3Valentine Ghost
Written By Cutegirlmayra
EXT. PLAZA STREET
A grim-looking street, dark and eerie, with cars passing by an intersection in streaks of light.
SANJO is driving in his car. He's a handsome foreign exchange student from Japan with a curious eye but practical outlook on life. He looks in the car's mirror as he drives down the gloomy street.
The radio is playing Japanese pop music, and Sanjo turns it down, checking to see if he can go.
More noises from the street mix with Sanjo's Japanese pop music as his eyes dart around, looking.
Sanjo pulls up to a stop sign, hits the breaks quickly when a person speeds past him. He's startled and tenses up on the wheel.
KARA, a high schooler with baggy clothes and her hair bunned up in the back, giving her either a sloppy or intellectual look. She walks with her head down. Could be crying with a stone cold expression.
You know that look you get when your thinking more than focusing on the stinging sensation of your wet eyes? That frowny, holding it in, look.
It was this look that caught Sanjo's curious eye. He starts to press his foot on the pedal, moving past her. He tries to get a good look at her downward face; leaning down in an attempt to get a better look at Kara's melancholy face.
However, he wasn't watching the road.
The car moves slowly with him strained forward to see her hidden countenance.
Sanjo turns when bright lights fill the car's interior entirely.
Screeching tire wheels and a honking horn blare in unison, and a crash deafens all other noises.
INT. HOSPITAL - DAY
Faint breathing through a mask.
Sanjo has a breathing mask over his mouth, shirt off, lying in a bed. Eyes closed.
Suddenly, mists forms above his body and a ghostly figure hovers with anime green examines himself; no ghost tail but regular legs, his entire being is bright white and only dark outlines make out his individual features. It gives him sketched detail.
Freaking out, he shifts into white streams of misty snake-like vines, and trails like a gust of low riding wind out of the hospital window.
EXT. PARK - NIGHT
Sanjo staggers up against a tree, having half his body mist through it. He catches his balance; surprised.
In fright, he attempts leaning on the tree again. When the same thing happens, where that part of his body turns to mist once more, he pulls away.
Gripping his head, he walks off, clinging to it in distress.
Coming up to a park bench, he spots Kara again, and begins to approach her.
As he hovers, she is crying, and straight behind her is Sanjo. He seems completely taken aback at seeing her again.
Instinctively looking for some form of help, and perhaps in desperate loneliness, Sanjo slowly reaches a handout.
He hesitates as he places a cold frost upon her shoulder, making her twitch at the freezing sensation of wind that comes from his ghostly hand; along with small ice fragments arrayed in a beautiful design now found on her shirt's shoulder.
Kara turns around and gasps, jaw straight open.
He's afraid, not able to speak.
Her eyes widen in shock and quickly tries to keep some sanity and calmness to her.
After the awkward silence, having not one scream or sound escape the two of them, she gasps her words out.
KARA
Casper?
He furrows his brows, trying to understand.
SANJO
Nani? I-I mean... What is Casper?
KARA
(chuckles nervously, mostly to release tension) It's a cartoon ghost.
She smiles slightly, not sure what to make of this.
He also can't seem to think straight, and looks up, thinking over her response a moment. He looks back to her.
SANJO
What kind of ghost is Casper?
KARA
He's friendly.
SANJO
How friendly?
Kara reflects, a little confused, but responds with her current thoughts.
KARA
The kind... That usually concern themselves with crying girls... Late at night.
She looks down as though still troubled, but strangely enough, not by Sanjo's appearance.
Sanjo smiles.
SANJO
Then I'm your Casper.
Kara looks up.
She quickly turns around.
KARA
1...2...3.
She turns back, seeing he's still there. She slightly screams and runs. He suddenly realizes that probably wasn't the best first liner.
SANJO
Ano.. c-chotto matte kudasai! Ah, no, no, no. W-..Wait... Wait!
He reverts to his native tongue as a first response, before remembering he needs to speak English. He quickly forms into slithering mists to follow after her.
Kara's running frame is soon found with slithering mist fast approaching behind her. They move up and down trees, around trashcans, and through bushes.
Everywhere the mist goes, little frost spots of decorative ice are created, before the branches of these misty vines all form like a dust devil in front of Kara again. She stops with a sliding skid in her steps.
SANJO (O.C)
Please! I-I mean no harm!
Kara watches in amazement as the wind picks up randomly from the misty dust devil. The mist forms a figure within itself. All together they make his humanly ghost form.
SANJO
Don't be afraid!
KARA
That's kinda hard not to do.
She tries to run the opposite way.
SANJO
Please! I.. I'm all alone!
Kara's footfalls slow down as it appears an affect was left by that statement.
She pauses, breathes hard, and listens.
