Authors note: This is my opinion on why Ulrich and Yumi haven't gotten together yet. Basically is because I think Ulrich is to afraid to make a move and Yumi doesn't want to be the one who does make the first move, probably because she is the girl, and generally girls don't make the first move,… I guess. I think she just wants to wait for him, she probably just wants him to come around in his own time. So…now it all depends on who gives in first. Who will it be?

Quotes of the day:

"I don't want you out of love anymore, I want you out of habit"

I won't make the first move

(Yumi's POV)

"Oooo check him out!" stated Aelita, pointing in the direction of a few male figures, looking at one in-particularly.

I looked at my pink-haired companion sitting across from my at the table we currently occupied in the food court at the mall. The boys decided they all had some important "male bonding" to do, so Aelita and myself decided to have a litte girls day out. WE had just gotten back from an intense game of Frisbee in the park, and decided to stop by the food court to satisfy our appetites.

"Eh…he's alright. Nothing special though." I replied to her comment, taking another bite of my sushi. I had barely looked twice at the guy.

Aelita just stared at me like I was crazy, but shrugged it off.

"Okay…well, how about him?" She inquired once again, in hope of me changing my mind.

I looked over to see the boy she was motioning to. He was tall, dark, and handsome, but…

"He's too old for me", I stated simply. Well, it was true. He looked to be about 4 years older than me, and about three heads taller.

"Maybe him? Over there." She tried once again.

I strained to see in front and over the heads of all the people, so I couldn't catch a good glimpse of him. I did, however, see him smile and wink at me in a flirtatious manner.

"No, he's just too flirty", I told her, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

This made Aelita even more puzzled than she was before. The girl sighed in frustration at my lack of interest in every guy she thinks I might have had a chance with.

"Come on Yumi, what's with you?" She seemed absolutely baffeled with me.

"There are plenty of guys out there who would be absolutely THRILLED to go out with you, and you just sit back and let all these good chances pass you by!" "You should put yourself out there, how are you going to find "the one" if you're not looking?" It was almost like she was scolding me, the way a teacher would scold a student for not studying.

She sighs again in saspiration at my fail to respond.

I simply chose to ignore her. It wasn't like I wasn't interested in guys, on the contrary, I was, very much so, I'm just waiting for someone better to come around. I'm not sure how long I'll have to wait, but if I have to, then I could very well wait forever. And I already have a person in mind.

He's everything a girl could ask for: kind, forgiving, good-hearted, strong but shy, good-looking, honorable, a little protective, open-minded, sweet, gentle, and everything else. But there's just one thing: He's making me loose my patience.

Don't get me wrong, he's a great guy, it's just that, well, I can't understand him. I'm not stupid, and neither is he, we both know there's something between us (or that there COULD be something), but he never says anything about it so how am I suppose to really, REALLY, know? And if I don't know for sure that he likes me, then how am I going to return the feeling?

I mean, I'm a girl, I shouldn't have to ask him out first! Girls don't ask guys to marry them do they? No. I won't make the first move.

I have, however, given him plenty of signs. You know, what they call it, I've, "given him the O.K.", to go ahead and ask me out. And when I say plenty, I mean it.

First of all, we did almost kiss in Lyoko, after all, you think that'd be a sign for him enough, but apparently not. Sure, I asked him not to tell Jeremie and Odd about it, but I never told him I didn't like him.

Oh yeah, why does he think I said no to William when he asked me to the end-of-the-year dance? I was really beginning to think he was honestly just clueless. Why doesn't he ever believe anyone when they say I like him? I know it's been implied countless times by William and Sissy. 'Uh, why does he have to be so difficult?'

Before I had time to think any more on the subject, Aelita interrupted my thoughts.

"Are you ready to go?" She asked, standing up and dumping the remander of the contents on her tray into the garbage.

I lightly nodded my head in response, and stood up following her suite, making known that I was ready to leave.

We both headed for the wide doors of the exit, in sync. What I thought was a calm atmosphere was once again interrupted by a certain pink-haired human.

"Yumi, about earlier…I really want to know what's up." She hesitated for a moment before I guestered her to finish.

"I mean, anyone could see that Ulrich likes you, but, let's face it: since I've known about you two, almost two school years have gone by, and he hasn't asked you out yet! Why doesn't one of you say something?" she seemed slightly frustrated.

I thought about it for a moment. I knew she was right. I stopped her when we were half way through the parking lot, so that she could read my facial expression as I was talking. I thought it might give her a better understanding of what exactly went on inside my head.

She stared back at me with questioning eyes, making it apparent that she was very curious of the matter. I opened my mouth to speak, but instead I just gave her a small smile. I wasn't about to tell her the same old, 'it's complicated' that I always told to everyone else when they asked me about it, because honestly, it really isn't complicated at all. William and Sissy are just, well, THERE. But that doesn't mean they complicate things. They get in the way sometimes, but, in the end, it all comes down to just me and Ulrich. You know, it's like that saying, "It's how we Re-act to situation's that counts". I mean, our entire "relationship" just depends on what WE do. Not what everyone thinks we should do or say. And so far, neither of us has done absolutely anything to further our "Love Life" (if you can even call it that).

