Yumi Ishiyama

The following day, Jeremie and Ulrich are walking away from the vending machine. Sissi purposefully drops a banana peel in their trajectory, and runs away to hide. Ulrich steps on it and looses balance, but before falling to the ground, he's held by someone.

Yumi: Whoa! Watch your step!
Ulrich: What the…?
Yumi: You okay?

Ulrich walks back, freeing himself from the girl's hold.

Ulrich: I'm fine, thanks, uh… (Ulrich realizes who he's talking to) Hey, you're the new girl from the above class!
Yumi: That's what they call me! "The new girl from the above class". But sometimes I'm known as Yumi.
Ulrich: (somewhat surprised) Yumi? That's a Japanese name.
Yumi: That's right, my family is japanese. I've been in France only a couple of years now.
Jeremie: Thanks for saving Ulrich, Yumi! That could've turned ugly if you hadn't intervened.
Ulrich: Yeah… Thanks, Yumi.

Ulrich looks to one side and notices Sissi, spying the crime scene from afar.

Yumi: It's nothing. Nice to… meet you?
Jeremie: Nice meeting you as well. My name is Jeremie, and he, as you may suppose, is Ulrich.
Yumi: Nice to meet you, Jeremie and Ulrich.
Ulrich: This Sissi… It was her, I'm sure. She's spying us.
Yumi: You mean the headmaster's daughter? I've been told marvels of her appearance and nightmares of her social behavior. Are you having trouble with her?
Ulrich: For some reason, she insists on trying to call our attention.
Jeremie: She insists on trying to call your attention, Ulrich. She's clearly a little obsessed with you.
Ulrich: How unnerving! Why doesn't she look for a different target?
Jeremie: Probably because she likes you and wants to call your attention, but due to her childish narcissism as a consequence of a spoiled upbringing, calling your attention is more important to her than pleasing you.
Yumi: Whoa, that was way too real, Jeremie! I'm surprised to listen to someone your age speak like that.
Ulrich: Well, the kid's pretty brilliant.
Yumi: It certainly seems so… Hey, Ulrich! Maybe you cannot shove Sissi off, but you can try and make her a prank. Just to loosen the burden a bit.
Ulrich: I've thought about it, but I'm not really good with pranks. It's difficult for me to find the line between mischief and malice.
Yumi: Well, I know a thing or two about pranking. If you want any help, I can provide it.
Ulrich: Really?

Yumi: Well, it's not like I have something better to do.
Ulrich: Don't you have a group of friends to report to?
Yumi: Not really. I've had trouble fitting in with my classmates. Groups are too closed.
Jeremie: Well, Ulrich and I aren't the coolest, but we're good guys. I have no problem with you teaching us how to prank Sissi. What do you say, Ulrich?
Ulrich: Well, if you don't mind, I don't see why not.
Jeremie: It's settled, then! Welcome to the club, Yumi.
Yumi: Thanks!
Jeremie: Well, technically it's not a club, it's just me and Ulrich against the world. He protects me against the bullies and I help him raise his grades.
Yumi: Well, I'll help you against Sissi then.

Jeremie laughs, and Ulrich manages to smirk. The group leaves, while Sissi watches them, joined by Nicholas.

Nicholas: So your prank… failed then?
Sissi: I don't fail, Nicholas dear. Don't worry, that girl isn't that nice anyways; for sure Ulrich and his lapdog will leave her aside soon enough. And although it's true that the trap didn't trigger all of its effects, at least I was able to enjoy that boy's glance for a few seconds. I'd call that a success, don't you think?

Nicholas grunts in jealousy.

…

The trio walks to the lockers.

Jeremie: By the way, those were some good reflexes. Do you practice any sports?
Yumi: Yeah! You're observant. I do Penchak Silat.

Jeremie looks at Ulrich, smiling. Ulrich shows surprise again.

