV in the
LOUNGE.
INT. HOSPITAL LOUNGE
SETSUMI (V.O.)
Even when there was snow outside,
it was always bright and sunny in
the TV. A dream world, stretching
out before my eyes: without heat,
without cold, without pain.
SETSUMI continues watching TV. She is alone.
SETSUMI (V.O.)
I sought comfort from my
imagination. And so I amassed a
huge knowledge base - meaningless
trivia upon meaningless trivia,
over and over ... And before I knew
it, nothing on TV seemed real
anymore. In quick succession it
happened to books, to games, to my
family, as well. Finally it was if
I was staring at scenes from
another person's life.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAYS
SETSUMI and a faceless DOCTOR are in the elevator.
SETSUMI (V.O.)
That's why I wasn't suprised when
they transferred me to 7F.
The DOOR closes.
INT. ELEVATOR
SETSUMI has her eyes closed.
SETSUMI (V.O.)
If I but closed my eyes, the world
would vanish. So I thought I'd be
fine. And I did as I thought.
INT. HOSPITAL
SETSUMI and a WOMAN - her mother, it seems, are leaving the
HOSPITAL.
SETSUMI (V.O.)
And soon enough, my second
discharge from the hospital. By the
time of my next admission, I'd
probably be too weak to stand by
myself.
EXT. SIDEWALK
SETSUMI and the WOMAN are walking along.
SETSUMI (V.O.)
I found my own self - the one that
couldn't do anything even though
she knew this - to be pitiful. I
found my own self - the one that
had no destination - to be
ridiculous.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM
SETSUMI stands at the window, staring out at the sky. She is
reflected on the glass.
SETSUMI
My time at a standstill, my heart
at a standstill, my chest standing
still with huge scars. I'd lived
for 22 years now and I found myself
utterly helpless.
DARKNESS
SUPERIMPOSE: January 19, 2005 - 7F
BOY (V.O.)
The overhanging clouds had cleared
up, and an endless, endless winter
sky was in their place.
INT. HALLWAYS OF 7F
The boy's FATHER walks along. He's carrying some BAGS.
BOY (V.O.)
Oddly enough, my father had come to
visit. A difficult expression was
on his face the whole time.
He was saying something or other
about my insurance. At that time he
wasn't unhappy at all.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM
The BOY sits on the BED - looking at both his FATHER and the
assortment of GIFTS on the table.
FATHER
I have to talk to the doctors for a
while ...
The FATHER leaves the room.
BOY (V.O.)
Saying this, my father strode down
the corridor, toward that dim
conference room where this had all
begun ...
The BOY gets up from the BED and goes to look through the
GIFTS. There's some FRUITS, DRINKS, some MAGAZINES, and a
BOOK or two. The FATHER has also left some CAR KEYS here.
BOY (V.O.)
Having nothing to do - I reached
for the magazines they'd bought me
at the newsstand. Accompanying them
- just as ever - were fruits and
drinks as get-well gifts. But to
one side of the basket that the
fruits were piled in ... In front
of the melons that I despised ...
BOY
Hm?
BOY (V.O.)
What I saw was ... A set of car
keys.
The BOY looks at the KEYS, in shock somewhat.
BOY (V.O.)
These were the keys to my father's
pride and joy - the coupe that he'd
meticulously taken care of all
these years. The coupe I'd asked to
borrow a long time ago, and was
turned down within a second. And my
still-unused license, in my pocket
...
The BOY fishes out his LICENSE and stares at it.
BOY (V.O.)
Even after it had lost its chance
for use that day - it remained with
me, as if that were its proof of
life.
The BOY puts his LICENSE back into a pocket and grabs the
KEYS.
BOY (V.O.)
It happened as if on impulse - and
I didn't know what my motives were
either. I grabbed them without a
second thought. As if I were
looking at a scene on TV.
The BOY gets an idea - he grabs his MEDICATIONS off the
bedside table - and shoves them into a plastic BAG left by
his father.
BOY (V.O.)
Those few days' worth of meds that
I'd been dispersed, I stuffed those
into a bag, and ...
The BOY strides out of his room rather hurriedly.
INT. HALLWAYS OF 7F
The BOY is walking at a rather rapid pace.
BOY (V.O.)
I headed down the corridor.
Straight towards the elevators.
The BOY continues walking.
BOY (V.O.)
A bag in my right hand, the keys in
my left, and a license in my pocket
...
The BOY stops and turns his head. He's in front of the
LOUNGE.
BOY (V.O.)
The next thing I saw ... Was the
girl sitting there, watching TV as
usual.
Staring blankly and boredly at the
screen - sitting on a little
foldable chair.
The BOY moves to the DOORWAY. He's SMILING.
BOY
Hey ... That show any good?
SETSUMI doesn't look up.
SETSUMI
Does it look that way to you?
