The Hillwood Romance: Episode 1 – Rainy Night on Hillwood Road (Act 1, Scene A)

Bong & Ming.

EPISODE 1

ACT ONE, SCENE A

EXT. HILLWOOD ROAD, TSIM SHA TSUI – NIGHT

A Friday evening. Midsummer rain pours heavily. Hillwood Road is crowded with commuters weaving through the downpour. Neon reflections shimmer in puddles, and the air is thick with the scent of damp pavement.

BONG, 22, clad in a soaked white kitchen uniform, grips a black umbrella and hurries down the street, an empty plastic basket in hand. His shoes leak water, his mood as damp as his socks.

As he rounds a corner, he catches sight of a Short-Haired GIRL in a red jacket, standing under the canopy of an old tenement building. Her hands are in her pockets, eyes sharp, lips curved in a knowing smirk.

As Bong rushes past, their eyes meet briefly. He looks away, embarrassed by his drenched state.

GIRL

(calling out) Handsome.

Bong keeps walking. Assumes she’s on the phone.

GIRL

(louder, amused) Hey, handsome. Wait!

Bong stops. Looks around. No one else nearby. He points at himself.

BONG

…Me?

GIRL

(grinning) Yeah. I’m talking to you, handsome.

Bong shifts uncomfortably, eyeing his soaked clothes.

BONG

(muttering) You’ve got the wrong guy. I’m not handsome at all.

GIRL

Nope. You’re exactly the guy I’m talking to.

BONG

What do you want?

The girl lifts a hand from her pocket, pointing at his umbrella.

GIRL

That.

Bong blinks, caught off guard.

BONG

What?

GIRL

Your umbrella.

BONG

I only have one. And I need to get back to work.

GIRL

It’s fine. I’ll go with you.

BONG

(frowns) Pretty sure we’re not going the same way.

GIRL

Where’s your restaurant?

BONG

Back there, around the corner.

GIRL

(nods, mock-serious) Oh. I want to go the other direction. My gut feeling tells me it’s that way.

Bong rolls his eyes.

BONG

Gut feelings?

GIRL

Yeah. I’m never wrong. Like, I can tell if someone’s a virgin. Or gay. I’m that good.

BONG

(annoyed, lowering his voice) Are you seriously talking about this with a stranger?

GIRL

(matter-of-factly) Why not?

She leans in slightly, eyes flicking up to his face, studying him like she’s figuring something out. Bong looks away, annoyed.

BONG

Why don’t you just check Google Maps?

GIRL

My boyfriend’s not answering. This is all I have.

She shows him her phone—a blurry photo of a bus stop.

BONG

This looks like any bus stop.

GIRL

Oh wow, genius. So, are you new here too?

BONG

(offended) New? I was born here.

GIRL

Really? But you don’t know where this is. How strange.

Bong’s eyelid twitches.

BONG

(exasperated) Are you messing with me?

He glances around, as if checking for hidden cameras.

GIRL

(mirroring him, amused) What are you looking for?

BONG

Is this a prank or something?

Suddenly, she deepens her voice, glares like a gangster.

GIRL

(gruff, intimidating) Oi. Gimme a ride.

Bong blinks. Her expression and voice are eerily convincing.

BONG

(poker-faced) No. I need to go.

The girl dramatically shifts her expression—now looking incredibly cute, pleading.

GIRL

(sweetly) Please, handsome?

Bong stares at her, confused by how quickly she switches moods—What the hell is with this girl?

BONG

You’re… weirdly good at that. Are you an actress?

Her face lights up.

GIRL

Oh yes! How do you know?! I was an actress. Well… when I was eight.

Bong glances at his watch. He needs to leave.

BONG

Okay, Ms. Actress, fun chat, but I really gotta—

He turns away. The girl suddenly steps in front of him, slipping under his umbrella.

BONG

(startled) Hey! What’s wrong with you?

GIRL

Sharing the umbrella.

BONG

This thing’s tiny. It barely covers me.

GIRL

(grinning) You’re already drenched. What’s the difference?

Without warning, Bong closes the umbrella. Both get soaked.

The girl gasps, then bolts back under the canopy.

GIRL

(shaking off water, glaring) Jerk!

Bong smirks.

BONG

Thanks for the compliment. (turns to leave, waves) By the way, the rain’s supposed to last till midnight. Have fun!

As he walks away, stepping into the rain, she watches him. She mutters under her breath, just loud enough for him to hear.

GIRL

(softly) Bring me an umbrella.

Bong pauses. He exhales. Without turning back—

BONG

Wait here.

He sprints off toward the restaurant.

The girl grins. Rain drips from the edges of the canopy as she watches him disappear into the downpour.

(→ CUT TO: Act 1, Scene B.)

(Posted on 8.2.2025)

#HillwoodRomanceRainyNight