A Morning Reception

1. FADE IN

2. 
   

3. Act 1

4. 
   

5. INT. BEDROOM - 06:45

6. 
   

7. The sound of the alarm interrupts the stillness of the early morning. PETER reaches out to silence it with a tap.

8. 
   

9. PETER (V.O.): I've to attend a morning reception.

10. 
    

11. Pausing.

12. 
    

13. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Memories of my stays at onsen resorts in Japan flood back.

14. 
    

15. Recalling.

16. 
    

17. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I would wake up voluntarily and would slip into the warm, mineral-rich waters. I love the steam curling around me like a comforting embrace.

18. 
    

19. Peter shakes off the remaints of sleep.

20. 
    

21. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): This morning wouldn't be a tranquil one at an onsen, but I'd embrace it with the same spirit.

22. 
    

23. Peter gets out of bed.

24. 
    

25. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I don't go to the reception to be seen, but to see - to truly see the person behind the title, and to find the common thread in our separate journeys.

26. 
    

27. Act 2

28. 
    

29. INT. CONVENTION CENTRE, HONG KONG - 08:00

30. 
    

31. Sunlight streams through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating a view of Victoria Harbour. Peter scans the venue and spots RICKY.

32. 
    

33. PETER: Hi Ricky!

34. 
    

35. RICKY: I remain in our familiar spot so that you can easily find me.

36. 
    

37. PETER: You're exactly the person I hoped to meet here.

38. 
    

39. RICKY: We belong to the older generation, and I now know only a few others like us.

40. 
    

41. PETER: Yes, some of our friends are no longer with us.

42. 
    

43. Across the hall, Peter makes eye contact with PATRICK as he approaches. Peter than introduces Patrick to Ricky.

44. 
    

45. PETER: Patrick was my former colleagues at the HKUST Council and a vocalist... Ricky was a composer and a guru for making successful Hong Kong music stars.

46. 
    

47. Peter snaps a selfie of the three of them. Then, Peter's chambermate ALLAN walks in.

48. 
    

49. ALLAN: Morning, Peter!

50. 
    

51. PETER: Ricky, meet Allan, who was the former Privacy Commissioner.

52. 
    

53. Peter snaps a selfie of the three of them. Then, Peter's gaze drifts and suddenly lands on ANDREW who is standing nearby.

54. 
    

55. PETER (Cont'd): I need to have a word with Andrew.

56. 
    

57. Peter makes his way over to Andrew.

58. 
    

59. ANDREW: Hi Peter!

60. 
    

61. After a serious conversation between them, Andrew introduces Peter to two other ELITES in Hong Kong. Peter snaps a selfie of the four of them.

62. 
    

63. PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): But I want to rejoin Ricky, my composing mentor.

64. 
    

65. Peter wanders through the hall, scanning the crowd for Ricky.

66. 
    

67. PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Retirement doesn't mean my voice fades; it means I choose my audience with greater care.

68. 
    

69. Pausing.

70. 
    

71. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Ricky may have already left...and I fear I've missed the chance to share breakfast with him.

72. 
    

73. Peter heads to the refreshment table, fills a plate with dim sum, and picks up a cup of orange jucie. After consuming them alone in a quiet corner, Peter leaves.

74. 
    

75. INT. LIVING ROOM - 12:00

76. 
    

77. With a smartphone in hand, Peter focuses on creating a digital business card.

78. 
    

79. PETER (V.O.): For elites who have shared their business cards with me, it's important that I reciprocate with my own. However, I need to update a few details before doing so.

80. 
    

81. Peter navigates through an app, carefully entering his photo, name, title and contact information.

82. 
    

83. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I'm no longer a Council Member at HKUST. I've become a Member of the HKUST Court. Additionally, my chambers will be relocating soon.

84. 
    

85. Pausing.

86. 
    

87. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When I send the photos we took together, I'll include my new business card.

88. 
    

89. Pausing.

90. 
    

91. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The selfie is also the new business card. A little less formal, but it carries the same truth: "I was here. We met. Let's remember this."

92. 
    

93. Pausing.

94. 
    

95. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd):  In the second act of my life, my connections matter more than my resume.

96. 
    

97. Pausing.

98. 
    

99. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My network is my net worth, especially after 70.

100. 
     

101. Act 3

102. 
     

103. INT. BEDROOM - 22:00

105. Peter uploads a photo showcasing a decorative Chinese chess board including a prominent large piece labelled "76" in red to a draft on his laptop.

106. 
     

107. PETER (V.O.): We honor the past in the morning light, while our conversations take root in the uncertain soil of the future.

108. 
     

109. Thinking.

110. 
     

111. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): There is a delicate architecture to the gathering - a scalfold of pleasantries built to support the weight of significant things.

112. 
     

113. Reflecting.

114. 
     

115. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): A morning reception isn't a breakfast; it's a harvest. I arrive alone, but I leave with a network of possibilities.

116. 
     

117.  FADE OUT

118. 
     

119. END