FADE IN
Act 1
INT. STUDIO - 10:30
Before a Clavinova, PETER is playing some smooth chord progressions. As his phone rings, he glances at the number.
PETER (V.O): It's an unfamiliar one.
SOMEONE (from phone): I'm calling from the CAT office, wantng to fix a meeting...
PETER (V.O): That's something I want to prioritize and tackle soon...The Chinese New Year holidays are approaching, and my wife and I will travel to Hokkaido after that.
Peter checks his calendar.
PETER (to phone): How about 14 Feb?
SOMEONE (from phone): That's the deadline date...How about 13 Feb?
PETER (to phone): I can make it in the afternoon.
SOMEONE (from phone): Okay... the interpreter can make it too... Done!
Peter hangs up, a hint of relief on his face.
Act 2
EXT. YUEN LONG PUBLIC SWIMMING POOL - 13:45
Open-air atmosphere. Peter swims laps, lost in thoughts.
PETER (V.O): My wife is learning to make radish cakes in her sister's home.
Changing swimming styles.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): As I don't need to keep her company, I seize the opportunity to come here and back to my NT home later.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Between 1983-1985, I'd come here to have a break from my hectic preparation of exams in Law.
EXT. KAU YUK ROAD - 15:00
Peter walks past the Heung Yee Kuk (Yuen Long District) Secondary School.
PETER (V.O.): From 1971-1973, I was a matriculation student here.
Remembering something, Peter makes a call to a restaurant.
PETER (To phone): I want to reserve four tables on the second day of the Chinese New Year...
Having hung up, Peter types and sends WhatsApp messages to chatgroups.
PETER (V.O.): The big Cheung family members used to gather at my Mum's home...But she's now living in an elderly home...I'll take her to the restaurant...
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): I take it as my responsibily to keep the family tradition alive, despite change of circumstances.
Peter smiles.
EXT/INT. PETER'S NT HOME - 16:30
Arriving, Peter starts his cars in the car park and then washes them.
PETER (V.O): It's probable that the next time I'd touch them would be after my trip in Feb.
As Peter declutters in the living room, he discovers some "While you're out" notes.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): They dated 1994...
Peter reads one.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): It's from my new wife. I've just remarried...She's now a retiree.
Reading another one, Peter looks surprised.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Oh, even Prof Wesley-Smith called me, seeking my advice on copyright matters.
Peter then reads another one from Alfred.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): My good friend...We're attending Housing Management course at HKU from 1977-1980. We drove to attend lectures...
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): We helped each other in our respective marriages...but we've been disconnected since the late 1990s, until recently.
Reading another one, the corners of Peter's mouth drooped.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): This one is from Daniel, a young and bright Senior Administrative Officer with the Trade and Industry Branch then...we discussed policy matters all the time.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): He also wanted to learn IP from me...and in the end, he scored a distinction in IP in his external LLB exam.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.)(Cont'd): Then, he had an advancement opportunity elsewhere, and we stopped our daily exchanges... About six months later, I received the news that he had taken his own life.
Act 3
INT. STUDIO - 21:30
Peter inserts an AI drawing titled: "Carried by Time..." to a draft on his laptop.
PETER (V.O): It's impossible to stop in time because one gets carried away.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): But time itself holds no meaning unless I give it something to carry - something I value.
Reflecting.
PETER (V.O) (Cont'd): Similarly, I don't recognize the weight of what I've been carrying until I experience the relief of its release.
FADE OUT
THE END
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