SUPER: SHANGHAI, CHINA - SUMMER 2001
INT. TABLE TENNIS CLUB - DAY
CHINESE CHARACTERS on the wall read:
"LITTLE TIGER"
TWELVE BLUE TABLES in three sections.
A WOMAN, age 33, pretty, walks to the center court.
Wearing a red table tennis shirt and blue pants.
Teenage boys and girls in ping-pong outfits run around the tables.
A LITTLE GIRL, age 3, trails behind.
BEAMING, she waves to the woman.
                        LITTLE GIRL
                Mama...!
She approaches the woman.
EMBRACES her legs.
                           WOMAN
                        (in Mandarin)
                Princess, go run with your friends.
The girl smiles. Shakes her head.
The woman gives her a smile.
CLENCHES her fist.
                          WOMAN
                        (in Mandarin)
                MIMI jiayou!
The girl smiles.
JOINS others.
FIVE MINUTES LATER
ALL practice basic forehand.
Little MIMI included.
Her mother walks around.
WATCHING.
SUPER: SUMMER 2016
INT. ARENA - SHANGHAI AMERICAN SCHOOL - DAY
A venue full of TEEN SPECTATORS.
Red, white, black, brown, and yellow.
A huge sign above reads:
"HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIP 2016"
A PING-PONG TABLE in the center of the court.
A TEENAGE GIRL in a school cheerleader outfit emerges with a paddle.
BOYS go crazy.
                         SOME BOYS
                MIMI...!! I love you!!
                        OTHER BOYS
                Will you be my girlfriend?!!
She SMILES and BOWS to the audience.
BOYS go crazier.
GIRLS look at each other.
ROLL their eyes.
SUPER: SUMMER 2018
INT. SHANGHAI UNIVERSITY OFFICE - DAY
QUIET. EMPTY.
MIMI's mother sits at the table.
In front of A MAN IN BLACK, 50s.
                       MAN IN BLACK
                        (in Mandarin)
                Missus Li, we are proud to have
                MIMI in our school. She is an
                amazing student and athlete.
                However, the leadership has
                chosen to drop her from the
                table tennis team.
                      MIMI'S MOTHER
                        (in Mandarin)
                Sir, isn't she one of the best
                in the team?
                       MAN IN BLACK
                        (in Mandarin)
                Missus Li, your daughter is the
                best in Shanghai University. But
                she also poses the biggest problem--
                      MIMI'S MOTHER
                       (in Mandarin)
                The biggest problem?
                       MAN IN BLACK
                        (in Mandarin)
                Distraction.
                      MIMI'S MOTHER
                        (in Mandarin)
                Distraction?
                       MAN IN BLACK
                      (half-whispers
                       in Mandarin)
                Missus Li, she's not very
                popular among her female
                peers.
She SIGHS.
                       MAN IN BLACK
                       (half-whispers
                        in Mandarin)
                Hmm, Missus Li, has your
                daughter ever thought about
                becoming like... a model?
INT. MIMI'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFICATES, FRAMED PHOTOS cover the walls.
TROPHIES, MEDALS fill the cabinets.
                            MIMI
                        (in Mandarin)
                A model?! Tell him I want to be
                a mother!
She pulls out THREE PADDLES from her ping-pong bag.
                            MIMI
                        (mumbles in
                         Mandarin)
                What an old pervert!
She TOSSES all her paddles in the trash.
                      MIMI'S MOTHER
                MIMI!
                            MIMI
                        (in Mandarin)
                I don't want to play ping-pong
                ever again!
She STORMS OFF.
Her mother PICKS UP her paddles from the trash.
                      MIMI'S MOTHER
                        (in Mandarin)
                Then who is going to take care
                of our club?!--
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                    (shouts in Mandarin)
                Ask Jason!
                      MIMI'S MOTHER
                        (in Mandarin)
                Your little cousin?
INT. DINING ROOM - DAY
In her cami pajama, MIMI surprises her mother.
                            MIMI
                        (in Mandarin)
                Ma, Jason said he's going to
                study in America next year.
                I'm going with him.
                      MIMI'S MOTHER
                       (in Mandarin)
                Ah, that's not a bad idea. In
                America, you can compete in
                singles and play doubles with
                him...
                            MIMI
                        (in Mandarin)
                Ma, I said I'm done with ping-
                pong. And you know I never
                played doubles...
                      MIMI'S MOTHER
                       (in Mandarin)
                I know I know. You are scared
                of germs. What a princess...
                How are you going to find a
                boyfriend?
                            MIMI
                        (in Mandarin)
                I don't need a boyfriend. Boys
                are trash!
SUPER: MONTEREY PARK, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES - SUMMER 2019
INT. MIMI'S ROOM - NIGHT
Jason's call illuminates her phone.
                         JASON (V.O.)
                        (in Mandarin)
                Sis, wanna play doubles with
                me in LA Open?
                            MIMI
                       (in Mandarin)
                Jason, I haven't played since
                last summer. I left all my
                paddles home. I never played
                doubles either.
                         JASON (V.O.)
