For Family

1. FADE IN

2. 
   

3. Act 1

4. 
   

5. INT. RESTAURANT - 12:11

6. 
   

7. Coming out of a lift, PETER rushes to the reception.

8. 
   

9. PETER: Booking no...

10. 
    

11. The RECEPTIONIST gives Peter a chit.

12. 
    

13. PETER (V.O.): Great! Without securing a table, it'd be a hassle for my family.

14. 
    

15. Having led to a nice corner table with a view, Peter captures a photo of it, adds the table no. and sends it to a family chat group via his smart phone.

16. 
    

17. FLASHBACK

18. 
    

19. INT. SITTING ROOM - NIGHT

20. 
    

21. Peter overhears his WIFE making a reservation via the phone.

22. 
    

23. WIFE: It'd be nice if you'd give us a nice table. We've guests from abroad.

24. 
    

25. RETURN TO PRESENT

26. 
    

27. Act 2

28. 
    

29. INT. RESTAURANT - CONTINUOUS

30. 
    

31. Looking at the round table, Peter is in thoughts.

32. 
    

33. PETER (V.O.): Where should I sit? Three couples plus one.

34. 
    

35. Pausing.

36. 
    

37. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Let my family members have a good view.

38. 
    

39. Taking a non-window facing seat, Peter orders tea. He then looks around.

40. 
    

41. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): But the seat near the partition isn't spacious enough, let me take it.

42. 
    

43. Peter then checks an incoming message from a chat group. We see: Good!

44. 
    

45. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): It's from my wife. We've good partnership.

46. 
    

47. FLASHBACK

48. 
    

49. INT. SITTING ROOM - 11:30 (EARLIER)

50. 
    

51. Peter's wife is working on a laptop.

52. 
    

53. PETER: It's time to set off.

54. 
    

55. WIFE: I'm responding to a business mail...You go first.

56. 
    

57. PETER (to his younger son): You keep Mom company.

58. 
    

59. EXT. STREETS - LATER

60. 
    

61. Peter is running.

62. 
    

63. PETER (V.O.): I seize any opportunity to exercise myself.

64. 
    

65. Pausing.

66. 
    

67. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The last time we went to that restaurant, there was a queue waiting for lifts.

68. 
    

69. Peter checks the time.

70. 
    

71. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): We've a booking at 12:00. My elder son and his girlfriend can only arrive at 12:30.

72. 
    

73. Pausing.

74. 
    

75. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): As to my elder daughter and her Korean boyfriend, they may have difficulty in finding it.

76. 
    

77. Peter checks the time.

78. 
    

79. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I should be at the restaurant 10 minutes before time.

80. 
    

81. Then, Peter sees a long queue outside a building.

82. 
    

83. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Are they queuing for the lifts to go up to various restaurants?

84. 
    

85. Observing.

86. 
    

87. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Yes, they're!

88. 
    

89. Having queued, Peter checks the time again and again.

90. 
    

91. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The booking term states that the reservation will lapse 10 minutes after time.

92. 
    

93. INT. LIFT LOBBY - LATER

94. 
    

95. Peter sees two lifts out of order. Later, Peter gets inside one lift.

96. 
    

97. PETER (V.O.): It's already 12:10.

98. 
    

99. RETURN TO PRESENT

100. 
     

101. Act 3

102. 
     

103. INT. RESTAURANT - CONTINUOUS

104. 
     

105. COUPLE#1 arrive, then Peter's wife and younger SON, and then COUPLE#2.

106. 
     

107. .PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Our human instinct isn't just for survival, but for family.

109. Having done the orders, dim-sums are put on the table.

110. 
     

111. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Family is like tree branches growing in different directions, but the roots remain as one.

112. 
     

113. Peter serves prawn dumplings.

114. 
     

115. PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Family is where life begins and love never ends.

116. 
     

117. FADE OUT

118. 
     

119. THE END