Monsoon Romance

The clock on Haruto's nightstand glowed faintly in the darkness, the hands pointing to midnight. His room was quiet except for the soft hum of the ceiling fan. He had just turned off his reading lamp, his latest novel resting on the table beside him, when the faint vibration of his phone broke the stillness.

Haruto blinked at the screen, surprised to see Aiko's name glowing against the dark background. A midnight call from her was unusual, and it immediately filled him with a mix of curiosity and concern.

He swiped to answer. "Aiko? Is everything okay?"

For a moment, there was only silence on the other end, followed by a soft sigh. "Haruto... I'm sorry for calling so late," Aiko's voice came through, quiet and hesitant.

Haruto sat up in bed, his brow furrowed. "Hey, it's fine. What's wrong?"

There was a pause before she answered, her tone tinged with vulnerability. "I couldn't sleep. My mind's just... all over the place tonight."

Haruto leaned back against his headboard, his concern deepening. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Aiko hesitated, and Haruto could almost picture her chewing on her bottom lip, a nervous habit he'd come to recognize over the years.

"It's silly," she said finally. "I've been thinking about... the future. About how everything is changing so fast. Middle school's almost over, and high school feels so... big and different."

Haruto softened, understanding her unease. "It's not silly," he said gently. "Change can be scary. But it's also exciting, right? New opportunities, new memories to make."

"Yeah," Aiko agreed, though her voice still carried a note of uncertainty. "But what if... what if things change too much? What if we drift apart?"

The question hit Haruto like a punch to the chest. He hadn't considered it before—not seriously. The thought of their bond weakening, of Aiko becoming a distant memory instead of a constant in his life, was almost unbearable.

"That's not going to happen," he said firmly. "No matter where we go or what we do, we'll always find our way back to each other. I promise."

Aiko's silence stretched on, but when she finally spoke, her voice was softer, steadier. "You always know what to say, Haruto."

He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. "That's because I'm secretly a poet. Didn't you know?"

She laughed, a genuine sound that warmed his chest. "Oh, really? Do you have a poem for this moment?"

Haruto pretended to think. "Let's see... 'The clock strikes midnight, yet here we are, under the same stars, no matter how far. With every word and every laugh, we make the night ours, a golden path.'"

Aiko giggled. "Not bad. A little cheesy, but not bad."

"Cheesy is my specialty," he replied with a grin, even though she couldn't see it.

They fell into a comfortable rhythm, their conversation drifting to lighter topics. Aiko shared a funny story about her neighbor's mischievous dog, while Haruto told her about the time he accidentally wore mismatched socks to class and didn't notice until halfway through the day.

"Haruto," Aiko said after their laughter subsided, "thanks for picking up. I feel a lot better now."

"Anytime," he said sincerely. "Even if it's midnight."

She hesitated before adding, "I feel lucky, you know. To have someone like you."

Haruto's cheeks warmed, and he was glad she couldn't see him blushing. "I'm the lucky one," he said quietly.

Another pause, but this one was filled with unspoken warmth.

"Goodnight, Haruto," Aiko finally said, her voice soft and content.

"Goodnight, Aiko," he replied, his heart feeling lighter.

As he hung up and lay back down, Haruto stared at the ceiling, a small smile tugging at his lips. The midnight call had left him wide awake, but he didn't mind. It reminded him how much Aiko meant to him and how deeply he cared about their bond.

And as sleep finally claimed him, one thought lingered in his mind: no matter where life took them, he would always be there for her.