Note: I don't own the picture. All credits go to the owner.

Elise and Ralph are childhood friends. They play together until 4 o' clock as their curfew.

Now, they aren't children anymore. They are teens, young adults, going to the stage where it is almost impossible to avoid work.

Yet, they still hang out together like when they were 13 years ago.

"Ralph, isn't it weird that we still hang out despite that we're already teens? I mean, I'm turning 18 next month and I'm still as childish as I can get!" Elise laughed as she pants for air. They were chasing around each other like cats and dogs.

"Hahaha. We never grow old, Elise!" Ralph smiled brightly in reply, obviously not being tired from all the running.

"Hehe... I guess you're right." Elise sat on the grass. She looked up to the sky and was amazed by the stars above. "Ralph... It's getting late." She said.

"You're right. It's already 7. Well, I'll see you tomorrow then, Elise." Ralph was ready to go, packing his things up.

"The night sky is so peaceful, right?" Elise thought aloud. This made Ralph stop from walking away. A small smile appeared in his lips as he joined his blonde childhood friend.

"Yeah, it is." He replied as he lies down beside her.

"Well, too bad it's going to leave in daylight. See you, Ralph." She waved at him, bidding him goodbye.

Ralph waved back without saying anything and soon began to pack his things up again and leave the park where they were.

The next week, Ralph decided to muster up all his courage to confess to Elise once and for all. The fears and insecurities made him feel uncomfortable and outright nervous, but this doesn't stop him from trying.

"Elise?" Ralph called through his cellphone.

"What is it Ralph?" Elise quickly responded.

"Are you free later?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I want you to hang out with me... Wear your formal clothes, k?"

"Uhh..." Elise felt different. "Ok...?" She wondered why Ralph would need to say unnecessary orders to her.

"Great!! I'll pick you up at 6." Ralph excitedly shouted out, heaving out a relieved sigh as he hangs up.

6 pm, Ralph quickly drove to Elise's house.

After a few minutes, Elise went out of her house. She dressed formally, as stated-- or so she thinks. She wears a simple t-shirt and pants with rubber shoes and it looks like she doesn't even care about her hair and make-up! The only bag she has is a purse. In there are her phone, money, and some space for where she will stuff other things in.

Ralph resisted his laughter upon seeing her, but came out like he was embarrassed.

"Really Ralph, I'm worried about you. What's with that face and clothes? Where are we going?" Elise raised an eyebrow, questioning Ralph's actions.

"Just-- get in the car." Ralph simply said.

Elise did go in, but still with confusion and suspicion in her mind.

The two watched a movie, a romance movie which Ralph specifically picked out to subtly confess to Elise through the movie.

It didn't help as Elise pointed out, "that movie was great! It reminds me of us. You know, childhood friends and stuff. Totally didn't expect the guy to confess, hahaha!" She densely laughed, worrying Ralph a little.

Then, the two go out to eat.

"My treat." Ralph insisted.

"Whatever you say!" Elise non-hesitantly agreed, taking everything she wants.

Ralph stared at her dreamily.

"You want?" Elise asked as she raises the spoon to Ralph.

"Y-yeah..." Ralph embarrassingly agreed. Elise brought the spoon near his mouth until he consumed everything out with one swift motion.

Elise was white in shock as she just realized that...she wasn't expecting Ralph to consume it all in the same spoon. Ralph quickly noticed this and he apologizes over and over.

Elise was just shocked so she brushed it off like it's nothing and used the same spoon to feed herself again. This made Ralph blush hard, desperately trying to cover his red face. Elise questions this but giggled instead and continued to drink the soup she ordered as her main meal.

9 pm and they stared into space after all that.

Elise is still dense. Ralph took a deep breath and began to speak in a calm voice. "I love you, Elise. This is secretly a date but you don't even notice... This feeling is in me for who knows how long and it's all just bottled up in me like I'm some kind of loser. If you don't want your childhood friend to be your boyfriend, I don't mind but please answer me honestly.... Will you be my girlfriend, Elissa Mariel Sander?"

Elise looks like she just ignored him as she only focuses on the night sky but after he's done talking, she glances back at him. "I knew it. It's all been obvious you know. To be honest, I'm the one who's nervous, not you. Doubts came in covering my every last bit of courage left in me. I don't know what to do so I assumed this was all because you want to simply hang out with me, talk about problems and stuff. But here you are, asking me out to be your girlfriend. To be asked by someone you loved all this time, who wouldn't say yes?"

A wide smile appeared on Ralph as he quickly pulled Elise for a hug. The two were happy, looking at the sky one last time before they go hone...

"The night sky is so peaceful, right?" Elise stated.

"You're right..." Ralph agreed.

After some years, the two married. It took them 2 kids, one is a boy and the other is a girl. The boy is older than the girl. Their names are Reiner and Sandra respectively. They were as devastated as their father when they learned about their mother's sickness...

Elise died not because of her old age but because of her chronic disease that she doesn't want to talk to anyone about it, even to Ralph.

A month passed after Elise's death, everything went back to normal. Ralph and his children were no longer devastated. They learned to move on.

One night, the kids are in their respective bedrooms and Ralph is outside, staring at the night sky alone...

"The night sky is so peaceful, right?" Ralph asked himself. He did not answer. It would only look like as if he's an idiot talking to himself... But well.... Who else would he be talking to? Of course, he asked his wife, who isn't answering...

But he knows for himself that she agrees...

The night sky is so peaceful...