Chapter 92s: Omnes Pro Uno (16 October 2003, inside Jenny's room)

I begrudgingly collect the two penalty cards while giving Nee-san the glare. Damn, how could I forget to call Uno? Look how cocky that grin of hers is…

Even if she doesn't have a turn to respond because I managed to save up all of these special cards for a neat combo, it is useless if I fail to announce I have my last card. I practically destroyed my own sure-win because of her bullshitting me about winning and losing. You tricked me, you stupid smoking Jellybelly!

Well, she's not smoking now. She's not allowed to in the house. But Jenny is still stupid, forcing the game to continue on such a technicality! She couldn't even do anything, so why would it matter if I called it or not?!

She's smiling as she's making a show of casually sorting through her cards. There's six… no, seven. She's got seven cards right now.

Even if she has some cards she can use to chain together a combination to finish the game with, I have at least four turns to settle this battle and take my victory back. I can take this back!

As Nee-san tosses out a normal card, I am surprised. Why does she not force me to draw some more cards? If my drawn cards make a combo, I could beat her in one turn!

Unfortunately, I have to draw another card, since my card doesn't match.

And she is just smiling at me in silence before casually tossing down another card to the soundtrack of Mother Nature's 'Angry Howling Wind' symphony.

The combination is so… so unnerving. It makes the goosebumps appear all over my skin against my will.

No..! Why am I letting her get into my head again? Didn't Nii-san tell me that is what bluffing is all about?

I glare back at her. Just because you are older doesn't mean you will win, Jellybelly! Haven't I shown you that twice already?!

"You know you are going to lose next turn, right?"

This is definitely Nee-san's predatory you-pissed-me-off tone. No doubt about it.

"Don't get so worked up, it's just a game. Losing is a part of it."

And this is her mature-older-sister-you-can-come-to-for-all-your-problems tone.

"Stop it! You're not getting into my head again!"

I yell at her, and she bursts out in laughter. No no, I have to focus. How many cards does she have?

Right. Too many! There's no way she has the cards to pull off a one-turn victory!

There is no way she has collected that many combination cards, especially not just lining up as easily as that.

"No way you are winning this! I'd bet my allowance on it!"

Jenny leans forward, as if she wants to share a secret. She whispers in a volume the storm outside almost manages to drown out.

"I don't want it. You'll just cry afterwards."

OI! You are such a bully..!

"I'll still do it."

I answer instinctively. She sighs.

"Fine. So what am I staking…? Mom would kill me over accepting a one-sided bet that involves your allowance."

Her tone betrays that she really doesn't care. She's just humoring me. Damn you, Nee-san!

"I'll tell you once I decide for sure. You might not even think the bet to be fair… but if you are going to win, it doesn't matter what you wager, right?"

The words are out in a quick sequence of hastily uttered syllables, and her curt nod is like a dream come true. Bingo!

"So. You ready?"

Unfortunately, her cunning, business-like smile betrays to me that I may have made a mistake. She's way too scary when she becomes like this.

I nod, and then she begins.

"Five. Red Skip. Four. Red Reverse. Three. Blue Reverse. Two. Draw Four. UNO! … and here, let's have you draw another two."

Her stacking of the cards is like a whirlwind in action. Mother Nature has nothing on Nee-san!

No, I should call her Nee-sama after this miraculous performance, right?

"What… how… I lost? What?"

My voice betrays the epic levels of disbelief showing through in my voice.

I struggle to believe it even as I slide the cards apart on top of that pile, seeing the very evidence that is helping me understand what happened while Nee-san is just gloating at me.

"Are you satisfied now?" she inquires, almost too casually. How cruel, Nee-sama!

Just whipping out so many cards like that, robbing your onee-chan's allowance away with such a cruel five-skip-four-reverse-three-reverse-two….

WAIT.

I glare up at her.

"You should have had six cards left!"

Her eyes dart down towards the cards, but I recognise that habit of hers. She's inching towards the side of the bed, intending to remove herself from the situation.

She always does that when I suspect she's cheating. And now I've got proof!

"You were cheating again..! I win this by default because you broke the rules!"

As she moves to stand up and collects her cigarettes from her desk, she smirks.

"Nuh huh. You have no proof. Your allowance is mine now."

No no no! I know it! I saw it! You are not getting away with it, Cheatybelly!

"Nuh huh to you! You had six cards. I counted. This is five. You probably have some cards in your sleeve, or your pocket, or somewhere else. I won!"

She just laughs as she leaves the room, just like she always did in the past.

And then.. I finally realize why she does it. Of course! Hindsight is 20/20!

I get up and chase after her, my hand grabbing her sleeve as I call out affectionately to her

"Nee-san! I'll forgive you for cheating all those times just because you wanted to sneak out of the house to smoke…"

Nee-san turns around to peer at me, her expression resembling a deer in headlights expecting the worst outcome from the impending collision. Like she knows 'it' is coming, even if she can't make out what 'it' is. Bracing herself against approaching doom without knowing how.

"It is all their fault for declaring such unfair and oppressive rules, riiii~ight?"

The distrust on her expression could not be more obvious as I continue to coax her. Fine, I know that I'm a very shitty actor. I'm nothing like Nii-san. But I don't have to be good at acting. I've got leverage! After all… it was me who won our bet!

And she is going to have to pay out on it. After all: cheating is honorable amongst thieves, but a bet renegger is a pariah among rats!

"So for my winnings… hmmmmmm…. let's just call it even if you just buy me a pack of cigarettes. Okay?"