Eclipsed
Cast:
Sasorina, Sadou Rina - age 30
Kurusu Shuuhei - age 30
Ichikawa Hitomi - Rina's student - age 6
August, 2017
The Moon hangs low near the horizon, tinted red and half darkened by the shadow of the Earth. Rina and Shuuhei are seated on a blanket in the park, with a small bottle of sake between them.
"This was worth staying up late for," Rina says, taking a drink.
Shuuhei yawns. "In my college days, I used to stay up all night with no ill-effects. Take this as a warning: You are engaged an old man."
"What does that make me, then? In case you've forgotten, I'm older by two months."
He reaches out an arm and pulls her closer. "It makes you a mature beauty, of course. I wouldn't have you any other way."
Close by, a bush rustles.
"What was that?!" Suddenly alert, Shuuhei quickly places himself between Rina and the bush.
"Nothing. You heard nothing." The bush answers with the voice of a small child.
"That was not nothing," Rina says as she gets to her feet. "I'm a teacher. Come out of the bush and you won't get in any trouble."
"I know who you are, Teach- Earthling! Earthlings! Please continue the Love-Love! For Science!"
"We decline," Shuuhei says.
"More Science is needed! Please continue the Love-Love!"
Rina sighs. "It's you in there, isn't it, Hitomi?"
"Your Earth genius is not here."
"Is that so? Tell Hitomi that she can either come out and explain herself, or she can stay after school for detention every day until middle school."
"You can't do that!" The bush shrieks.
"Three."
"It's summer vacation!"
"Two."
"This is for Science!"
"One."
"Okay, okay!" The bush rustles again, and a small blonde girl emerges, looking sullen. She is wearing a yellow hoodie with a pink skirt. In her hand, has a plastic wand with a moon-shaped tip, which seems to have been spray-painted black. "I really was doing Science, y'know? This pen collects the darkness from the Moon and turns it into power. But you ruined it."
Rina reaches down and encloses the little girl's hands in her own. "Hitomi, do your parents know that you're out here by yourself?"
"It's fine. They're not my real parents."
A troubled expression crosses Rina's face. "Let's just get you home."