SANJO
I.. I don't know what to do. I know where I am. This park's name. Which street I'm on. But I don't know where to go or what to do.
He desperately looks up at her.
SANJO
Can you help me?
Kara holds her peace.
SANJO
I know this is a lot to take in but...
He flies over to her, but restrains from reaching for her again.
SANJO
Trust me... I don't know where else to go.
KARA
You sound funny.
Kara looks over her shoulder. Inviting a friendly atmosphere to the awkward conversation. This gives him relief, and he smiles neutrally, hoping to gain more trust.
SANJO
I'm not from around here.
KARA
What are you?
SANJO
I'm not sure.
KARA
No, your accent. Where's it from? You clearly stated already that you're Casper, right?
SANJO
Sanjo. And I'm from Japan. I came here as-
KARA
Right, right. We'll discuss the rest of this later. For now.. y-you're Japanese.
She cautiously raises a pointer finger to him, still uncertain, leaning forward to poke his forehead as a touch-test.
He watches her move in, and leans back slightly, his mist following his heads movements. She pokes through him and freaks out, stepping back.
SANJO
Wow... Weird.
Kara laughs, allowing him to smile. He realizes she's going to give him a chance, and the two laugh together.
EXT. PARK - NIGHT
Kara walks with a journal in her hand, pencil in the other, and looks around the park quickly in every direction, walking through it.
KARA
...Sanjo? ... Sanjo?
SANJO
Yes, Kara?
He startles her, spooking her out. She seems annoyed and faces back towards him.
KARA
Don't do that!
SANJO
Gomen.
KARA
Go men? What? Oh, nevermind. I have some questions for you. You have to answer them all, okay?
SANJO
Yes, ma'am.
KARA
Don't call me ma'am. I'm just a girl!
SANJO
Yes, girl.
She walks on ahead as he hovers behind her.
They come up to a hill in the park as she sits down, opening her journal.
KARA
Where did you die?
Sanjo was smiling at first, before looking scared.
Kara gestures for him to speak and answer her.
He fidgets and scratches the back of his head, avoiding it.
Kara rolls her eyes and sighs, crossing the question off in her journal.
KARA
Okay. let's try a better ice-breaker.
SANJO
Ah! Ice!
Sanjo looks over at a blade of grass and starts to crawl on the ground with his elbows.
He gets close to it and lightly moves his hand over it.
It freezes with frost over where it was.
Kara's eyes widen as she crawls on her stomach down with him, examining it over.
KARA
You've got ice powers too!? Since when?
SANJO
I don't know. Ever since I became a ghost, it just happens.
KARA
(laughs) nice... So then is everything cold now?
Sanjo looks deeply into her eyes, sorrowfully.
SANJO
...Yes.
He stares as if trying to convey how painful it is to not feel her there.
She turns her head from him and looks back to the blade.
EXT. PARK - EARLY MORNING
Kara and Sanjo's silhouettes stand at the top of a hill, blowing bubbles as Sanjo moves his misty hand towards the sunset sky, and freezes one into an orb. Many of them fall down and slowly melt from the sun's rays, then pop on the ground.
Kara giggles as his silhouette freezes a bubble over her cupped hands, and for a moment, she was able to hold a frozen bubble.
The two stare at each other after she laughs at it popping...
KARA
What about you, Sanjo?
SANJO
What about me?
He seems distant, looking up at the bubbles as if hoping to forget everything.
Everything but Kara.
KARA
Where are you going?
SANJO
Going?
KARA
Yeah, you know... your haunted house or what not.
Sanjo remains quiet, before poking a bubble to make it freeze in air, and fall straight down.
He sighs.
KARA
I.. I guess you don't really have a place... Huh?
SANJO
What about you?
He quickly turns the conversation to her.
SANJO
It is getting pretty late. Where do you go?
KARA
I'm not going.
SANJO
Not going?
The harshness of her quick reply confuses him a little but also makes him highly curious.
He'd rather learn more about her than speak of his tragedy. A beautiful, merciful distraction.
SANJO
Hmm... Well, I don't mind.
They keep playing around a bit more. Kara takes a quick look back over to him and then fiddles with a bushel of flowers by her side.
She bends down to them.
KARA
It's my crush... at school. I just don't want to face that jerk ever again.
Sanjo turns around, seeing she's ready to chat.
Kara fiddles with some petals in her fingers.
KARA
Honestly? I think he used me.
Sanjo looks away, thinking, before flying over and kneeling by her side. He moves his hand through the flowers.
SANJO
Sometimes... Something harsh comes along and we're not ready for it.
The flowers wilt at Sanjo's coldness.
Kara frowns.
