"Yuta, I want that."
On the other side of the Summer Festival street.
Rika Orimoto was hugging Yuta Okkotsu's arm, shaking it continuously.
"Alright, Rika, please stop for a moment."
The constant soft touch on his arm made Yuta Okkotsu's face flush slightly.
"Then I'll leave it to you, Yuta."
Rika Orimoto stepped back slightly.
Then, with her hands behind her back and her body leaning forward slightly, she made a playful request.
"Okay, I'll go now."
Seeing Rika Orimoto's adorable posture, Yuta Okkotsu immediately ran to the stall.
"So cute, Yuta."
Rika Orimoto gently caressed her face, watching Yuta Okkotsu, who was helping her fish for water balloons, with satisfaction.
The water balloon fishing game is one of the more common games at island nation Summer Festivals or other events.
The owner would give you a small hook tied to a string, or some other decorative item with a hook.
The string wasn't long, usually only about 10 centimeters.
Then you would need to put this string with a hook into the water, just like playing a fishing game.
And lift out a water balloon that was also tied with a string.
Generally speaking, the size and angle of the hook, as well as the weight of the water balloon, would all be factors preventing you from fishing it out.
'Which one is more suitable for Rika?'
Yuta Okkotsu's gaze wandered across the water tank, finally settling on an orange-red water balloon.
Yuta Okkotsu thought this orange-red water balloon would match Rika Orimoto's red yukata today.
After choosing his target, Yuta Okkotsu accurately found the string of the orange-red water balloon among several strings.
Then he lowered the hook in his hand.
The hook was very light and did not sink to the bottom.
Instead, it stopped sinking after entering the water a little.
Yuta Okkotsu shook the string in his hand, carefully moving the hook closer to the target.
If he accidentally hooked another water balloon, the string would definitely not be able to bear the weight of two water balloons.
'Got it.'
Yuta Okkotsu smiled, then immediately pulled up the water balloon.
The next second, the string in his hand conveyed a feeling of being overwhelmed.
Yuta Okkotsu's expression stiffened, then he took a deep breath.
The force application techniques and control he had honed during his physical training classes, constantly being beaten by Maki and Toji Fushiguro, began to take effect.
Yuta Okkotsu gently swayed the string in his hand to the side.
The orange-red water balloon in the water immediately moved towards the more open space in the center of the tank.
Then Yuta Okkotsu applied precise force, pulling the water balloon out of the water.
"Success!"
Yuta Okkotsu cheered.
Just as he was about to get up with the water balloon, a blue water balloon caught Yuta Okkotsu's eye.
'I remember Rika has a cup that's also this color. I wonder if she'd like it.'
After a moment of hesitation, Yuta Okkotsu silently adjusted his position and fished out this blue water balloon as well.
Then Yuta Okkotsu saw a pink water balloon.
'This water balloon looks like one of Rika's dolls.'
Yuta Okkotsu once again aimed at the pink water balloon in the middle of the tank.
And so, under the heartbroken gaze of the stall owner and the worshipful exclamations of the surrounding children,
Yuta Okkotsu cleared out all the water balloons in the tank with a string that could break with a little more force.
Fortunately, the owner's merchandise was water balloons.
These were just elastic small balloons filled with water.
The cost was not high.
Otherwise, he would have died of heartache.
The owner of the shooting gallery stall on the next street expressed understanding.
And so, Yuta Okkotsu, disregarding the water balloons wetting his yukata,
Arrived in front of Rika Orimoto, holding dozens of water balloons.
"I accidentally got too many, Rika, which one do you like?"
Yuta Okkotsu wanted to scratch his head to relieve the awkwardness, but because his hands were holding water balloons, he could only smile foolishly.
"This one is fine."
Rika Orimoto accurately found the first water balloon Yuta Okkotsu had fished out from the pile.
She had seen all of Yuta's performance just now.
Naturally, she chose the water balloon that Yuta Okkotsu had first set his eyes on.
Rika Orimoto smiled and tied the loop on the water balloon's string more securely.
Then she put it on her finger and gently patted it up and down.
Yuta Okkotsu stood there, holding the water balloons, looking at the happy Rika Orimoto.
"So cold."
Suddenly, Rika Orimoto picked up a blue water balloon and pressed it against Yuta Okkotsu's face.
"This is for you."
"Hmm, but what about the rest of these…"
Yuta Okkotsu looked at the dozens of water balloons in his arms with a bit of distress.
"It's okay, watch me."
Rika, the frugal homemaker, then pulled Yuta to the water tank.
Under the wary gaze of the owner, she sold all the extra water balloons back to him at a low price.
The Summer Festival had only just begun, and the owner also needed enough water balloons to replenish his stock, so he didn't refuse.
After all, who would have thought that a freak like Yuta Okkotsu would appear, clearing out all the water balloons with a single string!
Others usually needed several strings to fish out one water balloon.
"Yuta, be careful not to catch a cold."
After the transaction, Rika Orimoto took out a tissue from a hidden pocket in her yukata and carefully wiped away the water droplets from Yuta Okkotsu's body.
She also tried to blot out as much water as possible from the wet yukata with the tissue.
"It's okay, Rika, I'm very strong."
After saying that, Yuta Okkotsu raised his arm and struck a pose to show off his muscles.
"Pfft, a strong bean sprout."
Rika Orimoto suddenly covered her mouth and laughed.
"Ah, how can even you?"
A wave of grievance rose in Yuta Okkotsu's heart.
It was bad enough that Maki called him a strong bean sprout, but now even Rika?
"Alright, don't be angry, it's my fault."
"Here, take this."
Yuta Okkotsu looked down and saw a half-face fox mask.
The mask was fox-shaped, red on the left and white on the right, covering the upper half of the face.
As soon as Yuta Okkotsu took the mask, Rika Orimoto took out another fox mask from behind her.
A fox mask identical to Yuta Okkotsu's.
However, Rika Orimoto's mask was white on the left and red on the right.
Rika Orimoto thought for a moment, then shook the mask in her hand before placing it on the side of her head.
The grievance in Yuta Okkotsu's heart instantly vanished, and he placed his mask on one side as well.
Among the passersby, there were many people wearing masks like this.
Some wore them directly on their faces, while others hung them on their waists.
"The fireworks display is about to start, let's quickly find a good spot."
Rika Orimoto took a few quick steps, then turned around and extended her hand towards Yuta Okkotsu.
"Okay."
Yuta Okkotsu nodded, then stepped forward and took Rika Orimoto's hand.
The two began to head towards the observation deck near the mountainside.
That was the place with the widest view nearby.
If they arrived early enough, they could get a good spot.
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