                        (in Mandarin)
                Use mine. No worries. We can
                get there an hour earlier to
                practice. By the way sis, while
                you're here, why don't you start
                a channel on YouTube?
INT. HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM, WEST HILLS, CALIFORNIA - DAY
SPECTATORS have formed around a table.
A sign above reads:
"EAST-WEST LA OPEN - SUMMER 2019"
SLOW MOTION:
MOMO's and MIMI's hands MEET.
Both LOCK eyes.
He smiles and nods to her.
She mirrors him.
Both turn around.
Step to their OPPOSITE sides.
His head TURNS AGAIN.
Hers too.
LATER
Umpire RAISES arm to MOMO and Sara.
Sara embraces MOMO.
MIMI's watching.
MOMO turns to MIMI.
Shows his pointing finger to her.
They are STARING at each other.
He mouthes, "I'M SORRY!"
END SLOW MOTION.
INT. MIMI'S ROOM - DAY
A FINGER taps on an iPhone.
                   MIMI (ON THE PHONE)
                        (in Mandarin)
                Hey Jason, can you give me a
                ride to Rosemead tomorrow?
                I will go hunting.
INT. MIMI'S ROOM - NIGHT
Standing by the chair, MOMO stares at her MacBook Air.
Displaying a slideshow screensaver.
Photos of him and Sara smiling with trophies.
Photos of him sipping a big bottle of coconut water.
A TAP at the door.
                         MIMI (O.S.)
                       (in Mandarin)
                Chicken soup is coming...
EXT. OCEANSIDE'S REST AREA - NIGHT
MOMO and MIMI are taking in the SCENERY.
She stretches and YAWNS.
                           MOMO
                Look, the tiger's sleepy.
                            MIMI
                           (smiles)
                MOMO, can I have your shoulder?
                           MOMO
                What is it that I won't let you
                have?
They TRADE smiles.
                           MOMO
                You can have my everything.
                            MIMI
                         Everything?
He nods to her.
                           MOMO
                          (smiles)
                Truly, madly, deeply.
She RESTS her head on his shoulder.
                            MIMI
                       (half-whispers)
                Endlessly?
INT. MIMI'S ROOM - NIGHT
Her mother is on Face Time.
                            MIMI
                       (in Mandarin)
                Mama, I'm in love...
                      MIMI'S MOTHER
                Aiya.
                      (shakes her head)
EXT. PIER 39 MARINA - DAY
MOMO and MIMI walk along the dock.
He continues to SING SOFTLY.
                           MOMO
                But it's time to face the truth.Â
                I will never be with you.
EXT. MIMI'S DRIVEWAY - NIGHT
He JUMPS OUT of his car.
TURNS his head to her.
                           MOMO
                Coward!!
She STOPS.
                           MOMO
                You're scared of God and death
                cuz you're scared to face the truth!
                            MIMI
                Bullshit!!
                           MOMO
                Hypocrite!!
                            MIMI
                Shut up!!
                           MOMO
                Don't you dare to call God
                when you're face to face
                with death! Text your
                ancestors instead!
                            MIMI
                I'll kick your ass!!
                           MOMO
                I'll smoke your bacon!!
                            MIMI
                I hate you!!
                           MOMO
                I hate you back!!
                            MIMI
                       (in Mandarin)
                Just die!!
A MINUTE LATER
EXT. MIMI'S PORCH
The front door opens HALFWAY.
A HAND tosses a ping-pong bag.
SLAMS the door.
MOMO's standing still.
STARING at the bag.
TEARS are rolling down his eyes.
INT. MIMI'S LIVING ROOM
On the floor, she's leaning against the door.
                            MIMI
                         (whispers)
                MOMO, I can't beat it...
She begins to cry.
STARING at the wall.
It's 9:25 on the clock.
EXT. CORAL VIEW STREET, MONTEREY PARK - MOMO'S CAR (MOVING) - NIGHT
A supersonic red Prius pulls up to the curb.
Parks in front of MIMI's house.
EXT. CORAL VIEW STREET, MONTEREY PARK
A PAIR OF MEN'S PING-PONG SHOES comes out of the driver's side.
A PAIR OF WOMEN'S PING-PONG SHOES steps out of the passenger's side.
THE FOOTSTEPS approach the home together.
EXT. MIMI'S PORCH
The FEET stop at the door.
MIMI turns to her right.
SMILING in her ping-pong jacket and ping-pong bag on her shoulder.
                            MIMI
                MOMO, thank you for taking
                me to all the wonderful places.
                You are my best tour guide in
                the world. You have made me
                feel at home.
                        MOMO (O.S.)
                You are home.
                            MIMI
                You must be an angel sent
                by the ping-pong gods just
                for me.
                        MOMO (O.S.)
                Welcome to the City of Angels,
                MIMI.
                            MIMI
                Good night, angel.
She gives him an ojigi.
Waves him goodbye.
Stands BY HERSELF.
As seen from ABOVE.
HIGHER. AND HIGHER.
Over the glittering of Los Angeles' PANORAMIC VIEW.
                        MOMO (V.O.)
                         (whispers)
                MIMI jiayou!
EPILOGUE
MOMO AND MIMI is a work of fiction.
All rights reserved.
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