It'd be nice to see her again

EXT. EMPTY STREET - EVENING

A familiar scene is in view. A door glows brightly with a sign propped up slightly to the side of it. Slightly beyond the door, a resting darkness is present, making its light all the more imposing. At this time where nobody else should be awake, Hiroshi walks through the stillness, carving his own path toward the light he’s all too familiar with. With a bright smile on his face, he steps up to the door, and doesn’t think twice.

INT. CHECK IN AREA - EVENING

Slamming the door open, Hiroshi jumps at his own action.

HIROSHI

Whoops... that was a lot louder than I thought it’d be...

After laughing awkwardly at what he just did, he turns his attention from the door, intending to continue his motion. An unfamiliar scene makes itself known to him though.

A girl comes into view, visually grabbing the edge of the wall with one hand, and holding a broom in the other.

HIROSHI

Oh, hey! What’s up!?

The girl stares on, maintaining what seems like an instinctual tension in her posture. Both in how wide her eyes are and in the clenching grasp in her hands.

HIROSHI

I didn’t expect to see you here today! I’ve been coming at this time for the past couple days, but I started to give up thinking you’d be here honestly.

Hiroshi slips off his shoes as he walks further into the entranceway, making sure to close the door easier behind him.

The girl stares for another moment before her posture softens. Her gaze moves toward her hand, still clutched to the wall. As if just noticing it, she quickly pulls it back to her, grabbing the broom instead.

??? (RECEPTIONIST)

Well... I don’t really work a lot...

Hiroshi softens his smile now, slipping his arms out of his jacket as he stands at the entrance.

HIROSHI

Hmm, makes sense that I didn’t see you then.

The girl nods her head a couple times, and without any verbal response, averts her eyes from Hiroshi’s. In contrast, Hiroshi widens his eyes.

HIROSHI

Oh, right! I don’t really have a lot of time, I’m here for a bathhouse service. I just need to wash up for the night.

Redirecting her attention to him, the girl curls her mouth and nods her head. She quickly turns around, setting off in the direction of the reception desk.

Hiroshi prepares to say something else, but then brings his mouth together, creating a soft smile. After some thought, he lifts his foot forward, and follows behind.

EXT. OUTDOOR BATH - EVENING

As the door slides open, an immediate shift presents itself. The silent sound of ambient light quickly transitions into the steady sound of wind. The steam rises thickly from the body of water, dissipating as it reaches for the sky.

Suddenly, a man walks through the barrier between the two environments, bringing disruption along with him. The steam thins, adapting to the newly introduced anomaly. The wind now fights twice as hard to go around the anomaly, desperate to maintain its calm nature.

In an environment that once worked in harmony, a collapse becomes introduced. If the man were to realize, he would lay all the blame on himself... but alas, the world is not so simple.

In fact, the steam has weakened itself before, fighting for dominance over wind. And the wind has fought twice as hard before, thinning itself to flow through steam. The environment doesn’t blame the man, it merely views him as just another obstacle.

So, truly... Can blame be pointed at only one side?

Should the man feel guilty for causing the collapse... or should the environment feel guilty for weakening itself until the point of collapse?

INT. CHECK IN AREA - EVENING

As Hiroshi walks out of the locker room, his eyes meet a familiar face, and he walks up to the counter.

??? (RECEPTIONIST)

Is there anything else that you’d like today, sir?

The girl taps on the register a couple times before putting out the cash tray. As she turns the kiosk around, she looks up at Hiroshi. In a confusing sequence of events, she quickly snaps her eyes away to a paper in front of her, grabbing a pen as she does so.

Hiroshi begins to fish through his wallet, looking for his usual ¥1200. Out of the corner of his eye, something catches his attention.

HIROSHI

...

Again, he looks, making sure to verify what he had just seen. His eyes focus more now, visibly dilating as he blocks out everything in his peripheral vision. Piecing his vision together fully now... his eyes widen.

HIROSHI (VOICEOVER)

No way...

After holding his eyes wide for a moment longer, he softens them, putting a slight smirk on his face. His fingers that once hesitated in his wallet start to move again, presenting the cash that the girl asks for.

The girl turns her attention away from the paper and puts down the pen. Gradually, she counts the money, folding down each bill’s corner in correspondence while mouthing each amount to herself.

HIROSHI

Hey... um—

Cutting himself off, he takes a quick breath. Not one long enough to ponder... simply one brief enough to act.

HIROSHI

When do you usually work?

The girl pauses.

??? (RECEPTIONIST)

... Why?

Hiroshi opens his mouth... then stops.

HIROSHI

Well, I just—

HIROSHI (VOICEOVER)

Wait... why did I even ask that?

HIROSHI

Honestly, I don’t know... but I think I would regret it if I didn't ask... maybe.

Hiroshi looks down, furrowing his eyebrows as the floor comes into view. For a moment, the floor remains still, appearing normal. Then, something feels off. The lines within the floor shift, adjusting until they no longer meet. The patterns blur, pulling apart until it stops making sense. The more Hiroshi looks, the harder it is to focus.

He lifts his head. Just like that... everything settles.

Having watched this entire sequence of events, the girl sighs.

??? (RECEPTIONIST)

... Recently, I only work at night. 3 days of the week.

Snapping his head back toward the girl, Hiroshi’s face lights up again.

HIROSHI

Oh... okay!

I guess I’ll see you again soon then!

Hiroshi turns around, casting his attention away from the girl as he swiftly paces himself toward the door. He slides into his shoes he left at the entrance and reaches with an unjustifiable amount of urgency.

The air follows Hiroshi, containing a bubbly illusion as it follows above...

The bathhouse lights now shut off.