BOY
No. Not at all.
BOY (V.O.)
The all-too-expected exchange. Her
eyes looked as far-away as they
ever had.
BOY
Well then. Shall we go together?
SETSUMI is startled.
SETSUMI
What ... ?
The BOY procures the KEYS and shows them to SETSUMI.
BOY
You see, I don't want it to be at
home.
SETSUMI
And I ... Don't want it on 7F
either ...
BOY
Well then. Shall we go?
SETSUMI
... Okay.
SETSUMI gets up and leaves the LOUNGE. She heads for her
ROOM. The BOY follows.
The BOY watches as SETSUMI puts her medication in a small
bag.
BOY (V.O.)
And we left the seventh floor
together.
As they pass the LOUNGE, the BOY ducks in and switches off
the TV.
They enter the ELEVATOR together. The BOY presses the button
for the GROUND FLOOR.
BOY (V.O.)
Both of us, clad in pyjamas,
boarded the elevator. Heading down
to the first floor. At the ground,
we headed not for the E.R. entrance
- but for the outpatient clinics
entrance.
EXT. HOSPITAL PARKING LOT - DAY
The BOY and SETSUMI are standing just outside the HOSPITAL.
BOY (V.O.)
The cold winter air struck away at
our faces. All the stronger in a
wide open space like the parking
lot.
The BOY and SETSUMI begin walking into the PARKING LOT. The
BOY is looking for his father's SILVER COUPE.
The BOY spots it and they both walk over.
BOY (V.O.)
After a little while, we came
across my father's car. The silver
coupe.
The BOY and SETSUMI both stare at the car.
BOY (V.O.)
My father's pride and joy -
impeccably maintained.
The BOY opens the passenger door.
BOY
Go ahead, get in.
SETSUMI
Very well ...
SETSUMI enters the car, closing the door behind her. The BOY
enters as well.
INT. CAR
The BOY slinks into the driver's seat.
BOY (V.O.)
I sank into the driver's seat. She
was in the passenger's seat - but
she was so short she'd have a hard
time seeing the road.
The BOY starts the car.
BOY (V.O.)
I turned the key in the ignition
and accelerated lightly ... Just as
I'd learned during training.
The CAR hums to life.
The BOY releases the handbrake and applies the clutch.
BOY (V.O.)
Now we could go anywhere. That was
our plan.
BOY
All right, let's go ...
SETSUMI
Okay.
SETSUMI nods gently.
BOY (V.O.)
Instead of replying, I shifted into
second.
The BOY shifts gears.
BOY (V.O.)
The car accelerated smoothly.
The CAR slowly begins moving.
BOY (V.O.)
Unused to the clutch, and swerving
slightly, I advanced slowly.
SETSUMI
You're swerving.
BOY
Yeah. It's my first time ... Well,
the first time since I got my
license.
SETSUMI
I see.
BOY (V.O.)
The exit to the parking lot was now
in view. And the largish road
beyond it, without traffic lights.
I turned onto it.
The CAR turns onto the road, leaving the HOSPITAL behind.
EXT. CAR
The CAR is being followed by OTHER DRIVERS - they are
HONKING.
BOY (V.O.)
The sound of car horns ... Directed
at me, no less. The silver coupe
complained as I worked the foreign
clutch, the stiff gearbox. I must
have rubbed the drivers the wrong
way - the honking didn't want to
stop. I just continued driving
without caring a whole lot. Nothing
seemed real anymore.
BOY
Hey ...
SETSUMI
What?
BOY
You scared?
There is a PAUSE for a bit.
SETSUMI
Do you ... Want me to be?
BOY
Not really ...
EXT. CLOUDS
BOY (V.O.)
Still before noon. The high-flying
sun. The skies of January - above
and beyond in the windshield. Skies
so blue ... They almost seemed in
mourning.
INT. CAR
BOY (V.O.)
We had no destination. On that cold
day with an alien clutch and a
swerving coupe. On that day we
drove onto the highway in our
pyjamas. On that very day of
winter.
DARKNESS
SUPERIMPOSE: January 19, 2005 - Ibaraki: Mito Highway
BOY (V.O.)
Around when that blazing sun had
turned a dusty orange.
EXT. CAR - EVENING
The SILVER COUPE is speeding along on a HIGHWAY.
BOY (V.O.)
We were continuing to drive. Just
driving in any direction. And, at a
place I didn't recognize ...
The SILVER COUPE pulls up to the shoulder.
INT. CAR
BOY
We're stopping for a bit.
SETSUMI
Mm.
The CAR stops moving.
BOY (V.O.)
A roadside somewhere, far from
civilization. No traffic anywhere.
Lonely. Having stopped the car
here, I started inspecting the
cabin.
The BOY unbuckles his SEATBELT and begins fishing around the
cabin.
