
FADE IN.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
PETER is driving a Toyota Alphard. His SON sits next to him. His WIFE and YOUNGER DAUGHTER in the middle row and the ELDER DAUGHTER at the back row.
PETER
Our next destination
is the hotel, right?
WIFE
If we arrived late, we'll
go to the Ashikaga
Flower direct. It closes
at 9:30pm.
A beat. Peter takes a look of the GPS screen.
PETER
We're good - should
be arriving the hotel
sometime after six.
EXT. ROAD - NIGHT
Peter's wife drives away from a hotel. Other family members are on board. We hear the car's GPS voice commands from time to time.
WIFE
The Flower Park is just
a few kms away.
A beat. We hear a GPS voice alert.
GPS VOICE
Due to an assembly
nearby, no right turn
at the junction ahead.
WIFE
But that's the access
road to the Flower Park
car park.
PETER Just drive on and see
if the GPS will guide
us to another access
road.
His wife turns left, left and left...
SON
I think the GPS is
guiding us to come
back to the same
denied access
point.
Peter nods.
YOUNGER DAUGHTER
(Checking her phone)
The Flower Park's
website states that
car park access roads
will close on holidays.
We can only go there
by train.
PETER
Let us park the car at
the hotel and take the
train there... or we
might forgo the visit
and have dinner
instead...
Silence.
SON
A possible option is
that we park at a
train station just
one stop from the
Flower Park train
station...
WIFE
Let's use our phone
GPS to guide us to
that train station then.
We see the car maneuvering narrow dark lanes and making turns discreetly.
EXT. TOMITA TRAIN STATION - NIGHT
The car arrive at a very small train station with three parking lots - all vacant.
PETER
(To elder daughter)
Your Japanese is
the best. Check if
it's OK to park just
next to the station?
ELDER DAUGHTER
There's a notice
stating that parking
here after 7.00pm is
prohibited.
As his wife finishes parking the car, they all get out and look around.
ELDER DAUGHTER
There's no one
manning this small
station.
Looking uncomfortable, Peter checks the time on his phone screen: It's nearly 8.00pm.
SON
Take this as an
opportunity cost!
PETER (V.O.)
A risk taker, but
he's right.
Peter then checks the train schedule on the station wall.
PETER
The next train is
8.06pm. We shouldn't
miss our 9:30ish train
back or we've to wait
for an hour for the last
train.
MONTAGE OF PETER'S FAMILY VISIT TO THE ASHIKAGA FLOWER PARK
A. Getting off a train at Flower Park Train Station, they see the large lighted-up flower park in a distance.
B. They rush to the entrance, pay the fares and get in.
C. They go in separate directions to capture their preferred images with their phones or cameras.
D. We hear: Let's meet again at 9:30pm at the exit!
E. Peter walks around and is busy in taking photos and videos from different angles.
F. At 9:30pm, they meet again at the exit and then walk back to the Flower Park Train Station.
G. As a train arrives, they get on board and do not bother to sit down.
F. At the next stop, they get off, and the Tomita Train Station scene looks the same as before.
EXT. TOMITA TRAIN STATION - NIGHT
Peter checks their car's windscreen.
PETER
No ticket. Good!
Peter looks merry.
PETER (V.O.)
Without the teamwork
we couldn't have
visited the Ashikaga
Flower Park at all!
That's how we make
us merry around
X'mas time!
They then get inside the car swiftly.
PETER
Our next destination
is any restaurant that
will serve us after
ten.
EXT. RESTAURANT CAR PARK - NIGHT
Car parked. Peter gets off the car quickly to get to the restaurant's front door to check something.
PETER
Yes, this one closes
late!
They look relaxed.
FADE OUT. The End