"Do you know how to play word chain?"

“Word... chain...?"

"How about Lego?"

"Hm?"

Lily tilts her head with questioning eyes It was a long shot, but I still wanted to confirm that she REALLY forgot everything.

If I want to treat her like my daugher, I could simply teach her all of these anew.

... and then she'll forget all of it next week.

"Okay, then I'll teach you a new game."

I walk toward my backpack and take out the Jenga package. As a QA, it's best if I teach her new things instead of recycling the same old knowledge.

"Ugh..."

Beside the Jenga box lies the plastic package with the toy accessory.

Even if I were to give her this necklace now, she'll just forget all about it by next week. I could gift it to her every week anew, but... that's stupid.

I lead Lily to the rear of the office, to make sure that nobody sees her play Jenga. Then, I pour the bricks outside and begin building a tower.

"This game is called Jenga."

"Hmph, I knew that much."

Lily crosses her arms, acting like a snob.

She no longer acts like the vulnerable girl from half an hour ago. I had a chance to wash my face and to sort some of my inner turmoil, so right now I probably look healthy enough to act tsuntsun around.

"First, you need to build a tower.”

I explain the process as I erect a 18-floors tower.

If she can master the building part, then I could dump this annoying task on her for all our games. I’ve had enough tower building during the weekend, thanks to my devilious sister.

"Do you understand?"

"Of course! It's easy, hmph!"

She crosses her arms in a snobby manner. She doesn't fidget or stutter, it's probably safe to assume that she understood that much..

"We'll be taking turns removing one block from the tower. You put the block you removed on top of the tower, like this."

I demonstrate by removing a block and causally placing it on top of the tower.

"Okay so far?"

"No problem, hmph!"

"The goal of the game is to not let the tower collapse when you pull out a block. Now it’s your turn, try it yourself."

"Easily!"

She smiles in determination and confidence.

"..."

Great, now she freezes. She can't learn a single damn thing without freezing, can she?

"Here I go!"

She snaps out of the daze and thrusts her hands toward the tower. Normally it's against the rules to use both hands, but hers are so tiny that I’m inclined to let it slide for now.

She reaches out toward the same area from where I pulled out a block. Then, she raises her hand a little and tries to grab one of the blocks on a higher level.

"..."

She freezes again as her fingers touch the block. Seriously, how long does it take to pull out a single block? This girl is terrible with new games.

She shortly wakes up and starts moving the block. She catches it from both sides and tries to slowly, very slowly, take it out.

I know there's normally no time limit for turns in Jenga, but this dumb girl is really pushing it.

"I did it!"

The block is successfully removed; about damn time.

"Now place it on top."

"I know that! Hmph!"

She twists her lips in arrogance and draws closer toward the tower.

"..."

Gah, another freeze. I feel like the recent software update has made her dumber than before. Good job, Eric.

She brings the block toward the tower’s roof-

BUMP

BAM

Half of the tower collapses. While focusing on placing the block on top, her elbow ran into the tower and destroyed it.

"A-ah!"

She looks at the scene in shock.

"You lost."

"I-I planned it this way, hmph! I wanted to give papa a head start, since I'm too good in this game, hmph!"

"Lies, you accidentally hit the tower with your elbow."

"H-hmph, just you watch! Next time I'll win!"

Do I have to watch this whole process from scratch? Again?

I wonder... why at some point I thought that playing Jenga with her would be a good idea?

"Can you build the tower by yourself?"

"Hmph, easily!"

She looks at the collapsed tower... and freezes. Is she for real?

She finally wakes up and starts picking up blocks.

"..."

She freezes AGAIN, right before placing the block in its rightful place. Jenga was a horrible idea, I should have taught her word chain instead.

"..."

She puts a block.

"..."

She puts another block.

"..."

And another block.

She freeze for a few seconds every time. At this point, I can't even say what's more painful: to build the tower myself, or to watch this girl do it at a snail’s pace.

BUMP

BAM

"A-ack!"

The unfinished tower falls into shambles; this is hopeless.

"I-I was just testing how sturdy the tower is, hmph!"

"Yeah, whatever."

I can't deal with it anymore.

"Call me when you’ve properly build it from start to end."

"Hmph, just you watch!"

She turns toward the shambles and reaches out to a block. She quickly brings it toward the shattered tower and... freezes.

Gah! I can't watch it anymore!