"What am I doing here?" Ulrich asked himself shocked to be in the storage room of the old donut shop he used to work at.
"You were about to clock out before Mr. Martin gets upset you're working overtime remember? Besides, didn't you have a game or something to get to?" Ulrich's mouth dropped, he couldn't believe it, it was Al, the man who had so many times gotten him out of problems and he was like his father. "What's wrong pal? You look like you've seen a ghost?" Al asked a bit worried.
"Umm, nothing," Ulrich responded clocking out, "What's the date right now?"
"The same it was this morning." Al joked and decided to answer seriously since he got no reaction out of him. "It's December 10, 1995."
Ulrich couldn't believe it, he ran to the mirror, and there he was, an eighteen-year-old version of himself. It was the same night he met Yumi. "Yumi!" he shouted running towards the door. If he didn't hurry someone else was going to nail her with the door as she walked by.
"Umm, okay? What a strange kid." Al mumbled to himself before chuckling.
Ulrich opened the door and much to his disappointment, he didn't hit Yumi. "Where could she be?" He mumbled to himself before deciding to go back in. As he walked in he realized two things, one, he had forgotten his jacket and it was freezing outside, and two, the man that had left before him was barely placing his order. Relief washed over him as he realized he hadn't missed Yumi.
"I hate it when mother starts. Why can't she just leave me alone?" Yumi mumbled to herself rather upset. She was walking around town like she usually did when she was upset and it was freezing. She was seriously regretting walking out without a jacket. Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted and she fell on her butt. Apparently God was testing her.
"Greeeeaaaaaaaaaat. Now I'm going to be even colder." She grumbled when she saw a hand stretched out to help her.
"I'm so sorry Miss, I didn't see you." A tall boy, with chocolate brown hair and golden eyes apologized.
"It's fine." She replied, a smile on her face. She had no idea why she was smiling when this guy had totally just knocked her down.
Ulrich, on the other hand, was extremely happy she reacted the way she did. It was just like when they had met, only, this time, he was sure he loved her, he was positive it was love at first sight.
"Well, how about you take my hand and get off the wet floor?" Ulrich suggested, flashing her a smile.
"Right," She mumbled taking his hand and getting to her feet, "Well I'd better go, hail's supposed to fall in a bit and I've got quite a ways home, not to mention the rain is getting harder." Yumi turned ready to leave when she felt a tug on her right arm. She turned around surprised to see the boy stopping her.
"Wait, how about I take you home? I don't think you'll beat the hail, it should start any minute now."
"I don't ride with strangers." She smiled, knowing she was eventually going to give in since she was pretty sore from the fall.
"Ulrich Stern. Now we're not strangers." Ulrich chuckled, knowing Yumi's next response.
"Right well Ulrich Stern, I'll let you know if you try anything funny, you're ending up on a most wanted list all around town, got it?" She laughed along with Ulrich. The joke despite being about ten years old still got to him. "Now let's go because getting hit with hail after being tackled by a door doesn't seem too pleasant right now."
"Sorry," Ulrich smirked, leading the way to his car.
Ulrich wanted nothing more but to hold her and tell her how much he loved her, they were so close, but he had never felt so far away. He couldn't tell her anything, not without pushing her away and making her think he's a freak.
"No big deal," he thought, "I'll just make her fall in love with me all over again, I mean she already fell once how hard could it be?"
"Yumi Ishiyama." Yumi finally spoke up, breaking the silence.
"Huh?" Ulrich asked, obviously he had been lost in thought.
"My name, I never gave it to you, it's Yumi Ishiyama." She smiled again, for what felt the hundredth time since she had met him, she just couldn't help it and this guy brought it out of her.
Deciding not to alter the course this conversation should take, Ulrich asked the same question he had asked that night. "Ishiyama? Like Ishiyama Industries?"
"Yes like Ishiyama Industries, yes I'm rich; I'll pay you for the ride home if that's why you're asking." She sighed, these questions usually led to whoever she was with asking for money. Ulrich simply chuckled and she didn't know why. "What is it?" She asked, confused.
"I don't want your money," Ulrich laughed again at the thought, "I was just asking because I find it strange that you were walking around when you obviously must have a car or at least a chauffeur."
