The Fading of Cherry Blossoms
Scene 1
Narrator: Cherry blossoms bloom in spring, but in autumn, they gently fall to the ground and slowly start fade away…Similar to how Kokoro's life has crescently bloomed, but is now starting to carefully come to it's end (to be less dramatic, to it's depressing point)… Winks
Scene Kokoro's stepmother's dining room
Kokoro carefully sets the food on the table in front of her stepmother and younger stepbrother and stepsister
Kokoro: Dinner is served. In a small voice
Stepmother looks at food
Stepmother: What is this! You are a filthy, good-for-nothing daughter! It's a no wonder your mother had abandoned you! This thing you call...food, could probably even pass for garbage! Are you trying to poison us!
Stepmother pushes the food and plates off the table, plates break
Kokoro: But this food took me two hours to prepare, and you haven't even tasted it yet!
Stepmother: Well, then spend two more! I wouldn't want to risk my life tasting your nasty food.
Stepmother faces her children
Stepmother: Let's go, we are going to be eating out tonight. Sternly
Faces Kokoro
Stepmother: You, on the other hand, can eat this…garbage and poison yourself for all I care. Uses head to point at the spilled food on the ground Oh, and if you ever want to try poisoning me again, you know what's going to happen. Points at a stick leaning against the wall
Kokoro: B-b-but, I wasn't trying to pois—
Stepmother heads toward the door and motions her hands for her children to follow her and then strides out the door before Kokoro can finish her sentence
Scene 2
Narrator: It was the very first day of ninth grade (or high school) and Sakura had to look absolutely perfect. Sakura attended an all-girls private school in Kyushu, Japan and lived in an enormous penthouse in downtown. She was your typical, ever so popular, snobby and of course, spoiled girl.
Scene Sakura's bedroom, very spacious and rich
Sakura slips on a pair of expensive new shoes and checks them out in her full length mirror
Sakura: Says to her dog The school uniforms we have to wear are so…blah; we shouldn't be forced to wear these ugly pieces of clothing! Besides, they clash with my new shoes. Pouts
A voice comes over the intercom
Voice: Sakura honey, hurry and come down for breakfast or you're going to be late for school!
Sakura pushes button on the intercom
Sakura: But, I'm not even ready yet! I still have to brush my hair, find a pair of nice shoes, and glances at her nails oh my gosh, one of my nails chipped! I need to get to the salon right now!
Voice: We can go to the salon after school, sweetie, now hurry up and come down for breakfast before you're late for school!
Sakura starts filing her nails while looking in her closet furiously for a pair of shoes, she finally picks out a pair of shoes, dumps them onto the ground, slips them on, pouts as she look at them in the mirror and mumbles
Sakura: This weekend, I have to go to the mall to get new shoes.
Then heads down for breakfast
Scene 3
Scene A classroom in Tatsuke High School, class has just begun and everyone is still filing into the room
Sakura: Laughs Haha, Kokoro, your family is so poor; they can't even afford a backpack for you! Sakura points at a grocery bag filled with schoolbooks and supplies in Kokoro's hand
Narrator: Kokoro was tired of having to put up with Sakura, she made fun of her everyday, and every day, Kokoro would just stand there and let Sakura and her snobby friends laugh at her. Today, Kokoro decided that she was going to stand up for herself.
Kokoro: Shut up, at least I'm not as stuck-up and conceited as you!
Sakura: Well, at least I don't use a plastic grocery bag for a backpack!
Sakura's friends behind Sakura, laugh
Teacher walks in the classroom and uses a stick to bang on the chalkboard to quiet everyone down, everyone is silent immediately
Ms. Yasuko: Thank you. As you know, today is the first day of school; I praise that all of you will behave to make a good impression on your new teachers! smiles cheerfully Hopefully, everyone all received their class schedule in the mail, correct? everyone nods their heads Is there anyone who did not receive their schedule?
Kokoro raises her hand
Ms. Yasuko: Oh yes, I almost forgot, Kokoro! The school district said that had trouble finding your address, so they gave me your schedule to give to you. Sorry about that! Speaks while searching through a drawer in her desk
Hands Kokoro an envelope
Kokoro: It's okay. Speaks quietly
Narrator: While Ms. Yasuko handed Kokoro the envelope, she noticed that Kokoro had a deep, red scar on her face.
