"Relax, I've been over that kind of shallow thrill for ages," Sophia said, grabbing my hand as we walked out of the café.

At that moment, with her holding my hand, I felt strangely touched.

After all these years apart, there was no awkwardness between us—if anything, we were even closer than before. There was never any business or personal gain between us, but whenever one of us was in trouble, the other would show up without hesitation—whether to help or ...