I finally decide on what to say to her. "It's just that…well…hm….I suppose you want to know why I haven't done anything about "us", right?" "Because Ulrich is supposedly 'too shy'? Hmmm?" Am I right?"

She nodded a yes in response.

"Well, I sort of want him to come around in his own time. I mean, it's like when you kissed Jeremie. He was completely frozen for like, an hour. We wouldn't want that to happen to Ulrich, now would we?" I stated, giggling slightly at my attempted joke.

She gave a half smile, but seemed unsatisfied with my answer. We continued on the walk to my house nonetheless, dropping the subject.

It was already eight o'clock by the time we were leaving the mall ,and both of us were very tired, so I just decided to go home. She was walking with me because she would have to go that way anyway to get back to the school. Besides, if we didn't leave now, Jeremie would have my head letting his precious little princes walking all the way back to school by herself in the late hours of the night. I smiled at his strang antics of keeping her safe, but cringed at the thought of how mad he could actually get.

The rest of the walk there, we joked and laughed about, well, less serious maters, like Odd's appetite, or Sissy's all-pink outfit. Of course, Aelita was also all-about pink, but I assured her that it looked a lot better on her anyways, which was the truth. I'm sure Jeremie would agree with me.

I said my good bye's to Aelita as I walked in my front door.

"Kanichiwa! Mama, Papa, I'm home!"

I heard a slightly mufulled response coming from the living room. When I walked into the seen before me, I figured out why. My brother was screaming because my mom had taken away his gamboy.

"But ma! I was almost on the last level!" My brother protested.

"Hiroki, when I say 'no more', I mean 'no more'! Now, go up to your room and find another way to occupy your time. It's almost time for you to go to bed, anyway."

He was about to protest again before my mother gave him a look that said "I'm not messing with you". I smiled at that. Now I know where I get that from.

A very angry Hiroki stomped past me and up the stairs, muttering something in Japanese about being "deprived of his fun". My mother and I just shook our heads. When would he learn?

When would I learn? A different lesson, of course…

I was about to head upstairs when my mother's voice stopped me.

"Yumi, I wasn't ignoring you when you were at the door, it's just that, Hiroki, and…" I stopped her before she could finish.

"It's alright mom, I know". I offered her a smile showing that I understood, and she graciously returned it before we went our separate ways.

That was one of the reasons I loved my mom so much. She always puts others before herself. I'd never told anyone, but I sort of hope I'm like her when I grow up. Just one of her smiles or hugs could brighten up my day. I always knew she cared.

I lie down on my bed, pulling the covers around my body as I let my head hit the pillow. AS I did so, the recent events of today came rushing back to me. I thought about what Jeremie would think of Aelita walking back to school by herself.

"Why's it so easy for them?" I said to no one in particular. 'Because Aelita made a move on Jeremie, that's why'. Whatever. I said this once and I'll say it again:I will not make the first move. I had no time to think about it any more than I already had as a peaceful slumber overcame me.

at kadic-

"I'm telling you Jeremie, I just don't know what to do about those two. When will they ever hook up?" The pink haired-girl stood across the room from Jeremie, pacing back and forth, the look onher face telling him that she was in much distress about the situation.

"I don't know Aelita, I mean, what did you get out of Yumi, what did she have to say about it?" He asked, reasy to listen to her reply intently.

"Well, baisically all she told me was that she wanted him to come around in his own time, and tha-…" She was cut-off by Ulrich walking, no, RUNNING, through Jeremie's door, almost knocking it down in the process.

Both Jeremie and Aelita looked at him extremely annoyed yet oddly sympathetic.

"Sorry guys, it's just that, Sissy saw me on my way back from the showers, and I had to get away from her, and there was nowhere else to go…" He tried to explain himself.

A small deviant smile escaped Aelita's lips. "It's alright Ulrich, actually, you were just the person I wanted to talk to…" She said.

Jeremie looked at her very confued, but she just smiled and winked at him, expecting him to get the message to trust her.

"You did? O-Okay. About what?" Ulrich stammered.

She walked over behind him, whispering her response in his ear like some kind of creepy stalker. "I think you and I both know exactly what I'm talking about, Ulrich."

"Um, Aelita…I really don-OW!" Before he could finish talking, she had reached over and slapped him hard across the face.

"HEY, AELITA WHAT THE HECK IS YOUR PROBLEM? I MEAN, I'M SORRY FOR WHATEVER I DID, BU-.." she stopped him from saying anything else by putting one of her hands over his mouth. She was about to slap him again, but the look on Jeremie's face assured her that once was enough.

"It's not what you did, Ulrich, It's what you haven't done…YET." She told him, staring him straight in the eyes.

