Chapter One

Though not noticeable, it is morning time in the Hanamura residency. Mino sits up in bed and rubs his eyes as they remain closed. Eyes still closed, he sits up in bed, places his feet on the floor, and takes a deep breath. Standing up, he proceeds to walk over to his blackout curtains. On the way there he stops as his foot hovers over a lego. 

Mino: That would’ve hurt. 

He steps over the lego and continues. He slowly spreads the curtains apart allowing the sun to shine through. As it does, Mino gradually begins to open his eyes letting them adjust to the light. 

Mino: What a beautiful day. 

INT. BATHROOM - CONTINUATION 

A mirror medicine cabinet sits open. Mino grabs the cabinet and closes it. In his hand is a pill bottle labeled: Sumatriptan. He opens up the bottle and pours two pills into the lid. 

Mino [Narrating]: Growing up, I was never the strongest kid. 

Mino pours the pills from the lid into his mouth. Turning on the sink faucet, he cuffs his hand and fills it with water. He bends over the sink lowering his head to sip the water from his palm to make the pills go down easier. 

Mino [Narrating]: The doctors told me that I had a weak constitution and that the migraines I was plagued with would likely follow me for the rest of my life. 

Mino leans back up and stares into the mirror at his reflection for a moment before flicking the bathroom light off, opening the door, and leaving. 

INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUATION 

Mino has his head in the refrigerator looking for something. 

Mino [Narrating]: All my life, up until the age of fourteen I had been on bed rest. Almost always enclosed in a dark silent room, cut off from the rest of the world to reduce the effects of my condition. All I had for entertainment were things like old detective shows and podcasts I had to listen to at the lowest volume, and lego sets I’d put together in the dark. 

Mino reaches into the refrigerator. He sits down at a table to have breakfast and pours himself a glass of orange juice to go with his bowl of oatmeal accompanied by a side of toast cut into triangles. 

Mino [Narrating]: But as I got older, the migraines become easier to cope with and for the first time I was free to enjoy life and interact with other people. I was free to attend school and be a normal teenage boy. 

INT. ENTRANCE OF THE HOUSE - CONTINUATION 

Mino stands at the entrance of his house sliding on his shoes ready to leave for his first day of sophomore year. 

Mino: Okay, mom, I'm heading out. 

Mino's mother comes walking down the stairs in her pajamas. She yawns then says:

Mrs. Hanamura: Got everything? 

Mino: All set. 

Mrs. Hanamura: Medication? 

Mino: Already took it and I made sure to leave a bottle with the school nurse. 

Mrs. Hanamura: Phone? 

Mino holds up his phone. 

Mino: Yes.

Mrs. Hanamura: Class schedule? 

Mino holds up his schedule.

Mino: Right here.

Mrs. Hanamura: So you’re all set? 

Mino: Yes. 

Mrs. Hanamura: Mino. 

Mino: Yeah?

Mrs. Hanamura holds up Minos' backpack. 

Mino: Ack! 

Mino bows his head in defeat as he reaches for the bag. 

Mino: Thanks, mom. 

Mrs. Hanamura: No problem son and don’t forget to call me if you need anything okay? 

Mino: Yeah, I will. 

Now that Mino is officially ready to go he opens the front door but is stopped by his mother. 

Mrs. Hanamura: Ah-ah-ah not so fast mister. What, are we too old to kiss our mother goodbye? 

Mino: Mom, I'm gonna be late. 

Mrs. Hanamura: Priorities. I won’t always be here you know. 

Mino: What do you mean? Do you plan on going somewhere? 

Mrs. Hanamura: I don’t plan on going anywhere. 

Mrs. Hanamura gives a soft smile. 

Mrs. Hanamura: But we all have to wake up and leave the nest someday.

Mino takes a moment to process his mother's words. He swiftly walks up to her, kisses her on the cheek then zooms off. 

Mino: See you later, love you! 

He exits the front door slamming it behind him in embarrassment. 

Mrs. Hanamura: Ugh, I love that kid. Some days I still can't believe I made that. 

Mrs. Hanamura yawns and stretches her arms. 

Mrs. Hanamura: Okay, I'm going back to bed. 

INT. SCHOOL CLASSROOM - CONTINUATION 

Mino sits at his desk next to a window with the sunlight shining through it. He reaches into his backpack and pulls out a pair of shades and grins. 

Mino [Thought]: What would I do without you mom? 

He puts on the shades and stares out the window, elbow on his desk, chin in his palm. A few girls on the other side of the room begin whispering to each other as they look over at him. 

Hina: Is that him? 

Ichika: I think so. Mino Hanamura, right? 

Hina: He’s one of the hottest guys in our year for sure. 

Ichika: Yeah, totally. 

The two girls begin giggling and as they do, Mino grins a smug grin having heard the conversation. Another boy by the name of “Genji Daijo” who sits behind the girls and overhears the conversation looks over at Mino filled with jealousy. Genji growls to himself, stands up, and begins walking over to Mino. 

Ichika: Too bad he’s a loner. 

The smug grin Mino once had is turned to a look of defeat. Just then a shadow is cast over him. 

Mino: Why’d it get so dark? 

Mino turns and looks at Genji standing beside him. 

Genji: You think you’re so cool, Hanamura. What idiot wears shades indoors? 

