'I'm going to crush him!'

Hit.

"30-love. Echizen Ryoma." The referree voice said.

'H-how come?' Echizen Nanjirou gasped. He was pushed to his limit by the short teen player. Just one last ball and he will lose.

On the other hand, Ryoma was happy, very happy. Just one ball, just one… Ryoma serve.

Pum!

'Just one more ball...' Ryoma smiled as the ball flew to Nanjirou's court side. Nanjirou jumped to reach it, but he was half a step too late. Ryoma smiled wider. Nanjirou's racket didn't reach the ball. The ball came within a hair of the frame of the racket. In slow motion, the ball continued its way.

'That's it!' Ryoma thought. The ball was going to hit the ground. It was Ryoma's victo-

"RISE AND SHINE CHIBISUKE!" Ryoga yelled, bursting in Ryoma's bedroom.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Ryoma shrieked.

Bump!

She felt down her bed. Karupin hopped away, so he won't be crushed by his mistress, just in time.

"Aniki…" Ryoma growled menacingly, her first slowly raising, a vein popped on her head.

She was so near beating her father. If she could have dreamed just little bit longer, it would be her victory. Her victory against Echizen Nanjirou! But that stupid big brother of hers just ruined her dream!

"Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…" Ryoma growled louder. Ryoga froze, but…

"Oops… Yabe (1)! I didn't mean to do that… AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! DON'T KILL ME!" But Ryoma still chased after him. That stupid big brother of her with his huge sister complex deserved to die at her hands. And now!

"Come back here! Don't think that you can escape from me!"

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! Someone save me!" And the usual morning hunting session occurred again.

Karupin meowed in annoyance. He didn't like to be wake up rudely like that – so much like his mistress – but he won't chase after the culprit right now. He was wiser than that. He returned to his mistress's pillow, curled up and returned back to sleep. Once he'll had slept and was rested, he would think of a way to make the culprit pay.

Breakfast time.

Ryoga and Ryoma appeared down in the kitchen.

"Ohayou (2), Ryoga-san, Ryoma-chan," Nanako, their cousin, greeted them, smiling, while opening the first-aid kit. Somehow, she had the feeling that she would need it, so she took it out before hand.

"What happened this time?" Rinko asked her two children.

"Aniki slipped and fell on the floor. It's so stupid to be that clumsy for someone of his age!" Ryoma answered. Ryoga was going to reply, but a glare from Ryoma told him it was better to shut up. Nanako chuckled as she stuck a band-aid on Ryoga's right cheek.

Rinko sighed. It was too obvious that Ryoga didn't fall down from anywhere.

"Ryoga, I already told you not to do it again," Rinko said.

This happened every day. Ryoma was not a morning person and Ryoga enjoyed making fun of her, despite how many times Rinko told him to stop. In fact, Ryoga was the only one who can wake up Ryoma once she was asleep. The girl was as deaf as a rock when her eyes are closed. A brass band playing next to her won't wake her up. Ryoga was the only living being who can wake her. Though he always got beaten up by her later because he dared to disturb her sleep. Rinko sighed again.

'Please kami-sama, help me!' she prayed.

(1) yabe: from "yabai", means "bad";

(2) ohayou: good morning.