The characters Yumi Ishiyama, Mr. & Mrs. Ishiyama, Ulrich Stern, and others are based on characters from the cartoon 'Code Lyoko.' I do not own, nor do I claim, any copyright to these characters.

The characters Koyo Toya, Akiko Toya, Akira Toya and Hikaru Shindo are based on characters from the manga 'Hikaru No Go' by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata. I do not own, nor do I claim, any copyright to these characters.

A week after the the match at the Nihon Ki-in, Yumi returned to France. The Professional Go World was still abuzz about the game played that day, but Yumi put it behind her.

The trip to the airport was quiet. Yumi sat in the back seat with Kichi, and they talked softly to each other. Yoshi and Sayuri kept their silence in the front.

At the airport in Tokyo, Yumi checked her baggage and they proceeded to the security station. There, before Yumi left, Kichi handed her a gift.

"A small token of your visit to us. I hope when you use it, you will remember your visit with us kindly."

"Thank you, Kichi. I'll always remember my time here, and I'll keep you always in my heart."

She bowed deeply to the Satos, and went through the security checkpoint to her flight.

When Yumi got off the plane in France, she turned her translation processor back on. No, she realized, that wasn't right. She turned if off. One thing she had learned in her time away was that Japan, for all of its beauty, and for all of her pride in its culture, was no longer her Home.

Her Home was waiting for her on the other side of the security screening station.

She saw her father and mother, and her brother Hiroki, waiving excitedly at her. She also saw someone else, the one she was truly searching for.

She dropped her bags and ran over to Ulrich Stern, who had just walked up to the group. She leaped into his arms, wrapping herself around him. She then proceeded to climb up him to crawl tongue first down his throat.

"Yumi!"

That came from her father.

She unwound herself from Ulrich and said to him, "hi, I missed you so much."

He hugged her and replied, "I missed you too, love."

"Yumi!" her father said again, "what is the meaning of..."

But before he could get another word out, Yumi's mother had walked over, took Ulrich into her arms, and hugged him close. She held that embrace for a moment, then kissed him on his cheek.

"It is so good of you to come and meet Yumi here," she told him. She hugged him again and said, "would you like to ride home with us? We should all be able to fit in our car."

"Ahh, yeah, sure," was all Ulrich, just as shocked as Mr. Ishiyama, could say.

Mr. Ishiyama stared at the scene. Mrs. Ishiyama looked directly back at him, Ulrich still in her arms, saying nothing.

Mr. Ishiyama just shook his head and started muttering to himself under his breath. They all gathered up Yumi's luggage and went to their car.

All the way back home, Yumi and Ulrich talked softly to each other. Hiroki did the best he could to interrupt them, to annoy Yumi, but she would not allow him to succeed. Mrs. Ishiyama sat in the front passenger seat, smiling contentedly. Mr. Ishiyama drove the car, shaking his head and muttering to himself the whole time.

After she got settled at home, she and Ulrich went for a long walk, to catch up. Yumi had taken the gift Kichi gave her at the airport with her. They found a secluded spot in the park close to the school, and Yumi opened it up.

Inside was a note, written in English, To Urrick, who inspired the songs that serenaded my sleep. Love, Kichi.

"What does that mean?" Ulrich asked.

Yumi had a strange look on her face. Inside the gift box were smaller boxes. She picked on up and looked at it closely. Her face turned red.

"Yumi, is that what I think it is..."

It was a box of condoms. The gift box was full of boxes of condoms. Green, glow-in-the-dark, condoms.

"I'm going to kill her the next time I see her..."

Yumi told Ulrich and her friends all about her adventure in Japan, especially the confrontation between Koyo Toya and XANA in Yugen No Ma. She did not mention Kichi's parting gift to her and Ulrich. Jeremie reminded her that they were promised a rest after the ordeal they went through before Yumi left, and that must be what the Teacher meant when she told them that.

Things were quiet for the rest of the summer for Yumi and her friends.