Chapter Five – A Great Adventure

Airborne view of the city. High altitude. Traffic on the roads – the cars and trucks are tiny. A train passing. It's late morning, the sky is blue, fluffy white cumulus scud by on a gentle breeze. Western folk music is playing, violins, guitar and flute, a cheering upbeat tune.

Cut to:

A lower altitude view of offices and apartments, this is more toward the city centre than the neighbourhood where Shizuku lives. Cars appear larger now and we see Mr. Nishi's grey van stop at a junction, then turn left when the lights go green.

Cut to:

A closer view of the van, we are only a few dozen feet from it, and slightly above, tracking it from the side as it drives along a busy dual carriageway, faster traffic is overtaking Mr. Nishi.

Cut to:

A view from inside the rear of the van looking forwards. We see the top of Shizuku's huge bag in the foreground, then the rear seat backs and the back of Shizuku's and Seiji's heads and finally the back of Mr. Nishi's head in the driving seat. The folk music is louder now. It's a tune playing on the van radio. Seiji's arm is along the back of Shizuku's seat and his fingers tap in time to the tune and we can hear him humming along. Shizuku leans forward a little and looks out the side window next to Mr. Nishi. We briefly see her face in profile as her head turns to look, she is alert, eager and expectant. A great adventure is starting.

Cut to:

A view of what she sees. Shops, pedestrians, traffic, trees, advertisements, the fabric of any modern city slides by.

Cut to:

A view from outside the front of the van looking back at the occupants. Reflections of buildings and trees slide up the windshield as it proceeds through the traffic.

Mr. Nishi: "Alright back there? Plenty of room?"
Seiji: "Yes, grandpa. I had to kick Shizuku out at the last set of lights though, but me and the Plus Four Bag of Hugeness have enough room now."

Mr. Nishi smiles and chuckles. He checks his rear view mirror, the vans indicator lamp flashes and he changes lanes.

Seiji: "Oi!" (Shizuku has presumably just poked him for his poor humour).

Cut to:

A view of Tokyo Narita airport's main terminal buildings. We see the name in large letters across the frontage. Taxis and cars queue at the passenger drop off lanes. It's very busy. We hear the roar of jet engines and from behind the building we see a jet liner clawing its way up in a steep take off, dark fuel smoke hanging behind it.

Cut to:

A close up side-on view from street level of a parked red hatchback car. The airport building is behind it and people walk past in the background. To the left and right of the car we can just see the ends of the cars it is parked between. People are getting in.

Man (slamming the hatchback closed): "Come on, hurry up, we're late."
Woman (getting into front seat): "Alright, stop nagging!"
Child (in back seat): "Mom, I'm thirsty."

The man gets in the driving seat, starts the engine and maneuvers the car out of the parking space. It exits the scene to the right. We briefly see pure gold-dust at passenger drop-off: an empty piece of pavement. A second later Mr. Nishi's grey van rolls slowly into shot from the left. It almost exits the scene to the right but the rear few inches stay in shot, the red brake lamps coming on. The red lights go out and the white reversing lamp comes on and the van backs slowly into the empty space.

Cut to:

A view from outside the front of the van looking back at the occupants. Mr. Nishi has his head turned looking back out his side window as he maneuvers. He switches off the engine.

Mr. Nishi: "That was lucky."

Cut to:

A view of the glass-walled main building from eye level. People can be glimpsed moving inside. We are on the pavement among the crowds. A man in a dark suit runs by. Reflected in the glass walls are cars parked at the pavement. In shot are Seiji and Shizuku with their bags piled up on a baggage trolley. They face Mr. Nishi.

Seiji: "Well, this is it grandpa. Goodbye."
Shizuku (making a little bow): "Thank you so much for bringing us."
Mr. Nishi (tilting his head in acknowledgement): "That's no trouble Shizuku. You take good care of Seiji for me now."

The old man smiles kindly but underneath he must be fearful for the young people traveling so far.

Shizuku: "I'll write."
Mr. Nishi: "Thank you. You just make sure it's not as long as the last thing you wrote me."

Shizuku grins. She turns away and adjusts the bags on the trolley. Seiji steps closer to Mr. Nishi.

Seiji: "Bye, grandpa. Make sure you feed Moon."
Mr. Nishi (chuckling): "Oh, I will. Now you make sure Shizuku is safe. You've a big responsibility there Seiji, that girl is in your care."
Seiji: "No problem. I'll watch out."

A family pass between our viewpoint and Seiji and his grandfather. A husband and wife with elder daughter. A couple of paces behind a young boy trails along looking tired.

Mother (calling back over her shoulder): "Come on keep up, it's just a bit further."
Mr. Nishi: "And study hard. Signore Guarnieri is the best there is. If you follow his teaching you can never go wrong."
Seiji: "I understand grandpa."
Mr. Nishi: "Off you go now, safe journey."
Seiji: "If I can I'll phone you when we get there."
Mr. Nishi: "Thank you."

Shizuku turns to face the old man and raises her hand in a final parting gesture. He smiles broadly and makes a shoo-ing motion for them to go.

Cut to:

Inside the terminal building. Shizuku and Seiji stand in a queue to check in their bags. The place is bustling with activity. Seiji's hands rest on the baggage trolley. Shizuku slips her right arm inside his left and squeezes, giving him a broad grin and making a scrunched up smiling motion with her whole body.

Shizuku: "This is great. I'm so excited."
Seiji: "Me too. Wait 'til you see Cremona, you're gonna love it."

Shizuku starts bouncing up and down.

Shizuku: "I can't wait, I can't wait… Ooooh, yeah, we're going to I-ta-lee!"

She sings and does a little boogie in her excitement.

Cut to:

The departure lounge. The big room is filled with rows of plastic seating. In the background more glass walls give a view of the aircraft parking bays. People are sitting about, chatting or flicking through magazines. We see Shizuku and Seiji sitting. Seiji is leaning back his eyes closed, arms behind his head. Shizuku sits up looking about with interest. They have just their hand luggage with them now. A couple of drinks cans and an empty plastic sandwich container are on the floor between them. A thought pops into Shizuku's head.

Shizuku: "Seiji, why didn't your parents bring you to the airport?"
Seiji: "Mmm?"
Shizuku: "Why did your grandpa bring you and not them?"
Seiji (eyes still closed, head back): "Well, me and dad aren't getting on much at the moment. I didn't even ask him."
Shizuku: "Oh."
Seiji: "I packed yesterday and grandpa took me to his place. I spent the night there. I just really wanted to be with him, y'know? Among the furniture, the clocks, the violins."
Shizuku: "Oh. I see."
Seiji: "No, I don't think you do. Things are not good between me and dad right now. I didn't sleep too well last night. D'ya mind, I'm just dozing here…"
Shizuku: "Sure."

Shizuku is a little put out by this brush off and turns her head, her eyes downcast. Soon however she looks up and quickly finds something else that grabs her attention.

Cut to:

A view looking vertically downwards into Seiji's face. His hands behind his head, elbows sticking out. Suddenly he opens his eyes and stares up at the camera. He frowns, there is even anger in his eyes.

Announcer: "Japan Airlines flight JL417 for Milan Linate. Please proceed to boarding at gate sixteen."

Seiji's frown fades. He uncoils his long thin arms and sits up. He looks at his watch.

Cut to:

A close up of a digital watch face. It reads 12:22:18, then 12:22:19.

Seiji: "That's us."