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A Jenga By A Hair's Breadth
「Now then, let’s play Jenga」
「Yeah!」
When I said to begin after completing the tower, Eleonora-neesan replies with her usual cheerful voice, perhaps she has also changed her mood. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「Then, I will start first」
「Okay」
The rules are really simple, but it would be better for someone who has more experience in playing the game to show her first. It was spontaneously decided that we will play in turns from Sylvio-niisan, me, and then Eleonora-neesan.
The first one who takes the turns- Sylvio-niisan - pulls out a Jenga block from the middle at the lowest part of the tower. And then he stacked it on top of the tower safely.
「Next is me」
For the second turn, I targeted the rightmost block which is located exactly in the middle part of the tower. I stick out my finger and gently push the block, then the block smoothly falls out.
After carefully pulling the block, I stack it next to the block Sylvio-niisan placed before.
「You keep repeating them just like this」
「I understand」
Right after replying, Eleonora-neesan immediately stretches her right hand toward the tower.
With no hesitation about which block to pull out, Eleonora-neesan pushed out her thin finger to the tower quickly.
Then, the block in the middle is fiercely pushed out. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
As a result, the block flies out from the tower as it slips out, falling on the floor as it makes some noises *karankaran*. 1
Though it was her first time, she did it in such a bold manner. If she hit a bad spot, then it would probably collapse in one shot.
We’re the ones feeling nervous seeing her do that for some reason.
Ignoring us, Eleonora-neesan happily stacked the pushed-out block on the top of the tower.
「This is easy, isn’t it!」
I also think that at first but when the balance starts to lean to one side, that’s the time where the game becomes difficult.
Sylvio-niisan and I purposely maintained our silence without warning her.
After that, Sylvio-niisan pulls out a block and places it on top of the tower. I also cautiously pull out a safe block and stack it on top.
As for Eleonora-neesan, she pulls out a block of Jenga even while being slightly daring without making the tower collapse, relying on her prided intuition.
And just like that, as the three of us keep on stacking the Jenga on top of the tower, gradually, the balance of the lower part of the tower is getting bad. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「It’s getting very unstable somehow」
Eleonora-neesan mutters after seeing the Jenga tower with gaps in various parts.
The tower’s balance has become unstable much earlier than expected.
And the one responsible for that is staring at the tower and still pulling out Jenga blocks carelessly without thinking.
From Sylvio-niisan and my perspective, we don’t know how come the tower is still standing without collapsing even now, it was really a wonder.
Contrary to the appearance of the Jenga blocks stacked at the top, the Jenga tower was on the verge of collapse already.
But, it’s fine since the real thrill of Jenga will start from here.
How far can this tower - that is on the verge of collapse - be stacked with blocks? It’s an opportunity to show off each of our abilities.
「……I’m next then」
Sylvio-niisan looks a little bit nervous in front of the Jenga tower which seems like it’s going to collapse.
He looked at every angle of the tower to look for which block he should pull out.
Sensing Sylvio-niisan’s serious atmosphere, Eleonora-neesan and I also took a step back and give him some space.
While Eleonora-neesan and I watch over him, Sylvio-niisan cautiously observes the tower.
The occasional movement of his finger as if he’s hesitating is probably proof of him being worried.
The place he’s aiming for is the place where we start putting our blocks at the start. That’s how tall the Jenga tower is right now.
It’s impossible to take out the blocks at the bottom after all. So it might be a standard move to aim for the upper parts.
Sylvio-niisan’s finger slowly approaches the block in the middle part.
While Sylvio-niisan’s slowly pushes out the middle block using the finger on his right hand, he uses his left hand to pull out the pushed-out block slowly.
「……it makes me kinda nervous seeing him do that」
「That’s the real thrill of playing Jenga you know」
While the two of us are being nervous watching him, Sylvio-niisan slowly pushed the block out from the tower. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
And at that moment, the unbalanced tower slightly trembles.
「Ah!」
A weak voice escapes from Eleonora-neesan’s mouth.
As everyone watched over the situation, while holding our breaths, the swaying tower didn’t collapse as it stopped moving on the spot.
「Fuuhー, it did not fall somehow 」
「There’s still the stacking left」
「You’re right」
It’s still early to sigh in relief. Yes, it’s a Jenga game only after you stack the block on top of the tower. You can't be happy just because you manage to pull out a block.
Then the relaxed air returns to a tense air.
