"Really now? I thought you wanted to lay low with the parties after last time?" She holds her cheek in her hand, an eyebrow raised at her best friend's statement. After everything that happened she can't believe he'd want to throw another party, impending birthday or not.

"C'mon," he starts up again, his gaze pleading to hear him out. "I'll be turning eighteen and that only happens once. If it makes you feel any better it'll be at friend's place this time."

She shakes her head, her approval nonexistent. "That doesn't change the fact that you could still get caught." When he opens his mouth to protest she raises a hand and speaks over him. "I know you're excited, I am too, but think rationally. Your last party nearly amounted to you getting arrested. If your mother wasn't a part of the police you would've gone to juvie. To juvie, Koda."

"I know, I know," he grumbles, looking away from his friend. She can't help but to feel satisfaction the moment he displays remorse. Though she doesn't like chastising her closest friend she'd rather not see him getting hauled off to juvie for his stupid mistakes. Her care for him runs deeply, heavily rooted through their long lasting friendship. When he looks back at her she doesn't miss how subdued he's become. "I still want to have the party, but I'll make sure there's nothing illegal going on this time. My friends will be disappointed but I'd much rather chance losing them than you."

That gets her to smile, as she is proud of his decision. Koda smiles back at her, clearly pleased now that she's also pleased. "Thank you, Koa."

"Anything for you, Hana Mana," he throws back, a twinkle in his soft eyes. "So," she can tell he's about to change the topic as he leans forward and mimics her posture, "what do you have planned tomorrow? I wanted to run some lyrics by you today, but I forgot my notebook at home. Think we can do that tomorrow if you're free?"

Hana's cheery expression falls into a sheepish one. "Sorry, Koa, but I have other—"

The sudden screeching of tires interrupts her sentence. Both Koda and Hana turn their gazes towards the noise, only registering what's happening the moment glass flies everywhere and a loud crash sounds.

Gasping, Hana reels back while Koda falls out of his chair. Others cry out around the same time Hana does, all eyes staring in shock at the smoking vehicle embedded slightly in a building some yards away. A scream then rings out, finally snapping others from their shock. People race forward, including Hana herself, to get a better look at what's going on.

By the time Hana makes it over to the scene, others have begun to gather. Voices flit about, most raised with worry while others try to speculate what's going on. Due to her height she can get a full view of what's happening from behind the crowd.

Just as she saw, a car had crashed into a storefront. The car is more damaged than the building, it's whole front crushed into the impacted wall. As her eyes move to where the driver was seated one of her hands come up to stifle an incoming scream. Someone has dragged the driver out of the car and the sight of the person is horrific.

"Hana," Koda calls out to her. She doesn't hear him as she is instead fixated on the sight before her. Most have already looked away, but something keeps her from doing the same. "Hana!"

She doesn't even realize she's crying until she's spun around and pulled into a tight embrace. Emotion has swiftly risen up—even if she doesn't know the driver she still can't help but to cry for them. As she cries Koda gently soothes her to the best of his ability, talking quietly to others when they ask if Hana is all right. When her crying lessens he begins to slowly move her away from the scene.

"C'mon, I'll take you home," he tells her, an arm around her shoulders. Just as he begins to lead her away at a quicker pace is when sirens begin to blare. Cops and a ambulance begin to swarm the accident, but the two friends pay them no mind. Koda is too focused on his distressed friend while Hana is too busy trying to keep it together.

"Y-You don't have to," she mumbles, her voice shaking.

"With the state you're in now I'd rather you not be alone." Though she doesn't say anything else she shows her gratitude by wrapping an arm around his waist. Their heights only differ by a few inches which makes it all the easier for them to walk side-by-side. "I might as well spend the night, too," he comments upon seeing her shaking slightly.

"No." Her voice still shakes, but there's determination lacing it. Despite her speaking to him her gaze stays pointed ahead. It isn't really fixated on anything for her thoughts are keeping most of her attention. "You have to work tomorrow and my place is too far away from the restaurant." She looks at him finally, offering him a smile that isn't very encouraging but still holds some strength to it. "I'll be fine, I promise."

Koda and her stop walking, both of them staring at each other. His eyes narrow at her but her smile doesn't falter despite the lack of confidence. It take a few more seconds before he gives in. "Fine. But call me if you need to talk." He stares at her for a moment before asking, "are you going to be all right?"

Hana nods, though her smile drops. "I'll. . . I'll come up with some new songs to keep myself distracted. You said the band wanted some new songs, right?" When he nods she continues. "Okay, I'll make some new ones then." They've begun walking again and because of the change of the topic she feels a little better. "I've had this tune in my head for a solid week now, so now I finally have an excuse to write it down."

"Is it the one you were humming earlier?"

"Yeah! That's the one." Her excitement is now palpable, though a bit of melancholy still lingers in her eyes. "It's really catchy. I've had it in my head ever since I started listening to this one really cool American rock band. They've become my new inspiration."

As she continues to ramble with Koda asking questions or commenting every few minutes they get ever closer to Hana's apartment. By the time she's listed all of the new ideas she's had they've arrived at her apartment. They exchange a long goodbye before he turns away and she enters her apartment. Once in the seclusion of her home her cheery façade breaks, revealing how upset the car crash really made her.

By the time she's finished crying it's already late, the sky having darkened long ago. Even if her tears have dried the crash will continue to haunt her for a while. It'll stress her out and make her jittery going outside for a while to come.

Yet, she'll move on. She'll have to, for even if she did not know it yet she would soon come to stress over something far more important.