Ms. Yasuko: Oh, Kokoro! What happened to your face? Are you alright?
Kokoro: Yes, I'm fine.
Ms. Yasuko: Are you sure?
Kokoro hesitates
Kokoro: Yes, I just…tripped, that's all.
Ms. Yasuko: Alright then.
Bell rings
Ms. Yasuko: Wow, class goes so fast when you're having so much fun! Everyone may be dismissed.
Scene 4
Scene – Hallways of Tatsuke High School, Sakura and her friend, Chiyori are passing by Kokoro's locker during passing period
Sakura: Hey Kokoro!
Kokoro: Hi, um…Sakura.
Sakura: Wow, your outfit is so unique!
Chiyori (Sakura's Friend): It is?
Sakura nudges Chiyori
Chiyori: Oh, yeah! It's so…different! Smiles
Kokoro: Thanks! Grins
Sakura: I meant it in a bad way, it's so unique, you know, like no one wears this style anymore, its soo ten years ago! Wait, did I say ten? I meant a hundred, like in the prehistoric times where they used to wear ugly, cheap stuff!
Chiyori giggles
Kokoro bites her lip like she's about to cry, and then kicks Sakura
Sakura: Oww, oh my gosh, what was that for!
Kokoro: Mumbles to herself For being such a stuck up retard.
Sakura: And you say I'm a retard, look at your outfit.
Sakura: Well, I have no time for the ahem lower class. To Chiyori Come on, let's go.
Chiyori: Yeah. sticks her tongue out at Kokoro
Sakura and Chiyori leave the stage
Scene 5
Scene – In a classroom, class has just begun not long ago and the teacher is starting to speak
Mr. Taisuke: Hello everyone, welcome to the ninth grade. I and many other students that have had me in the past years would probably define me as a strict but fair teacher. I absolutely do not tolerate goofiness, and I expect all my students to be respectful to everyone, to me, especially. I will be handing out a list of materials and supplies that you will need for the following school year, also enclosed is a list of expectations that I am expecting every one of you to meet at least by mid-semester.
Mr. Taisuke grabs a stack of papers off his desk and starts handing them out to the students
After he finishes handing out the papers, he asks
Mr. Taisuke: Does anyone have any questions?
Kokoro raises her hand
Mr. Taisuke: Yes?
Kokoro: Um…what if you can't…afford all the supplies?
Sakura and her friends snicker
Mr. Taisuke: Oh I'm sure you have all these supplies at home. They're very basic, pencil, paper, markers, etc…
Sakura raises her hand
Mr. Taisuke: Yes, Saiko?
Sakura: I'm not Sai—
Mr. Taisuke: Oh yes, sorry about that, I once had a student named Saiko, she reminds me quite a bit of you. Do you have a question?
Sakura: No, but I just wanted to say that I could give Kokoro some of my school supplies from last year, since she's so poor and all… Smiles innocently
Mr. Taisuke: Oh, That's so thoughtful and generous of you! I suppose you can, but you'll have to talk to her after class.
Mr. Taisuke: To the class Now that's the kind of student I look forward to teaching. Glances at Sakura and then at the clock Wow, time sure passes by fast. Now, everyone, please take the time to review the sheet I just gave you, it states all the rules and standards that I will be expecting from all of you, there will be a closed-note test on the sheet tomorrow.
Everyone groans
Scene 6
Scene – Kokoro's stepmother's house
Kokoro's stepmother is knitting, her daughter and son are sitting facing each other, playing a game of chopsticks, Kokoro is watching them
Stepmother: So how was your first day at school? Continues looking down and knitting while she speaks
Narrator: Kokoro didn't want to say too much as to get her stepmother angry.
Kokoro: It was alright.
Stepmother: Snaps I wasn't asking you! Who cares how your day at school was anyway! Looks at her children
Seito (Kokoro's younger stepbrother): School fun! Ms. Yasumi teach me to how spell cat! K-A-T! Smiles and looks proud
Kokoro: Murmurs You said it wrong, it's 'C-A' –
Stepmother: You have no need to correct Seito! He knows the correct spelling perfectly well! Don't encourage him to make mistakes!
