I'll say it louder for the people in the back, THE CHILDHOOD FRIEND TROPE IS ONE OF THE BEST SHOUJO MANGA PLOTS. I'm crying that made me feel all warm and fuzzy.
10+ years of keeping it bottled inside is a lot. It's kinda funny how the bitch is the reason they never got together (due to both of them being afraid of losing their friendship after the breakup as she did with Hijiri) as well as the reason they finally did.