TAKE 1, SCENE #28

CAST:

     -  LEE CHAN as DARLING

     -  KIM MIN JAE as DEAR

--- ACTION ---

DEAR: What does love mean to you?

--- DARLING flashes her a sad smile. He puts down the bouquet of flowers that he held in his hand ---

--- DEAR's eyes dart towards the small card tied together with the bouquet, an attempt at searching for the name of the receiver. DEAR returns to look at DARLING when she fails to see the name on the card.---

DARLING: What does love mean to me, you ask?

--- DARLING takes a step closer to where DEAR was standing. ---

DARLING: Will you hate me if I answer you?

--- Both pause. DARLING continues when DEAR does not seem to answer ---

DARLING: Love, to me, was the way you looked fast asleep under the tree at the park nearby the school. It was the way i had admired the *komorebi  that shone on you, the way your eyelashes had reflected the light that left a sparkle of some sort whenever I looked at you. Love was the way we had laughed about anything whenever we spent our time together, the never ending list of stupid jokes, your laughter that echoed in my ears and resonated in my heart.

DARLING: Love was the first time you had held my hand and the way it had made me feel, the feeling of your warm fingers that contrasted mine which were cold and shaky. Love was the way I loved to look at the tip of your slightly pointy ears that you deemed as ugly, and it was the way I had always loved the way you brushed strands of your soft hair back behind your ear.

DARLING: Love was the way you had always been in front of me, shining ever so brightly with your beautiful smile. It was how you would often call me late at night just to tell me about your day. It was how I was the only one who could listen to everything that made you happy, wipe away the tears from things that made you sad, and helped you with things that made you worry. Love was the fact that I was always been by your side, regardless of any situation, and the way we trusted each other so much even if we were both to be on opposite sides of the earth.

DARLING: Love, to me, was knowing that you existed in this world in all of your glory, and that I had fallen in love with you.

--- DARLING holds out the bouquet of flowers in his hand towards DEAR's direction. ---

DARLING: Do you remember? I bought these on the day you were going to perform with the theater club, when you landed a big role and-

DEAR: I remember.

DARLING: It was the day I had thought of telling you how I feel about you.

DEAR: I'm sorry.

--- DARLING smiles. ---

DARLING: Don't be. Time passed a long time ago, anyway.

--- DARLING takes DEAR's hand and opens her clenched fist. He stares at her palm for a few seconds, and places the bouquet of flowers onto her hand. ---

--- DEAR looks at him dumbfounded. ---

DARLING: I'm sorry. They're wilted now, but I still wanted to give them to you.

DEAR: Why? Why do you still keep them?

DARLING: Throwing them away was like throwing you, and the feelings that I had for you out of my life.

DEAR: And why do you want me to have these?

DARLING: Because I loved you.

--- DEAR and DARLING make eye contact for a brief moment. DARLING looks away, touches the back of his neck in a sheepish manner, and returns to look at her again with a sad smile.---

DARLING: I loved you, and now it's time for me to let you go.

DARLING: So thank you, DEAR, for being my first love. Thank you for being here right next to me, thank you for being the reason behind my happiness.

--- DEAR appears to be speechless. DARLING takes a few steps back. ---

DARLING: It's time for me to go now.

DARLING: Goodbye, DEAR.

--- DARLING leaves with heavy steps. DEAR doesn't lift her gaze from the floor to watch DARLING go. The bouquet of wilted flowers slip from her grip and fall to the floor. ---

--- DEAR doesn't realize the tear that rolls down her cheek. ---

DEAR: I love you, too.

*komorebi - the sunlight that shines through trees.