Hina: There goes Genji getting upset again over nothing. 

Genji takes the shades from Minos' face. 

Mino: Hey, give those back. 

Genji throws them on the ground and proceeds to stomp on them. 

Genji: Shut up you little homeschooled shut-in. This is only your second year in public school so let me tell you how things work around here. 

Genji leans in closer to Mino forcing him to back into the window sill.

Genji: I'm in charge around here, so if I tell you to do something you-

Just then the bell rings for class to start. 

Genji: We’ll finish this conversation after class, Mino Hanamura. 

As everyone takes their seats Mino looks over at the two girls as they say their last words to each other before class begins. 

Hina: Do you think they're gonna fight? 

Ichika: Probably, isn’t that how Genji handles everything he doesn't like? I mean just look at what he did to that desk in the back he bumped his knee on. 

The desk in the back is full of dents in its metal, bent legs, and cracks in its wooden surface. 

Ichika: Even if Mino doesn't want to fight, he’ll have to do something if he doesn't want to end up like that. 

Hina: I feel kinda bad for him. 

The teacher enters the class. 

Ms. Tsuji: Good morning class, I hope everyone enjoyed their summer. My name is Ms. Tsuji and I’ll be your homeroom teacher.

Mino [Thought]: What am I gonna do? 

Mino looks across the room to his right and sees Genji looking back at him. Genji smiles as he snaps a bundle of five pencils in half at once. 

Ms. Tsuji: Genji Daijo eyes forward and please stop abusing your school supplies. 

Genji growls and faces forward in his seat squeezing the halves of pencils in both his hands. 

Genji [Thought]: You’re so dead Hanamura. 

Mino smiles relieved. 

Mino [Thought]: Why do I have a feeling he’ll blame me for that? This is such a pain, I just want to live peacefully. I'm in decent shape but I don’t know how to fight nor do I condone it if things can be solved with words. 

Mino sits in his seat for the rest of the class period thinking of how to talk his way out of a physical confrontation with Genji. The bell rings for lunch. 

Ms. Tsuji: Alright, everyone, that's the bell for lunch. See you back here in an hour. 

All the students leave the classroom in excitement for lunch. Mino takes his time getting his things together in his bag. Noticing Mino is the last person in the class, Ms. Tsuji walks up to him and says:

Ms. Tsuji: Hanamura, is everything okay? 

Mino looks up from his backpack. 

Mino: Um, yeah, I'm fine. 

Ms. Tsuji: Hmmm, well if you ever need to talk just let me know okay? 

Mino: Ms. Tsuji. 

Ms. Tsuji: Yes? 

Mino: Uh, never mind. 

Ms. Tsuji: Okay. 

Ms. Tsuji walks back to her desk and sips her coffee as she looks through papers. 

Mino: Ms. Tsuji. 

Ms. Tsuji puts down her papers and smiles at Mino. 

Mino: Thank you. 

Ms. Tsuji: Anytime. If you need somewhere to eat lunch, I don’t mind the company. But it is nice outside today. 

Ms. Tsuji opens up a drawer on her desk and reaches in. She pulls out a key and tosses it to Mino.

Ms. Tsuji: The key for the doors to the roof. It’s all yours, just don’t forget to give it back afterward. 

Mino looks at the key. 

Mino: Thank you, Ms. Tsuji, I’ll take good care of it. 

Ms. Tsuji: No problem, now go enjoy yourself. 

Mino shakes his head in confirmation. 

INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY - CONTINUATION 

Mino exits the classroom back turned to the halls. He closes the door and turns around. Students line the hallway on both sides. Standing a few meters away is Genji. 

Genji: About time Hanamura. I was starting to think you’d hide in class for the hour. 

Mino [Thought]: He was waiting for me? And everyone came to spectate expecting to see a fight. 

Mino: Hey Genji, I don’t want to fight or anything, can we just talk about this? 

Genji: Look at that, Hanamura's a pacifist. Well, that’ll make this easier for me.

Mino [Thought]: No, there's no getting through to him. Why is he so insistent on fighting? What did I even do to make him so angry? Think Mino. 

The two girls from earlier watch from the crowd and begin whispering to each other. 

Hina: Is he really not going to fight back? 

Ichika: He probably doesn’t know how to. 

Mino [Thought]: That’s it! I understand now. I've seen this in tons of movies. The school bully gets upset with the new kid because everyone gets so interested in him.

Mino points at Genji. Genji freezes in his tracks. 

Mino: You’re jealous.

 Genji: Me? Jealous? 

Mino: Allow me to explain. When the girls over there called me attractive earlier you got upset, correct? 

Ichika: Oh my gosh, he heard that? But how? We were whispering. He was across the room.

Mino: That must be because you have a crush on one of them am I right?

 Genji: looks over at the girls. 

Genji: Well, I, um. 

Hina: Ew, I think he’s looking at you. 

Ichika: Ew, no way, I don’t want him. He’s gotta be looking at you. 

Hina: Don’t say that, I don’t want him either. 

Genji's face turns sad and then angry as he looks back at Mino. Genji growls then says: 

Genji: That’s it, Hanamura, enough talking. 

Genji furiously walks up to Mino and cocks his fist back readying it to punch Mino in the face. Mino's face fills with disappointment and as it does, time slows down drastically.