An Impossible Romance

On The Court - One : "The Fastest Feet on the Street"

[ Drone camera pans out of an outdoor basketball court, capturing cheering fans in clashing red and blue shirts, fansigns, and cheer balloons. And then it slowly descends almost hitting the ground, blacking out, eventually replaced by the view of another camera zooming in on the announcer's table. Sitting with wide smiles and sparkling eyes are He Jiong and Wang Jiaer, announcing for the opening game for Super Penguin League: Shangai Street Ball. ]

He Jiong :  [ Waves to the camera and then at all of the fans. ] We are flying high and reaching the sky in Shanghai! Welcome everyone to Super Penguin League : Street Ball!!!!!!!!

Wang Jiaer : [ Waving at the fans and then winking at the camera. ] We have a lot going on this time around with our champions from all over China coming here to truly find out who is the greatest! I am excited and looking forward to the best street ball players in the country to battle it out on the hard court!

He Jiong : [ Nods excitedly at the camera ] This year we have superstars coming back, new stars rising, and basketball gods clashing! The Black Knights of Shenzhen, Red Dragons of Beijing, White Archers of Wuhan, Blue Sharks of Hong Kong, Green Raptors of Yantai, and Yellow Diamonds of Jinan have come here to take the Gold Street Ball home!

Wang Jiaer : [ Pumps his fist ] Before we begin our first game let us take a look back at the journey that the two most popular teams in the league right now have taken to get here – The Red Dragons of Beijing led by no other than "The Emperor" himself, Wang He Di, and The Blue Sharks of Hong Kong led by the "God of Thunder", three-time Street Ball MVP, Yan Cheng Xu!

[ VTR rolls and the audience is greeted with a montage of all the Red Dragon players playing on the court and winning the championship in Beijing ]

Wang He Di : [currently seating courtside during the interview, not looking at the camera but at an interviewer who  is off cam ] Our greatest strength has always been our team work. This is my second year playing for the league and I really hope we take home the crown again this year.

Interviewer : Are you gunning for the MVP trophy too this year?

Wang He Di : I've never really gunned for the MVP trophy. What is an MVP trophy without a championship? I'd rather have that.

Interviewer : You have tougher competition this year, though.

Wang He Di : We do.

Interviewer : Who are you most excited to meet on the court?

Wang He Di : Definitely Shen Yue from the Blue Sharks.

Interviewer : Yan Cheng Xu has mentioned several times that when the league opened its doors to mixed groups, he really scouted Shen Yue to face off with you.

Wang He Di : [ laughs ] Cheng Xu-ge told me himself over the phone that he can't wait for me to play against the "Grim Reaper".

Interviewer : She has "killed" quite a lot of players on the court. Are you nervous?

Wang He Di : I'm more excited. I want to see that ankle breaker up close.

Interviewer : People say it's as good as "The Emperor's Ankle Breaker".

Wang He Di: [ smirks ] We'll see.

[ Rock music comes in and then a montage of all the Blue Sharks players roll as they win the championship in Hong Kong ]

Yan Cheng Xu : [ standing on the court during the interview and also looking at an off cam interviewer rather than the camera ] When the league opened its doors for women to also play, I knew I could bring in a secret weapon I've been hiding for years and that secret weapon has brought us back again to the finals.

Interviewer : Are you taking the crown back to Hong Kong?

Yan Cheng Xu : Of course we are!

Interviewer : None of the other teams are going to make it easy.

Yan Cheng Xu : It wouldn't be fun if they did.

Interviewer : You are playing your first game against the Defending Champions.

Yan Cheng Xu : We are and I am very excited.

Interviewer : Some people will be nervous.

Yan Cheng Xu : Do I strike you as the type to be nervous? Besides I have a score to settle against DiDi. I am not letting him win the Championship and MVP award at the same time again. [ laughs ]

Interviewer : No one can beat his ankle breaker still...

Yan Cheng Xu : In Beijing. [ smirks ] But this is Shanghai and he hasn't met anyone quite like Shen Yue yet.

[ A montage of Shen Yue's ball-handling and cross overs play on the screen and then the screen goes all black and in big bloody red bold face Castellar font, the words Grim Reaper appears]

Interviewer : You are such a huge star now.

Shen Yue : [ looks weirdly at the camera for a second before looking at the interviewer ] Shouldn't you be interviewing Captain Cheng Xu?

Interviewer : Ever so humble. No no. It's you we want to interview.

Shen Yue : [ clearly uncomfortable ] I am not very good with interviews.

Interviewer : Oh. Uhmmmm... Just tell us what are you excited about these finals.

Shen Yue : Going home.

Interviewer : [ coughs ] There are a lot of players out there looking forward to meeting you.

Shen Yue : Really?

Interviewer : Yes.

Shen Yue : They just want to test me. That's going to be a pain.

Interviewer : Is there anything you are excited about here?

Shen Yue : Seeing Wang He Di play. Captain says he is as good as I am.

Interviewer : Haven't you seen him play?

Shen Yue : [ shakes her head ] Captain watches all the tapes and then gives me direction on what I need to do.

Interviewer : You seriously haven't seen him?

Shen Yue : I have seen him. We met yesterday.

Interviewer : No. I meant you haven't seen him play?

Shen Yue : No. I just told you.

[ Scene cuts back to He Jiong and Wang Jiaer. ]

He Jiong : [ laughing at the camera ] That Shen Yue is such a funny kid. I can't wait to see her today.

Wang Jiaer : [ laughing just as heartily ] I can't wait to see her play and face off with The Emperor.

[ Music blares ]

He Jiong : That's our cue to introduce today's teams! Basketball fans and street ball lovers, welcome to the finals of the Super Penguin League!!!!!!!

[ Both Red Dragons and Blue Sharks come out on the court. The camera zooms in on the team captains, waving to the crowd. Yan Cheng Xu points at Wang He Di and the whole place suddenly plunges in silence. ]

Yan Cheng Xu : [ smiles ] We're taking that crown back.

Wang He Di : [ smirks ] If you can take it old man.

Yang Cheng Xu : Oh I'm not taking it. [ pulls Shen Yue to the front ] She is.