If You Weren't There Before
Episode 1: The Morning Rush Hour
They say you never really appreciate something until it's gone.
I appreciated sleep.
I loved it. The way it wrapped around you like a warm blanket. The way it erased the sharp edges of the day. The way it promised you a few hours of nothingness before the world demanded everything again.
But then the nothingness became something.
And that somethIng became a place I couldn't escape.
Now I chase sleep lIke a lover who left me.
And every time i catch it, it betrays me.
They ask me why i look so tired. Why I flinch at shadows. Why i paint monsters on canvas instead of pretty things.
I smile. I laugh. I tell them it's nothing.
But the truth is...
I've been running from someone in my dreams for three years.
And I don't even know who they are.
Maybe that's the scariest part.
[Morning sunlight streams through the window. Kinsley is buried under blankets, only her messy hair visible. An alarm clock shows 7:15 AM.]
Kinsley
Five more minutes...
[A knock on the door. Her mother's voice from outside.]
shuying
Kinsley! Wake up! Breakfast is ready!
Kinsley
𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥
shuying
You're not dying, you're dramatic. Get up!
[Kitchen. Kinsley's mother is at the stove, cooking. The table is set with rice, soup, side dishes. Kinsley shuffles in, still half-asleep, hair a mess, wearing an oversized hoodie.]
shuying
𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥, 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴
shuying
Look at you. Like a ghost who forgot to haunt properly.
Kinsley
*yawns* mom, don't make my lunch box there's good dishes today in the canteen.
shuying
Perfect. Great. Spend your money on that oily garbage. Let my hard work just sit here and rot.
Both are behind her, looking bored and starting to mouth the words perfectly in sync with her silently.
Kinsley
I’m the only one in this house who cares about a balanced diet, but clearly, I’m just doing it for my own health, right?
shuying
Since you guys are too 'cool' for a home-cooked meal now. Go! Eat! Don’t let my 'pointless' effort stop you from your canteen dreams!
shuying
And what about you? You are still young you shouldn't eat too much from outside just take the lunch box no exceptions.
Ren
𝘞𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 Good morning, my favorite shister!
Kinsley
I'm your only sister
Ren
Exactly you win by default.
shuying
𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳
[Ren grabs a piece of egg from Kinsley's plate. She smacks his hand away.]
Ren
𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨, 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭.
shuying
What are you doing?! He is your brother. Behave, you are older than him.
[Front door opens. Zichen walks in without knocking, already taking off his shoes. He's tall, messy hair, bright smile. Ren lights up]
Zichen
Auntyy! Heh heh heh
Kinsley
𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘶𝘱 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥
Kinsley
You're here early.
Zichen
𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳
Your mom makes the best breakfast. Can't miss it.
Kinsley
You said that yesterday.
Zichen
And I'll say it tomorrow.
shuying
𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥
Eat up. You're too skinny.
Zichen
𝘣𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥
Thank you, auntyy!
Kinsley
*Stares*
Why does she feed you like you're her son?
Ren
Because brother is the son she always wanted.
[Kinsley throws a piece of rice at ren. He catches it in his mouth. Zichen applauds.]
shuying
Don't play with the food kinney!
Episode 2:- university cafeteria
[Morning street. Trees lining the sidewalk. Kinsley and Zichen walk side by side, both looking half-asleep but bickering like siblings. Yumie appears from ahead, waving.]
Zichen
That's your choice.
Yumie
𝘏𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘮
Shut up!
Zichen
𝘙𝘶𝘣𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘮, 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘴
Weak.
Yumie
𝘙𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘴𝘵
Want to find out?
Kinsley
𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮, 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘴 𝘠𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘦'𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘮
Walk.
Yumie
𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘺
He started it.
Zichen
𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦
I didn't do anything.
Yumie
𝘴𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴
Yeah I know what you did last week,, and you got detention three times last month
Zichen
𝘞𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺
Detention is just networking.
Kinsley
𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨
Networking with whom? The janitor?
Zichen
𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘴
Uncle Chen loves me. I help him move boxes.
Yumie
𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘺
He's not wrong. I saw Uncle Chen give him extra rice last week.
Zichen
𝘖𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨.. 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘵
See? Respect. I'm a campus legend.
Kinsley
You're a campus nuisance. There's a difference.
Zichen
A beloved nuisance.
Zichen
𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘠𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘦
She did. Just now. In my heart.
Yumie
Leave me out of your delusions!
[University cafeteria. Crowded, noisy. Their usual table in the corner. Jing is already there, looking elegant, sipping something expensive. Luan is setting up his camera. Zhào Míng is standing on a chair.]
Yumie
𝘚𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘵
Why is he on a chair?
yì jīng
𝘋𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘶𝘱
He's been like that for ten minutes. I stopped asking
Zhào Míng
𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴
I'm establishing dominance.
Kinsley
𝘚𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯
Over what?
Luan
𝘚𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢
There's four hundred people here.
Zhào Míng
Exactly. They need to know who's in charge.
Zichen
𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘴 𝘡𝘩à𝘰 𝘔í𝘯𝘨'𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘨
Get down before you fall.
Zhào Míng
𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘶𝘱
I have balance.
Zhào Míng
𝘵𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯, 𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦
Hoo…heh heh heh
Yumie
𝘤𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨
Great balance.
