Chapter 2
Ulrich bolted out the door. Standing just feet from his dorm room door was Yumi, crouched against the wall, with a man, a BIG man, standing over her, his fist raised. Without thinking, Ulrich tackled the man, though only succeeded in making him stumble back a pace.
"Who are you?" the man asked, as if he hadn't, just moments ago, been beating up this boy's best friend.
"I should be asking you the same question!" he snarled back, moving between Yumi, who had risen, and the man.
"I happen to be Yumi's father," he said in a tone of great authority, as if everyone should know this.
At these words, Ulrich's features darkened. Yumi saw this and put a hand on his shoulder to restrain him. Under normal circumstances, Ulrich would have been thrilled by this gesture, but today, he was WAY too angry to care.
"Daddy," Yumi said in a falsely high voice, "Let's go talk at home. Ulrich, I think Odd wanted to see you." This last part was a lie. Both Yumi and Ulrich knew perfectly well that Odd was on a date with Heidi Clinger this afternoon. When Ulrich didn't move, Yumi spoke again. "Let's go, Daddy." She started down the stairs, her father behind her. Ulrich just stood there, not knowing what to do or think. He had just had the chance to severely hurt the person who had been hurting his Yumi, and he had let it go. Now, he knew she would get into more trouble.
That night, Ulrich lay in bed, trying to fall asleep despite Odd's snores, when his phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, he saw it was Yumi.
"Hello?" Ulrich said.
"Hi Ulrich. Sorry to call you so late. Were you sleeping?" her voice replied. It sounded pained to him.
"Naw, no one can sleep through Odd's snores!"
She laughed halfheartedly. "Thanks for today, Ulrich, but you really need to keep out of my business. Don't worry. He's my dad, I can handle him," she said.
Ulrich was shocked. Not worry? NOT WORRY!?!? Her father was beating her and she was telling him not to worry?
"Ulrich?" Yumi's voice brought him out of his state of shock. "Ulrich, promise me you won't interfere any more. Please? I don't want him to hurt you too."
Ulrich wanted to say that he didn't care if he got hurt as long as she didn't, but his mouth didn't cooperate and his said, "I promise."
"Thanks Ulrich. Well, see you tomorrow, I guess."
"Bye," he said, about to hang up when…
"Wait! Ulrich, don't you remember? Back in sixth grade when we first met each other, we promised never to say good-bye. There are no goodbyes because good-bye is final. And nothing is final."
Ulrich did remember that. He remembered it as if it was yesterday. "All right then. See you tomorrow, Yumi." He heard her sigh, and then the click of her phone. "I love you," he added to the night.