INT. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, SURABAYA, EAST JAVA - DAY
A PAIR OF BOY'S EYES looking down. He's light-skinned.
             PROVOCATEUR 1 (O.S.)     PROVOCATEUR 2 (O.S.)
                (half-whispers)            (half-whispers)
                  China! China!               China! China!
Two dark-skinned boys STOP the light-skinned boy.
STARING at him with their big eyes.
A sucker punch to the nose ROCKS the first provocateur.
He stumbles. BLOOD splatters his face.
The provocateur SLAMS into the aggressor. WRESTLING ensues.
Girls SCREAM.
                 SUBSTITUTE TEACHER (O.S.)
                         Stop!! Stop it!!
A DARK-SKINNED MAN, 20s, wearing batik, rushes to the scene.
                    SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
                        (points to them)
                      You two, follow me!
2ND GRADE CLASSROOM
The little combatants stand by the blackboard.
Sweating. Panting.
The provocateur BOWS his head. The aggressor RAISES his face.
                     SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
                        (to each of them)
                        What happened?
                        PROVOCATEUR 1
                     He struck me first, sir!
                     SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
                         (to the accused)
                      Why did you hit him?
                          AGGRESSOR
                 (stares death in the man's eye)
                       He china china me.
The teacher STARES his little student back.
BOTH stare each other down.
The man can't help but blink and sigh.
                     SUBSTITUTE TEACHER
                      (opens the class list)
                What's your name and number?
                          AGGRESSOR
                        (doesn't flinch)
                      ZICO. Fifty one fifty.
SUPER: EIGHT YEARS LATER - THE PRESENT - JULY 1983
EXT. DR. SOETOMO STREET, SURABAYA - DAY
A busy parkway.
CATHEDRAL OF THE MOST SACRED HEART OF JESUS.
ST. LOUIS CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL.
INT. ST. LOUIS CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
New students SCRAMBLE to find classes and seats.
SECOND FLOOR HALLWAY
A pair of men's leather shoes and safari pants SWING.
CLASSROOM I-10
The FOOTSTEPS enter and stop in front of the blackboard.
Turn toward the students.
The man in safari, 30s, smiles at the students.
                        MAN IN SAFARI
                            (nods)
                Welcome to Saint Louis Catholic
                High School. I am EKO. I teach
                Chemistry.
SPLIT STAIRCASE
A pair of white "Puma Court" shoes and ocean blue pants CLIMB UP.
A BACKPACK with an AC/DC LOGO PATCH on it.
CLASSROOM I-10
A BOY, age 16, emerges from the doorless room.
He's slender. APPEALING.
STEALING the spotlight.
He nods to the teacher.
Mr. Eko smiles.
The late student approaches him.
                        LATE STUDENT
                  I'm sorry for being late, sir.
                            MR. EKO
                        Please sit down.
                        LATE STUDENT
                        Thank you, sir.
He sits in the first row. Directly across from his teacher.
                           MR. EKO
                 Now we'll vote for the class
                 president. Please stand up and say
                 your name here. Those sitting
                 create a list of candidates.
Students introduce themselves. Their personalities VARY.
When it's his turn, the late student RISES UP.
TURNS AROUND. Nods at his classmates.
                        LATE STUDENT
               Name ZICO. Full name, ZIIIIICO--
ALL chuckle. Gaze at him. Gaze at each other.
Mr. Eko included.
GROUND FLOOR HALLWAY
Two pairs of LONG LEGS 'catwalk'.
Turning HEADS in a classroom they're passing.
They are JOSEPHINE and SIRIKIT, girl senior students, long-haired, with model-like appearance.
CLASSROOM I-10
From his desk, Mr. Eko watches his students write.
The two seniors approach him.
                             SIRIKIT
                  Excuse us, sir. PABNC has an
                  announcement to make.
He checks his watch. Collects his books. Gets off the chair.
                             MR. EKO
                        (to I-10 students)
                Please don't forget to turn in your
                assignments to the class president.
The teacher invites the girls in before exiting.
