                            MIMI
                Hmm?
                           MOMO
                I broke up with my girlfriend
                this morning.
Her eyebrows raise.
He CRACKS UP laughing.
                            MIMI
                         (chuckles)
                You're so bad... Table tennis
                channel?
                           MOMO
                           (nods)
                I write and direct. You perform
                and post. How's that?
                            MIMI
                Why do you want to have
                a channel?
                           MOMO
                I wanna bring transformation
                to our sport before I die--
                            MIMI
                MOMO, don't say that...
                           MOMO
                Die? Why?
                            MIMI
                Bad luck.
                           MOMO
                My bad. So, will you partner
                with me, please? Fifty-fifty.
                Easy-peasy.
He OFFERS his pinkie.
                           MOMO
                      (half-whispers)
                Truly madly deeply...
Smiling, she LOOKS him in the eye.
Gradually, her pinkie TAKES his.
                            MIMI
                      (half-whispers)
                Truly madly deeply...
                           MOMO
                Now we're official partners
                in crime.
Both LOCK eyes and smiles.
                            MIMI
                          (sweetly)
                Also, will you partner with
                me in tournaments?
                           MOMO
                         (lights up)
                Double happiness...
He extends his right hand.
She TAKES it.
INT. MIMI'S ROOM - NIGHT
Beautiful 51-year-old WOMAN on iPhone screen.
                            MIMI
                      (smiling, waving)
                Ma...
                   MIMI'S MOTHER (O.S.)
                        (in Mandarin)
                Why do you look so happy?
                What time is it now?
                            MIMI
                       (in Mandarin)
                Eight o'clock in the evening.
                   MIMI'S MOTHER (O.S.)
                       (in Mandarin)
                Have you eaten yet?
Mimi GRINS.
                            MIMI
                   (whispers in Mandarin)
                Ma, I met someone. He's kind
                and cute--
                   MIMI'S MOTHER (O.S.)
                Aiya...
                            MIMI
                   (whispers in Mandarin)
                He's white--
                   MIMI'S MOTHER (O.S.)
                Fuiyoh...
                        (in Mandarin)
                MIMI, you went to America to
                study, not snuggle...
INT. TABLE TENNIS CLUB, ROSEMEAD - DAY
MOMO signals with his camera and teleprompter.
In a black core tank and white skort, MIMI waves her paddle.
                            MIMI
                Ping-pong is affordable, space-
                saving, and physically-friendly.
                It's addictingly good too. Ping-
                pong is unisex and fun, even
                more fun than sex--
She's blushing. LOOKING ON.
                            MIMI
Cut cut... MOMO, did you change the script?
MOMO giggles.
Making MIMI chuckle.
AN HOUR LATER
In a white core tank and black skort, MIMI stands in front of MOMO's camera.
                           MOMO
                      (raises his hand)
                Se no...
                            MIMI
                Hi guys, MOMO and MIMI
                here...
With lovely smile, she SHOWS V-signs on her cheeks.
                           MOMO
               Cut cut! No vaginas please...
                     (wiggles his finger)
RED-FACED, MIMI can't help giggling.
Quickly HIDES her hands.
MOMO busts out laughing.
                            MIMI
                      (shakes her head)
                You're so bad...
EXT. TABLE TENNIS CLUB, EL MONTE - DAY
A packed parking lot.
NOISE in the building.
INT. TABLE TENNIS CLUB, EL MONTE - DAY
SLOW MOTION:
MOMO and MIMI battle opponents.
Team by team.
He CLENCHES his fist.
She YELLS.
Sweating, smiling, MOMO and MIMI lift their arms.
The champions EMBRACE.
From her table, Sara's WATCHING.
END SLOW MOTION.
INT. MOMO'S CAR (MOVING) - NIGHT
TROPHIES in their laps.
                           MOMO
                So what do you wanna eat,
                champ? American, Mexican,
                Italian, Thai, Indian, Japanese,
                Korean, Greek--
                            MIMI
                I want to eat Chinese, champ...
                           MOMO
                You've climbed the seven
                summits and crossed the
                seven seas to America only
                to crave Chinese food?
She grins.
                           MOMO
                Let's have dinner at my ping-
                pong friend's restaurant in
                Alhambra. He's Chinese-
                Indonesian.
                            MIMI
                Hooray... We will eat for free--
                           MOMO
                No. We'll eat there cuz the food
                is good and we wanna help support
                our friend's business.
                            MIMI
                In China, we eat at a friend's
                restaurant for free.
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER
INT. CHINESE INDONESIAN RESTAURANT, ALHAMBRA
Champions dine with trophies on the table.
                           MOMO
                MIMI, where in China are
                you from?
                            MIMI
                Shanghai.
                           MOMO
                But it's hard to believe that
                you're Chinese...
                           (smiles)
                            MIMI
                Why?
                           MOMO
                Cuz you know how to smile.
They exchange grins.
                            MIMI
                My mom says our history was
                full of troubles. Wars, hunger.
                When we are suffering, how can
                we smile?
                           MOMO
                But your folks are no longer
                suffering.
                            MIMI
                We are shaped by history. And
                our history is much longer than
                yours.
                           MOMO
                I get it.
                            MIMI
                Even now, some still ask "have
                you eaten?" to friends and family.