He sees her reaction and smiles, before gently lifting his hand higher above them and to the right. He leans in closer to Kara's ear.
SANJO
But sometimes... Harsh things can better prepare us for what lies ahead.
With the lighter cold not directly upon them, the flowers to the right instantly frost over with the movement of his slow skimming hand and are perfectly preserved.
He put his hand down, as Kara looks in awe at the flowers not wilting like the others did.
SANJO
When cold winter's come, frost can preserve the beauty in all things.
Kara smiles and looks up back at Sanjo.
KARA
I think you're some kind of preserved beauty yourself, Sanjo.
He smiles shyly back at her, their faces close together.
SANJO
I think you're just simply beautiful.
Kara's smile slowly expands, as she looks deep into his eyes before someone calls her and she turns back.
KARA
Crap, that's my parents.
Her hair swishes back as she returns to staring at him.
SANJO
You should go.
He looks over her shoulder and nods but reluctantly; seeming sorrowful.
She smiles once more at him and leans to plant a fake kiss on his head. He moves back in shock but doesn't complain.
She runs down the hill, hollering some things to her parents.
He remains floating on the hilltop, seeing her reunite with them. He has no idea that he healed her during a difficult, almost dangerous moment.
Kara looks back, but her parents seem unaware of his presence, and she walks to the car with them.
EXT. PARK -AFTERNOON
Sanjo sits on a tree's branch in the park, plucking a finger at leaves. Since he can't touch them, they just turn into frost. He goes around touching one at a time, before looking down and seeing the tree in the water's reflection, but not his own.
DOCTOR STEVENS (V.O)
It doesn't look like he'll be waking up any time soon... patience and perseverance are all we can advise at this current time.
He leans back from the disturbing image of not seeing himself in the water. He closes his eyes instantly, avoiding the scary truth remembered again.
KARA
Sanjo!
His eyes quickly open and he looks down, turning behind him as he smiles giddily, seeing Kara smiling up at him, and laughing.
SANJO
Kara!
He flies down the tree, fear instantly erased.
EXT. PARK - ONE MONTH LATER
The two walk around the lake, talking though unheard when all of a sudden the sprinklers come on, and Kara rushes through them, laughing.
She jumps up on a familiar park bench and sits on its rim, as Sanjo flies over, mimicking her position.
KARA
Hey there, dead buddy!
Sanjo's smile suddenly drops. He looks down as if worried.
KARA
Sanjo? It was just a joke, honest.
She places a hand through his knee and pats it twice, feeling the bench underneath and just imagining it as his knee.
Sometimes, you just have to feel things.
She pulls back from the cold, hugging herself slightly to get some warmth back, before continuing.
SANJO
I loved spending a full month with you, Sanjo!
SANJO
Me... me too.
KARA
Aw, I wish I could have kept hanging out with you... But I'll have to start attending school again soon. This time, I'm facing my fears!
SANJO
Kara.
KARA
My parents say I'll have homework again and stuff, so I can't go out and play here as much as I used too. But... I guess all good things have to end...
She started tearing up.
SANJO
Kara... Have I ever told you about Japan?
Kara wiped her face, before looking towards him.
Moving passed the two heads of Sanjo and Kara from the back, through the gap between them, there is now a different scene than the park.
Sanjo turns his head towards the scene of Japan's landscape unfolding.
SANJO
There are rolling mountains with fresh waterfalls that scale the faces of rocky peaks; where shrines hold gods and bells ring their names. Lanterns, music, and smiles. The winds take the rice fields, all in their many rows, and leaves drift off into far cities and country streets. Rain washes off rooftops on spring mornings, and winter only brings greater mystery to the mountains. Japan holds many of the long-lost majesties of this world, but they're never truly gone either.
As Sanjo speaks, the landscape of beautiful Japan forms and Kara's eyes scan the scenes his words give her.
She loses her immediate sorrows and places an excited hand on his own.
He looks down, seeing his ghostly fingers dissipate into mist, and just steam around her hand.
He lowers his eyes as if the image breaks his heart. His frustration grows, and he withdraws his hand.
Doing so brings the mist to form his hand again, and he touches it, flexing it out a bit.
SANJO
Not all things end. Not in Japan.
KARA
I would love to see Japan.
He looks over at her and smiles before his smile fades more into hopelessness.
SANJO (faintly) Me too.
KARA Does it snow in Japan?
SANJO
Why, yes! ... in fact... Soudes...
He gets an idea as he looks around at the sprinklers...
Rubbing his hand against itself, Sanjo flings gently his arm out and spreads his mist across the many rows of sprinklers. Once it covers the sprinklers, they sprout out snow. The fields in the park begin to be covered with Sanjo's mist before it withdraws back to Sanjo, and the snow layers the park's grounds.
