NO HENTAI

by
Richie Heng
Note: Text on screen are underlined.

rdang743@gmail.com

EXT. BEACH/DREAM - DAY

A mouth whispers in the ear of another. An index finger
points out, followed by a roar of laughs.
SHELVIN (19), bed head and abashed, finds himself naked from
the waist down, covers his crotch with a hentai manga.
INT. SHELVIN'S ROOM - SAME
Shelvin's eyes open. Silence.
INT. SHELVIN'S ROOM - SAME
He powers the computer, homepage; Manga Tales Blog. His post:
Looking 4 Illustrator for Anime North competition!
Comment from LAXFLAME: Quick sketch of your Quasimodo ^-^
A sketch of the Hunchback Quasimodo hand to his heart.
Comment by OTAKU-KUJO: Would love to work with you!!!
Quasimodo, in tears, peers over a Shaolin Monastery roof
watches a female silhouette leave. Shelvin admires it. PING!
New comment by DIVISIVE: Brush of Esmeralda. Discretion: The
following image may contain sensitive material. View Content.
Shelvin clicks. A seductive ESMERALDA stands above a pathetic
Quasimodo. He tugs on her dress; breasts reveal.
Shelvin stands, looks away, sighs, then gradually looks back.
Vision narrows on Esmeralda. Shelvin exhales. He sits.
Opens browser, types hentaiheaven.com. Hits Enter.
Bedroom door opens. Shelvin closes browser and pivots. His
sister, MALIKA (16), hasty and oblivious.
MALIKA
Does this competition mean you're
going to Anime North?
Shelvin stares at his phone.
SHELVIN
No.
MALIKA
Come on, you'll love it!

2.

SHELVIN
No.
MALIKA
Please?
SHELVIN
What did I say!?
MALIKA
People don't bite, y' know.
Malika shuts the door. Shelvin locks it. He returns to the
computer. Headphones on; audible moan with Japanese dialogue.
INT. SHELVIN'S WASHROOM - LATER
He sits on the toilet, clothed. Head in his hands. Defeat.
INT. SHELVIN'S ROOM - SAME
Shelvin tears down anime posters from his wall. Lifts a pile
of mangas and drops them into a cardboard box.
He posts a pamphlet next to his monitor, "Anime North CONTEST
- Chance to WIN PUBLISH work with FOCUS LTD."
On computer; types, how to overcome hentai. PING! Message
from LAxFlamme prompts video-chat to accept.
Shelvin types: Camera not working.
LAxFlamme: I want to show you my idea on paper.
Shelvin puts a sticky over his webcam. He accepts.
LAxFlamme, RITA (22), eager and cautious. Shelvin's mouth
agape, struck.
RITA
So here's the story...
SHELVIN
(Deadpan whisper)
She's beautiful.
Inanimate eyes stare. Love-struck.
RITA
... a couple fights human diseases
and illnesses, for example, breast
cancer. The cancer mutates bodies
and destroys lives around them...

3.

Rita searches for papers on her desk.

RITA
... and it's up to the couple to
take the diseases out. I bet you
have some great character ideas.
Shelvin's head down, self-conscious.
SHELVIN
I'm sorry... it's, I don't know...
I'd have to think about it...
He looks up at the video-chat.
An artful illustration; depicts a woman with a gigantic
syringe and a man with a surgeon's knife in each hand.
RITA
I'm not good enough, I know...
Thank you, though.
Shelvin in awe of the illustration. Silence.
RITA
...Hello? Can you hear me?
LAxFlamme cancels video-chat. Shelvin subtle panic.
SHELVIN
No, no, no...
Shelvin sends video-chat. User offline.
SHELVIN
Damn.
LAxFlamme returns to messenger. Shelvin upright. He sends
video-chat. Her video re-appears.
SHELVIN
I'll do it. You're beaut-- I mean,
the art, it's... it's beautiful.
LAXFLAMME
Really?
SHELVIN
Really.
RITA
Great! I have to eat lunch but
we'll discuss character flaws soon?

4.

