“Come on, Dragon, it’s not too late to surrender.”

“Good luck beating me, you’re gonna need it.”

“I don’t need luck when I’ve got guts!”

“Tell me the same, but not with such a red face.”

I looked at New Jersey and Missouri being silly. Again.

And this time I got dragged into another one of their arguments.

“Tell me, I, whom are you cheering for?” (NJ)

“Neither of you. Finish it quicker, will you?”

“No problemo. Mo, show me the scene from the capitulation of Japan, the Japs’ side.” (NJ)

“Screw you, dumbo! This time I’ll win!” (Mo)

I sighed, and gazed at their faces. With every second of the challenge, Mo’s face was getting redder and redder, while New Jersey was perfectly the same she always is.

“Hey, Iowa, show me your panties.” Allow me to correct myself, New Jerksey.

“As if I would!” I pulled the skirt down in protest. Missouri’s skirt was out of Enji’s reach too: she tied the hem to the legs with a rope.

“What a bummer… Fu-fu-fu-fu-fu…!” (NJ)

“You don’t think that blowing there would help…?”

“You never know ‘till you try, right?” New Jersey grinned and stretched her arms. After she was done, Enji glanced at Mo.

Then she glanced back at me, asking [You know it too, right? She’s not going to make it.]. I nodded.

“Mo~, what’s up~? Cosplaying a tomato~?” (NJ)

“So what? No way am I going to lose!” Missouri shook her arms, making herself swing to the sides.

New Jersey only widened her grin, completely sure that she will win.

I was inclined to agree with her on that… It has been 10 minutes, but Missouri’s face was already showing signs of being on the verge of blackout, while New Jersey’s face was still as white as a shut-in’s could be, despite her hanging upside down like a bat...

It was another of their silly challenges: who will hang for longer. They both hanged in the middle of the room, their legs tied to the beams on the ceiling, and their heads on the level of my bottom.

“Fu-fu-fu-fu-fu…!” (NJ)

“You are not going to surrender, are you…?”

“He-he~. Hey, I, can you look it up, how long can a person hang like this? I’m worried our little Mo is going to die at this rate.” (NJ)

“…” Missouri glared at her, but the back of Enji’s head didn’t have eyes to see it.

While the two of them continued with their bravados, I surfed the Internet in search of the answer.

“Relax, she’s going to be fine for the next hour. They say it’s even good for one’s health!” I continued reading an article about the effects, still amazed by the sudden realization.

“Now I get why my back’s always faring so well, despite me being myself~.” Enji’s grin grew even wider, approaching that of the Cheshire cat.

“Just hooow can you keep up with thiiis…?!” At this point Mo started swinging like a freshly caught fish fighting for survival. It was supposed to be a comic sight, however, I was not feeling like laughing at it.

“Mo, just accept it… Just accept it, before it’s too late…”

“NEVER!” (Mo)

“Lucky you~. I can keep going on like this for hours and hours~.” (NJ)

“New Jersey. I knew you are a Martian but at least stop showing it off…!” Mo grumbled, and by the grimace on her face I started feeling like she is pondering whether to surrender at this point.

“I’m not an alien, I am just a genius, the perfect-in-everything-I-do battleship, and also your Big Sister.” (NJ)

“I…! No way in hell a shut-in like you can…!” (Mo)

“Say this and that~. No matter what, I know many breath and heartbeat control techniques, I’ve got experience, and I was doing enough yoga to…” (NJ)

“YOU DID WHAT?!” Missouri and I simultaneously shrieked at the unexpected declaration.

“… control my blood pressure to the point I won’t be having any problems from my current pose.

Just accept it, Mo~. Well, if it can help you, I can help you by showing I’s panties~.” (NJ)

Before she even tried to doing anything, I stepped back out of her reach.

“See~? Just think about other things, something more exciting~. It will help you to accept your defeat~.” (NJ)

“Uuugh… Big Sis…?” Mo gazed at me, pleading for help.

“Your face…

…

NEW JERSEY?! IS HER FACE GETTING BLUE?!”

“Take a deep breath… Relax… And go get the scissors. This idiot is not going to accept it herself.” (NJ)

“Uuugh…” Tears flowed down Mo’s forehead, as she dropped her arms in resignation…

Today’s dinner menu was chosen by New Jersey.