The next day, Kami and Ryu decided to perform doctor duty. Chun Li noticed that her room, Ryu's room, and Kami's room could use a little reorganization. Chun Li started with Ryu's room first.

She picked up his duffel bag with one hand and brought it to the corner of one room. Picking up his gray gi and trousers from the bed, she folded them neatly. She sat still for many moments.

Ryu...she thought, you have gone through so much as life has passed you by. I hope one day...that you will find what you are searching for. To discover the meaning of the fight is not an easy task. You deserve much more in life...

With that last thought, she put his gi on the bed and headed to Kami's room. Kami's room did not have any belongings...but her beddings were rather messy. Chun Li removed the comforter from the pillow. Reaching down to fluff up the pillow, she noticed a tiny maroon object just peeking out from underneath the pillowcase. Curious, Chun Li lifted the pillow. To her surprise, it was a book. Chun Li frowned. It had no title on it or anything. Picking it up, she opened. The first page she opened to had a small newspaper clipping on Ryu from his early days of fighting. Chun Li recognized the article. It was published many years ago by an underground press that wrote about world warriors. Chun Li couldn't read the Japanese characters entirely. She did manage to pick up a few phrases...'I want to see him...', 'He belongs here..', 'We'll be together someday...' and the like. Chun Li frowned, flipping through the rest of the pages, seeing Ryu's name written frequently.

Who is this girl? Chun Li wondered. And what does she want with Ryu?

Chun Li hoped that no one was in danger. More than likely, the girl had a girlish crush on Ryu, just like Sakura did. However, in that situation, as Ryu and Sakura grew older, they developed a friendship and a rapport very much like student and teacher.

"What are you doing?!" someone exclaimed from behind her.

Chun Li turned around. Kami stood in the doorway, her face flushed in anger. Calmly, Chun Li put the book down.

"I was cleaning your room," Chun Li replied.

:"Liar! You were getting into my things! I saw you!"

Chun Li rose to her feet. "That was an accident. I-"

"Shut up! I saw you with my own eyes! How dare you go into my private things! Who gives you the right to do so?! And what are doing in my room?! You aren't welcome here!"

Chun Li kept her expression neutral. The reason was because Ryu had appeared behind Kami, and she had been completely unaware of it. She opened her mouth to speak, but Kami cut her off.

"I don't-"

"Is everything all right?" Ryu spoke up.

Gasping in surprise, Kami whirled around. "Ryu-san! How long have you been standing there?!"

He raised his brows. "Long enough to know that you do not want Chun Li in your room."

Kami swallowed.

"Ryu..." Chun Li sighed. "I was cleaning up Kami's room. She didn't want me cleaning her room, that's all. I noticed that messy people like their rooms messy. Otherwise, they can't find anything."

Ryu narrowed his eyes slightly. "Are you sure?"

Chun Li nodded. "We women tend to overreact, that's all."

Ryu studied her carefully. "If you say so..."

Chun Li knew that in spite of Ryu's inability to perceive her feelings for him, he was very good at telling if people were lying. She kept her gaze right at him. After mere moments, Ryu turned away.

"Very well, then. I will go downstairs."

Once he was out of earshot, Chun Li said softly, "Kami, you're hiding something. You wouldn't have gotten upset over me reading your diary."

Kami glared at her. "Why didn't you just expose me right in front of him? You could have!"

Chun Li shook her head. "I didn't want to cause any trouble for him." She shrugged. "I might expose you...once I find out what you're hiding."

Kami's eyes rounded. "You're lying!"

"Your secret can't be that bad, can it?" Chun Li inquired.

"I thought you quit being a detective," Kami mumbled.

"Look...I'm grilling you because I'm worried about Ryu. If you're putting both of us in danger-"

"You think I'd hurt Ryu?!" Kami exclaimed.

"I don't know," Chun Li replied. "Would you?"

"No! He means the world to me! Why would I do such a thing?"

"You tell me."

Kami shook her head. "You wouldn't understand..."

"Look, Kami, right now, this doesn't look any good. You claim you don't want to-"

"I've waited all my life to meet Ryu," Kami responded. "I knew that it would be difficult, but I never imagined it would be this hard."

"Why? Why did you want to meet Ryu so badly?" Chun Li asked.

Kami plopped herself on her bed. "Do you have parents, Chun Li?"

Chun Li shook her head. "No...they're dead."

"Hmm..." Kami took a deep breath. "I guess...I should tell you a little about my background...I...live with my parents."

"Where are they now?"

"At Tomo's home. Tomo is a very wealthy and powerful man here. My parents and I are his servants. My parents have worked for him for a long time...before I was born. Tomo does not pay them money. He provides us shelter. My parents were very poor when they first met him. Their house had burned down in a village fire, and they were the only family that could not recover from it. So Tomo took them in."

"You...were basically slaves?" Chun Li asked.

Kami nodded. "Basically." Tears welled up in her eyes. "At the time...they had a baby boy who they had to take care of, so they went along with Tomo. Then they realized what they had gotten themselves into. So my mother and father had a plan. They found a merchant who was kind enough to take the baby in and wait until my parents joined them. My mother and father pretended that the baby had been kidnapped, and wanted to go in search of him, but Tomo was unsympathetic. So my parents were unable to rejoin the baby. They sent a note with a messenger out to the merchant, saying that they couldn't be free of Tomo, and that the merchant take care of the baby."

Chun Li swallowed. "That's awful...I...I never had a sibling...but I've always wanted one...You've...You've had a hard life, Kami."

"My parents were so upset...they didn't dare go to the merchant to visit the baby. After they had me, I guess time had started healing them. When I was about five years old, they finally had the courage to visit the merchant and see how my brother was doing...hoping that he might be able to help us leave Tomo."

Chun Li bit her lower lip. "That must have been hard for them."

"As fate would have it...the merchant there was not the merchant my parents spoke with. He was the son. He said his father had given the baby to a Shotokan master who decided to train him in the ways of the warrior."

Chun Li gasped. "Then..." she paused. "Then Ryu is..."

"My long-lost brother," Kami finished, as tears spilled down her cheeks.

Chun Li believed her. The raw pain in her voice, the torment in her eyes...Chun Li knew that pain that deep could not be faked. Chun Li suddenly felt that something was wrong. She glanced up, her lips parting in a mute gasp. Kami followed her gaze. Ryu stood in the doorway, his face pale.

Kami swallowed. "Ryu-san...I..."

He turned and began stalking off. Kami stood up to go after him, but Chun Li snatched her arm.

Kami struggled. "Let me go! I have to talk to him."

"No," Chun Li replied firmly. "You're the last person he wants to see right now."

Kami swallowed fiercely. "I...Chun Li...can you talk to him? My family's hoping that they get to meet him...I...I just found him, and I don't want to lose him again."

Chun Li stood up. "I'll see what I can do."

Kami impulsively gave her a hug. "Thank you..."