                            JOSEPHINE
                    (smiles to the freshmen)
                         Good afternoon!
The girl duo becomes an instant rock stars.
Making boys 'MELT'. Making girls 'FREEZE'.
                            JOSEPHINE
               Next month, we'll host a Performing
               Arts and Bazaar Night. Each class
               will have a booth and an attraction
               option. The class president must
               report it to us by the end of this week.
               Thank you!
Suddenly, ZICO rises up. TURNS AROUND.
                                ZICO
                        (to his classmates)
                Please meet me in the front yard at
                second recess if you can help.
The two girls give him the eye. Blushing. Smiling.
                            JOSEPHINE
                  Ah, you're the class president.
                  I'm Josephine, class three six.
                              SIRIKIT
                       I'm Sirikit, three nine.
He shakes their hands without looking.
Josephine BUMPS INTO him.
                             JOSEPHINE
                   Oops, what's your name, class
                   president?--
The first recess bell RINGS.
AUDITORIUM - LATER
One of the school bands practices a cover of heavy metal track.
From beneath the stage, ZICO's watching.
EXT. SCHOOL'S FRONT YARD - DAY
ZICO sits on a bench with four of his classmates.
                                 ZICO
                  So, EMI and MARINA will run our
                  booth. AGUS and CHIHUA will cover
                  the stage. I have lots of cassettes
                  at home if you two want to come.
INT. ZICO'S ROOM - NIGHT
ZICO cranks up his TAPE DECK, AMPLIFIER, and EQUALIZER.
Agus and Chihua stare at HEAVY METAL POSTERS on the wall.
                                  ZICO
                    Please make yourselves at home.
He draws the curtains behind his bed.
Agus and Chihua try out some music and dance.
ZICO sits on his bed. WATCHING from behind.
INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY
A woman, age 41, pretty, exits her room, which shares walls with the living room and the faade. She's ZICO's mom.
                                  MOM
                                 NAH...!
                             BI INAH (O.S.)
                                Coming.
A pair of BARE FEET rushes forward.
EXT. PORCH
A woman wearing a plain Javanese clothing opens the door.
                                  MOM
                    Nah, tonight ZICO wants Javanese
                    fried noodles.
INT. DINING ROOM
Bi Inah returns inside. STOPS in front of ZICO's room.
                                 BI INAH
                         ZICO, it's nine o'clock...
INT. ZICO'S ROOM - DAY
There's a LOUD knock at the door.
                              BI INAH (O.S.)
                       ZICO...! It's eleven o'clock!
ZICO's eyes SNAP open.
He sits on his bed. Removes his "SONY" headphones.
EXT. PORCH - DAY
Bi Inah opens the door as ZICO rides his motorcycle out.
She smiles to him. Waves him goodbye.
He SMILES back. WAVES back.
EXT. SCHOOL'S WALKWAY - DAY
ZICO dashes through the crowd.
Making girl students SMILE and STARE.
INT. MOM'S ROOM - NIGHT
ZICO enters with a plate of JAVANESE FRIED NOODLES.
His mom reads A CHINESE NEWSPAPER on her bed.
                                    ZICO
                                   Mom...
                                   MOM
                          I ate dinner at the shop.
INT. DINING ROOM
ZICO eats FRIED NOODLES with chopsticks at the table.
Bi Inah sits on the floor. Watching TV.
                                    ZICO
                          Today is dad's birthday.
                                  BI INAH
                    Oh, that's why you asked for fried
                    noodles--
                                    ZICO
                      I wanted to wish him a long life.
                                  BI INAH
                    How's dad? He hasn't seen you in a
                    long time--
The phone RINGS.
                                  BI INAH
                              (on the phone)
                             Hello-- oh, he is...
She turns. GRINS at him.
Mouthing, "YOUR BOYFRIEND!"
SUPER: THREE YEARS AGO - 1980
INT. MIDDLE SCHOOL - DAY
Three BOYS laugh. Toss around a cassette.
Its owner, DANI, tries in vain to grab it.