Zhào Míng
𝘳𝘶𝘣𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘮
Traitor.
yì jīng
𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘺
Eat.
yì jīng
𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳
You barely touched breakfast.
Kinsley
𝘱𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦
How do you know that?
Yumie
𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳
If she doesn't want it—
yì jīng
𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘱𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥
Not for you.
Yumie
𝘗𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴
You're so mean.
yì jīng
yeah, right. right.
Zhào Míng
𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯
Bad week?
Kinsley
𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳
Last night of it.
Zhào Míng
Then tomorrow you'll be back to normal.
Kinsley
𝘗𝘶𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦
Something like that.
Luan
𝗅𝗈𝗐𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖼𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗋𝖺
You look better than yesterday.
Zichen
𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳
She'll be fine. She's tough.
Kinsley
𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥
Get your own.
Yumie
𝘕𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘺
see? Everyone's worried.
Kinsley
𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦—𝘺𝘪 𝘫𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘓𝘶𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘢 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘨𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘡𝘩à𝘰 𝘔í𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘯𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘦𝘵, 𝘡𝘪𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥
(soft laugh)
You guys are ridiculous.
Zhào Míng
𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘴
Zhào Míng and the Caring Crew.
Zhào Míng
I'll workshop it.
Zichen
𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘢 𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘬𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮
Workshop it somewhere else.
Spring festival prep
[𝐒𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐄: 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐦. 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧. 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰, 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝. 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭, 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥.]
Lecturer
so this year, each department is expected to participate. Booths, performances, activities. The art department will have a exhibition space.
student 1
Are we required to run a booth?
Lecturer
Not required. But encouraged.
Kinsley
𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘸, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨
Kinsley
Zhào Míng will handle it. Music fest. Big stage. Loud speakers. He's been talking about it for weeks.
Kinsley
I'll just help. No need to open my own stall. Less work. More sleep.
Kinsley
𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴 if I can sleep.
Lecturer
I asked if you're planning to submit anything for the exhibition.
Kinsley
𝘱𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦
I'll think about it.
[Teacher nods. Kinsley looks back out the window. Trees. Sky. Students walking below.]
[Another classroom. Zichen and Yumie sit together. Zichen slouched in his chair. Yumie taking notes. Teacher at the front.]
prof.
Alright students, Spring festival. P.E. department will handle the sports zone. Relay races. Strength games. I need volunteers.
Zichen
𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘶𝘱
I'll do it!
prof.
𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮
You're volunteering?
Zichen
𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘴
someone has to win.
Yumie
𝘜𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩
Arrogant.
Zichen
𝘌𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳
Confident. There's a difference :-P
prof.
Good. Zichen, you're in charge of setup.
[Hallway after class… Students passing. Kinsley walks out… Zichen and Yumie catch up.]
Zichen
𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳
You look lost, Should I add your number in my iPhone 17 Pro Maxhh
Kinsley
𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨...𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮
Um..i..6-7…?
Zichen
𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵
Ah hell no...
𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳
Yumie
𝘓𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨
𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩-𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘺
Yumie
𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘺
Yup, now say
Kinsley
Thinking about festival.
Yumie
Oh yeah, prof. Announced it today.
Zichen
𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘴
Zhào Míng's music fest?
Kinsley
𝘕𝘰𝘥𝘴
He's going to ask us to help. You know it
Yumie
Zichen is going to slip of this. He's already in charge of handling sports zone.
Zichen
Plus participating in it ;)
Yumie
𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘯𝘴
Last time he asked me to make banners. I stayed up all night. ┐( ˘_˘)┌
Zichen
They looked good though.
Kinsley
𝘴𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦
I'll just help..No booth for me.
Zichen
𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳
Good you need rest.
Kinsley
𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥
One more night.
Yumie
𝘚𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘦𝘻𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘮
Then two weeks of peace.
[University courtyard… Afternoon light. Students scattered around. The three of them stand near the steps.]
Yumie
𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴
I need coffee.
Zichen
You always need coffee
Zichen
𝘚𝘩𝘳𝘶𝘨𝘴
Nothing..Just saying
Yumie
𝘛𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘺
You comin?
Kinsley
𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥
I'll catch up later
Yumie
Okay… Don't take too long
Zichen
𝘓𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘒𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘵 𝘠𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘦
I'll wait.
Yumie
𝘕𝘰𝘥𝘴, 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨
Get me something sweet
Zichen
𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳
Pay yourself!
Yumie
𝘞𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬
NO!
Zichen laughs. Kinsley watches Yumie disappear into the crowd.
Zichen
𝘓𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨
you okay?
[They stand there. Not talking.]
Zichen
𝘱𝘶𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨
Come on, Let's get that coffee before she drinks both
Zichen
𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘴 𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥, 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬
Then you owe me.
Kinsley
I don't owe you anything.
Zichen
𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘴
You owe me everything.
[They walk toward the café. Sunlight...Normal day.]
Evening. Kinsley's room. She sits on her bed, looking at her calendar. Red marks… Two weeks of red and tomorrow is green.
Kinsley
V.O.
One more night.
[She lies down. Stares at the ceiling. Lights from outside cast shadows on the wall.]
[Dark... Silence. Then—a whisper.]
[A shadow moves across her dream. Fast..Gone]
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