A/N: Hello! First of all, Happy New Year to all of you! May all your goals be reached and dreams come true :)! Secondly, a big thank you to the new readers for the favs, follows and reviews. Naturally, my gratitude also goes out to you who have been reading this already. Off to a happy start this year, let's keep it that way haha. Enjoy the read. This is the last of the two bonus chapters.

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

Ulrich was on his way to the restaurant for the dinner appointment with his father and uncle. It suddenly occurred to him that this was going to be a dinner with three males, who – next to being family – had nothing in common other than their line of business. It was a fact that nothing could mentally prepare him for the middle-aged men's talk he was going to hear tonight.

"Ulrich, glad to see you're here," his uncle greeted him warmly when he entered the restaurant. Apparently his uncle had been confirming his reservation for tonight with the receptionist. "What do you think? It's a pretty grand place, isn't it?" Ulrich looked around to grasp the feeling. It was a modern styled Japanese restaurant. He instantly thought of Yumi. "She would sure love it here." He noticed that his uncle was eagerly awaiting his reaction. "Ah, yes, it's a really nice place. I hope you do know how to eat with chopsticks, uncle."

The older man laughed wholeheartedly. "I sure do, this is my friend's restaurant after all. How about your father?" Ulrich didn't have an answer for that. The rare times they did go out for dinner was because his mother wanted them to. They would never spent such close times together otherwise. So, other than his normal proper etiquette way of eating, Ulrich had no clue whether or not his father was capable of using the wooden sticks. "We'll find out tonight, then," his uncle interrupted his thoughts.

"Sir, your table for six is ready. Please follow me," the receptionist told them. "Six? Are there more guests?" Ulrich inquired. "Yes. A childhood friend of mine, Jonathan, his boss Cindy Delmas and her daughter Sissi Delmas. I suggested we'd have the ladies come as well, to discuss some business," his uncle revealed. "So.. you're catching up with your friend while doing business?" Ulrich found it a strange combination for multitasking. Suddenly dread filled him. Sissi was coming as well. He resisted the urge use some kind of lame excuse to get out of there. But that was mainly because his father was going to arrive soon.

This was going to be the first meeting between the Delmas family members and his father. Probably with Jonathan too, but that was none of his concern. Ulrich was certain once again. Nothing, really nothing, would be able to mentally prepare him for the next two hours.

They were on their way to the table, when Ulrich glanced around some more. And that's when he saw her sitting there. "Yumi?" She looked beautiful and graceful while she seemed to be waiting for someone. Ulrich felt like a spy about to be caught, but he couldn't stop staring. "Uncle, I'll be right..," he stopped mid-sentence when he saw who had just arrived at her table. "Of course, it's like that."

His uncle was confused. "You'll be right?" Ulrich snapped out of it. "Ah, I meant to say I'll be righteously thanking you for today. I've read some reviews. This place has received a lot of praise," he quickly fabricated a completely unnecessary lie. It got his uncle to laugh again. "Ha, Ulrich. What's with those sudden manners of yours? At least try the food first, before pulling out a line like that." The laughing didn't stop, but it failed to improve Ulrich's mood. "I'm not that hungry anymore," he inaudibly whispered to himself.

Minutes later his father joined the two at the table. Ulrich had chosen the seat at the corner of the table. It was located opposite his father and next to his uncle, which made it the perfect spot for him to sit. That way there was no chance of Sissi sitting next to or across from him. He predicted that Sissi was going to sit in the seat diagonally across from him, but he'd somehow be able to deal with that. The following problem was of more importance to him at the moment. When he sat down he looked forward and found out he had an outlook on Yumi's table. The rest of the seats were blocked from view by a separating wall.

Ulrich was having a hard time to not start watching Yumi. He hadn't done this on purpose. He knew that. Although it could still look like he had. But that direction was a pointless one to go into. No one cared about these matters other than himself. Eventually he settled on the part that dominated his rationality. 'Yumi and William' wasn't the best movie to watch during dinner time. However, his other option 'Father and Uncle' wasn't very promising either.

Thus, despite not wanting to look, his gaze went to Yumi. She was talking to William, but the atmosphere between the two was tense. He could even tell from where he was seated. "I hope she's okay." Ulrich was slightly worried about what could have happened, but then reminded himself he shouldn't meddle in their affairs.

"Ulrich, you seem distracted. How has work been?" His father's question brought him back to the boring present. "I have things under control. The team has opened up to me and my secretary has been a great help," he disclosed. "That's good," his father commented. "Who's your secretary? I don't remember your uncle telling me about this." His uncle joined the conversation, interrupting Ulrich in the process. "She's truly a hard worker. She never disappoints, always at the top of her game," he remarked.

