playing cards | ryohei arisu

6

"Come on, Hana! Sing us a song!" Karube cheered as he took another sip from his beer bottle.

"Hana! Hana! Hana!" Arisu and Chota both cheered in unison , Karube eventually joining in.

"I'm not that good guys! Plus, you didn't even all go yet!" Hana laughed - she was too embarrassed to sing in front of people, especially when it was her close friends and brother.

"I'll go after you." Karube told her, earning an eyeroll from Hana.

"Swear on it." Hana held out her pinky finger for Karube to intertwine with, which he did. "Okay. Hand me the mic."

"Oooh, she's getting serious!" Chota chuckled.

"I'm excited to see this." Arisu clapped his hands like a kid whose excited to open their presents on Christmas morning.

Hana giggled at the sight of her excited friends, although she was nervous.

She scrolled through the options of songs that were on the karaoke machine. Hana decided to pick "Country Roads". It was very popular in North America, and she often heard it in western movies, plus, she was good at singing it.

"Oh God, not this song." Karube rubbed his hand over his eyes - he heard this song way too many times from Hana when she was younger.

"Ahem, I would like to dedicate this song to my amazing brother, Karube, who has heard this song more than anything else I've ever sang before!" Hana smiled.

Arisu and Chota both cheered as they shook Karube's shoulders to get him amped up for this spectacular performance.

Hana started to sing in a ridiculous country accent making the others crack up - even though she was a good singer in general, she liked singing this specific song in a southern accent like they do in the American movies.

The others eventually joined in. This was one of the best nights ever for Hana. She loved laughing until she cried or drinking until she passed out.

But, where did those good times go?

All those entertaining moments block out the bad and scary thoughts of losing the people you love. Why did they have to come true when you least expect it?

It took Hana and Arisu a long time to leave the arena, as they didn't want to leave their friends there.

Hana eventually convinced Arisu that it was time to go, and he nodded.

Ever since they left the arena, they decided to just sit on the streets of Tokyo and do absolutely nothing.

There was nothing left for them - at least that's what they thought to themselves.

Arisu was lying on the ground while Hana had her back up against a dead car. A sigh escaped her lips every so often to try and trap the sob that wanted to escape from her throat.

It wasn't too long until someone walked by and noticed them. It was more unexpected that it was someone that they've seen before.