SHELVIN
Yes.
Rita (LAxFlamme) leaves voice-chat. Shelvin gets up, twirls,
and falls backward onto his bed. Smiles.
He returns to his computer, how to overcome hentai, awaits.
He closes it. Opens document, types; CHARACTER FLAWS.
Shelvin pensive. Fingers hover over the keys.
Text cursor blinks.
SHELVIN
Character flaws. Character flaws...
Flaws. Where are thou?
Text cursor blinks.
Shelvin gets up in frustration. He paces in his room.
SHELVIN
Come on. Give it to me, Lord,
Allah, Ryuk, somebody. Something.
He drops into his seat. Cursor blinks.
He looks at the corner of the screen and sees Rita's
messenger username LAxFlamme. He opens profile.
An enlarge photo of her appears.
He sighs. Minimizes the browser and puts on his headphone.
Audible moan as his eyes fasten to the screen.
INT. SHELVIN'S WASHROOM - LATER
Shelvin on the floor, legs sprawled out. An arm rests over
the closed toilet seat. His voice muzzled by his arm.
SHELVIN
Why hast thou forsaken me!
Shelvin's stomach growls.
INT. SHELVIN'S KITCHEN - SAME
Malika and Shelvin at the kitchen table, on their smartphone.
SHELVIN
Name me a flaw?

5.

Malika thinks.
MALIKA
Lack of humor.
SHELVIN
It's that my flaw?
MALIKA
Maybe.
Shelvin shrugs.
MILIKA
I'll pay your entry to Anime North.
SHELVIN
(British accent)
I'm fa' to noble fo' bribery.
MILIKA
Not funny.
Shelvin lightly slaps the table. Malika taken by surprise.
SHELVIN
Dammit! Got to fire those writers.
Bad material. Fifth time this week!
Malika conceals a grin. Shelvin tilts his head in.
SHELVIN
Funny?
Malika shakes her head, "no."
INT. SHELVIN'S ROOM - SAME
Video call with Rita. Sticky tab covers Shelvin's webcam.
RITA
That's an amazing idea!
SHELVIN
There might be a fee next time.
She giggles.
RITA
You're funny.
He smiles.

6.

RITA
Would you like to meet in person?
SHELVIN
I... a... you know, want to work on
some... some home things.
RITA
That's fine. I thought I'd be nice
to put a face to your name.
Shelvin reaches for the sticky tab on the webcam.
RITA
I'm going to have dinner now. We'll
figure out the character flaw soon.
He decides not to remove it.
SHELVIN
O, yes. The character flaw. I'll
think of something.
RITA
Bye.
He minimizes the window, and opens browser, hentaiheaven.com.
Footsteps heard. Browser minimizes. Shelvin watches the door.
MALIKA (O.S.)
Change your mind?
SHELVIN
What did I say!?
Footsteps veer off. He turns. He had accidentally shared a
hentai video to Rita.
SHELVIN
Oh no, please, no, no...
He presses the delete key repeatedly. The video remains.
RITA as LAXFLAME: Shelvin?
He powers off, stands up, and clenches his hair.
SHELVIN
Oh, you stupid! Stupid!
He drops to his bed and begins to slaps himself on the face.

7.

SHELVIN
IDIOT! IDIOT! IDIOT!
Slaps. Slaps. Slaps. Slaps. Nose bleeds.
INT. SHELVIN'S ROOM - NIGHT
A cotton lodged in his nostril, he stares into the void.
His phone brightens.
Hentaiheaven.com notification. If you like this video...
Closes notification. Settings, ...remove all CONTACTS. Yes.
On computer, delete account. ALL CONTACTS and MESSAGES. Yes.
He grabs the Anime North pamphlet and viciously tears it.
INT. SHELVIN'S ROOM - SAME
Moonlight strikes the bare room. Shelvin sits on the floor
knees up. Head hidden in his folded arms.
Knock knock. No response. Knock. Shelvin's head props up.
SHELVIN
What did I-MALIKA (O.S.)
-- I made your favorite.
Shelvin looks blankly. Inhales. Exhales. He stands.
INT. SHELVIN'S KITCHEN - SAME
Malika turns her phone to Shelvin. Cartoon sound effects.
Shes laughs hysterically. Shelvin stone-face.
MALIKA
I feel bad for him but he's too...
SHELVIN
...Addicted.
MALIKA
He definitely needs help.
Shelvin gets up, zombie-like. Malika watches.
SHELVIN
Addicted. Help.

