Disclaimer: I wish

Author's Note: Well, goodbye 2009. I can't believe it's already the New Year. Anyway, here's a cute, probably OOC story for your New Year needs.

Oh, and sorry about Jeremie. I just couldn't resist.

Fate

Kissing in the New Year

The clock was counting down. Soon, midnight would hit and everyone in the room would cheer and drink and kiss in the new year…

It made Ulrich's stomach tie into knots.

Jeremie, who Ulrich could've sworn would never drink, was halfway through his third glass of champagne and was definitely feeling no pain. He was dancing around the room with a silly party hat on. Aelita smiled as she watched him.

Odd, on the other hand, was surrounded by a fair amount of girls, all vying for his attention. Ulrich was sickly envious.

His attention turned automatically to the couch across the room. Yumi was sitting there, engrossed in some conversation with William. Ulrich had to force his eyes away, but not before she glanced up and noticed him looking at her.

"Oh, come on," hiccup "buddy. Go kiss yer woman."

"Jer…you're drunk," replied Ulrich flatly, trying to hide the blush creeping up his face.

"And yer handsome…"

Rolling his eyes, Ulrich stood. "Shut up."

It was five minutes to midnight. Ulrich walked into the kitchen to escape everything. He grabbed a Coke and opened it with too much force, causing it to erupt all over the room. He cursed, grabbing a towel to soak up the brown liquid.

"Oh…you okay?"

He shot up to the familiar voice. Yumi, beautiful even with the ridiculous party hat on her head, was staring at him curiously from the kitchen doorway. "Here, I'll help."

"It's okay…Just go back to William." He didn't realize how acidic his voice was.

Her gaze narrowed. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. You've been all over him."

They were interrupted as Jeremie ran into the kitchen and slid around in his socks, clad in only his underwear. He was holding a pink hairbrush and singing loudly, but his voice was so slurred it was hard to understand him.

"Come on Jeremie!" Aelita said, trying to give Ulrich and Yumi time alone. She grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around, trying to keep her eyes on anything else but his mostly-naked body. "And put on some clothes!" Ulrich heard her yell as they left the kitchen.

Yumi started laughing. "We can never let him live this down."

"Don't worry," Ulrich replied. "I think Odd is filming."

She reached for a rag and started mopping up the counter. "So…you're jealous, eh?"

"What?" He feigned innocence.

"You know I haven't really heard a word William has been saying all night…I just have been talking to him to make you jealous."

He stared at her, obviously confused. "I don't understand."

"FIVE! …FOUR! …THREE!"

The countdown had started from the other room. Somehow, Ulrich and Yumi had closed off the distance between their bodies, so that by the time the people in the other room had reached one, they were mere inches apart.

"Happy New Year, Ulrich," she whispered, planting her lips on his.

It was already a very happy new year, indeed, he thought as he kissed her back.