デミ人間 (Demi Human)

Chapter 1 : Suicide Attempt

In the Underworld.. A dark, antique-looking room with scary decorations.
A chandelier is the main light and some candles scattered around the room.)

(Ryushiferu is sitting on the couch)

Ryushiferu : It's just too boring in here... We're not having too many visitors
lately in this damned place.

(Lucy appears)

Lucy : Oh... but usually the ones coming here have the darkest hearts.
Ryushiferu : People are not that violent anymore when they die and come here.
That's just frustrating... I'm tired of managing all the deads... they
all bore me.
Lucy : Haha. What do you propose to do then?
Ryushiferu : ... I just want excitement... is that too much to ask?
Lucy : This isn't the right place for that 'excitement' you're talking about.
Ryushiferu : (thinks and pauses) You're right... this isn't the right place...
Lucy : Don't think too much. (leaves)
Ryushiferu : ... This isn't the right place... hmm... if this isn't the place...
(evil grin) Then I know just the right place... (looks up)


Tokyo City... a busy city with busy people... everyone seems to be in work mode.
We move onto a magazine company that distributes a magazine called "KAKKO OTOKU".
Everyone seems busy... from the editors... to the layout designers... photo
editors... even those who are not really part of the team are also busy...

Guy : Where's my coffee??!
Keisuke : (hurriedly runs to give him his coffee) Here.
Guy : Why'd it took you so long to make my coffee, huh??
Keisuke : I'm sorry. Watanabe-san suddenly asked me to photocopy--..
Guy : Why are you blaming Watanabe??
Keisuke : I-it's not like that...
Guy : Go, go! I'm busy. Sh*t! Your presence slows me down! Get lost!
Keisuke : Sumimasen... (bows and leaves)
Girl : Kei-kun! Where are the things that I asked you to get?!
Keisuke : Huh? (remembers) Ah! Sumimasen! I'll go get it!
Girl : What?? Can't you do anything right?
Keisuke : Hontou gomenasai. Please wait for a while... I'll go...
Girl : I'll get it myself! You're so useless! (bumps him)
Keisuke : Su-sumimasen deshita! (bows)
Guy 2 : (bumps him and falls) (things scattered)
Keisuke : (falls)
Guy 2 : What are you doing just standing in there?? Can't you see you're
getting in the way?
Keisuke : Gomenasai..! (stands up) Let me help you... (picks up the things)
Guy 2 : Don't you touch that, baka!! Just go away where you are not going
to cause delays, would you!?
Keisuke : ... su-sumimasen... wakatta. (goes away)

(Team Leader arrives)

TL : Minnasan, kitte kudasai! We have to finish everything by 9 and then
submit to the printing press an hour after! Come on, come on! We have
to double time!
Team :HAI!
TL : (sees Keisuke) Ah! There you are Yuu-san! I need you in my office!
Keisuke : E-eh?
TL : Come! now! (goes to his office)
(Keisuke follows)


TL : I'm sorry, Kei-kun... but you're fired.
Keisuke : Huh? ... what did you say?
TL : You can start packing your things, if you have any... then you can
leave the building today.
Keisuke : Cho-chotto...! You're firing me? Why? Did I do something wrong?
TL : I'm really sorry ne, Kei-kun. I know it's hard for you... and it's
hard for us too... but we need to move on... and so should you.
Keisuke : I...
TL : The sooner you leave, the better for us. Understand? Please do understand
us, Kei-kun... this is for the best of the company.
Keisuke : ... I... (sighs) ... wa-wakatta... i-ittekimasu. (slowly leaves the room)


(Keisuke walks in the streets... feeling depressed)

Keisuke : ... why? ... Why am I just too... too unfortunate...? ... I can't do
anything right... I'm messed up... I'm no good and I always screw up
in my work... and that's why I always get fired... why am I such a loser?

(suddenly, rain pours down)

Keisuke : (looks up and gets soaked)
(Some guys bumps him and he falls to the ground)
Guys : Hey watch it! Stupid guy.
(The guys laugh and leave him)
Keisuke : ... (stands up and looks at his muddy attire) (tries to clean it
off)

(A speeding car passes by and splashes mud on him again)

Keisuke : Ooi!! You!! ... (looks at the car speeding up ahead)
(looks at himself) (sighs)

(Keisuke goes over to a shed and takes his cellphone)

Keisuke : What the...? (notices his cellphone is dead) It's... dead... ... looks
like I can't call her... (sighs and keeps his phone to his pocket)

(rain is pouring harder and he feels cold)

Keisuke : Hoooh... samui. (looks at the sky) Looks like this rain won't calm
down... I have to get home... (he steps out of the shed)
(The guys that bumped him awhile ago passes by him again and bumps on him again)

Guy 1 : Watch it, will ya??
Keisuke : Hey, I'm not doing anything to you...!
Guy 2 : (pushes him) Shut up!
Keisuke : (falls down)
(The guys laugh at him)
Guy 3 : Serves you right, loser! (laughs and leaves)
(the other guys leave)

Keisuke : (stands up) ... what's their problem...? (sighs and tries to pull
himself together again) (suddenly notices his pocket... his cellphone
is gone...) Eh? Where is it...!? (he sees it on the floor... smashed
and totally broken) Wh-what the!? ... (feels irritated) That's it! This
world really sucks for me! I'm not going to be anything good in here!

(walks with irritation and comes to a highway)

Keisuke : (stops and looks at the cars speeding) ... (takes a deep breath and
walks forward)

( A speeding car is heading towards him and blows horns) (Keisuke stops and
closes his eyes... awaiting for the collision)

...

...

