Himari sat on the edge of her bed, waiting for her sister’s arrival. She had just finished up cleaning her room. Well, her shared room with her sisters. She had two sisters, Ichika and Yui. Yui was the middle child and Ichika was the oldest. They had left about an hour ago to get the new VR headset. It was a full-dive in addition, with the ability to feel what happens in the game as though it was real.

Himari’s friend, Yozora, was skeptical. He had seen the anime SAO and was scared that they would get stuck in the headset. If that was the case, then no one would be buying it. Plus, multiple games were on it. There was no way they’d get stuck!

Himari sighed as her rainbow coloured hair fell in front of her face. The roots were still a fiery orange-red, but she had dyed her tips rainbow. This was to help everyone tell the difference between her and her sisters. It wasn’t always easy being a triplet.

The sound of laughter and the door to the house opening caught Himari’s attention. Her head snapped up and she grinned, racing out the room and down the stairs to see her sisters pull out a box. “You found it? They still had some?”

“Luckily, yeah!” Yui said. “They were the last three.”

“Epic!” Himari jumped up and down, immediately grabbing one of the three boxes. “Let’s go test them out and set our profiles up! And maybe we can play some Minecraft on them!”

“Hold up, young lady.” Himari’s mother stated, grabbing the box from her. “You’re grounded, remember?”

Himari groaned, annoyed. “Come on! Please?”

Himari’s mother shook her head. “No. But once you are no longer grounded, you can.”

“But Mum! I have been waiting for a YEAR for it to release!” Himari complained. But there was no budging on her mum’s part. Himari huffed and stormed off to her room.

“Keep up the attitude and your grounding will be longer!” Himari screamed into a pillow. She was angry. She wanted to play Minecraft with her sisters, and of course her good for nothing mother wouldn’t let her.

Soft footsteps entered the room, and someone sat at the edge of her bed. She looked up from her pillow and saw Ichika with her long, silky black hair. Once again, her roots were natural and red, but she dyed her tips black. Ichika smiled down at her little sister.

“Hey, it will be okay! You only have a week left on your grounding and you’ll be able to join us, okay?” Himari huffed, ignoring her sister. Ichika sighed. “Look, I will set your account up just how you like it. And then it will be ready for you when you're off grounding.”

“I just don’t understand why you got off grounding before me.” Himari whined. “I mean, you and Yui did the same thing I did!”

Ichika sighed. “Well, we didn’t lie and argue with her when she found out. And you keep extending your grounding by not listening and flunking class. You really gotta pick yourself up!”

“Why should I?” Himari retorted. “I am just going to be grounded forever.”

“Well…” Ichika said, a smirk spreading across her face. “Aoki just got a VR. I heard that he REALLY wants to play Minecraft with you.” Himari’s face heated up at the name of her crush. Her heart beat a bit faster as she sat up, immediately, a serious expression of her rosy face.

“What do I have to do?” Himari begged. Ichika giggled.

“Well, for one, go apologize to mum for talking back.” Himari groaned. “And two, do your homework. I’ll do what I can to help you, but my grades aren’t the best. I advise talking to Yui about helping you catch up.”

Himari nodded, and she rushed downstairs to talk to her mum. She apologized and even helped set the table for dinner. Right after dinner, she cleaned up and rushed to her room dragging Yui along to tutor her. She was sure she was going to be able to play Minecraft soon.

“No.”

“What?” Himari asked, her heart dropping. “What do you mean, no?”

“Himari, I said no.” Her mother sighed. “You still have a week left. You haven’t even done anything except for tonight to get off grounding!”

Himari groaned. “But why??”

“I said no. That's final.” Himari ran up to her room again, angry. She didn’t understand! Why didn’t she get to play Minecraft? She did everything she was asked to!

She threw herself onto a pillow and sobbed. She sobbed and sobbed, her little pity party of one. That was until Ichika came into the room.

“You lied!” Himari cried.

“No, you just didn’t listen.” Ichika pointed out. “That’s your issue, you never listen!”

“I do too! I did everything I was asked and I’m still grounded!”

“Because you only did it for one evening.” Himari sniffled. “You have to do it for a few days. Just try it! It isn’t that hard!”

“That’s just easy for you because you don’t understand.” Himari sneered.

Ichika sighed. “Look, You’re going to do what you're going to do. I can’t help you.”

And with that, Himari went to bed angry. Her sisters fell asleep, but Himari couldn’t. She just couldn’t. Not when she knows she is being wrongfully punished.