Finally, after all the hard work that everyone had given off. The ranch is finally rebuilt. The barn and the stables were all cleanly painted and everyone could hear the sounds of the chicken in their chicken shed. The equipment were also properly placed and other necessities for the ranch had been given. Everyone gathered outside of the small forest with Umi standing just in front of the ranch, facing everyone.
Umi then looked around with a smile, "As we all know, I am here to make the announcement about the ranch's state. Because of everyone's hard work that we have finally come to this stage." The blue-haired then stepped aside and extended her arm, pointing her open palm at the whole ranch behind her.
"The ranch is now fully rebuilt!" She shouted with delight and the loud cheers of everyone immediately followed it.
"Why don't we go ahead and roam around?" Brenda suggested and everyone agreed with her.
"Let's do that then!" Thea grinned.
All of them then went towards the ranch and they looked around in awe, admiring the clean and wide space, the barn, the stables, the chicken shed, etc. In addition, there are many crates filled with water balloons a few meters away in front of the barn. Brenda then sooner found the water hose and ran towards it, picking it up and pointing its mouth at everyone.
"Let's all celebrate!" Brenda shouted loudly as she twisted the hose's neck, shooting the water at everyone else, who suddenly flinched and yelped upon making contact with the water.
"Wha-?! What the fuck, Brenda!?" Tanya growled at the black-haired.
Nozomi just giggled, "My my, we are getting naughty aren't we?"
Thea grinned, "You are challenging me eh?!"
Maki rolled her eyes, "Ugh, kids..."
Rin and Hanayo then looked at each other before smiling.
Nico smirked, "Hooooh, you think you can really splash all that water on me?"
Umi shook her head in disbelief, "Ugh, I can't believe this."
Seth chuckled, "Brenda, you do know what happens if I fight back, right?"
Honoka grinned, "Trying to get revenge from me eh?"
Kotori and Chihiro looked at each other with giggles.
Brenda grinned at them, giving them that challenging vibe coming from her stare, "Why, you guys scared of me?"
"Scared? We'll see about that!" Eli then went to a crate and grabbed a water balloon, throwing it at Brenda, "Take this!"
"What the—GAH!" Brenda yelped when the balloon popped up upon contact with her forehead, allowing the water in it to burst down and soak her.
"Headshot!" Eli grinned.
Brenda shook her head and glared at Eli, "Why you..."
"Water Balloon Fight!" Thea commenced and everyone cheered loudly as they went to the crates, picking up the water balloons and ran away from each other, throwing at each other, including Brenda.
The black-haired dodged some of the balloons but some managed to hit her, she yelped at each hit until she reached the crate and get many water balloons, throwing it back at the others.
Tanya was hiding behind a tree and walked out of it to take a peek but then she yelped when Nozomi hit her head with a water balloon. The white-haired then looked at Nozomi who just smirked and the white-haired blinked, "You woman... You think you can actually do that to me!?" Tanya playfully growled as she also threw back a water balloon at Nozomi who then dodged it with ease.
"Ohh? Am I hearing it, right?" Nozomi smiled teasingly.
"You bet you are." Tanya smirked.
"Incoming!" Chihiro shouted as she threw a water balloon at Kotori who yelped upon impact and then also threw a water balloon back at the other, "Take this then!"
"Wha—" Chihiro then yelped when Kotori made her comeback. The water balloon hit the black-haired's head, making her stumble back a bit, "Hey! That was too sudden!"
Kotori giggled, "Well, there's more where that came from!"
Chihiro grinned, "Bring it on!"
"Take this, Maki!" Nico shouted as she threw a water balloon at the redhead who dodged it and threw a water balloon back at Nico, "You think you can throw that one on me that easily?!"
"I may not be able to hit you with that." Nico smirked.
"But I can nya!" Rin shouted from behind the redhead who then turned around to face her but it was too late because the orange-haired already threw a water balloon right at her head. Maki yelped upon impact and glared at Rin, "Rin! That's unfair!"
"All is fair today!" Rin grinned and Hanayo, who was standing behind Rin just giggled.
"Jeez! Hanayo, do something!" Maki pouted.
Hanayo then walked up to the redhead and smiled, "Well..." She then hit the water balloon on Maki's head, "No can do, Maki, sorry."
Maki yelped and groaned loudly in disbelief, "I am being triple-teamed?!"
"Alright! Take this, Thea!" Seth shouted as she threw a water balloon at the brown-haired who then dodged it with ease and threw one back at her, "I'll give it back then!"
Seth also dodged it with ease and smirked, "Perks of being taught by Brenda herself!"
Thea's eyes widened, "Wha-? Seriously?!"
Seth grinned, "Of course!"
"It's an honor to play with you like this then!" Thea grinned back.