Kara excitedly stood up on the bench.
KARA
Snow!
Sanjo smiles, seeing his actions make her happy.
She races down as he follows from above, and starts playing in the snow and spinning as it falls around her.
Sanjo halts a little away from her, and watches her, mesmerized.
SANJO
Kirei desu.
Kara stops a moment, and spreads her arms out wide, lifting her head back before shaking off the snow and looking to him.
KARA
What else can you do?
Seeing her excitement, Sanjo instantly fills with a need to please her further.
He looks around and then flies off to the lake, looking back at her.
SANJO
People ice-skate in snow, don't they?
Kara nods, stepping forward.
KARA
Do it!
SANJO
Hai! Ohime-sama!
He playfully replies as he touches the lake, dipping into a bow.
The lake magically spreads out the pure ice, which shimmers in the sunlight.
This winter wonderland he creates for her completely dries her tears, as she jumps to where Sanjo is hovering on the lake. Balancing, she then begins to shakily move upon the ice, trying to skate without skates.
She giggles, as he floats around her.
She starts to lose balance again and reaches for him, as he instinctively tries to do the same.
Placing a handout, Sanjo lightly lets his hand stay on her skin.
She shivers from the cold of his touch and draws back, throwing her arms around herself, but smiling.
His face grows hurt and he withdraws his hand.
Her smile fades when she notices his reaction and tries to slide her feet over to him. The steps aren't well coordinated though, and she falls.
He reaches out to grab her, stepping in front of her in shock, but is unable to catch her. She falls right through him.
He turns to mist instantly, as she grumbles in pain on the solid icy floor of the lake, before the windy dust devil forms his being again, and he swishes his being around to look her over, hesitating on bending down to her.
EXT. PLAZA STREET - MOMENTS LATER
He looks heartbroken and ashamed, turning his head from her and just flying low behind her.
She has a tissue up in her nose, as it bleeds from the impact previously.
She smiles back at him and laughs.
KARA
Don't beat yourself up over it! Come on. We'll get home and I'll let you haunt me and my mom for a little while till you can go back to the park. Sound good?
SANJO
Heh, because birds of a pack stick together?
KARA
Flock, Sanjo. Not pack.
SANJO
Ugh. English.
KARA
Haha! Hey, it's only been a month, you'll get there.
SANJO
(mutters to himself) Too many months...
She lightly pulls the tissue out of her nose, feeling the pain from it, before touching her nose lightly to see if the bleeding has stopped by now.
KARA
Ah, I'm still freezing...
Sanjo looks away.
KARA
I love it!
Sanjo's head sprang up in surprise at hearing that and then smiled.
His smile was half lived though, as he suddenly glances to notice the exact stop sign where...
He pauses.
Kara stops a moment to look back at him.
KARA
What's wrong, Sanjo?
Sanjo's mist begins to spiral beneath his feet. He remembers in a blur the car, his music, and then... All slow down and focus more on Kara, before the scene turns chaotic again and two head lights charge his vision.
KARA
Sanjo!
The street is filled with ice, the stop sign, and even the lights dangle from the harsh wind of his cold tornado around him.
He snaps out of his traumatic memory and looks around.
Realizing what he was doing, he swipes his hands out, and the mist stops it's actions, as a car slides on the ice, and gains some stability at the intersection before another car comes in and lightly knocks against it.
The car's lights blink as the men step out, and Kara immediately turns from the scene to Sanjo.
He ruffles a hand through his hair and grips it, breathing hard a moment.
KARA
You... You're acting like your startled.
SANJO
I can't breathe.
KARA
(teasingly) You don't even breathe.
There's a long pause, as Sanjo's expressions and gestures of pain and PTSD show the conflict inside him.
SANJO
... Kara, there's something I must tell you. I know it's... Not the best timing, but... It must be said.
Kara moves a hovering hand back to her side and looks at the commotion around her.
Sanjo grips his throat, gasping for air. He instinctively tries to reach for Kara, but his hand just flails.
SANJO
(choking) Please... Kara... Quickly.
Seeing the distress, she quickly starts to move.
KARA
Let's go.
Now she's concerned, letting him follow her as she j-walks across the street, looking serious as she heads for the other side.
EXT. PLAZA STREET MALL - LATER
KARA
What do you mean that was an attack?
SANJO
It's getting closer... I don't have much time.
KARA
Time? Sanjo. You're a spirit. What? your day of reckoning is coming or something?
Sanjo sucks in some air, a deep breath, as for the first time, she notices his mist moving at his breath...
Ghosts don't need to breathe. Why is it he seems to?
SANJO
Many, many months ago... I came here from Japan on a foreign exchange program. This was far before I befriended you.
