"I don't believe you!"

"What? You never brought it up!"

"You were supposed to ask me!"

"I didn't know you wanted to go!"

"You don't have to know! It's either you were going to ask me, or you weren't going to go at all."

 "Who made that up?!"

 Odd and Jeremie walked in just as Yumi was on the verge of throwing an object of curiousity to Ulrich's head. She froze as they stared.

"Uh...something happening between you two?" Odd asked, stating the obvious.

Yumi dropped the flower pot she was holding and folded her arms.

"Ulrich asked someone else to go to the Spring Dance instead of me."

Jeremie's eyes widened.

"No way," he breathed.

Yumi made a little hmph sound as she turned away from Ulrich.

Odd, on the other hand, was cracking up laughing.

"Oh! Oh! Lemme guess! Lemme guess! You asked... SISSI!"

Ulrich didn't answer. Instead, he threw a look of disgust at Yumi.

Jeremie shrugged at this whole ordeal. For most of the part, this scene was not uncommon. However, with the Spring Dance being so close, and everyone being edgy, this truly saddened him.

"Whatever. Seeing as William asked me, I think I'll go take up his offer," Yumi finally said dejectedly, before walking out.

Ulrich stared at the wall as his crush exited, his anger now fuelled by jealousy on the prospect of seeing William and Yumi together.

"So," Odd began as he sat down on a chair. "Why didn't you ask Yumi?"

Ulrich didn't make a sound as he, too, left the room. Jeremie looked at Odd, an eyebrow raised.

"You think they'll make up?" he asked quietly.

"That before or after Ulrich tries to knock out William?"

Both the boys laughed as they imaged an exxagerrated scene playing in their minds.

"So...who are you going with, Odd?"

"That, would be telling. And what's the fun in that? I'm guessing you and Aelita are pairing up?"

"Yes... come on, Odd. Oh, I've got it."

"Samatha? No way."

"Uh...then-"

"Milly? Nah. She's cute, but a little young for me. Same goes with Tamiya."

"Odd."

"Yes Jeremie buddy?"

"Is it - "

Jeremie never finished his sentence, because, at that moment, Odd's dance partner appeared.

"Taelia! Good to see you!" Odd called as he hugged her briefly.

"Hello Jeremie," she greeted.

Jeremie scowled and turned away, replying gruffly, "Taelia."

Taelia smiled as she linked an arm with Odd's.

"Odd."

"Hm?"

"Help me find a dress? I'll get something for you to eat~"

"Food included? Count me in!"

Jeremie waved at the two who walked away. He sighed, turned around, and saw Ulrich's dance partner.

Emily.

"Yumi's not going to like this," Jeremie muttered.

Yumi had been through a faze of detesting Emily at one point when Ulrich had made some moves on her. Now that Ulrich and Emily were going to the Spring Dance together...

"Jeremie?"

Jeremie jumped, then relaxed as he saw the speaker.

"Aelita. I was just - "

Aelita nodded.

"I know. I'm also worried about them. But need not be. This is brush over quickly. The Dance is on tommorow night - I'm sure Ulrich will persuade Yumi to give him another chance...if you know what I mean."

Jeremie flushed when he understood the hidden meaning under those words.

"Aelita!" he gasped.

Aelita trilled with gentle laughter as she took his hand.

"Let's go to the mall. I fell like ice cream. What do you think?"

Jeremie nodded. Ice cream will stop the worrying.

<center>xx</center>

"Yumi, Yumi...it's always about Yumi. I was going to ask her, but  I though William would have already, snd she would have accepted it. How was I supposed to know that he was waiting for me?" Ulrich snapped angrily to no one in particular.

"Fine. Let it be that way. Let her have her fun with William. She probably likes him more anyway..."

 Ulrich trailed off, saddened.

"Damn," he said quietly. "I really do love her."

"Woah. Look at Yumi."

"Kyaaaaa! Look! It's Ulrich!"

Those were the basis of comments and conversations at the Spring Dance. Pity that the subjects were argueing - again. It had started off polite.

"Hello Yumi. William."

"Hello Emily and Ulrich."

"That's a nice dress, Yumi."

"Thank you Emily. I don't hear you saying anything, Ulrich."

"Maybe becasue there's nothing to say."

"Are you implying I'm ugly?"

"I wasn't implying anything, lady."

"Lady?!"

"Yumi, calm down. Ulrich, go away."

"No, William. I wan't to hear what he thinks of me. Honestly, Ulrich. When you see me, what is the first think that comes to your head, huh?"

"I'm not answering that."

"Answer me."

"No."

"Answer me!"

"No!"

"I want an answer!"

"I'm not going to give you one!"

"Why?!"

"Because the first thing that comes to my head when I see you is that you're beautiful!" Ulrich yelled in a fit of rage.

Yumi stared at him. As with William and Emily.

Beep. Beep Beep.

"Ulrich? It's Jeremie. X.A.N.A. has just launched an attack."

"What is the effect?"

"We don't know yet, but get here now. Get Yumi too."

Click.

"It was Jeremie," Ulrich muttered to Yumi, not meeting her eyes. "We have to go."

"Uh?" But - "

Ulrich sighed.

"But what?" he snapped, already running.

"But we only just got here..." Yumi said weakly to the darkening back.

William looked at her curiously.

"Are you going to follow him?" he asked politely.

Yumi nodded.

"I have to," she replied as an apology.

William smiled gently and kissed her cheek.

"Just letting you know that you look stunning tonight, and that I really like you, ok?"

But Yumi's head was on one comment, and one comment only as she ran toward the factory.

"Because the first thing that comes to my head when I see you is that you're beautiful!"