Chapter Text
[Int: a half-lit hall in an orphanage, large stained glass windows looming above a man shrouded in darkness]
Headmaster: (aggressive) Get out of here, you good for nothing! We have no place here for the likes of you.
[Camera lowers to show a dishevelled teen boy in ripped blue uniform clutching his arm, his eyes darting in panic]
Atsushi: (weakly, voice breaking) What?
[Headmaster snatches Atsushi’s shirt, camera pans to the front door]
Atsushi: (yelps in pain)
Headmaster: (gruffly) Get out of here, you useless brat. Those who don't save the lives of others don't deserve to live.
[Camera fades out while Atsushi is thrown onto the side of the road]
[On screen; "5 days later...", text fades out]
[Ext: a river bank, day]
[Camera pans sideways to an orphan, keeled over clutching his stomach]
Atsushi: (groans in hunger)
[Orphanage headmaster fades onto the creen, contrasting To the black]
HEADMASTER (MEMORY): (distantly) you damn good for nothing…
[The memory Of the headmaster reaches
[Original background and Atsushi appears back onto the Screen.]
ATSUSHI: actually…. Never mind.
[Atsushis stomach grumbles, and he leaps to his feet, a determined expression On his face]
ATSUSH (thoughts) I: (voice wavering) alright.. I'm gonna rush the next person I see and steal everything they've got!
[Arsushi glances at the river, does a double take. There's a pair of legs in tan trousers wiggling from the river whilst floating down]
ATSUSHI: (sheepishly) uhhh… I doubt drowned corpses carry Their wallets..
[The legs continue floating down the river, flailing more and spinning around]
ATSUSHI: erm…..
[Atsushi shakes his head, seemingly battling his thoughts. The legs are being pecked at by birds]
ATSUSHI: FINE. FINE. ILL SAVE YOU! (Muttering) not exactly what I had in mind…
[Atsushi dives into the river, screaming. Screen fades to black.]
[Screen fades back to the river bed showing two Dishevelled figures atsushi retching up water. The other, older, taller man lays on his back, out of it]
[The man shot up, rolling his head forward slowly. Atsushi squirms away From him ]
ATSUSHI: um… are you.. ok?
DAZAI: damn.
ATSUSHI: (internally) “damn”? I save him and he says damn???
[The man stands up and atsushi follows suit. The man in a beige trench coat grins widely.]
MAN: (pouts) ugh, you don't get it? You interrupted my submersion to suicide!
[Atsushi gapes up at him]
DAZAI: (grinning) I'm Osamu Dazai. Are you hungry by any chance?
[Dazais stomach rumbles, atsushi leans forward hand outstretched]
ATSUSHI: (sheepishly) Atsushi Nakajima!! Yes, I'm hungry, I'm always hungry!!!
[Dazai digs into his pockets, and pulls out the fabric, revealing empty pockets.]
DAZAI: Ah. It seems that the river has taken my wallet.
[Atsushi crumpled slightly]
DAZAI: (grins wider) more of a reason to take my partners wallet~
[Camera pans to an angry blonde man on the other side of the river]
BLONDE: Dazai, you bandage squandering machine! You've thrown my schedule off with your antics. And now you demand my wallet??
[Dazai thinks for a moment, before nodding widely]
DAZAI: yep, he'll be happy to provide us with the funds!!! Now, what Tickles your fancy?
[Camera fades out to black]
ATSUSHI: A bowl of tea on rice.
[Int. A Japanese style restaurant, piles of empty bowls on a table. Atsushi sits