Kara sits on an island's bench near some plants in the huge mall. Looking forward, she positions herself to listen to him.
It'd be weird with all the people walking by to see her staring at the side of her as if listening to someone who wasn't even there. So, she made sure to look like she was just resting for a moment, and didn't make eye contact with him.
SANJO
I studied in America for business opportunities not so commonly found anywhere but here. I was getting used to some customs. English was making sense. But I was still anxious about their roads...
Kara leans her head down, putting her hands under the bench, and gripping it thusly.
KARA
Go on.
She encouraged, clearing her throat as she looked up at passerbys.
SANJO
I remember... I saw a girl walking... The look on your face caught my attention,... before-
He squinted his eyes again.
The memory flash moved even faster this time, with insane sharp angles and the car's lights being flung out of the memory. It's tires spinning, before crashing back into the odd, mirror-like flashes of different scenes from the crash returning to him. like the whole room became a 4-sided cube of mirrors; fast-forwarding sequences playing at different times on them. The car jumps over the two to crash into the mirror behind him.
KARA
(whisper) Sanjo?
She lifts her hand, wanting to comfort him before a girl pops up and hangs Kara a balloon. Everything was just in his mind, induced by the PTSD. He doesn't react to her, stuck in his head for a moment.
GIRL
Happy Valentine's day!
The girl is dressed like she's advertising for the store near them, and she grins, handing a balloon to them.
Kara just awkwardly smiles back and nods, taking the balloon and then just using her leg to sit on the string.
KARA
That's the day you died? Isn't it..?
Sanjo snapped out of it and opened his eyes.
KARA
The day you first saw me..?
He closes his eyes again, before sitting up.
SANJO
...Kara. There's.. please. I'm begging you patience. This isn't going to be an easy thing to take in all at once. Especially on a...
He looked up at the balloon, as it circled slightly in place, showing a heart and words reading 'Happy Valentines's day' on it.
SANJO
Holiday.
He seemed to dislike that it had to happen now, of all days.
She was looking up at the balloon, before turning and seeming confused.
Is she not right?
Sanjo holds her stare, before looking ahead and putting his hands together, hunching over.
SANJO
I awoke to a new reality that day...
Kara slowly shifts herself more towards him. Eyes locking on to him and analyzing each word. She didn't even care if people stared now. Wasn't even on her mind anymore.
SANJO
Not knowing what to do, I wandered around in dismay, before I found you... Crying.
Kara slowly gets up.
SANJO
I was amazed you weren't afraid. You just called out "Casper", and at once, we were friends.
He lowers his hands, chuckling slightly, as Kara dramatically turns around, her eyes looking around, and then quickly spinning back to him.
KARA
(Shouts) WHAT!?
People stop at her outburst, as she suddenly notices them and quickly ducks her head, walking onward.
Sanjo flies up to follow her, as she quickly walks out of the mall, looking around before seeing a slight alleyway and briskly walking there.
She spins around and continues.
KARA
You're not dead!?
SANJO
No. I told you I wasn't.
KARA
All this time... I thought you were some... some... poor, unfortunate... thousand-year-old dead kid who just wanted a friend!.. and maybe... Haunted cute girls, I don't know!
SANJO
Kara, listen to me. I'm worried. My Host Family has never been the greatest. They've always just tolerated me for the rent.
Sanjo put his hands on her own, and the chill of it made her want to take it away, but she holds on and endures it.
SANJO
I'm not dead. I'm not a thousand-year-old spirit. I'm a comatose patient who is scared. Terrified even. Kara... I wanted to tell you this for so long but... This is goodbye.
KARA
Goodbye?
SANJO
Yes... they're... They're going to tug the chord.
He chokes up. Kara steps back a moment.
KARA
Tug? You mean... Pull the plug?
SANJO
Uhh. Yes. Ehem. That.
He tries to regain himself.
SANJO
I don't know if this form is permanent or if I disappear forever. Kinda disturbing. Foreboding. Is it getting chilly or is that still just me?
He fidgets a lot, trying to keep cool, collected, calm. It's not working.
KARA
You're... You're alive?
SANJO
I've never said otherwise.
KARA
How... Why have you never said anything before?!
She tugs her hand away from his, making his hands turn to mist before reforming as they usually do.
SANJO
Kara, please! I have no one else to turn too! I just wanted you to know. I wanted to...
He reaches out, but pulls his hand back, looking at it as if cursing his ghostly state.
SANJO
I had hoped to soothe the pain.
Kara turns around. He startles her by this new discovery. She looks back to him.
KARA
So... Wake you up?
SANJO
Wake me...? I... I don't know.
KARA
Sounds like a wake-up call.
SANJO
Kara, that's impossible.
