DUO – Episode 17: “Heartbeat”

Tone: Miraculous, emotionally cathartic, slow-burning hope

Music: Soft piano, faint heartbeat rhythm rising gradually

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Scene 1: The Stillness

Location: Tokyo General Hospital – ICU Room

The monitor is flatlined.

Doctors stand frozen. Nurses slowly begin to remove the wires. Yuji slumps to the ground outside the glass, staring in disbelief. His breath catches in his throat.

Yuji (V.O.):

“So this is it. The end. This city never gave us a chance… and when we took one, it took him.”

Time slows.

Ito arrives, winded, holding the paper crane. She stops when she sees the doctors inside. Her knees buckle.

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Scene 2: The Crane

Location: ICU window

Ito gently presses the origami crane to the glass. A tear rolls down her cheek.

Ito (softly):

“You can’t go yet. You promised you’d fight. You said you weren’t scared of fate…”

Inside the room—

The camera lingers on Kusabimaru’s face, unmoving. Then…

BEEP.

A faint pulse.

Then again—BEEP.

Nurses freeze.

Nurse:

“Wait… Doctor! We’ve got rhythm!”

Everyone springs into action.

Outside the room, Yuji’s eyes widen as the sound of the monitor returns.

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Scene 3: Back from the Edge

Location: Recovery Room – Later That Night

Kusabimaru lies breathing with support. Still unconscious—but alive.

Yuji sits beside him, holding his hand for the first time.

Yuji (choked up):

“You stubborn bastard… You actually came back.”

Ito enters quietly and sits on the other side. She doesn’t speak. Just watches him sleep, gently brushing his hair from his face.

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Scene 4: The Rival Awakens

Location: Shino Industries HQ – Secret Meeting Room

A tall man in a white suit watches a surveillance clip of Yuji and Kusabimaru.

Executive:

“They survived again.”

Unknown Man in Shadows:

“Then perhaps we underestimated the power of brotherhood. But no matter. We’ll crush the heart next time.”

They raise a glass.

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Scene 5: Awakening

Location: Hospital Room – Morning Light

Birds chirp outside. Kusabimaru stirs, eyes fluttering.

Yuji, asleep in the chair, jerks awake as Kusabimaru weakly groans.

Kusabimaru (raspy):

“…Did I miss the ramen?”

Yuji freezes. Then bursts into laughter, eyes wet.

Yuji (laughing):

“You idiot… you scared the hell out of me.”

Kusabimaru (grinning faintly):

“You look like crap.”

Ito gasps and hugs him tightly, holding back sobs.

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Final Scene: Light Returns

Montage with soft piano music:

• Kusabimaru sitting up in bed, slowly recovering.

• Yuji reading the old Hatayo files, circling “Shino Industries” with red marker.

• Ito walking out of the hospital with a small smile.

• Kusabimaru scribbling “DUO” on a notebook page.

• The three of them standing by the window, gazing over Tokyo.

Narrator (V.O.):

“The heart stopped. The soul nearly vanished. But some bonds… some stories… defy even death.”

[TO BE CONTINUED…]