Awkward silence
Risa (Kokoro's younger stepsister): Come on, Seito, I want to go and look at the pet store! Mr. Chuu said he going get baby frogs to sell in his store!
Seito: Oooh! I wanna frogs!
Risa: To Kokoro You want come too? Grins
Kokoro nods her head, she puts her hand on the table to get up and accidentally pushes an expensive porcelain tea cup to the floor, the tea cup breaks. Her stepmother gives Kokoro an angry look
Stepmother: Says sternly You two can go to the pet store alone, I need to talk with Kokoro.
Risa and Seito leave the room and go outside
Stepmother: Suddenly explodes That was my most favorite and expensive tea cup! My husband gave it to me with a tea set for our anniversary, and it's too bad that he's not even here to give me another tea set! Do you know how much it means to me! You are worthless! All you know how to do is break things and eat and sleep like a lazy pig! You don't know how to do anything, you stupid girl!
Stepmother takes a metal stick leaning against the wall and starts hitting Kokoro on the back with it. Kokoro hugs her knees and lets her stepmother hit her
Risa and Seito come back in to the house with something cupped in Risa's hands. As Kokoro's stepmother sees her children coming in she immediately stops hitting Kokoro
Risa: Look, froggy! Shows to her mother
Seito: Mr. Chuu said we can have frog! But only for the rest of week, we can't lose him!
Stepmother: To Kokoro I am done with you.
Kokoro goes out, her head looking at the floor, she rushes to her room
Stepmother: To children Oh, that's wonderful, sweetie!
Scene 7
Scene – Classroom of Tatsuke High School
Narrator: It was the third week of high school, and homework was starting to pile up.
Mrs. Yuiri: Hello class! Well, since several weeks of school have already past, I'm sure it's not too early to assign a project! Oh what fun!
Some Students: Being sarcastic Oh joy!
Mrs. Yuiri starts handing out sheets of paper with the project information on it
Sakura raises her hand
Mrs. Yuiri: Yes, Sakura?
Sakura: Can we work in groups? Grins at her friend
Mrs. Yuiri: Hm, well I suppose we can, since it's only the first semester, but this is the only project that I'm going to let you work in!
Students cheer
Mrs. Yuiri: Oh, and groups of two only. And don't get too excited, I'm picking your partners for you.
Everyone groans
Mrs. Yuiri picks up a list with everyone's names and starts calling out random names
Mrs. Yuiri: Chiaki, you're going to be with… Glances at list Midori. Fuji, you are partners with… Glances at list Hikaru. Taeko, you're with… Glances at list again Naeko. Sighs I'm just going to call out random names and that will be your partner. Don't even think about changing partners because I'm going to write them down!
Katsuki, Naru
Akina, Kiki
Yoshimitsu, Okito
Etsuya, Norikazu
Kiichi, Ayumi
Chizuru, Erika
Izumi, Sako
Karina, Michiyo
Sakura Sakura crosses her fingers, Kokoro
Sakura: What!
Mrs. Yuiri: Kokoro.
Sakura: B-b-but…I can't be with her! Out of all the people in this class, why did you have to choose her? Looks at Kokoro and seems disgusted
Mrs. Yuiri: And out of all the people I thought that you would be the one that would be the best sport.
Sakura pouts
Mrs. Yuiri: Well, that concludes all the groups, since you guys are going to be doing it in groups, I expect this project to be turned in no later than next Thursday.
Karina (a student): But, it's still so early in the semester, and one week isn't enough!
Mrs. Yuiri: Welcome to ninth grade.
Everyone groans
Scene 8
Scene – In front of Tatsuke High School (after school)
Sakura: Okay, since you don't want to work with me, and obviously, I don't want to work with you, why don't I just get daddy to hire someone to do the project for us? Smiles in a phony way
Kokoro: Protests But that would be cheating, and Mrs. Yuiri would probably find out anyway…
Sakura: Fine, be Ms. Goody-Two-Shoes. I don't want any of my friends to catch you hanging out at my house, so we're going to work on the project at your house.
Kokoro: Immediately responds I can't!