KARA
Ah, ah. Nothing's impossible now, Casper!
She flings a hand into his chest, which spirals up a bit of mist, as he dusts it off and gives her a bit of a pout, but flies after her.
KARA
Let's get to that room then! And if I do get you up, you have to agree to be my Valentine! That way, we're both not alone!
SANJO
We can't-! Fate isn't up to you or me, Kara! Even if they do decide to let you in... We can't just cheat death!
KARA
So you're just gonna... float there and not do anything? You and I met for a reason, Sanjo.
She turns down some corners, running through sidewalks and through the city to get to her destination.
KARA
There's only one hospital here who takes coma patients, and you're in luck.
Sanjo, worriedly, sees her head lean out to check if cars are coming and holds a hand out in front of her.
She looks up, raising an eyebrow before walking through the hand. He holds the mist up as it forms his arm again. He looks mad, before flying off after her again.
SANJO
You're not listening to me.
KARA
That's okay. You didn't listen to me on being my Valentine.
SANJO
I've been to see my body every night when you leave! And every day that you don't show up! I promise you, I'm a bag of flesh!
KARA
Bones, Sanjo. And promise me something more optimistic.
SANJO
Like what?!
Kara spins around, looking determined.
KARA
Say it. Say you promise that if and when I wake you up...
She took a brave and confident step forward, being bold and trying to give him confidence and something to fight for.
KARA
You'll be my Valentine.
SANJO
... I... If I live... I promise.
Kara smiles, happy with that.
KARA
Good! Everyone needs something to look forward too!
She turns around again and continues to race off, having him follow behind her, looking awkwardly shy about that conversation.
INT. HOSPITAL
Sanjo and Kara are running down the halls, skidding and turning.
SANJO
Your dad's a doctor!?
KARA
Yeah, I used to play here a lot. Not a bad learning environment.
SANJO
Was that sarcasm?
KARA
I don't know. You tell me, floating, talking, Japanese ghost.
Finally, they come upon a door...
Kara pauses, slowly walking up towards it.
Sanjo, seeing her hesitation on the doorknob, slowly floats over behind her ear.
SANJO
What's wrong?
KARA
...Do you... Do you look the same? As you are right now... But not... Misty, or.. or flying, and everyone can see you and it's not all just in my delusional head?
SANJO
(whispers)...You're not crazy, Kara.
KARA
Oh, so you actually got that word, great.
Sanjo sniffs out a quick chuckle.
SANJO
I can put context together.
KARA
Whoo... okay. Um... We'll still be friends.. won't we Sanjo?
Sanjo watches the door, having gone in this room a thousand times, but never with another person besides his host family or the doctor before.
Kara looks at his serious face, seeing he's locked in his thoughts right now.
She turns back to the door.
KARA
Right. Sure we will.
She reaches for the door again, before hearing shouting on the other side.
Inside the room are two middle-aged, compromising married folk. Host Mom is messy, hair up and a little heavy set, making her look strong and tough. Host Father has a clean-cut look, unlike his wife, and clearly is fumbling with everything in his life. Although the Host Father could pass off as decently successful, it's clear from his wife's appearance that money means everything, and every little cent is worth a snatch.
HOST MOM
We could be out of this scott free if you'd just convince them to let us get on with it now!
HOST FATHER
I'm trying, darling. Really. It's just that... Well, they do have an emotional attachment and-
HOST MOM
We've got six thousand dollars in savings thanks to our little ruse and I'm not puttin' a pin in Tahiti for some sentimental jargon! Get them to believe he's a hopeless cause! Tell them he's brain dead.
HOST FATHER
Darling, not so harsh... Or loud.
Kara leans her ear up against the door, and her expression drops to horror.
KARA
Sanjo...
SANJO
What is it?
He flies forward, moving his head through the door.
She watches the funny action but doesn't respond, as he suddenly hears the rest of the conversation.
HOST FATHER
We've paid the amount the hospital needs and scammed every last penny from the Kurosaki's. I'd say we should just go and not even bother about the boy!
HOST MOM
If we run now they'll be on to us like that!
She snaps her fingers.
HOST MOM
Get this kid off our hands or so help me.
Sanjo leaned his head back out of the door as Host Mom holds her hands over near her husband's throat.
A doctor came trotting by, looking over files.
Doctor Stevens is middle-age, kinda dorky, but acts properly in his attire. He has a face that seems like would win a checkers match, but the personality of a professional surgeon.
DOCTOR STEVENS
Oh, hello there Kara. Excuse me.
KARA
Doctor Stevens.
Kara nods her head as he opens the door and goes in.
As the door closes, Kara outstretches her hand longingly to take the door's handle.