                           MOMO
                Oh.
                            MIMI
                We can't deny our past, or
                our future will deny us.
He nods to her.
                            MIMI
                MOMO, I can't believe you
                are American...
                           MOMO
                Why?
                            MIMI
                          (sweetly)
                Because you make me feel
                at home.
He lowers his face and smiles.
She mirrors him.
                           MOMO
                How big is ping-pong in your
                hometown?
                            MIMI
                Double Happiness is there--
                           MOMO
                Oh, yeah. By the way, what is
                it that makes ping-pong
                a national sport in your
                country?
                            MIMI
                Ping-pong tables and tourna-
                ments are everywhere. We have
                school teams that train every day.
                           MOMO
                Oh wow.
                            MIMI
                Around ten million players
                compete in tournaments
                regularly. Three hundred
                million occasionally.
His jaw DROPS.
She gives him a smile.
And A TOAST with her trophy.
INT. TABLE TENNIS CLUB, ROSEMEAD - NIGHT
MIMI smiles at the camcorder and teleprompter.
                            MIMI
                Kobe Bryant, who reportedly
                has the highest intelligence
                and was the most tenacious
                player in the NBA, once defined
                Basketball IQ as the ability to
                read one another and to read
                the defense quickly. Now, what is
                Table Tennis IQ?
INT. TABLE TENNIS CLUB, FOUNTAIN VALLEY - DAY
Tournament underway.
Four players fighting on each table.
MOMO and MIMI take on their opponents.
They YELL.
CLENCH fists.
On other table, SARA and her partner COURTNEY battle theirs.
ONE HOUR LATER
Holding their paddles, MOMO and MIMI walk together.
Toward a table.
There, Sara and Courtney are warming up.
MIMI stops behind Courtney.
MOMO walks on to Sara.
                           MOMO
                Sara...
He gives her a hug.
MIMI's watching.
The umpire SIGNALS the two teams to start.
Sara TOSSES the ball medium high.
Serves to MIMI.
She returns it.
Courtney loops the ball.
MOMO counter loops it.
Both teams trade shots.
The ball HITS the net.
4-11 on the game score.
MIMI gives MOMO a high-five.
Sara gives MOMO a death stare.
Quietly ELBOWS him when changing sides.
Both teams SERVE.
RECEIVE.
ATTACK.
COUNTER-ATTACK.
3-0 on the set score.
MOMO and MIMI bump their fists.
Both sides shake hands.
MOMO embraces Sara.
MIMI's watching.
NIGHT
Spectators CROWD a table in the middle.
MOMO and MIMI are set to face the home team.
A rough-looking Vietnamese guy, late 20s.
His partner, a pretty Vietnamese woman in her early 20s.
                           MOMO
                    (whispers in her ear)
                That guy's a sandbagger.
                Watch out for his red side.
                It's super crazy long pips!
MIMI tosses A HIGH-FLYING BALL.
Serves to the man.
The ball hits the middle line. Short and low.
He simply bounces it back with his red side.
MOMO flicks it.
Without hesitation, she punches it with her backhand.
The ball lands near the table's edge.
Hits MOMO's body.
Spectators CLAP.
MOMO and MIMI stare at each other.
MINUTES LATER
Two teams trading shots.
Serving.
Receiving.
Flicking.
Chopping.
Looping.
Counter-looping.
Rallying.
0-1, 0-2, 1-2 on the set score.
EXT. TABLE TENNIS CLUB, FOUNTAIN VALLEY
MOMO and MIMI stand outside the door.
Sweating, they sip coconut water.
She throws away her empty bottle.
                            MIMI
                Let's kill them.
                   (gestures a throat slit)
MOMO can't help but stare at her.
                           MOMO
                       (tries to smile)
                MIMI, you're dangerous--
                            MIMI
                I'm serious...
                           MOMO
                What did you eat for breakfast?
INT. TABLE TENNIS CLUB, FOUNTAIN VALLEY
MIMI scores with a backhand loop.
CLENCHES her fist.
                            MIMI
                Cho!
MOMO high-fives her.
Determination shine in their eyes.
He tosses the ball and serves.
The woman returns it a bit high.
Mimi SLAMS the ball.
                            MIMI
                Cho-le!
MOMO can't help but look at her face.
                           MOMO
                    (whispers to himself)
                I partnered with a tigress...
10-9 on the game score.
MIMI prepares to serve.
MOMO's chest goes up and down FAST.
                           MOMO
                    (whispers in her ear)
                My stamina's out. Just serve
                short, no spin. I'll get his ass.
                Let's call it a night...
             MIMI                 MOMO
         (nods to him)          (nods to her)
      Jiayou.                 Jiayou.
SLOW MOTION:
She RAISES her paddle.
TOSSES the ball high. ALMOST touches the ceiling.
Heads TURN UP. Eyeballs ROLL UP.
She CHOPS it.
The ball goes across.
SHORT and LOW.
The woman BOUNCES it.
The ball rebounds SKY-HIGH.
MOMO goes all out.
STRIKES the ball. SILENCES the crowd.
His body continues SPINNING.
COLLAPSING.
MIMI screams.
Spectators GET UP from the bench.
MIMI catches MOMO.
They both FALL together.
In the crowd, Sara's standing.
WATCHING.
END SLOW MOTION.
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