Sakura: Grrr…fine, meet me at my house tomorrow after school. Sakura hands Kokoro a piece of paper with her address on it
Kokoro: I don't know if I can make it tomorrow, but I'll try.
Sakura: Whatever.
Scene 9
Scene – Kokoro's stepmother's house
Kokoro has prepared dinner (like usual) and is placing the steaming plates of food on the table in front of her stepmother and younger step brother and sister
Narrator: Kokoro has spent three hours preparing dinner for it to taste extra good, since she wanted her stepmother to be in a good mood so her stepmother would let her go to Sakura's house tomorrow after school.
Kokoro: Speaks softly I hope you enjoy your meal.
Stepmother: I better enjoy my meal.
Seito: Ooh, smells good!
Risa: Yummy!
After Kokoro finishes serving the food, she stands there
Stepmother: What are you waiting for? Go to your room!
Kokoro: I was wondering…if I could go to my friend's house tomorrow. Please?
Stepmother: Why? So you can go and do each other's hair and makeover each other? You don't need to look pretty, there's nothing you can do to make yourself look pretty, you're already too ugly anyway. I don't want you to be turning out like your mother, caring only about her looks and always staring at her reflection in the mirror!
Kokoro: Continues speaking softly I have to work on a project for school.
Stepmother: Who cares about your education! I've already decided your future, you can be a maid. The outfit really suits you anyway.
Kokoro: Please?
Stepmother: Fine. But you must be home before 6 o' clock or else you know what will happen.
Kokoro: Okay, thank you.
Scene 10
Scene – Sakura's bedroom, everything is very spacious and nice
Sakura and Kokoro enter the room, Kokoro looks around her room in awe
Kokoro: Wow…your room is so…beautiful!
Sakura: Yeah, I guess. I've been trying to talk daddy into getting an indoor hot tub in here, but he's been so busy lately. Anyway…what do you want to do? A poster board or a model, or what?
Kokoro: I don't really care – it's all up to you.
Sakura: Well, I'm not that good at art and clay modeling and all that stuff, so let's just do a poster board.
Sakura walks over to the intercom on her wall and pushes a button
Sakura: Speaks into the intercom Jay, can you go to the office store and get me a poster board?
Jay (Sakura's Personal Servant): Sure.
Kokoro: Sighs Your life is so…perfect. I mean, you have a beautiful house, and you can just tell your servants to do anything you want them to and they'll do it! It must be great to be you!
Sakura frowns a little
Sakura: Duh.
A few minutes later, Jay comes in with a white poster board in his hand, he hands Sakura the poster board
Jay: Here you go.
Sakura snatches the board
Sakura: Took you long enough.
Jay leaves the room
Sakura: Okay…so where should we start?
Kokoro: I think we should plan it out on a piece of paper first.
Sakura: But that takes so long, can't we just do it on the poster board and plan it along as we do it? If we mess up, I can just tell Jay to go buy another poster board.
Kokoro: Alright.
The two girls start working and have drew some pictures with captions
Sakura: I'm so tired…you wanna go to the pool and chill?
Narrator: Kokoro had never been in a pool before, and she had seen the pool in her backyard when she looked out the window. It looked very nice and relaxing, and there was still thirty minutes before six anyway.
Kokoro: Sure!
Sakura: Well, I don't think you want to get your clothes wet, so you can borrow one of my bathing suits.
Sakura sifts through her closet for a bathing suit and hands it to Kokoro
Sakura: Here, I'm sorry if it's a bit too skimpy…you can change in the bathroom, I'll change here.
Kokoro takes the bathing suit and goes to the bathroom
When Kokoro comes out, Sakura and Kokoro go out to Sakura's backyard
Scene 11
Scene – Sakura's backyard, there is a swimming pool and a net in the middle of the pool
Sakura and Kokoro are in the water
Sakura: Come on, we can play volleyball!
Sakura serves the ball to Kokoro, Kokoro dives for it, but misses
Narrator: As Sakura watched Kokoro dive for the ball, she noticed some deep scars on Kokoro's legs and arms.
Sakura: Oh my gosh, Kokoro, are you okay?
Sakura points to the scars and scratches are Kokoro's body
Kokoro: …Yeah.
Kokoro puts her arms around her shoulders
Kokoro: Um, I think it's getting late, I better go.
