Chapter 4

Aelita stepped outside of the factory, took a deep breath, and began to fast-walk. She had to think of exactly what she was going to say in order to persuade Yumi to come to the factory.

As Aelita crossed the Kadic school grounds, she pondered intently about what she should say to coax Yumi into coming to the factory. Unlatching the gate, she was struck with a brilliant idea that she knew was easy and simple.

Aelita took off into a running sprint. When she approached the Ishiyama’s doorstep, she placed her hands on her knees, panting. Taking a deep breath, she rang the doorbell. Hiroki answered the door, energetic as always.

“Hi Aelita! What’s up? How’s things goin’?” he said, letting the pink haired girl in.

“I’m fine, Hiroki. May I see Yumi?” As the little boy nodded his head, she took off to the stairs.

Knocking on the door, Aelita said “Yumi! Yumi! It’s me! May I come in, please! It’s an emergency!” Aelita heard the door unlock and proceeded inside. Closing the door behind her, she sat down next to Yumi. Her eyes looked glossy, and her nose was red as a rose. Aelita could tell she had been crying hysterically again.

“Yumi, XANA attacked again. Odd isn’t enough to control him long enough for me to deactivate the tower. We need you. Please, come with me back to the factory to help us. He’s too strong for just Odd and me.” As Yumi took in this information, she grabbed the picture of Ulrich and held it to her tight, took a tissue, and wiped tears from her eyes.

“I . . . I . . .” she sobbed. “I can’t Aelita, I’m not strong enough to go. I can’t go back to the factory.” She wiped her eyes with her hands, and looked up at Aelita.

“Yes, you can, Yumi. We need you. Odd’s losing life points like there free concert tickets. Please, we need you so much. I know how much you miss Ulrich, but we need you. The world needs you now. Please?” Aelita said hopingly.

“Oh . . . okay. I’ll go. Give me a minute to get dressed,” the Japanese girl said getting out of bed and disappearing into her walk-in closet. Aelita took Ulrich’s picture in her hands and then placed it back on the night table next to the bed. Being such a neat freak that she was, she smoothed out the sheets on Yumi’s bed and replaced the top blankets to their place.

Yumi stepped out of the closet wearing her usual outfit, black belly shirt, black pants, and black boots. “Ready to go, Yumi?” Aelita asked.

“I’m not entirely sure, but what the heck, let’s go.” Her eyes drifted over to Ulrich’s picture on the nightstand. As the duo stepped out of the bedroom, Hiroki stared at Aelita.

“Yumi! Yumi! I haven’t seen you out of that room in weeks!” he said excitedly, running over to his sister, placing his hands around her knees.

“Yes, Hiroki. There’s an emergency, and I need to go with Aelita. I’ll be back in a bit. Be good,” she said shutting the house door behind her and waving to her brother in the window. “I wonder what got into him, he’s never like that!” Yumi said with a slight smile.

“Imagine, a little boy who hasn’t seen his sister in weeks, who finally sees this girl who is starting to slip from his memory, seeing his sister again. It must be like seeing cake at a birthday party!” Aelita said, as they broke into a jog. Aelita un-pocketed her cell phone and sent a text message to Jeremie’s phone saying that they were coming.

“How bad is the attack, Aelita?” she asked, not noticing Aelita pocketing her cell phone.

“We’re not entirely sure, but we know it’s bad. He sent out three mégatanks, a swarm of Hornets, and some Kankrelats. That’s what Odd was dealing with before I left to come get you.”

“Oh.” Yumi’s thoughts switched over to Ulrich as they stepped into the old factory. “I haven’t been here in months! Ever since . . . since . . .” her voice drifted off.

Aelita pressed the button to the elevator. Aelita and Yumi stepped inside, and it closed its doors around them. Aelita smiled, as the elevator started moving.

“Ready, Yumi?”

Slightly confused, she said “Sort of.”

The elevator doors opened on the Super Computer floor. She stood dazed as she glanced around the room. Odd and Jeremie had come up with an idea to hide Ulrich so she wouldn’t see him at first. Pictures upon pictures were posted on the walls of the Super Computer room. “Wha . . . What’s this?” she said, gazing at the old trophies and other soccer memorials of Ulrich. Looking up on the ceiling, she read the banner out loud.

“Welcome Back, Buddy” she read. “What’s this mean? Did . . . I mean . . .”

Ulrich stepped out from behind his hiding corner. “Yumi, I’ve missed you so much.”

“Ulrich? Is that you?” she said, turning around to face the brown haired boy.

“Yes, Yumi. It is me. I’m back, for good.” Her face lit up as they embraced in a hug.

“Good? Really? Forever?”

“Forever and ever. I’ll never be so stupid as to leave you behind again.”

Ending the hug, she stared into his eyes. “Why did you leave, Ulrich?”

“Because I saw you in the park that day with William, and when he put his arm around you, I got frustrated and angry, thinking that I lost you to him. I ran like a coward, and vowed never to return. I went to the dorm room, grabbed my backpack, some things of mine, a photo of you, and I ran. I ran like a coward, and vowed never to return. Some nights around midnight, I’d go to your house and sit under your window, apologizing for what I had done, wishing that I’d never run away. But I thought you were happy with William, so I never came back. But then, I saw you about a week ago looking out your window. You were so sad looking, and so then I came up with a plan. I called Odd, and told him how I felt. He told me how you were locked in your room all the time, crying and sobbing. Aelita told me how you never go out of your room, and are always eating fatty foods that are killing your body, which might I say I think you look just fine?” he said with a smile, stepping back to look at her. “She also told me that you stare at my picture almost constantly and then overturn it, trying to convince yourself that I was never coming back.”

“I know it seems silly that I kept overturning it, but . . .”

“Yumes, it’s not silly, I did the exact same thing with your picture. You should know that I would come back; I wouldn’t leave you, ever. I can’t deal with life without you,” he said, wiping a salty tear from Yumi’s face. The rest of the gang stood there, awing in their minds. Jeremie glanced over at Aelita, and she smiled.

Ulrich placed his hands on Yumi’s waste, she put her arms around his body, and they kissed. Time seemed to stop. The kiss must have lasted about thirty long seconds, but it was enough to please the two. “I love you, Yumi.” Ulrich whispered into her ear, placing his hands around her neck.

“I love you too, Ulrich. Very much.” At this, they embraced in another hug, and turned to the group. “Thanks, Aelita. You’re the best. And thanks, the rest of you, for the party. It’s what I really needed.”

“Yeah,” Jeremie said. “But now, we need to celebrate and then later talk to Mr. Delmas about enrolling you two again!”

With that said, the group high-fived, and began to celebrating the reunion.