Memories Soaked in Rain

1. 

   FADE IN

2. 
   

3. Act 1

5. INT. BEDROOM - 04:00

7. Dimly lit by a single lamp. PETER and his WIFE sit up in bed side by side with mobiles in their hands.

8. 
   

9. PETER: To see the World Expo, we're flying out to Osaka on Sept 7, returning on Sept 11, right?

11. WIFE: Yes, we've to use the complimentary tickets before Oct. I haven't made any hotel reservations yet.

12. 
    

13. PETER: Yes, we've just done our 16-day July-August trip primarily to Niigata, Japan. Let me check where is the World Expo venue...We've amazing experiences at Expos before.

14. 
    

15. WIFE: Aichi 2005, Shanghai 2010, Milan 2015...Those hot and dry visits are such fond memories.

16. 
    

17. PETER: Time flies when we're having fun. Let's finalize our plan now...I get good rates from our favourite Dormy Inn chain.

18. 
    

19. WIFE: We love the onsen facilities offered by the chain...In July, we stayed at the luxurious La Vista at Kusatsu Hills, and then in August, the value-for-money Dormy Inn Akihabara.

20. 
    

21. PETER: Darling, we stayed at Dormy Inn Premium Namba before; should we revisit those fond memories?

22. 
    

23. WIFE: Yes... and check the 30-day weather forecast...

24. 
    

25. PETER: On Sept 8, it'll rain in both Osaka and Hong Kong...

26. 
    

27. Act 2

28. 
    

29. INT. LIVING ROOM - 12:30

30. 
    

31. Sitting in a massage chair, Peter picks up his mobile and opens WhatsApp.

32. 
    

33. PETER (V.O.): Oh the Duty Lawyer secretariat asks if I'm in Hong Kong and can take up a new case...and there's also a civil brief awaiting my response.

34. 
    

35. Having checked his diary, Peter types his response and then makes a call.

36. 
    

37. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I've accepted both assignments. Being self-employed as a barrister has its perks.

38. 
    

39. Recalling.

40. 
    

41. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): When I was a senior civil servant, it was alll about work, and I rarely took holidays.

42. 
    

43. Pausing.

44. 
    

45. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd):Hmm, I need to return to my NT home to search for a document related to a big family matter, especially with my new assignments coming up.

46. 
    

47. INT. PETER'S NT HOME - 15:30

48. 
    

49. Bedroom. Peter heads towards a brief case placed near the window. He opens it. Inside are soaked documents, their edge curling.

50. 
    

51. PETER (V.O.): OMG...

52. 
    

53. FLASHBACK

54. 
    

55. INT. HONG KONG AIRPORT - 13:30 (7 Aug, 2025)

56. 
    

57. As Peter and his wife are pushing their luggage through the hallway, he sends a WhatsApp message to the family chat group: Back in Hong Kong. Almost instantly, he receives a reply: First sunny day in weeks!

58. 
    

59. PETER (V.O.): Yes, we've been keeping up with the news from Hong Kong.

60. 
    

61. Pausing.

63. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I need to return to my NT home tomorrow to check its conditions after the relentless rainstorms.

64. 
    

65. INT. PETER'S NT HOME - 17: 00 (8 Aug, 2025)

66. 
    

67. Peter inspects the rooms.

68. 
    

69. PETER (V.O.): Everything seems fine.

70. 
    

71. Peter then spots a bedroom curtain fluttering in the wind.

72. 
    

73. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, I've forgotten to close the window.

74. 
    

75. RETURN TO PRESENT

76. 
    

77. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The rain had soaked the interior, although the wetness had dried by the time I arrived.

78. 
    

79. Staring at the soaked documents.

80. 
    

81. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The supporting documents that secured my barrister status weren't so fortunate.

82. 
    

83. Front garden. Peter lays the documents on a patch of grass, trying to dry them out.

84. 
    

85. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Come on, dry out for me!

86. 
    

87. Later, Peter is cleaning the house, humming a tune. He inadvertently dips his mobile into a bucket of water while wiping the counter.

88. 
    

89. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): No, no, no!

90. 
    

91. Peter quickly pulls the mobile out, water dripping from it. He fumbles with it, trying to shake off the excess water.

92. 
    

93. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): OMG, the water has seeped through the lens.

94. 
    

95. Peter stares at the foggy lens.

96. 
    

97. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): What a day...great, just great.

98. 
    

99. Peter looks defeated.

100. 
     

101. Act 3

102. 
     

103. INT. BEDROOM - 22:30

105. Peter uploads an image of documents on a patch of grass to a draft on his laptop.

106. 
     

107. PETER (V.O.): Memories soaked in rain are like flowers in a storm - resilient, beautiful, and forever changed.

108. 
     

109. Thinking.

110. 
     

111. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Rain may blur the past, but it also sharpens the colours of my memories.

112. 
     

113. Reflecting.

114. 
     

115. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Just as rain nourishes the earth, my memories, even when dampened, cultivate my soul.

116. 
     

117. FADE OUT

118. 
     

119. END