Sakura: Are you sure?
Kokoro dashes out of the pool, and puts on her clothes that was laying beside the pool and starts running home
Kokoro: Yells to Sakura I'll give you your bathing suit back tomorrow!
Scene 12
Scene – Hallways of Tatsuke High School
Kokoro is handing back Sakura her bathing suit
Kokoro: Here, thanks for letting me borrow it.
Sakura: I said you could use it…did you even wash it?
Kokoro: Yeah, I even went to the Laundromat and paid a dollar to wash just that because I knew washing it by hand probably wouldn't be good enough for you…
Sakura giggles
Sakura: I don't really care; I could've just washed it home…Anyway, thanks.
Sakura leaves
Kokoro: Says to herself Wow, is Sakura actually being nice to me?
Scene 13
Scene – In front of Tatsuke High School (after school)
Sakura: I'm kind of tired of going to my house…I can never really concentrate, is it okay if we go to your house?
Kokoro: Ummm, I don't think so, I'm sorry.
Sakura: But I want to! I never really do any work at my house, and you always do everything and I feel bad…
Kokoro: No, its okay, I'm fine with doing all the work! Grins
Sakura: But I really want to go see your house! Please?
Kokoro: O…kay…I guess, but we have to be really, really quiet.
Sakura: Yay!
Sakura and Kokoro start walking to Kokoro's house
Scene 14
Scene – Outside Kokoro's house
Kokoro: We have to go through the window, because umm, the front door is broken. Follow me.
Kokoro climbs through a window which leads to a small bedroom, Sakura follows
Sakura: Whoa, your room is so…
Kokoro: Yeah, I know, not as fancy as yours.
Sakura: Oh no, we should've stopped by my house first to pick up the poster board and everything.
Kokoro: No, it's okay, we can just draw some pictures here, and then paste it onto the board later. Do you have paper?
Sakura: Yeah.
Sakura reaches into her backpack and hands Kokoro a few blank white pieces of paper
Kokoro takes the paper and starts drawing for a few minutes, then offers Sakura some
Kokoro: Here, you can draw all the basic particles of a human body, and label them.
Sakura: Okay!
Sakura starts drawing and labeling
A few minutes later, Kokoro starts to hear footsteps coming nearer
Kokoro: Oh no! It's my stepmother! I'm going to be in a lot of trouble! Quick Sakura, hide!
Sakura: There's nowhere to hide!
Narrator: And it was true, all there was in Kokoro's room was a pillow where she slept.
The door of Kokoro's room opens and Kokoro's stepmother appears
Stepmother: Who is she! You know you're not suppose to have friends over without permission, actually you're not suppose to have friends over at all!
Stepmother grabs a stick and starts hitting Kokoro with it, Sakura just stares, wide-eyed.
After a few minutes, Sakura quickly jumps out the window and runs to a pay phone next to Kokoro's house and calls the police
Sakura: Hello? Please help! Come here right now! This is an emergency!
Police Officer: Okay!
Narrator: Within a few minutes, there are police cars surrounding Kokoro's house.
Stepmother: What the…? Speaks sternly You stay here.
Stepmother goes outside and see the police armed with guns, there is one police officer talking with Sakura
Stepmother: I knew you had something to do with this!
Stepmother points at Sakura
Police Officer: You, ma'am, are under arrest for the crime of abusing a child that I believe is currently in your house.
Stepmother: What! Only my children are in my house, and I certainly do not abuse them!
Kokoro has climbed out of the window and runs toward the police, the police officer sees her
Police Officer: Is this your child?
Uses head to direct at Kokoro
Stepmother: No. I don't even know who she is!
Kokoro whispers something into the police officer's ear
Police Officer: To Stepmother We're going to put you under arrest and take you to jail for abusing this little girl.
Police officer grabs Stepmother and puts her in the car
Kokoro: Thanks, Sakura.
Sakura smiles
Sakura: You can stay at my house for as long as you want, we have a guestroom and everything!
Kokoro: Can my step brother and sister stay with me too?
Sakura: Of course.
Kokoro: But won't your father mind?
Sakura: He doesn't really care…
Kokoro: Okay!
Narrator: …And they lived happily ever after. The end!