The sound of my ringtone woke me up. After scrambling in the dark, I saw the caller ID and answered just in time. “Hey, what’s up?”

“Want to hang out tomorrow?” said another.

After I said “yes” and hung up, my boyfriend awoke just then.

“Who’s that?” He asked.

“A friend.”

“I heard a man’s voice.”

“I said it’s a friend. Go back to sleep.” I said, using one hand to push his face down to the bed.

Haru and I hadn’t met since last week when we walked across each other in the school hallway. And I missed hanging out with him, even if it might cause misunderstanding. A girl and a boy being friends probably were odd to many people, after all.

I arrived at the school rooftop the next day.

Haru was already there, with his lunchbox and drink. And I sat down next to him.

“So, what’s up?” I asked.

“I just want to have lunch with you, is that ok?” He said, gulping down juice from a can. “Besides, I haven’t talked to you in so long.”

“You have your girlfriend now, so it’s understandable. My boy’s all grown up.”

“Please, I am not your grandson.”

We laughed. Then for a moment, I sneaked a look at him. When we were children, people often teased us for being a couple. Still, having been his friend for so long, I had wanted no more than what we already had. And in a way, I sensed him thinking the same about me.

“Hey,” he said. “Be my friend forever, ok? I won’t forgive you if you don’t.

I rested my head back to look at the sky. “Same here.”