Ulrich: Penchak Silat? I used to practice Penchak Silat! What's your academy?
Yumi: I practice at Jean Sidane's school.
Ulrich: (losing enthusiasm) Oh…
Yumi: What's the matter?
Ulrich: In my academy they didn't speak well about Jean Sidane.
Yumi: Oh, are you from MartialAsia? Well, well, well!
Ulrich: That's right.
Yumi: It's true that the two academies don't get along very well. (bantering) Luckily, I practice at the better one.
Ulrich: Well, that's decidedly false. MartialAsia is internationally acknowledged.
Yumi: Well, let them acknowledge my foot! Penchak Sidane has a lot to clarify about that title.
Ulrich: (bantering) I certainly doubt it.
Yumi: Very well! (stands in front of Ulrich) Ulrich, I challenge you to a Penchak Silat duel! The best of three rounds!
Ulrich: Hah, I accept!
Jeremie: Wait, are you going to duel right now?
Yumi: No, not yet, ha ha ha! We need to prank Sissi first.
Ulrich: Okay, but don't you take your challenge back afterwards, huh?
Yumi: How dare you! As soon as we're finished with this, we'll have our duel. I've spoken!
Jeremie: I can be your referee, if you're okay with it.
Ulrich: Very well, Jeremie will be our referee.
Jeremie: I think the campus' forest is a good place for the duel. It'll be there.
Yumi: Done! Now, let's get to work!

The prank consisted in covering Sissi's locker padlock in peanut butter, from a jar provided by Yumi. The kids watch from a distance as Sissi tries to open her locker, realizes that her hands touched an unknown brown sticky substance and starts screaming in disgust. The kids laugh; Ulrich, for once, seems amused.

Ulrich: Well, that actually went quite well.
Yumi: It did, didn't it? Well, whenever you want some more ideas or help with something similar, you know who to call.
Ulrich: Let's see how Sissi behaves in the following days.
Yumi: That's okay. A word of caution though: it's very likely that she'll plan a revenge when she finds out who did it.
Ulrich: I think I'll risk it. Maybe the power of love will make her go easy on us.
Jeremie: You mean the power of obsession.
Ulrich: Whatever. Well, Yumi, you still haven't backed down about what we agreed on?
Yumi: Don't you dare! Let's go right now!

The kids arrive to the forest. They agree to fighting the three rounds in different days.

The first round lasts about ten seconds. Ulrich is deemed winner after Yumi ends on the floor.

Yumi: (standing up) Good fight. (bows)
Ulrich: Yeah, it was all right. (bows as well)
Yumi: You got me when I tried to mess up your balance for too long. I'll be more observant next time.
Ulrich: That's good to hear.
Yumi: Well then! Thanks for the fight. And thanks, Jeremie, for your arbitration.
Jeremie: (shrugs) You're welcome, it's a pleasure.
Yumi: I must go home. I don't sleep in school and my parents await me for dinner. See you soon! (starts running away)
Ulrich: Hold on, Yumi!
Yumi: Yes?
Ulrich: (whispering to Jeremie, so that Yumi can't listen) *Jeremie, do you think we can invite her to join us in the science fair?*
Jeremie: (whispering as well) *Wow, it's been a while since I last saw you trying to make more friends! What made you change your mind?*
Ulrich: *Well, she doesn't seem to have many friends, and maybe she'd be interested in participating, don't you think?*

Jeremie notices that Ulrich is blushing a little.

Jeremie: (smirks) *Okay, Ulrich. We could do with a team member that speaks native Japanese, practices Penchak Silat and is commited to defying Sissi.*
Ulrich: (blushing even more) *Well, do we invite her or not?*
Jeremie: Of course!
Yumi: Well, were you going to tell me something or are you going to keep whispering in front of me?
Ulrich: Uh… Jeremie and I are going to take part in the science fair. I'd like to know… if you'd be interested in joining us.
Yumi: Oh! Ha ha, truth is, I don't know if science projects are my thing.
Ulrich: (lowering his voice) Sorry for asking then.
Jeremie: And what about exploring an abandoned factory to gather materials?
Yumi: Well, that definitely sounds interesting all of a sudden!
Jeremie: Ulrich and I have been these last two nights gathering materials for the fair, from a factory that's on the river near here. If you want, you can come with us.
Yumi: Sounds good! I'll see if I can escape from home tonight.
Jeremie: I must warn you that we found a mystery and we may encounter frightening things.
Yumi: Then you can count on me escaping tonight!
Jeremie: Great! The factory is in a straight line through this street towards the river. We'll be there at about 9 p.m.
Yumi: Noted!
Ulrich: See you then.
Yumi: See you!

Yumi leaves the scene.

Jeremie: (looking suspiciously at Ulrich) That was an interesting fight, wasn't it?
Ulrich: Well, her technique is good, but it's a bit predictable.
Jeremie: It's possible. Maybe she was somewhat nervous.
Ulrich: We'll see. I was surprised by how well she took her defeat.
Jeremie: Well, winning isn't everything. I don't see you too happy for winning.
Ulrich: There's at least one more fight, Jeremie. I need to focus so that I don't mess up this victory.
Jeremie: What you need is to relax, Ulrich.

- END OF CHAPTER 2 -