A/N: Hello again! Thank you for your follows, favs and review. I appreciate your support :)! I realized I forgot to put my signature disclaimer in chapter 1. So.. I'll do that now. This chapter is a nice build-up for the next.

Disclaimer: I do not own Code Lyoko! Only my imagination :)!

Today was the last day before the Christmas holidays. Everyone would be busier than usual, wanting to finish their tasks properly. Yumi's routine hadn't changed much, except for the lack of contact with William this week. He hadn't been very responsive at all, so Yumi still hadn't talked to him about meeting up. Now Christmas was around the corner and she might not be able to give him his gift.

She opened her drawer to reveal the wrapped box. Inside were the recently released headphones that she knew he wanted to have. Since he always listened to music wherever he went, she figured it would make a great gift. Her thoughts wandered to the gift she received for Christmas from the company. Although this year's extra gift was better compared to other years. "Hey Yumi," Kelly greeted as she got back from her coffee rounds. Yumi closed her drawer and return the greeting. "Is it like this every year? Do you receive an extra present in addition to the gift card we get?" Kelly asked.

"No, I guess we were just lucky. Usually it's a bonus check and gift card. But I don't mind receiving this with it," Yumi answered, waving a ticket in front of her with a smile. Apparently the director had ordered around thirty tickets to the Subdigitals Christmas concert and had them distributed randomly between all employees. Yumi and Kelly were amongst those who got one. "Ah, well I like their music, but I have plans that day, so you can have my ticket," she said, handing the ticket to Yumi.

"Wait...," Yumi began but stopped talking as she spotted Ulrich coming out of his office. "Good morning sir," Kelly said happily. Ulrich merely gave them a nod and walked to the main team's office. "He's so cold. I haven't seen him laugh or smile or even grin at all," she said, crossing her arms and furrowing her brows. "It's only been one week. I don't believe you should judge this soon," Yumi pointed out. Though, she had a hard time convincing herself otherwise. She was most likely the reason why he seemed extra pissed off.

Against her expectations, Ulrich had been handling the team pretty well. He was exceptionally focused on his job with a completely serious attitude. It made her wonder why he wasn't as opposed to working as he used to be. She mentally noted that she had to ask him that someday. "He does convey an impression of a hard worker though," she suddenly said aloud. Kelly had taken to her fruit and looked back at her, confusion written on her face. "Hmm," she mumbled with a piece of pineapple in her mouth, "you are awfully positive about him," she spoke up after swallowing.

"I happened to notice it," Yumi smoothly replied. After that they resumed their work, eager to see the clock display their freedom time.

"YES!" Kelly shouted when everybody, except for them, had left the building. "Well, early Merry Christmas Yumi! I'll see you next year!" She briefly hugged her and ran out, supposedly meeting up with Odd for a date. "Merry Christmas!" The Japanese woman called after her. She grabbed her bag and gift and left as well, going in the opposite direction. "Let's try to call Mr. Studious again," she said to herself.

"Hey, Yumi," William answered.

"Hello William, where are you now? I want to give you something before you leave," she told him, knowing he would depart soon. "I hope you're not too enthusiastic about seeing your family again," she joked.

"Always thrilling having to see them again," sarcasm clear, "you can come over. I'm at my place," was the response.

"See you in five," Yumi hung up and got on her bicycle to set out for his apartment, which was a few streets down from the company she worked at.

As she entered the apartment complex, she observed the person waiting in front of the elevator. "Ulrich," she whispered to herself. For unknown reasons she refused to let him see her and waited it out. She hid behind the mailbox lockers. "This feels so stupid. He presumably won't care whether or not I'm here, for whatever reason. What if he already saw me before I went in? Ugh, I don't know," she abruptly ended her thought streak and walked over to the elevator when Ulrich had gone up. She didn't want to perceive the floor he got off at, but her brain had other plans as her eyes instantly went to the sign above the doors. "Ten?" She felt relieved as it was four floors above William's located apartment. Absent-mindedly she walked in and pressed six inside the elevator.

"Welcome Yumi," William said from his door opening. He let her in and closed the door. "Thanks, Mr. Nice Guy," she said, grinning at him. "Your roommate is out?" She asked. "Yep, he went grocery shopping upon my request because I really need some chocolate or I won't survive my family," he said, laughing afterwards. She knew he must have chased him out, since she was coming over.

