INT. MOMO'S GARAGE
MOMO and MIMI standing side by side.
Smiling, he's STARING at her.
She's STARING at something in front of her.
A LITTLE PING-PONG TABLE. Three quarters of its standard size.
                            MIMI
                        (points to it)
                M-mini--
                           MOMO
                Table tennis.
                            MIMI
                We will film this?
                           MOMO
                MIMI, you and I will present
                Mini Table Tennis to the world
                as a new sport--
                            MIMI
                        (in Mandarin)
                Are you insane?
                           MOMO
                What?
                            MIMI
                No wonder you didn't say...
                           MOMO
                MIMI, sports do branch out.
                Volleyball, Beach Volleyball.
                Soccer, Futsal. Tennis,
                Pickleball. Table Tennis,
                Mini Table Tennis--
                            MIMI
                But why?
                           MOMO
                Cuz this baby fits in most homes,
                so it could become the most famous
                sport in the world. Family members
                can play anytime and be good at it.
                Mini is also easier to play on.
                            MIMI
                Easier than the regulation size?
                           MOMO
                You won't believe it until you
                try it. Mini is also the perfect
                sport to play during a pandemic.
                From beginners to veterans.
                            MIMI
                But why us?
                           MOMO
                Cuz we are the only ones who
                believe this out of the eight
                hundred million ping-pong
                fans in the world.
                            MIMI
                MOMO, this is insanity.
                           MOMO
                This is originality. Visionary.
Both fall SILENT.
                           MOMO
                       (half-whispers)
                MIMI, let's make Mini Table
                Tennis a national sport in
                every country.
                            MIMI
                MOMO, my mom always
                says that we should know
                what we can and can't do.
                Especially what we can't.
                           MOMO
                But how would we know until
                we tried? Isn't it fun to try
                something that seems impossible--
                            MIMI
                Fun? You asked me to work
                together just for fun?
                           MOMO
                Fun is essential. Not regretting
                it is crucial.
THREE MINUTES LATER
Camera is ROLLING.
MOMO and MIMI practice basic forehand and loop on Mini.
Basic backhand and loop.
They step back.
Play further from the table.
Take the mini and the camera out.
EXT. GRANADA AVE, SAN MARINO
MOMO and MIMI play down the street.
Back off SIX FEET.
VOLLEY the ball.
Step back to TWELVE FEET.
LOOP and COUNTERLOOP the ball.
Pedestrians and drivers STOP.
WATCH and CHEER.
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER
INT. MOMO'S GARAGE
Sweating and smiling, both return the table halves inside.
         MOMO           MIMI
     It's fun...         It's fun...
MOMO approaches the door.
Hits the garage switch.
                           MOMO
                MIMI, I'll show you the restroom.
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                Can I change in here?
                           MOMO
                Hmm?
He turns around.
His ears and face turn RED.
MIMI lifts her top.
STRIPS.
Only a sports bra.
                           MOMO
                S-sorry--
He quickly turns around.
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                You don't have to be sorry...
MOMO freezes.
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                Okay, now you can turn.
Slowly, he turns around.
His eyeballs POP.
Smiling, she's still SHIRTLESS.
                            MIMI
                        (eyes him up)
                Oops...
EXT. SANTA MONICA BEACH - DAY
GIRLS IN BIKINIS run up and down the shore.
Hand in hand, MOMO and MIMI walk into the sea.
He bathes with her in the sea.
They splash each other.
He swims away.
WAVES HER GOODBYE.
She freaks out.
SWIMS AFTER HIM.
Clings to him.
Rides on his back to the shore.
Takes out plastic shovels, buckets, icing spatula.
TOGETHER, they both make a sandcastle.
THIRTY MINUTES LATER
Sitting close together, they sip coconut water.
Admiring their DREAM CASTLE.
Some passersby LOOK at their masterpiece.
Others STARE at each of them.
She NOTICES.
                            MIMI
                MOMO, when I was in China,
                I always thought America is
                the land of the kind. Until San
                Diego...
                           MOMO
                Why?
                            MIMI
                People here don't ask don't tell,
                but they stare. They don't realize
                the world is not just black and
                white. They need to travel abroad
                and see more colors on the other
                side of the world. They think they
                are bigger, so they can bully--
                           MOMO
                Anyone can become a bully if
                given the chance. The rich bully
                the poor, the poor bully the poorer.
                            MIMI
                Is it because I look different--
                           MOMO
                Of course you look different...
Her eyes POP.
                           MOMO
                Look at you...
She looks down.
At her own CHEST.
