Scene 1
Setting: Adrian's apartment. Late evening.
[Adrian paces the living room, his phone clutched in his hand. The faint glow of the streetlamp outside filters through the blinds, casting fractured lines across his face. The silence of the apartment is deafening, amplifying the whirlwind of thoughts in his mind. He stops mid-step, his gaze locked on the last message from Kai: "Thanks for tonight. Don't expect much from me."]
Adrian: (murmurs) "Don't expect much… What are you so afraid of, Kai?"
[He sits heavily on the couch, scrolling back through their brief conversations. There's so little to go on, yet each word feels weighted, hiding a story beneath the surface. Adrian leans back, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts drifting to the way Kai had looked at him earlier that evening—guarded but undeniably vulnerable. A knock at the door pulls him from his reverie.]
Sophia: (offscreen) "Adrian! Open up. I brought food."
[Adrian stands reluctantly, opening the door to reveal his sister, Sophia, balancing two takeout bags.]
Sophia: "You look like you've seen a ghost. What's wrong?"
Adrian: "Nothing. Just... thinking."
[She walks in uninvited, placing the bags on the counter.]
Sophia: "You've been 'thinking' a lot lately. Is it work, or…" (pauses, studying him) "...is it someone?"
[Adrian hesitates, then sits down at the table. Sophia raises an eyebrow, sensing she's hit a nerve.]
Adrian: "There's this guy. Kai. He's… complicated."
Sophia: "Complicated how? Like 'bad boy with a heart of gold' complicated, or 'run-for-the-hills' complicated?"
Adrian: (smirks faintly) "Somewhere in between."
[He explains the events of the past few days, from their first meeting to the moments in the park. Sophia listens intently, her expression shifting from curiosity to concern.]
Sophia: "Sounds like he's been through something. Maybe a lot of somethings. Are you sure you're ready to deal with that?"
Adrian: "I don't know. But I can't just walk away."
Sophia: "Just be careful, okay? People like that—they can pull you under if you're not careful."
[Adrian nods, but his resolve only hardens.]
---
Scene 2
Setting: Kai's apartment. Midnight.
[Kai sits at the edge of his bed, the bottle of whiskey half-empty on the nightstand. His hands are trembling, but he doesn't drink. Instead, he stares at the sketchpad on his lap. The latest drawing—a pair of hands reaching for each other but never touching—stares back at him, mocking his every thought.]
Kai (voiceover):
"Stop thinking about him. Stop it."
[He grabs the page and tears it out, crumpling it in his fist. But the image won't leave his mind. Adrian's voice, his persistence, his kindness—it all feels like too much. His phone buzzes, breaking the silence. A message flashes on the screen from an unknown number: "You owe me, Kai. Don't forget."]
[His breath catches. Panic floods his system as he stares at the words. He deletes the message quickly, but the damage is done. The past he's tried so hard to bury is clawing its way back to the surface. Desperate to escape his own thoughts, Kai grabs his jacket and leaves the apartment.]
---
Scene 3
Setting: A quiet park near Adrian's apartment. Early morning.
[Adrian jogs through the park, the crisp morning air biting at his skin. He hopes the run will clear his mind, but every step seems to bring him back to Kai. As he rounds a bend, he spots a figure sitting on a bench, hunched over, his posture radiating defeat. It's Kai.]
[Adrian slows, unsure whether to approach. He doesn't want to scare him off but can't ignore the pull to check on him. Slowly, he steps closer.]
Adrian: "Couldn't sleep either?"
[Kai looks up, startled. His eyes are red-rimmed, and his face is pale. For a moment, he seems ready to bolt, but he stays put, his expression hardening.]
Kai: "What are you doing here?"
Adrian: "Running. What about you?"
[Kai shrugs, looking away. Adrian sits on the other end of the bench, leaving space between them.]
Adrian: "It's a nice spot. Quiet."
Kai: "If you're trying to psychoanalyze me, don't bother."
[Adrian chuckles softly.]
Adrian: "I'm not. Just… thought you might want some company."
[Kai glares at him, but there's no real malice in his eyes. The tension between them is palpable, a push-and-pull of emotions neither of them fully understands.]
Kai: "You shouldn't keep trying, Adrian. You don't know what you're getting into."
Adrian: "Maybe not. But I'm not afraid to find out."
[Kai stands abruptly, his hands stuffed into his jacket pockets.]
Kai: "You're wasting your time."
[Adrian watches him for a moment, then stands as well.]
Adrian: "You keep saying that, but you're still here."
[Kai hesitates, his jaw tightening. He doesn't respond, just walks away. Adrian doesn't follow, but his gaze lingers on Kai's retreating figure, a mixture of frustration and determination in his eyes.]
---
Scene 4
Setting: Adrian's apartment. Later that morning.
[Adrian sits at his desk, staring at the blank canvas in front of him. His art supplies are scattered, but his focus is elsewhere. Kai's words echo in his mind: "You don't know what you're getting into." He picks up a brush, hesitates, then starts painting.]
[The image takes shape slowly—a stormy sky with two figures silhouetted against the chaos. One is reaching out, the other pulling away. Adrian pauses, his hand trembling slightly. He doesn't understand why he feels so compelled to help Kai, but he knows he can't stop now.]
[His phone buzzes. A message from Sophia appears: "Don't lose yourself in this. Promise me." Adrian types back quickly: "I won't. Thanks, Soph." He sets the phone aside, refocusing on the painting.]
---
Scene 5
Setting: A deserted street. Late night.
[Kai walks aimlessly, the city lights blurring around him. He ends up outside a familiar building—a community center he used to frequent as a teenager. The memories flood back uninvited, pulling him under. He steps inside, the sound of laughter and conversation hitting him like a wave. It's a small group gathered for a late-night art workshop.]
[He lingers in the doorway, unnoticed, until a woman approaches him.]
Workshop Leader: "Looking for something?"
[Kai shakes his head, starting to turn away, but she stops him with a gentle smile.]
Workshop Leader: "You don't have to join in. Just watch if you want."
[Kai hesitates, then steps further inside. He sits in a corner, watching as the participants create with abandon. For the first time in weeks, he feels a sliver of calm.]
[He pulls out his sketchpad and begins to draw, the chaos in his mind quieting as his pencil moves across the page.]
---
[Fade to black.]