Kaji: Stay Steady
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. HOME - MORNING
Sound of a kibble bag rustling. Sunlight cuts across the floor. The clink of a ceramic bowl on tile. KAJI lies on a massage chair, watching the PACK LEADER'S cue.
PACK LEADER: Meal time.
The Pack Leader places Kaji's bowl with brown kibble in the corner with a soft smile.
KAJI (V.O.): But the routine is wrong.
MONTAGE
A. Dining table. Morning. Peter breaks a bread. His share. Kaji's share.
B. Meal corner. Later. The Pack Leader feeds Kaji with kibble.
END MONTAGE
PETER notices Kaji turning her head away.
PACK LEADER: Not hungry?
Act 2
INT. HOME - CONTINUOUS
As the Pack Leader returns to the bedroom, Peter goes out.
KAJI (V.O.): Peter gets my cue that I need something else first.
A beat. Peter returns with a loaf of bread in a transparent bag.
KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): To share the bread first is correct.
They begin to share the bread at the dining table.
KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): Sharing bread isn't just about food. It's a renewal of trust and bond.
Sharing the bread.
KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): Disrupting the routine can feel like dismantling love itself.
Tasting the bread.
KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): It tastes like Peter's promise.
After finishing the bread with Peter, Kaji heads over to her bowl to eat the kibble.
KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): The ritual is complete.
Peter watches, a look of profound relief and connection on his face.
EXT. RIVERSIDE PARK - LATE AFTERNOON
Kaji moves with purpose. She completes her business at her chosen spot.
KAJI (V.O.): Earlier, I made eye contact with the Pack Leader, and she picked up on my cue that it was time to go to the park.
Kaji then leaps onto a bench, settling into her spot.
KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): This is another ritual I cherish at the park.
After resting for awhile, they leave. As they turn onto a main path, they spot a dog in a cloud of white fluff.
KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): A small, silly thing. A cloud with feet. It doesn't know the rule of this path.
Kaji takes a step forward, making a swift, controlled approach.
PETER: Is she trying to intimidate the little white dog?
Both the Pack Leader and the caregiver of the white dog hold their leaches tightly.
PETER (Cont'd): Oh, two other dogs and their caregivers are approaching us.
KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): I smell new scents.
Kaji spots aggressive DOG#1 and aggressive DOG#2.
KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): They're staring directly at me.
Dogs#1-2 bark and growl at Kaji. Kaji freezes. The fluffy dog is forgotten.
KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): A different situation now.
Kaji turns her body sideways to them.
KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): This is deliberate. I want to break the direct stare. But I wouldn't challenge.
Kaji calmly walks past Dog#1.
KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): The path is made by walking it the same way, every day. Stay steady.
Kaji then walks past Dog#2 with calm confidence.
KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): Breathe in. Breathe out. Stay steady.
Act 3
INT. HOME - NIGHT
Kaji relaxes in the massage chair, her eyes drifting over to the Pack Leader and Peter who sit comfortably in a nearby sofa.
KAJI (V.O.): Stay steady in the small things. My breakfast with Peter. Then my first meal. The park walk. Those small things are what make everything feel right.
Thinking.
KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): The loud ones speak in barks and snarles, I speak in posture. To stay steady is to speak a sentence they can't understand, but must obey.
Reflecting.
KAJI (V.O.) (Cont'd): I don't follow the Pack Leader and Peter just because they lead. I follow them because they're learning from my steadiness. We're guiding each other along the way.
FADE OUT
THE END
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