Yumi's life took a turn for the worst. Her mom's in the hospital, her dad's been drinking, and Hiroki kept to himself. Yumi couldn't eat or sleep due to her family's change. The gang could see she was upset, mostly Ulrich. Her dad was so drunk that he had thought Yumi wouldn't notice. But both Yumi and Hiroki were smarter then that. Her mom was in the hospital due to cancer. Hiroki didn't know what was going on at first, but now he's really upset about the changes as well as Yumi. The gang almost never saw her anymore. She would stay in the woods. Ulrich followed her one day to see if her could help. Yumi was sitting under a tree crying when Ulrich found her.

"Yumi." Ulrich whispered as he sat down next to her. Tears ran down her face. "Yumi, are you OK?" Yumi turns to him.

"Am I OK! Am I OK! I'm not OK. My dad's drunk, my mom has cancer! Why would I be OK? My life's over! Everythings falling apart!" Yumi yelled at him. Ulrich tried to calm her down.

"Your life's not over. Your mom can be cured for cancer. Your dad's just stressed. And so are you, I mean you wont eat or talk to us. Yumi we're all worried about you." Ulrich said. Tears are still running down Yumi's face.

"You don't get it do you? Right now, things will never get better! My dad's drunk and wont pay for the cancer treatment. My dad might die drunk, and my mom die of cancer." Yumi said.

"No ones going to die." Ulrich said whipping a tear from her face.

"How do you know?" Yumi asked.

"Because things will get better. You'll see." Ulrich said moving a lock of hair out of her face. Yumi locked him in a hug, crying on his shoulder. Ulrich could feel tears running down his neck.

***

The next day there was a call from the hospital. Yumi's mom had died that morning. Yumi could feel herslf not holding back tears. Hiroki had come in the room to see what she was crying about.

"What's wrong Yumi?" Hiroki asked.

"Mom's.....dead Hiroki." Yumi said. Hiroki let out a big cry. Yumi sat with him on the couch and cried with him.

As school ended Yumi ran off to the woods crying. Ulrich found her under on of the trees singing.

"I Miss you

I miss your smile

And I still shead a tear

Every once in a while

And even though we're diffrent now

You're still here some how

My heart wont let you go

And I need you to know

I miss you

Sha la la la la la

I miss you"

"That's a beautiful song, Yumi." Ulrich said as he came and sat down next to her.

"My mom died this morning." Yumi said in a low whisper.

"I'm sorry." Ulrich said. Yumi was very close to her mom. They would take about everything. Her and her mom were unseperatable. Untill now. Ulrich could feel himself star to cry a little.

"My dad's so drunk he didn't care." Yumi said coldly.

"Let it sink in. How did Hiroki take it?" Ulrich asked.

"Bad." Yumi said.

"I can help you out for a while. If your dad's too drunk to help look after Hiroki, I could help keep everything together." Ulrich offered.

"Really?" Yumi asked.

"Yeah." Ulrich said. Yumi looked up at the clouds in the sky.

"You really want to help?" Yumi asked. Ulrich took her hand.

"Yeah I do." Ulrich said. "As long as it makes you feel better. I hate it when you cry." Yumi smiled and looked over at him.

"Thanks." Yumi said and kissed him on the cheek. Ulrich smiled and helped her up.

"No prob. Hiroki wont mind me over, will he?" Ulrich asked.

"He looks at you like an older brother." Yumi said. Ulrich smiled.

"And you think of me as" Ulrich said. Yumi blushed.

"As what?" Yumi asked.

"Do you think of me as a friend or more then that?" Ulrich asked.

"More then that." Yumi said as they walked throught the woods.

"I'm glad." Ulrich said as he leans over and kissed her. Yumi kissed him back.