8.

Malika confused. Shelvin mopes away.

MALIKA
I'm not cleaning your dishes!
INT. SHELVIN'S ROOM - SAME
Shelvin creates a post I need help. I'm a hentai addict...
Comments: We're here to help, message me if you need an ear!
One direct message in the inbox from SAMUS-ARAN.
SAMUS-ARAN: Co-workers found a collection on my phone and
shared it. I've been a recluse and jobless since.
SHELVIN: Sharing helps us to overcome.
SAMUS-ARAN: Want to go for a coffee?
He types: No. Beat. Then deletes. He exhales. Sure. Enter.
SAMUS-ARAN: I'll be wearing a white shirt with blue collar.
INT. COFFEE SHOP - SAME
Shelvin scans the shirts of passersby with a coffee in hand.
Rita from the midst of the crowd walks towards him.
RITA
Excuse me, the straw.
Shelvin steps aside. Rita reaches for a straw.
RITA
Thanks.
She doesn't recognize him. He looks; Roots sweater. She walks
out. Shelvin searches but his gaze pulls him to Rita's back.
Phone vibrates. SAMUS-ARAN: I'm here.
He looks. No blue and white shirt. He watches Rita again. She
hangs her bag and takes off her sweater. Blue and white.
Shelvin aghast. He makes for the door. His phone vibrates.
SAMUS-ARAN: Sitting with my Akira blue and white shirt ^-^
Shelvin turns to Rita, who stares directly at him. She's
uncertain, looks at her phone and nearly drops it. Shelvin
legs carries him towards her. He sits.

9.

SHELVIN
Rita?
Rita uneasy, a moments' stare.
RITA
Hey, Shelvin.
SHELVIN
You made that work story up.
RITA
It's true.
Shelvin looks down at his coffee.
RITA
What I meant is that the work thing
is true. I hid this problem for
years. I read and read but I
couldn't share... until your post.
Rita searches for Shelvin's reaction. He stares down at his
coffee. Rita, wipes her eyes, and watches him. No response.
RITA
I'm making this weird. I'll go.
Rita packs her belongings. Shelvin, no response.
SHELVIN
It's an addiction.
Rita vehement, continues to pack.
RITA
I know, I know. Easy for you to-SHELVIN
--That's the characters' flaw.
He looks at her.
RITA
Huh?
SHELVIN
They're out to cure
their own diseases.
unbeknownst to them
themselves and each

others but have

Addiction. It's
until it morphs
other.

Shelvin looks up at Rita. She's awestruck.

10.

SHELVIN
They overcome it together.
INT. SHELVIN'S ROOM - NIGHT
Rita, with pen stylus on the touch tablet, draws the cover.
The title, MED-COUP.
MONTAGE
Hentai is written on each day of a calendar. Each day crossed
out while Shelvin and Rita work on the MED-COUP manga. From
January to May, montage stops two days before Anime North.
INT. SHELVIN'S ROOM - DAY
The monitor's light cast on Shelvin's face.
E-mail from Anime North. "We regret to inform you, your
submission was not selected for this year..."
Shelvin closes the laptop. Head down. Defeat.
Rita, beside him, pecks him on the cheek. Shelvin stun. Rita
just as stunned. He leans in for a kiss.
Malika opens the door, dressed as a MED-COUP warrior.
MALIKA
Surprise!
RITA
That's awesome!... Shelvin?
SHELVIN
We're going to Anime North.
Malika mouth agape. She runs to hug Shelvin.
The room is back to its original state with mangas, video
games, the computer, and a MED-COUP wallpaper that partially
covers the unbalanced No Hentai calendar.
THE END