"Now you listen to me, and you listen good. Got it?" She realesed her hand from covering her mouth, but he knew better than to say anything right now.

Part of him was still pretty pissed that she had slapped him, and the other part of him was wondering what was so important she was about to tell that had made her slap him.

"When Yumi and I went to the mall today, we saw lots and lots of guys….guys who aren't you." She said, matter-of-factly.

He was still very confused and had no idea what she was talking about.

"And you know what? Yumi could have gone out with almost ANY of them…if she wanted to. But she didn't. Actually, she didn't even seem remotely interested in any of them. And let me tell you, their were PLENTY of decent ones." Aelita stared at him, expecting him to get it. But he didn't.

"Okay Aelita, but does this have to do with me?"

She sighed in frustration at the brown-haired boy's stupidity. "Because, Ulrich, when it comes to dating, Yumi only has one person in mind…and that's you."

He looked taken aback for a moment. "But, how do you kn-.." He began to ask the same question he had always asked everyone else when they told him this, expecting her to give him the same answer he always got, but to his surprise, she didn't.

"And don't even ask me how I know Ulrich! For crying out loud, anyone can tell that you to are positively crazy about each other!" He blushed at this.

"I mean, come on Ulrich! Neither of you has ever said anything about it to the other! It's like you don't care! I asked Yumi why she hasn't made a move on you yet, because apparently, you're too shy. And you know what, Ulrich? YOU need to make the first move. Not her, you. Yumi isn't one of those girls who would just waltz up to you and say, 'Hey Ulrich, I love you, want to go out some time?' No. She won't just walk up to you and kiss you, Ulrich. You've got to be the one to make a move." She stopped talking for a moment, trying to let all her words sink into his head, hoping desperately to change his thought process.

"Now, I don't know what kind of sign you're waiting for, but she's given you plenty of them. I guess what I'm trying to say, Ulrich, is, you better make a move fast, because if you don't, you'll never get anywhere with her."

She slowly backed up from Ulrich, sitting down on Jeremie's bed next to Jeremie.

Ulrich didn't say a word, and he showed no sign of any type of emotion on his face. He stood there, silent, and still.

"Well?" Jeremie finally managed to utter something, having not said anything for the past ten minutes. Both Jeremie and aelita where desperately hoping for Ulrich to give any sign that showed what Aelits had told him had actually knocked some since into his head.

He smiled slightly and began to walk out. Half way out the door, he turned back around.

"Aelita….thanks."

"No problem, Ulrich." She seemed happy that he was actually thinking about what he had said.

Before he began to walk out again, he turned back once more, rubbing a light purple-blue spot on his cheek. "But you really didn't have to hit me."

After saying this he continued on out the door. He didn't stop at his room, though, he continued on out the huge doubly doors of the building. He walked out the gates of Kadic's campus, not the least bit concerned of getting caught. He kept walking until he reached the all-to familiar back porch of the Ishiyama residence.

"Well, it's either now or never…" he thought to himself. But then he started to chicken out? What if she tells me I've waited too long? Or what if she's mad for me interrupting her sleep? Or what if she just doesn't understand? What am I going to say or do anyway? "Oh man, why didn't I think about this before I came?" Nonetheless, he proceeded on with his mission, and began throwing rocks at her window.

'THUMP' 'THUMP' 'THUMP'

"What they heck?" I thought to myself as some unexplained noise awoke me from my nightmare. It had something to do with me getting married to some strange man and living the rest of my life unhappily. I couldn't see the man's face, but I saw enough to know it wasn't Ulrich. That was the scary part.

'THUNK' There it was again. I diverted my attention towards the place where they ound was coming from, and saw that a rock had just hit my window. Looking out of it, I saw Ulrich standing there in my yard.

"What the heck is he doing here?" I ushered to climb up, and he did. Once he was inside, I just had to know why exactly he was here.

"Well, what is it? Is it about xana?" I asked, a little too enthusiastically.

"No Yumi…It's about us." He said, taking my hands in his own, kissing the top of my forehead.

I smiled at him, and he smiled back, both of already knowing exactly what the other meant. We didn't need words.

I heard my mother's footsteps.

"You'd better go." Before he turned to leave, we both smiled at each other in a way that could melt anyone's heart. I hugged him like I had wanted to for so long, savoring the moment, and he hugged me back. I gave him a small kiss on the cheek before he left, and then watched his retreating form walk down the street away from my house.

"Okay, so we didn't exactly say it in words, but…it's a start"


OMG, finally! I've been working on this for like, 4 days now! And yesterday I had almost the whole thing typed, but my computer decided not to save the very last parts of it, so I to re-type it from memory all over again! My gosh, well, it didn't turn out as good as I'd have hoped. But what I really wanted to do was just to get my point across about Ulrich and Yumi's relationship. But I still hoped you guys enjoyed this!

If you love me you'll leave a review! Lol, thx for reading, until next time,

Animesk8ergirl