But she pulls back when she hears Sanjo, watching him slowly hover down, even going straight through the floor; looking like he was sinking.
SANJO
The doctor's here...My family... My life... they've been using me this whole time... And now the doctor's here.
Kara remains silent for a moment, looking to the door before bending down to Sanjo.
SANJO
I'm gonna die... I'll really swish the bucket now.
Kara opens her mouth to correct him but realizes now's not a good time.
KARA
(whispers) Look, Sanjo. I've only known you for a month.
Sanjo's head is now hovering just above the floor, looking so down in the dumps. Pun intended.
KARA
But that... That has been a very healing month for me.
Sanjo looks up, hope filling his watery eyes.
KARA
I... I really liked that one guy. But even my parents knew that wasn't the right time for me to find someone. I was... I was looking for something, Sanjo. I was looking for.. for happiness that I believed could come from him. That's why it hurt me so hard. Because I projected a lot of my hopes onto him, and he tossed them all the same. And that's why... That's why I felt alone. I felt what you meant. And I've never felt that way since.
She smiles, as Sanjo begins to slowly arise from sinking into the floor, having moved through it.
KARA
You've gotta have something to believe in Sanjo. Whether it's life or love... Or even Caspers.
Sanjo smiles through the pain in his heart.
KARA
Believe in yourself.
He's now standing perfectly in front of her, his being fully raised from moving through the floor.
KARA
Now, let's get in that door!
She pretends to adjust his ghostly shirt and ruffle his hair, before faking an encouraging pat and flinging his mist to the door. He turns into mist and seeps through.
He comes back, through the door.
SANJO
Kara!
Kara flings back, seeing how close his face was to hers and tries to cover her mouth from screaming.
He also leans back, a little shocked, as a red light behind him blinks red, looking like he's blushing.
SANJO
Oh, sumimasen.
KARA
(angrily whispers) Don't just... Fling yourself out of solid objects like that! Geez... You almost gave me a-
SANJO
Hold on, Kara! This is serious! I was trying to reconnect with my body when I heard them say my family has consented!
KARA
What!?
SANJO
If what they said was true, then maybe they've succeeded in convincing my parents it's hopeless.
KARA
Or lying!
SANJO
It's... No use...
He starts to fall slowly down again before Kara tries to fan her hands up to keep him leveled.
KARA
No, no, no, get back up here!
SANJO
K-pah! Kara!
Sanjo has mist all over him and quickly tries to fan her own hands away, coming up as they play-fight in a cute way before Sanjo puts his hand on the door frame.
It becomes ice!
The two stare at it for a moment... Then look at each other.
They smile.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM
HOST MOM
So you see Doctor, we're ready to say our final goodbyes.
She pretends to strain some water in her eye back and pushes a finger up against it. Host Father nods and in sympathy, puts his comforting arms over Host Mom's shoulders, as she just whacks them quickly off and makes him shake them in pain.
KARA
Stop! In the name of love!
Sanjo's vines start to slowly enclose the room.
One of his misty snake vines slithers up, and all around the host couple.
The two begin to shiver, rubbing their arms.
HOST MOM
Wooo.. where'd this cold suddenly come from!?
DOCTOR STEVENS
Kara? What on earth has come over you?! Hoo! Cold! I hate the cold!
Host Father scans around the room before moving to the wall towards the heater.
The second his hand touches it, frost forms, as Host Father's jaw drops and he starts to panic, unable to move his hand from the wall.
Sanjo's ghostly self appears from the mist, a serious look on his face, looking confident... But also scary.
HOST MOM
Whose's she!? What's wrong?
Host Father is quite literally frozen in panic, looking up at the heater, and seeing its numbers are normal.
Host Mom, impatiently, tries to look over their shoulders.
DOCTOR STEVENS
Terribly sorry, this is a co-worker of mine's daughter.
HOST MOM
Oh... How lovely... Can she leave?
KARA
(grumbles) Look, miss, I'm here to save Sanjo!
DOCTOR STEVENS
How do you even know the boy?
KARA
Long story, but for starters, the only people leaving are you three!
Kara puts her hands confidently to her hips, trying to play hero.
She's momentarily distracted as Host Mom and Doctor Stevens bicker about her, and she sees a faint glimpse of Sanjo laying on his hospital bed.
It's serene for a moment, as she admires his good looks, as their bickering fades to the background.
Then, Host Mom shoves a hand into her, as the Doctor continues to protest.
HOST MOM
I've had enough to this!
DOCTOR STEVENS
Now, wait, ma'am, please! Don't be so brutish with the girl!
Host Mom pushes him off from behind her, and Kara isn't strong enough to fight the massive woman.
KARA
Sanjo! Sanjo, help!
