Chun Li yawned as she heard the vrooming sound of a vacuum cleaner just outside her bedroom door. Apparently, the maids had begun their cleaning. Chun Li tried to pull the covers over her head as if doing that would muffle the sound of the vacuum.

"Hey!" came a male's cry through the door. She recognized it as Ken's voice. "Chun Li, are you awake?"

"Go away, Ken!" Chun Li yelled.

"Come on, Chun Li, I need to talk to you about something!" Ken cried.

The door flew open, and she winced slightly. She suddenly felt someone tugging the sheets at her feet. Soon, Ken snatched the sheets from her in a few quick tugs.

"What is it?" Chun Li asked, frowning at him.

Ken frowned, noticing that her hair was mussed, and her eyes squinted up at him. She also had dark circles under her eyes.

"You look awful," he announced.

Chun Li glared at him. "Only because you guys went to bed at two a.m., and insisted that I stay up with you!"

"We're the three musketeers, all for one, and one for all. We-"

"Blah, blah, blah..." Chun Li yawned.

"You're a bit testy in the morning," he stated.

"Yeah, yeah. So what did you want to ask me?"

"Forget it," Ken replied. "I almost forgot that today is Ryu's birthday, and I was hoping you could help me. But maybe you shouldn't, you being in a bad mood and-"

Chun Li snatched the hem of his T-shirt and pulled him to sit on the bed. "What about Ryu's birthday?"

Ken grinned. "He's twenty-four. I left a note for the butler that it was Ryu's birthday, so the entire staff is preparing for it."

"Is this going to be a big party?" Chun Li asked.

"Nah. Just you, me, and Ryu. We could invite that girl he was talking about who was chasing him..."

Chun Li crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. "If you insist..."

"Hey, do you mind if I bring my girlfriend, Eliza?" Ken asked.

"You have a girlfriend?" Chun Li asked incredulously.

"Why is that so hard to believe?"

"No...it's...never mind. I'm sure he won't mind if she comes along."

"Well, I plan on making Ryu's birthday something he'll never forget. This is what I had in mind..." Ken tugged her shoulder and began to speak to her in a low voice. Her eyes rounded as wide as saucers as his plan revealed itself in her ear. He pulled back to look at her. "Well? What do you say?"

Chun Li smiled nervously. "Are you sure about this?"

"Yes. You don't wanna be there, then?"

Chun Li shook her head. "It's not that...it's just that...it seems so...weird...for a birthday party..."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Ken demanded.

"Nothing..."

"Are you in or out?" Ken asked.

Chun Li looked away for a second. Birthday parties tended to get personal. This could be her chance to get closer to Ryu.

"I'm in," she said.

Ken grinned. "This is gonna be a great party..."