"Well, we can have more fun if one of us manage to hit one! First one to get hit loses!" Seth said as she ran away while throwing countless of water balloons at Thea who quickly used her fast reflexes to dodge all of them while also throwing countless of water balloons back at Seth, "Challenge accepted then!" Thea replied loudly.
"Annnnnd here!" Honoka threw a water balloon at Brenda who then yelped upon contact and then smirked at her.
"Damn, you throw hard! Here is for you!" Brenda also threw a water balloon at Honoka who also yelped upon impact.
"Hey!"
Brenda then rushes behind a tree to hide and threw another water balloon at her, "Too slow! You gotta react fast if you don't wanna get hit again!" She grinned.
Honoka yelped when the second one hit her again and pouted at Brenda, "Jeez! You are too fast, Brenda! You were a marine soldier so of course you'd be better at aiming and reacting than me!"
"Well, I am teaching you now!" Brenda said.
Eli and Umi were running in parallel while looking at each other seriously and carrying their own water balloons. Eli threw a balloon at Umi who then dodged it by ducking her head before throwing one back at the blonde who also did the same. They began to throw a volley of water balloons at each other while keeping their distances and dodging the balloons at the same time. Some of the balloons hit the both of them and some did not. But eventually, they then let out grins at each other.
All of them are happy... It's like, they were in a world of their own. A world that they could call their own. The ranch became the one thing that kept them all together. A thing that keeps the bond with each other and interactions with one another. It was a pleasant and beautiful sight despite the countless of popped balloons laying on the ground. The sounds of laughter and giggles can be clearly heard even though they were all soaking wet.
The smiles of everyone are very contagious and it feels like all the negative energies were being washed away. And they all know that they won't ever forget this day. Because it is that kind of day where they all gather to have fun. No worries, no doubts, no anxieties... Only smiles and laughter...
Along with that, there is Eli and Umi who looked like they were busy with their own world. The others may have their own but they are still aware of their surroundings. However, for these two... It feels like they were the only ones in the ranch. The two of them looked so happy while still keeping eye contact with each other.
Everyone else then stopped playing and went to stare at the two who continued to throw water balloons at each other while they were hiding. Eli hid behind a crate while Umi also hid behind a crate just a few meters away from the blonde. Then, when time comes right, they would come out of their hiding place while throwing water balloons at each other.
Everyone then exchanged glances to each other before smiling and went to watch them. Honoka, on the other hand, has something else hidden behind her own smile.
A smile filled with pain.
Few weeks later after that, everyone went back to their busy lives, especially for Umi, Eli and the rest of the people in the mansion. But, of what came out differently is that, the workers seemed to smile more and their once good vibes had doubled.
In the dining room of the mansion, there is Umi, taking her breakfast, and it seemed like her once gloomy vibe has been replaced with a joyful one.
Eli then comes in and raises a hand while greeting her with a smile, "Hey, good morning!"
Umi stopped eating and looked at the blonde, returning the smile, "Good morning, Eli."
Eli then went to the fridge to grab a bottled water then went to sit across the blue-haired, "Got an announcement for ya." Her smile turned into a goofy grin and Umi blinked a few times since that kind of accent reminded her of someone.
"First of all, are you turning into Brenda?" Umi raised an eyebrow and Eli halted before her cheeks heated up in embarrassment, looking away.
"S-Shut it, her accent and vocabularies are just contagious." The blonde replied, earning a chuckle from the blue-haired.
"Knew it, Brenda's accent can be contagious. Even I tend to talk like that before."
Eli's ears perked up upon hearing that and then looked back at Umi with an intrigued expression, "Mind if I can hear it?"
Umi blushed and put down her utensils, "I don't want to. It's embarrassing!" She narrowed her eyes and pouted at the blonde who also pouted back.
"I just want to hear it. Come on now. We are the only ones here." Eli reassured her and Umi just released a short breath before she inhaled deeply while her eyes were closed, "Promise to not tell anyone about it?"
Eli nodded, her pout turning into a smile once again, "I promise."
Umi felt the sincerity and just nodded, "Alright, I will say this just once."
Eli nodded again and focused her eyes on the other.
Umi then cleared her throat and smiled at Eli, "How are ya doin'?"
Eli's eyes widened, Umi's voice fitted perfectly with those kinds of accents. It sounded like a full-pledged cowgirl.
"Whoa, you sounded like a cowgirl when using that accent." Eli complimented and chuckled.
Umi rolled her eyes, "Flatterer."
"I mean it."
"Fine, fine. But anyway, what were you trying to tell me?" Umi then sooner changed the topic.
Eli grinned, "You got a new wedding project."
"Ohh? What are the names of the couple?" Umi asked.
"Chihiro and Kotori."
A/N: Heeey guys! Hope you guys like this new chapter! I had been working hard to finish the novel so then I can update twice a week!~ Votes and comments are always appreciated! Rock on! And thank you guys for reading this! Am still a noob to how to reply to reviews. XD