                                    DANI
                                 Give it back!
A HAND grabs the cassette midair.
ALL gasp.
The HAND gives the cassette back to Dani.
CANTEEN
A boy student WALKS UP to the female cashier in her early 30s.
                             FEMALE CASHIER
                               (smiles to him)
                             Wanna order, ZICO?
                                    ZICO
                           (nods without looking)
                      Two fried tofus, and one chicken
                      belly, auntie.
GIRL STUDENTS nearby are watching. Smiling.
                                    ZICO
                          And a bottled tea, please.
After paying, he walks away from the crowd.
GIRLS continue to watch and whisper.
EXT. VOLLEYBALL COURT
ZICO sits alone beneath the net poles. Snacking.
                                 DANI (O.S.)
                                    ZI...
ZICO raises his face as Dani approaches him.
                                    DANI
                       Why do you enjoy being alone?
ZICO ignores him.
                                    DANI
                     I've never seen you hang out with
                     people. Especially with girls.
He's smiling. STARING at ZICO.
                                    DANI
                    ZI, my dad brought me a new gadget
                    from Japan. Wanna swing by? My
                    house is behind the school.
INT. DANI'S ROOM - DAY
An immaculately decorated HELLO KITTY-themed room.
Dani shows him a pocket device that reads, "SONY WALKMAN".
                                    DANI
                     The smallest cassette player in the
                     world. Wanna try?
He helps ZICO put on the headphones.
A new wave music LIGHTS UP ZICO's face.
EVENING
With headphones, ZICO lies on the floor in his school uniform.
Dani lies next him. Quietly staring at him. Sleeveless top.
SUPER: THE PRESENT
INT. ZICO'S ROOM - NIGHT
ZICO turns on his desk lamp. Opens the drawer.
Finds PHILOSOPHY books. A white card with lots of DARK RED DOTS.
                                  ZICO (V.O.)
                      Now Dani and I attend different
                      schools. We only meet on Saturdays.
INT. YOUTH FELLOWSHIP ROOM - DAY
ZICO, Dani, and other teenagers sit in a circle on mats.
                          FELLOWSHIP TEENAGERS
                            (singing and clapping)
                         Sha'abak ye'lin beek emano,
                         yetmassik b- wo'odak. Enta ra'ina w
                         kol ma leena, w btgh-morna b-
                         goodak. Immano'el, Immano'el, Allah
                         m'ana.
                           FELLOWSHIP PREACHER
                        If you hate each other, you are
                        murderers, and we know murderers do
                        not have eternal life. Let's pray.
EXT. SCHOOL'S FRONT YARD - NIGHT
St. Louis' bazaar night in full swing. Top hit MUSIC.
PUNK haircuts and costumes.
COUPLES hand in hand.
INT. BOOTH I-10
ZICO and Marina sit at tables.
Inside, Emi's team is working on the orders.
THREE FEMALE GUESTS, 16s, glamorous, wave at ZICO.
He notices. Approaches their table.
                                    ZICO
                                   (nods)
                                Wanna order?
The girl in the center SMILES to him. Leans in.
                            GIRL IN THE CENTER
                                 (whispers)
                     What's the yummiest here? Besides
                     the help...
The threesome MAKE EYES at him. Exchange glances. CRACK UP.
INT. AUDITORIUM - LATER
DANCERS enter the stage to Eurythmic's "Sweet Dreams".
A GIRL with an "Annie Lennox" hairdo and a slim-fit camisole dances against the back wall.
From a distance, ZICO's WATCHING her.
LATER
The auditorium is full. Buzzing with EUPHORIA.
                                   MALE MC
                      Please welcome our freshmen from
                      class one ten! "Hey Mickey"...!!
Chihua and his 'cheerleaders' appear to that smash hit.
The audience ERUPTS in hysteria.
INT. ZICO'S ROOM - DAY
There's A KNOCK at the door. ZICO's mom appears.
                                      MOM
                       ZI, Bi Inah returned to Lawang this
                       morning. She needed some time off.
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