(Nothing happens) 

(Keisuke opens his eyes and becomes shock to see that he's at the other side of the road)

Keisuke : Eh?? (looks at the road and the cars... then checks himself) Ho...how'd
I...?

(Ryushiferu approaches him from behind... he's wearing a black jacket with hood
and tattered jeans)

Ryushiferu : Wow! That was so cool.
Keisuke : (turns and gets shocked) Whow!
Ryushiferu : You almost got hit there.
Keisuke : who...?
Ryushiferu : You are one lucky guy, aren't you? (chuckles)
Keisuke : E-excuse me? Are you... talking to me?
Ryushiferu : Yeah.
Keisuke : Really now? ... Because I think you are mistaken by calling me 'lucky'.
Ryushiferu : (chuckles) Oh? Why is that?
Keisuke : ... (turns away) ... nothing...
Ryushiferu : Seems like you're having a blast a while ago. so brave to cross
the street at a green light. You must be a tough guy, ne...? (looks at
him with deep gaze)
Keisuke : ... (pauses) ... are you mocking me?
Ryushiferu : Huh?
Keisuke : Oh come... stop kidding me... I know it's written all over my face that
I'm Tokyo's worst loser guy! ... you guys don't have to make fun all the time.
Ryushiferu : What are you talking about?
Keisuke : Oh... just leave me alone... you don't even know me...! (walks away)
Ryushiferu : (suddenly appears in front of him) Where are you going?
Keisuke : Hey!? How'd you--?!
Ryushiferu : What are you planning to do? Commit suicide again?
Keisuke : Y-you...! That's none of you business...!
Ryushiferu : Right...
Keisuke : Urusai..! Yamenasai..! Why are you even minding my business.. I don't
know you... and you don't know me... (starts to leave)
Ryushiferu : (grins) ... Iie.
Keisuke : (stops)
Ryushiferu : I do know you.
Keisuke : H-huh? (turns) (Ryushiferu is gone) Where'd he...?
Ryushiferu : (appears beside and whispers on his ear) Keisuke.
Keisuke : (jumps away) WHOW!
Ryushiferu : Namae wa Yuu Keisuke... ne? (Your name's Keisuke... right?)
Keisuke : ... Chotto! How'd you...?
Ryushiferu : Having a rough time, don't you? Got fired just a while ago?
Keisuke : Huh?? How'd you know about that? W-wh... who are you??
Ryushiferu : It's written all of over your face. (chuckles) And you seem so
depressed.
Keisuke : (doesn't say anything and becomes confused)
Ryushiferu : You can't commit suicide, Kei-kun.
Keisuke : What are you talking about? ... and why are you telling me what I can
and can't do, huh??
Ryushiferu : You said it yourself... you're a loser... so you can't commit suicide.
Keisuke : Huh? What's your point?
Ryushiferu : Even suicide is not on your side. You won't die now no matter what
you do.
Keisuke : Eh???? And how would you know?
Ryushiferu : (laughs amusingly) The Underworld would regret having you around.
Keisuke : ... h-huh...?
Ryushiferu : (laughs) Joudan. Well, if you really want to die... no one can stop
you. Jaa. (leaves)
Keisuke : Chotto!
Ryushiferu : (stops) Nani? (What now?)
Keisuke : ... Dare ka...? ... dare ka omae wa? (Who... Who are you?)
Ryushiferu : ... (smiles) Ore? ... Ore wa... 'Kuro' tte iunda. (Me? ... I am "Kuro".)

(*Kuro is japanese for Black)

Keisuke : ... Kuro?
Ryushiferu : Oh... but I'm better known as... Ryushiferu.
Keisuke : (shocked) ... Ryu...shi...feru? (thinks) ... (realizes something)
EEEHHHH? Ryushiferu???
Ryushiferu : Un. That's right.
Keisuke : (nervous laugh) Fuzaiken nai de omae wa! (Would you please stop messing with me!)
Ryushiferu : You don't really think that a demon would be the joking-type, ne?
Keisuke : W-what? Are you telling me that...? You... Ryushiferu??
Ryushiferu : (nods)
Keisuke : (nervous laugh) That's impossible!
Ryushiferu : Impossible is a word that I never use. Everything is possible when
it comes to me. I am Ryushiferu.
Keisuke : ... I can't believe this.
Ryushiferu : You should. Because if it weren't for me. You're dead.
Keisuke : What?
Ryushiferu : I prevented your death, baka.
Keisuke : That's...!
Ryushiferu : 'Impossible'? (laughs) You're quite slow.. no wonder the world's
getting it's nerves on you.
Keisuke : Chotto! I'm just not picking this one up... and what do you mean by
slow?? You're just too fast, that's all.
Ryushiferu : Yuu Keisuke. You're right... this world is going too fast. Don't you
wish you could just keep up?

(Keisuke becomes silent)

Ryushiferu : You're always... bullied. Bossed around... always shouted at... aren't
you just tired of all this... don't you wish you were better?
Keisuke : ...
Ryushiferu : Don't you wish you could have more confidence in you... to try
to do good in everything and then people appreciate you?
Keisuke : I... I have confidence in myself...
Ryushiferu : (sarcastic laugh) Really now? So how come you've turn this way? ...
You're always under someone's foot.
Keisuke : ...
Ryushiferu : Why carry all those miseries? Why must you bear it all? ... when you
can change into something that's different... someone that's special!
Keisuke : ... I... I'm just...
Ryushiferu : I can change you.
Keisuke : ... you...
Ryushiferu : That is... if you desire it.
Keisuke : ........ (long pause) I bet this is... some sort of...
Ryushiferu : A deal?
Keisuke : Like... an exchange? You want something from me, don't you?
Ryushiferu : (grins) My... you're picking up fast now.