                           MOMO
                MIMI, you're beautiful. It's
                true. You caught their eyes.
                The clappers might not know
                what to clap for. And that white
                dude just couldn't help it.
                            MIMI
                What?
                           MOMO
                Fouling in love with you.
                           (smiles)
She slaps his arm.
                           MOMO
                Even in China, I'm sure people
                will stare at you, right?
                            MIMI
                I don't know about that--
                           MOMO
                You don't know? You're lying...
Her face's BLUSHING.
                           MOMO
                           (laughs)
                Look at you...
She COVERS her face and giggles.
                           MOMO
                Wait for my vengeance. Revenge's
                always crueler than...
                      (shows his claws)
He roars at her.
She screams and laughs.
                           MOMO
                MIMI, can I say something
                to you? As a partner...
Her eyes RISE.
She FROWNS.
                           MOMO
                In this world, nobody isn't
                a racist. You and I have some
                racist attitudes too. If we deny
                it, we're racists, cowards, hypo-
                crites, and liars. Just love them
                anyway, okay. We don't have to
                like and subscribe to their life-
                styles.
The sea breeze gets to them.
                            MIMI
                MOMO, I'm hungry.
Smiling, he hands her a brown bag.
                            MIMI
                Taro bread! My favorite...
                Thank you, MOMO.
SNACKING, they lean against each other.
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                      (half-whispers)
                MOMO...
                           MOMO
                       (half-whispers)
                Hmm...
                            MIMI
                       (half-whispers)
                MOMO...
                           MOMO
                       (half-whispers)
                Yes, MIMI I hear you...
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                      (half-whispers)
                Do you like me?
                           MOMO
                      (half-whispers)
                Of course I do.
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                      (half-whispers)
                Do you love me?
                           MOMO
                      (red-faced, half-
                       whispers)
                Hmm? As--
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                       (half-whispers)
                A woman.
SILENCE spells him.
Her too.
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                      (half-whispers)
                You have a girlfriend?
                           MOMO
                      (lowers his face,
                       half-whispers)
                I do.
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                Then why do you always go
                out with me, not her?
                           MOMO
                Cuz we're working together?
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                She knows about me?
                           MOMO
                Yes.
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                Where is she?
                           MOMO
                Japan.
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                What is her name?
                           MOMO
                Hazuki.
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                She plays ping-pong?
                           MOMO
                Guitar.
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                What is she like?
                           MOMO
                Maximum character, minimum
                temper.
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                How long have you been together?
                           MOMO
                Just recently.
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                First love?
                           MOMO
                Last.
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                Ouch...
MOMO turns.
MIMI falls on the sandcastle.
RUINS it.
                           MOMO
                MIMI!
She grabs her left foot and grimaces.
His hands touch her foot.
                           MOMO
                MIMI, I'll be right back...
A MINUTE LATER
MOMO returns with a cup of yellowish liquid.
                            MIMI
                What is that?
                           MOMO
                A thingamajiggy.
                            MIMI
                Hmm?
He pours it on her swollen area.
She MOVES her nose closer to the cup.
                            MIMI
                        (bunny sniffs)
                This thingamajiggy smells
                familiar.
INT. MIMI'S ROOM - NIGHT
QUIET.
In bed, she shudders.
CRYING.
On her desk, A YOUNG WOMAN WITH HER ELECTRIC GUITAR is on the laptop screen.
INT. MOMO'S ROOM - NIGHT
"3:00AM" ILLUMINATES on his iPhone.
And a message.
                        MIMI (TEXT)
                MOMO, I'm going to Alaska
                with friends for two weeks
INT. MOMO'S ROOM - DAY
A Japanese female heavy metal band ROCKS the room.
PAPERS fly from a laser printer.
                       MOMO (TEXT)
                MIMI, how's the weather up
                there?
EXT. CORAL VIEW STREET, MONTEREY PARK - MOMO'S CAR (MOVING) - NIGHT
The car's stopping at the curb.
INT. MOMO'S CAR - MOMENTS LATER
"8:00 PM" on his iPhone.
AN HOUR LATER
A HAND grabs a letter-sized envelope on the passenger seat.
EXT. MIMI'S PORCH
60-something East Asian woman opens door.
MOMO smiles and nods to her.
                           MOMO
                Good evening. I'm Moses, MIMI's
                ping-pong friend. I-is she home?
                    EAST ASIAN WOMAN
                MIMI went to Alaska.
                           MOMO
                Oh. By herself?
                    EAST ASIAN WOMAN
                     (shows two fingers)
                Two boys...
                    (shows another two)
                Two girls.