Sanjo, growing in his rage, has the wind pick up in the room. Papers fly, and his hand is perfectly through the Host Father's hand, causing thicker ice to strap him there.
Host Father trembles from horror and the cold, unable to speak or react as Sanjo takes a breath in his ghostly form.
Doing so, there's a sudden movement from the body, though only from his nose down. Sanjo's mouth slowly opens into a breathy inhale.
SANJO'S BODY
(Raspy) You've tricked me.
The mouth speaks words, and the Host Mother slowly turns around, terrified.
Kara pushes her hands off of her, and also remains still.
SANJO'S BODY (O.S.)
You've fooled my family.
Host Father also turns to look over his shoulder. Petrified frozen in trembling horror.
SANJO'S BODY
There is no forgiveness.
The Host Family screams, as Host Mom rushes to the door and Host Father rips his hand off the wall, gripping it as it's red with pain from the endeavor.
Host Mom and Father burst from the door, running in terror. Doctor Stevens scrambling to get out as well, fearful.
Kara dodges them and smiles, before looking at Sanjo's ghost self.
KARA
You did it!
She turns around, ecstatic.
Sanjo's looking down, weakening, as his mist is spiraling uncontrollably around him.
SANJO
...Kara...
He collapses, his mist wisping around him as he hovers in the air, becoming a cloud of heavy mist as it begins to slowly pull his ghostly form away; starting from his legs.
Kara reacts at once, rushing to him and looking up at his seemingly knocked out look. She lightly tries to touch his cold misty face.
KARA
Sanjo! Sanjo, what's wrong!? Sanjo!
He doesn't wake up, more of him is evaporating into mist.
She bends her head to cry, before speaking up back to him, cupping his face; but feeling like she's grasping air.
KARA
Sanjo... What about me? You said you'd be my valentine. Sanjo...
The mist starts rapidly flying into Sanjo's body from the ground up, moving like a rushing current.
Not noticing, Kara leans up, and kisses lightly the air where Sanjo's forehead was. Sanjo's forehead swipes away into mists where her hands were up, having been trying to hold onto. Not feeling the cold anymore, she searches the air with her eyes and desperately starts to cry.
KARA
No, Sanjo! Sanjo, you have to live!
She looks up as if indirectly praying as she cries on her knees.
KARA
Live, Sanjo... Li-i-i-ive...
The mist fully flies into Sanjo.
Kara bends her head.
KARA
(Breathy from crying) Have a reason... To live.
Sanjo's finger starts to twitch.
KARA
Please... I ... I love you... Sanjo.
Covering her face in her sorrows, it's as if she forgot Sanjo had a body, as suddenly he opens his mouth and exhales.
He breathes normally a moment, as Kara hears the faint breathing, and slowly raises her tearful face from her hands, and turns to the body on the bed.
His true face. A face she hadn't fully seen before.
SANJO'S BODY
Su...ki... Des...u...
Her eyes widened and she scrambles to his bedside, crawling in her desperateness and then having her hands up on the bed, looking down at him.
She hesitates to touch his face... Before his eyes twitch, and she pulls back, waiting...
He groans, his voice raspy from the coma state before he starts to move his head a little bit.
She laughs through her tears, thrilled he's starting to wake up.
Sanjo begins to blink his eyes slightly and then smiles up at her.
SANJO
After...
He coughs a moment, before regaining himself.
SANJO
Oh, I sound terrible.
KARA
You look kinda terrible.
She teases, thrilled he's speaking before he turns to look at her, barely able to move.
SANJO
(clears throat) After this... Let's get some chocolate.
She laughed again.
KARA
After this, you better kiss me!
SANJO
(coughs) You mean... I can't now?
She bends down and warmly gives him a light kiss.
EXT. JAPAN - NEXT VALENTINE'S DAY
The scenes change rapidly with Japanese pop music playing in the background. It shows the beautiful different settings of Japan.
We see Sanjo and Kara as hidden details in the landscape.
Finally, we see them holding hands. And Sanjo, now fully living and not animated anymore like a CGI Anime Roger Rabbit, points to shrines and other traditional features of Japan.
Looking down from where he was pointing and looking around, Kara rubs her held hand with his, and smiles.
Sanjo looks down, leaning on the railing of the pretty wooden and red Japanese bridge.
KARA
You're warm now.
She leans up and smiles, as he smiles in return. They touch noses, Eskimo kisses, before leaning their heads against each other, smiling and laughing. Showing she's not uncomfortable being close to him anymore.
They walk through a park, littered with cherry blossom trees before the trees slowly shift into the park from the city they first met. Sanjo wears a suit, and Kara, a wedding dress.
They look to each other as they walk, and smile, leaning in for a long, innocent kiss.
FIN