"Well, keep up the good work then," his father ended their conversation and continued talking with his uncle. It didn't bother Ulrich that his father was being his usual abrupt self, but he wondered whether a little more effort was too much to ask. Just business. That defined his father through and through. "Dad, if you could spare a few more moments," he began sarcastically, which earned him a hard look from his father. "My secretary is Yumi Ishiyama. It's my friend from Kadic Academy. Although she worked at the company before I did. I figured I'd let you know," he finished. "The Japanese girl?"

Ulrich was visibly stunned. "Yes," he simply confirmed. "Is she your girlfriend? If so, it might be better to fire her. Having a relationship at your workplace is unprofessional and has no chance of being successful." He had expected that reaction, but he didn't want to hide the identity of his co-workers. Why should he? Ulrich decided he wouldn't take the bait to make a discussion out of this. "No, she is not."

"Just make sure to draw the line. Don't let her distract you," his father commanded. "Don't worry, you're more of a distraction than she is," Ulrich thought. "I'm sure you heard uncle say she is amazing at her work. I can take my own decisions." His father was about to tell his son to behave when Sissi made her entrance together with Cindy and Jonathan.

"Good evening," she calmly stated. Greetings were exchanged and introductions were underway when Sissi found a moment to wave at Ulrich from where she was going to sit. His prediction came true. The duo that sat across from him was one he would rather not have seen, but Sissi didn't seem to mind sitting next to his father. That feeling was mutual, judging from the unfazed look of the man in front of him. "Let's order," his uncle decided.

Regardless of how much he wished, time was passing by as slow as a snail. "Excuse me for a few minutes. I'm going outside," he announced. After enduring 90 minutes of boredom he couldn't take it anymore. "May I come with you?" Sissi politely asked. Ulrich thought it was annoying that she chose these moments to be so uncharacteristically well behaved. He got that it was normal, but it clashed a lot with her inner self. The outgoing version.

He stared at her for a second while he tried to come up with an answer that wasn't suggestive. After all, he didn't want anyone around the table to have any misunderstandings. "I'm just going to retrieve something I left in the car. I'll be right back," he said. "That's fine, I could use some fresh air," Sissi waved off his attempt to reject her idea. Ulrich was slightly irritated. "I also have a phone call to make," he lied. She was a little disappointed, putting on a sad face, and those around them noticed. His father gave him a disapproving look and interfered. "Ulrich. Can't your phone call wait? You should accept the lady's request."

Ulrich really wanted to go home. "You can come if you want to," he eventually gave in. It was better not to make a scene.

Sissi followed him out of the restaurant. "Next time, don't persist like that," Ulrich told her off. "Hey, you're not the only one who felt the suffocating atmosphere. I would have gone outside even if you hadn't," she defended herself. "Then go to the bathroom or something. You're feeding them weird ideas," he said. "You did not just tell a lady to go to the bathroom…," Sissi looked at him with disbelief. "Uh, well, you get my point," he said. "Besides, what's wrong with us," she pointed at the two of them.

"Everything," Ulrich curtly responded. "Look, I've told you this before. You and I will never end up together. I don't like you." Unfortunately, he knew that hitting the hammer on that nail wouldn't scare her off. "That doesn't mean that I can't try. You obviously don't hate me either," Sissi argued. Ulrich felt like slapping some sense into her. "That's because it's only fair to treat you like a human being," he said. Sissi fell silent and Ulrich was grateful one of his remarks had at least affected her.

"Now, if you'll excuse me. I have a phone call to make," he said, leaving her at the entrance. She watched him go and huffed in annoyance before going back inside the warm restaurant.

Ulrich reached his car, which he had parked somewhere further down the street. He got what he needed and started to head back, when a familiar figure walking at the opposite side of the street caught his eye. It was William. "Huh, shouldn't he be escorting Yumi home or something?" Ulrich pondered aloud. He was startled when William also saw him standing there. And much to his dismay, William came over to where he was.

"Uhm," Ulrich hesitated. Was this the point he was supposed to start the conversation? No, right? "How are you?" He tried out. "Just great," William's reply oozed sarcasm. "Well, then, see you around I guess," Ulrich said, continuing his walk back to the restaurant. "I seriously hate you," William started. That statement pissed off Ulrich enough to stand still and turn back. "Don't worry, the feeling is mutual," he spitefully shot back. "But I hate myself more," William added. Ulrich hadn't expected that. "What?"

"It's none of your concern," William said. Ulrich was even more pissed off. Why the hell would he say something like that? Did he want him to worry about him? "How is Yumi doing?" Ulrich was suspicious of his weird behaviour. "Why don't you ask her yourself? Goodbye, Stern," William said.

William cast him one last look he couldn't define before walking away.

Ulrich mentally noted to ask Yumi tomorrow if anything had happened today. For now, he had to focus on surviving this evening's dinner.

A/N: See you next time, in which the main story continues. Next up: the testing of Aelita's and Jeremie's new game :)!