In the meantime, Sylvio-niisan slowly stacks the block on top of the tower. As for his movement, it’s a slow, attentive movement as though he’s giving something like an offering to a God.
While Eleonora-neesan and I keep watch over his movements attentively, Sylvio-niisan places the block with a *clink*.
Then, he slowly pulls back so as to not give the tower the impact from any sounds or air.
The tower stood there perfectly, without collapsing.
「Fuhー, next is Al」
Being released from the tension, Sylvio-niisan urges me to continue with a clean-cut smile on his face.
Darn it, even though he got a face that looks like he’s about to die just a moment ago, he has a refreshing expression now as soon as his turn ended.
I approach the Jenga tower while finding Sylvio-niisan’s refreshing expression detestable.
Now then, I wonder which block should I pull out. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
The lower part of the tower had already been messed up by Eleonora-neesan, now it has already turned practically empty. It would be suicidal to touch those parts.
As for the middle part, it’s an important pillar to support the unbalanced lower part. I also couldn’t pull out the block from that part.
In that case, then as expected, I should aim at the previous upper part where we stack the blocks at the start of the game.
And so, I start to observe the tower from each side.
Then I aim at the rightmost block in the upper part.
First, I tap it with my finger to try it out *konkon*.
……it’s no good, it doesn’t move at all. It will definitely collapse if I were to pull them out! The tower’s center of gravity really depends on it!
While somehow managing to suppress my trembling finger, I slid my finger to the next block.
When I try to push it lightly, the tower shook greatly this time.
「Hiiii!」
I almost screamed because of it, so I hurriedly closed my mouth.
What would happen if I were to scream in that kind of situation where the tower is on the verge of collapse? The tower will definitely collapse.
I prayed in my mind ‘Please don’t fall’ and even went as far as suppressing my breathing.
And immediately after, the tower stopped shaking - perhaps my prayer was answered.
I was about to sigh in relief, but even that can become a source of collapse for the tower.
I endure it with considerable effort and continue to look for a block that seems to be safe to pull out.
「Mou, it’s already impossible, isn’t it?」
「Maybe」
I can hear Eleonora-neesan and Sylvio-niisan talking behind me.
It makes me want to turn around when they said it like that. Be that as it may, there are already no blocks that seem to be able to be pulled out. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
No matter which part of the tower I touched, I can already see a future where the tower collapsed.
In the first place, it’s a miracle that the tower didn’t collapse when Sylvio-niisan pulled out a block back then.
What to do, Alfried. Is there nothing I can do to get over this situation?
There should be an opening somewhere if I closely observe it....wait, an opening?
Come to think of it, not all Jenga are made of the same size. There are also differences in blocks, like a mere few grams and a few millimeters.
If for example there is a difference of a few millimeters lower only in the middle part of three blocks being stacked together, then there will be a slight gap.
It would be able to be easily pulled out since the center of gravity are on both sides, if, there is such a situation among the parts.
Remembering such information, I desperately searched for that kind of gap in the tower.
There is! There is a place where the middle block is just lower than both sides!
However, that was located in the dead zone of the middle part.
I wonder if it will be alright if I were to try and take it out from that place despite it being already unstable like that? But, there are no other places where the block could be pulled out.
If so, I have no other choice than to risk it on that gap.
Thinking like that, I slowly push the middle of that gap with my finger.
And then, I pushed out the middle block by a third. And with the fingers on the other side of the tower, I pull out the other side of the block from which I pushed out the block.
Immediately after, I unexpectedly managed to pull out the block without any difficulty.
I was about to shout in joy but, a perfect turn of Jenga is only when you’re able to stack the block on top of the tower. I can’t let my guard down until I manage to do that.
I bring the pulled-out block softly to the topmost part.
However, finishing like this wouldn’t be fun.
The next one is Eleonora-neesan’s turn. If I pass the baton to her like this, then she might just naturally self-destruct by herself. Let’s do a little trick here to increase the possibility of that happening.
And so, while figuring out the tower balance, I intentionally make a mess on the block as I placed it on the tower.
Then, I felt that the tower that was already unbalanced and slanted to one side became even more unstable. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
「Hey, what are you doing!? Place it normally!」
Eleonora-neesan - who has her turn after this - seems to be angry at this.
Looking at that angry Eleonora-neesan, I gloat over it and say,
「Now then, it’s Eleonora-neesan’s turn now」
I urged her to continue the game.