"Instead of chocolate, this might be more appropriate to fend them off," she revealed the gift. He took it from her and opened it immediately, curiosity high. Yumi frowned. Happiness was visible on his face. "Thanks, you're the best," he said. "Uhm, I know this might be weird, but since the Subdigitals have a Christmas Concert coming up and I want at least one of us to be there, I bought you this," he took something out of his desk's drawer.

When Yumi saw the item he was holding, it was confirmed. "You bought me a ticket for a concert and you expect me to go alone?" She was baffled. "Yeah, I seriously feel bad about us not being able to spend these days together. So I want you to attend it, enjoy it and feel great afterwards. It's the best band out there. Don't miss them, I mean it," he pushed the ticket in her hands and looked at her full of determination to get her to go. "I'll enjoy it for the both of us then," she chuckled, putting the ticket away.

"It's actually pretty funny," she began and told him what happened at work. "There goes my original gift," he said, sighing. "Too bad for you," Yumi laughed. "I should go now, have a safe trip," she told him. "Yeah, I will, see you soon," William gave her a kiss on her cheek and let her out.

After cooking herself the best dinner she had ever managed to make, she took a shower and plopped down on her bed. "Guess I'll read a book," she randomly announced. Two hours passed, but it was only 22:00 when she didn't feel like reading anymore. "I wonder if William arrived yet," she thought. Yumi messaged him and got a reply stating that his family kidnapped him, planning to send him into the forest with a bunch of kids to have some sort of courage test. She laughed reading the absurd situation he apparently had no say in. "Good luck," she wished him.

She scrolled through her contacts and started to call the few friends she had to wish them a Merry Christmas in advance. She didn't think she would want to hear them on the days themselves. When she finished, her eyes landed on someone who she hadn't contacted in years. Contemplating if she should call him, her finger kept hovering over his name. She had no reason to call him, but she still was interested in the answers to all her questions regarding him.

"No harm in trying. He's already mad anyway," she decided and pressed the green phone button on her screen. In the time that she waited for him to accept the call, all kinds of thoughts ran through her head. "But will he even pick up? Does he have the same number? Okay, should I even have called? I'll probably be disturbing him. Maybe he's out. What if he has a date? Or even a girlfriend? Why did I call again?" Her thoughts were interrupted by a voice. "Hello?" a hoarse voice resounded through her speaker.

"Didn't he look at the caller ID? Did he delete my number?" She thought. "Yumi?" A significantly more surprised tone was used. Being momentarily stunned, she accidentally ended the call. "Great, now he'll think me an idiot."

However, seconds after her phone rang again. Hesitation coursed through her. Still, she picked up.

"Hello," she tentatively spoke.

"Hey Yumi. What's wrong? Why did you call?" Ulrich asked her.

"Nothing. I was just calling some friends to wish them a Merry Christmas in advance," she explained, marvelled that he was talking to her normally.

There was a moment of silence. "So what do I say now…?"

"Do you have any plans for Christmas?" She didn't expect his question.

"No," she began, but looked at the three concert tickets on her desk, "but since I got a ticket for the Subdigitals concert on Sunday, I was planning on going there," not stating she actually had three tickets.

"Nice, I'm going too. Are you going with William?" He tried not to let the spite in his voice come through, but she was sharp. Yumi let it slide. This was also not the right timing.

"I am….attending it by myself," she admitted, finding it unnecessary to lie about that since he had the possibility to spot her during the concert, albeit a small one.

"Me too, I guess I want to get away from life for a bit," he revealed. She was surprised he openly let her know that things weren't great. Then again, she had already noticed that from his mood.

"Maybe we can go together?" She suddenly suggested.

"Are you sure?" Ulrich double checked. He would gladly go with her, but the thought of an annoying William pestering her about it made him doubt.

"I would like that. We can catch up," she said.

"Yeah, okay," he still sounded hesitant. He recovered quickly. "I'll pick you up. Just text me your address," he offered.

"Sure. See you then."

"See you, Yumi," he softly said, ending the call afterwards.

The Japanese woman clutched the phone close to herself. It felt like decades had passed since the last time she had heard his voice like that. The throbbing feeling in her chest didn't help much. She found it peculiar that she had been freaking out before he picked up, yet it turned out a normal conversation. With renewed excitement, she fell asleep, hoping she could have a nice Christmas after all.

A/N: And that's it. Want to know what happens next? Please review! Also, one more thing. My best friend told me to use a particular word in chapter 2. I tried to integrate it well into the story. Can you guess what it was?