BOY
(to himself)
... If there's anything useful here
...
BOY (V.O.)
We had just run off without any
preparation at all but there was
something troubling me. With that
on my mind, I first scoured the
dashboard.
SETSUMI is looking out the window. The BOY looks over the
dash.
BOY
(to himself)
There's nothing here at all.
BOY (V.O.)
A few hundred yen, around the
gearstick, and a couple of
magazines, and a cheap disposable
camera.
The BOY slides down in his SEAT.
BOY (V.O.)
It wasn't as if we had a
destination - but we had no maps.
And I only had about 8,000 yen on
me. That was all I had lying around
when I up and left.
The BOY opens his hand and looks at it. He's holding several
COINS.
BOY (V.O.)
Combined with the change I'd found
... That made about 9,000 yen. Of
course, I hadn't really expected
there to be anything in the car
anyway.
But this lack of money made it
impossible for us to get lodging.
The BOY looks at SETSUMI. She's staring out the WINDOW.
BOY (V.O.)
And it didn't seem likely that this
girl would have any money on her
either.
SETSUMI notices something and speaks.
SETSUMI
Is something the matter?
BOY
No, it's nothing ...
BOY (V.O.)
I'd half expected this from the
beginning. It wasn't as if I had a
plan or a schedule. I just wanted
to get out.
The BOY buckles his SEATBELT and starts the CAR again.
BOY
Hey, are you hungry?
BOY (V.O.)
We hadn't eaten since morning.
BOY
Want to stop at a convenience store
or something?
SETSUMI
... No.
BOY
Don't be quite so melancholy. I'm
sure anything's better than the
food on 7F.
SETSUMI looks down at her pyjamas.
BOY
Oh, yeah.
The BOY glances down as well.
BOY (V.O.)
Sure enough, in these things, we'd
be noticed no matter where we went.
Not that we weren't right now. In
any case, we had to do something
about them.
The BOY makes a turn.
BOY (V.O.)
After a little more driving, we
arrived in a place whose name I
didn't recognize. Probably close to
a rail station. Certainly enough
people around for it to be the
case.
BOY
There's gotta be one around here
...
The BOY leans forward. He's looking for something.
BOY
Ah. There's one.
EXT. LAUNDROMAT
The SILVER COUPE parks in a space in front of the LAUNDROMAT.
BOY (V.O.)
At last. A coin laundromat. It
looked pretty run down from the
outside. This was as good a place
as any.
BOY
All right. I'll be back in a bit.
The BOY unbuckles his SEATBELT and exits the car. SETSUMI
shoots a confused look at him.
The BOY closes the door.
INT. LAUNDROMAT
The walls are covered with various coin-op washers and
driers. Some are operating.
BOY (V.O.)
My nose was filled with the smell
of detergent and bleach the moment
I'd entered. The exterior had told
no lie: The washers and driers were
run-down as well.
BOY
There's nobody here.
The BOY is silent, glancing around. The only sounda are the
WASHERS AND DRYERS humming.
BOY (V.O.)
Only a single dryer was in
operation - making its
characteristic humming noises.
The BOY walks up to the DRYER. He examines the plaques by the
coin slot and glances at the timer.
BOY
30 minutes for 200 yen, huh? And
it's only been going for 5 minutes.
BOY (V.O.)
Whoever it was, didn't have the
patience to sit around here all
day.
The BOY looks around the deserted LAUNDROMAT again.
He grasps the DRYER's door handle. He opens the door.
BOY (V.O.)
The dryer spun down to a forced
halt. I pulled out a clump of half
dry clothes, ignoring the heat and
humidity.
The BOY closes the door, turns and leaves the LAUNDROMAT.
EXT. CAR
SETSUMI looks at the BOY returning, holding a clump of
CLOTHES.
SETSUMI
Oh.
BOY (V.O.)
She sounded slightly surprised when
she saw me return with the clothes.
The BOY throws the CLOTHES in the back seat.
BOY
All right, let's go.
INT. CAR - NIGHT
BOY (V.O.)
I looked back at the bundle of
clothes, steering wheel in one
hand. Gaudy sweatshirts and jeans
and nothing else. All in fairly big
sizes. All still wet - but the
car's heating would fix that.
BOY
Change into whatever you'd like
later.
SETSUMI stares at the pile of CLOTHES in the back seat.
BOY
We had no other choice.
SETSUMI
I know.
BOY (V.O.)
It wasn't as if I liked doing this
kind of thing. And it wasn't as if
I was saving my money for anything.
It was just that given the amount
we had, it would have been rather
difficult to buy clothes.
INT. CAR - NIGHT
The MOON is shining.
BOY (V.O.)
After a bit of driving - the moon
was shining above us - I stopped
the car near a public park.
The CAR rolls onto the shoulder of the road and stops.
There's a PLAYGROUND here.
