It was lunchtime - once again. Yumi, Jeremie, Ulrich, and Odd were sitting at their usual table.

"That was a brutal attack," Yumi commented. "I was controlled by Xana, then Xana sent this awful storm. But thanks to you two"--she winked at Ulrich and Odd--"me and Jeremie are okay!"

Odd laughed. "Going to Lyoko cheered me up! I love getting my A-game going!" Then he became more serious. "But she's still in the core."

Ulrich put a hand on Odd's shoulder. "We'll get Aelita-lita-lita out of the core of Lyoko-oko-oko." Suddenly Ulrich reached over and touched Yumi's arm, whispering to her, "Hey...can I talk to you? Alone?"

Hearing him, Odd got up. "I'm gonna go talk to Millie. Maybe I can work in an interview for next week."

"And I'm going to work on that core," said Jeremie, heading out of the cafeteria.

Left with only Yumi, Ulrich sighed. "I love you," he told her bluntly. "I'm sick of playing games. Of running around in circles, like you said." He held her hand. "I'll try to understand that William is just your friend. It's dumb to be jealous, right? I want you back, Yumi. I'd like you to be my girlfriend. Please?"

Yumi's mouth was open. She was stunned. Never had Ulrich been so straightforward! She didn't know what to think. So she decided to match his candidness. "No."

His eyes were as wide as saucers. "What?"

"I said no." She pulled her hand back and snapped, "Do I have to spell it out for you? I don't want to be your girlfriend. I don't love you. We aren't running in circles anymore, because now there are no circles between us to run. Get it?"

Ulrich's head was bowed, and he snarled, "I thought you loved me, Yumi."

She folded her arms. "Taihen de. Tough luck. You wanna know who I'm in love with? Jeremie. See, I can be just as frank as you can."

"I thought you were flirting with him to get my attention."

"Are you serious? Look, I don't want you to die of a broken heart, but it's over. I wish there was a more subtle way to tell you that."

She was about to get up, but he took her hand again. "Yumi. I just ask one thing."

"What's that?"

"Just one kiss."

Yumi thought about trudging off wordlessly, but she moved close to him and kissed his cheek. Then she trudged off wordlessly, leaving Ulrich red in the face at the table.

- - -

For the remainder of the day, Ulrich stayed in his room, only coming out to go to classes. He was feeling a bittersweet sensation of treading-on-air happiness and brokenhearted pain; happiness from Yumi's kiss, pain from her leaving him. It was mostly pain he felt.

When dusk arrived, and his friends were gathered at the edge of the park to say their habitual goodbyes to Yumi, Odd walked back towards school while Yumi put her arm around Jeremie and let him walk her home. Ulrich saw everything from his window. He watched them until they left his sight. He sensed another twinge of soreness in his heart.

Presently Odd opened the door. "Guess what? Party at Yumi's house!"

"Huh?" Ulrich twisted away from the window.

"Tomorrow at 7:00 p.m., Mr. and Mrs. Ishiyama are going to a company dinner. They're leaving Yumi in charge of the house, and she's gonna make Hiroki stay at Johnny's house for the night, so we're throwing a party. How cool is that? I'm bringing the music, Jeremie's bringing the disco ball, and you're bringing the snacks. Party at Yumi's house! Aelita-lita-lita!" Odd cooled down when he saw Ulrich's grim expression. "Hey, buddy, what's the matter?"

"You can get the snacks. I'm not going."

"You're not going? How come?"

Ulrich gave Odd an overview of his lunchtime conversation with Yumi.

"If she loves Jeremie, you're not going to stop her, are you?" Odd wanted to know.

Ulrich's grimace was a thousand words. "Jeremie should know better than to move in on his friend's girl, it's common sense!" Saying nothing more, Ulrich traipsed darkly out of the room and into the park.

He wanted to be alone. All alone.

- - -

Jeremie was trembling. It was impossible. It had started with a simple code and ended with a jungle of numbers and programs that made no sense. That didn't matter, though. The point was right on the computer screen, flashing: Project successful. Project successful.

She was free.

- - -

"Please, Hiroki, just for one night. Please?"

Hiroki stood in Yumi's doorway, balancing her plea. Finally he shook his head. "No way. If you don't let me join your party I'm gonna rat on you, and that's that, sis!"

Yumi was sitting on her bed, staring Hiroki down. "Oh, really? Well, I can just tell your friend Johnny about Mr. Stuffy Waffles."

"You wouldn't!"

"I would! You go to Johnny's tomorrow night or I'll tell Millie and Tamiya also!"

Hiroki gasped and ran out of the room.

Yumi picked up her cell phone and called the supercomputer, since it had its own number. She guessed Jeremie was there, and she guessed correctly. "Jeremie, I took care of the Hiroki problem--"

"I was just about to call you, Yumi. I have great news!"

"Did you bring Aelita out of the core, Jeremie?"

"I disconnected her from it internally, but physically she's still inside it."

Yumi frowned. "Can't you get her out all the way?"

"Well..." Jeremie trailed off for a second and picked up his sentence. "I can, but she's unconscious and completely vulnerable. And she needs to get to the tower in Sector 5 to recover, because I can't materialize her while she's out cold, you know. So I'm gonna send you three in for a rescue mission."

"Alright. I'll be at the factory in a couple of minutes." Click.

At least Aelita would make it to the party now.