"You.. don't want money? What about the gas? Surely you're going to complain about how I'm making you waste it and how it's expensive?" She asked puzzled, Ulrich was the first person she had met in the longest that wasn't asking for her money.
"The gas is the gas I guess." He chuckled once more but he just couldn't help it, being able to relive this moment was probably one of the greatest opportunities he had ever been given and seeing the expressions on Yumi's face once again was priceless. "And it's not a waste at all; I've actually realized that I really enjoy your company." He smiled at her, before turning back to the road.
Yumi blushed, and thanked the heavens it was dark and he couldn't see it. "I really hope you're being honest. If you are, you're the first person that ever helps me without economic interest." She replied Ulrich knew they were about to pull up to her house but he just didn't want the moment to end.
"By the way, how did you know where I live?" Yumi asked, realizing she never gave him her address.
"Well you see uhh," He couldn't believe it; he'd never thought to ask her simply because he knew it by heart, now how was he supposed to explain this? "Everyone knows where you live, it's like a mansion, besides I've passed by here a couple of times and the Ishiyama on the metal door is pretty big."
"Of course, this town is rather small anyway; I just wanted to make sure my father didn't hire you to follow me or something." She smiled pleased with his answer, it really would've been horrible to find out her father had gone to that extreme to keep an eye on her.
Ulrich sighed, that was a close one. The moment he had been dreading finally arrived and they were in front of her house.
"Well thank you so much for the ride home," Yumi smiled reaching for the door, she really didn't want to be home but she was glad she had at least met a new friend.
"Yumi wait." Ulrich stopped her, not knowing what to expect she turned to look at him. "I, well, I was wondering if I'm ever going to see you again?" He asked he didn't know why he was as nervous as the first time when he already knew the reply.
Yumi smiled, "Well, how about we hang out tomorrow after school, I mean it is the only school here. You go to school right?"
"Yeah and I'd love too!" He replied a bit too eager. Yumi giggled and Ulrich couldn't help but blush, apparently living this twice didn't change the fact that he was a wreck when it came to this girl because he was crazy about her.
"Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow, we can meet by the gym?" She asked, still giggling.
"Uhh, I mean yeah whatever," Ulrich answered laughing at his attempt to be cool.
Yumi laughed harder and shook her head. "Here's a secret, I hate cool guys." She smiled before exiting the car and heading inside.
Ulrich smiled, he was so happy, he felt on top of the world. "Thank you so much!" He yelled out to the Angel who had helped him. He was about to drive away when he saw Mr. Ishiyama looking right at him, he still had the same cold stare from ten years ago. He didn't know how, but he was going to win him over, this time, there was no way he was giving Yumi up again.
"Wait what?" Odd asked during class, he was amazed at what his best friend had just shared with him.
"Exactly what I just said Odd. I'm going to see her again right after class, if you don't believe me just walk by the gym, I can guarantee I'll be with her." He smirked, Odd was usually the one bragging about girls, but this time it was him and it felt great.
"Alright I will, but if what you're saying is true you better enjoy it because once her father finds out, I can guarantee you he won't be too happy about you." Ulrich sighed, Odd was right, but he was going to win him over.
The bell finally rang signaling the end of the school day. Ulrich had to keep himself from running to the gym, he didn't want to seem as eager as last night. Last night he had also decided that this time he'd be himself from the start. He was going to win Yumi's heart for the right reasons, not because his brother told him too. He had never forgiven himself for that, sure ultimately he fell in love with her, but he wasn't genuine with her from the start. He didn't show her the real him from the start, and this time around things were going to be different, he was going to better his life and hopefully end up with her, this time forever.
"I thought you weren't going to come," Yumi smiled, breaking him out of his thoughts. He hadn't even realized he was in front of her already.
"Wouldn't miss it for anything." He replied. It felt great to blush in front of her again, he felt alive.
Yumi noticed his blush and realized that she was blushing as well. "So what do you want to do?" She asked, finally breaking the silence.
"I actually already planned something for us; I mean if it's fine with you?" He asked and couldn't believe how nervous he was.
"That sounds great," she smiled, "lead the way."