The BOY unbuckles his SEATBELT and begins rummaging through
the CLOTHES.
BOY (V.O.)
They were dry now - thanks to the
car's heater. But they were all
men's clothing. Made for someone
around the same size and age as me.
EXT. CAR
The MOON is above the CAR. It looks to be about midnight.
BOY (V.O.)
Sitting in the driver's seat of the
car, I changed into a pair of jeans
and a sweatshirt.
BOY
You should get changed too.
SETSUMI
They're all too big ...
BOY
Going to go on wearing pyjamas
forever?
SESTUMI sighs.
SETSUMI
Fine.
SETSUMI leaves the car with some CLOTHES in hand.
BOY
Where are you going?
SETSUMI
... To get changed ...
BOY (V.O.)
She was walking to the park's
bathroom.
INT. CAR
The BOY lies back in his SEAT.
The passenger DOOR opens.
BOY
That was fast.
SETSUMI piles in. She is wearing a white sweatshirt - it's
drooping down to almost her knees. The cuffs are rolled way
up. The legs of her jeans are too.
BOY (V.O.)
She'd come back on short order. Her
pink pyjamas in her hands, a white
shirt and a pair of jeans on her
body ...
BOY
That turned out fairly well.
SETSUMI is silent.
BOY (V.O.)
I'd expected this, but everything
was so big and baggy on her.
SETSUMI
The pyjamas fit better.
BOY
At least it's a little warmer this
way.
SETSUMI makes a slightly dissatisfied face.
BOY
Were you hoping for more feminine
clothes?
SETSUMI
Not really.
BOY (V.O.)
The same response as ever. I was
sure she was unhappy with her baggy
attire, but she soon returned to
her expressionless self.
INT. CAR
It's raining - the droplets collect on the WINDSHIELD and
pool down every once in a while. There's packaging and an
empty bottle or two on the back seat.
The BOY is reflected in the WINDSHIELD. He and SETSUMI are
looking at the RAIN.
BOY (V.O.)
A freezing rain falling from the
January sky as if it had forgotten
how to stop. Countless raindrops
spattering the windshield and
obscuring the view from inside.
And when each grew too large, it
would become a river down the
windshield, swallowing up other
raindrops and running to the
bottom,
The BOY stares emptily at the RAIN.
BOY (V.O.)
A parking lot somewhere. A desolate
place away from humanity. After
shopping at a convenience store, we
were spending the night here. The
menu: 2 riceballs, a bottle of
Coke, and half a bag of potato
chips.
BOY
It's been a while since we did
something like this.
SETSUMI
Mm.
SETSUMI holds a RICEBALL in one hand, half-eaten.
BOY (V.O.)
It wasn't anything of wonderful
quality - but it was better than
anything up on the seventh floor.
And as we were both going after the
potato chips, she suddenly stopped.
SETSUMi stares out of the WINDOW.
BOY
Something wrong?
SETSUMI
Not really...
BOY (V.O.)
But her eyes were turned past the
windshield glazed by rain, at a few
white flowers on the roadside. At
some flowers, soaked by rain.
The BOY, too, looks out the WINDOW. There's a few NARCISSI.
BOY (V.O.)
I didn't know if someone had
planted them or if they were wild,
but I did remeber them.
BOY
Hey, aren't those ... Narci ...
Narcissu?
SETSUMI
Narcissus ... That's what they are.
BOY
Right, narcissus.
BOY (V.O.)
I Hadn't heard a lot about
botanical names before - but I had
heard of narcissus before. And this
girl who seldom spoke a single work
was talking about something. And so
I followed along.
BOY
These the same ones?
SETSUMI
Not really ...
BOY
Are these pretty rare?
SETSUMI
Not really... You can find them
almost anywhere.
BOY
Any place in particular?
BOY (V.O.)
It wasn't that I had any deep
purpose - I just wanted her to
talk.
SETSUMI thinks for a bit.
SETSUMI
... West ...
BOY
... West?
SETSUMI
Awaji Island is famous for them.
The BOY is startled a bit.
BOY
Awaji Island? Wait a minute.
BOY (V.O.)
How far away do you think that is?
I'd just started driving a car. I
wasn't all that proficient yet. It
was what, 700km away, and even on
the toll highways I couldn't really
tell. And in the first place, I
didn't think we had enough money
for that anyway. If we went by
normal highways instead of
tollways, there's no way we'd have
enough for gas.
BOY
Don't say things like that. You
can't mean to go there.
SETSUMI
Who said I had wanted to go?
BOY
What?
SETSUMI
I was just answering your question.
SETSUMI resumes looking at the flowers.
BOY (V.O.)
And just like that, she went back
to staring at the flowers. The
thick haze of the cold rain on
glass. She kept gazing and gazing
... I didn't want to go there a lot
either. But I had nowhere else I
wanted to go.