After a period of silence, Yoimiya wiped her tears and raised her fist, "Fight on!" She yelled.
Everybody cheered, "Yeah! That's our Yoimiya! Tough!"
Ayato joined in for fun, "Yeah, fight on."
Thoma couldn't help the corners of his mouth to lifting into a smile.
The next day, there is still lessons as usual but the atmosphere was more calming.
"I can't understand this question," Gorou frowned at his paper, he then felt someone behind him, Ayato leaned towards him and said, "Of course you don't understand, your diagram is wrong. Draw again."
Gorou corrected his diagram and then keep his paper, "Do you know that our school is hosting a coming-of-age ceremony next month?'
It was a rather formal event, during this kind of ceremony. They mostly can spend two days and one night at a hotel.
Thoma said, "Coming-of-age ceremony?'
"I don't know what is it either, but I heard that we are staying at a hotel and we can play, sounds carefree," Lumine added.
Thoma then elbowed Ayato at his waist, "Ge, attending the coming-of-age ceremony at your age is not fitting, is it?"
Ayato looked at him, "What do you mean?"
"Was I not clear?" Thoma said as he stepped away slowly, "I mean you're old."
Everybody looked up and saw the two big bros were entangled together again.
Usually, it was Thoma who is chasing and beating up Ayato but now, their roles are reversed.
Ayato was not going to use force, he stood at the doorway and smiled as he beckoned Thoma, "Don't run. Come back."
Thoma stopped and looked at him.
"I won't mess with you," Ayato said, he caught hold of Thoma's wrist, "I'm old?"
"Our big bros are so gay," Lumine whispered.
"I know, right?" Aether replied.
For the coming-of-age ceremony, there will be three locations: the history museum, a famous person's former residence, and then a temple fair at the evening.
"Prepare your things, we are going to the museum first," Zhongli said.
The whole class was excited.
They boarded the school bus, and Thoma leaned against the window.
"Why are you leaning on the window instead of your ge?" Ayato gently pulled Thoma to him.
Thoma did not say anything, he slowly shut his eyes and fall asleep.
The bus ride was noisy and then someone suggested singing.
"Wait, don't sing. My deskmate is sleeping!"
Someone yelled at the back, "Ayato, you're doting on Thoma too much."
"Of course, good bros must dote on each other," Heizou said as he swung an arm around Kazuha, "Right, Kazuha? Do I dote on you?"
Kazuha was confused but he played along anyway, "Yes! A lot!"
"........"
Thoma was a light sleeper, "Doting on what?"
Ayato ruffled his hair, "Nothing, go back to sleep, those two have something wrong with their minds today."
When they arrived at the museum, Dean Xu was there too, "Everybody listen! Y'all are 18 now, not children anymore, y'all are adults now."
"Remember to take responsibility and be mature! Study hard and learn more things! For our Inazuma spirit!"
Everyone cheered, "Our Inazuma spirit!"
Halfway through his speech, Thoma saw clearly that Dean Xu was wiping his tears but he didn't want to get notice so he pretend to wipe his forehead as if there is sweat.
Eventually, Dean Xu gave them a warm smile and said, "Congratulations, you're come of age."
"With courage, go off to even further places."
The homeroom teachers came with boxes, no one knows what are inside until they pulled out stacks of envelopes.
When Thoma received his letter, he was stunned in a moment.
On the envelope written neatly, "Thoma."
He could tell that's his mother's handwriting.
The other students received them too.
"What is this?"
"My dad wrote it for me?"
Heizou got his and he stood up. He read the first line jokingly, "To my dearest son......"
But after reading further, he suddenly went quiet.
Thoma opened his envelope, and saw the first line:
I love you.
I'm grateful that you are always by my side.
Thoma tightened his grip on the letter, he felt as if someone gently squeeze his heart.
Several girls in class couldn't control their emotions and started crying.
The atmosphere grew more emotional.
Thoma looked up to take a deep breath, once he recovered, he went back to reading the letter:
You've come of age.
Now, you should think for yourself.
No matter what you choose, Mom will be proud of you.
I just want you to be safe and happy.
After reading, he glanced at Ayato who have nothing at all. No envelope, no letter.
Ayato noticed his housewife is looking at him and then smiled, "My parents are no longer with me, remember? I only have Ayaka."
Thoma bite the inside of his cheeks, he paused and then said, "You have me too."
"Okay, before we go look around, we should eat first," Zhongli raised his voice.
"Let me make things clear first, I'm not sitting with Kazuha," Ayato stood up and said.
"Me too, I'm not sitting with Kazuha," Heizou added.
"What? Heizou, you don't dote on me anymore? Are we still mutuals?" Kazuha looked his at friend.
"......"
Ayato leaned back to his housewife, "Later, use your chopsticks to snatch the food from him, don't give him a chance to take it."
Thoma was not worried at all, "He can try."
When they reached the dining room, the fight begins.
"Take him down! Don't let him touch the food!" Ayato shouted.
"Gorou! Help out! Attack his weak points!" Heizou added.
"What weak points?" Gorou who was just sitting there, minding his own business.
"Take his chopsticks," Thoma said.
Kazuha was attacked from all sides, everyone had already held him down, his face pressed on the table.
After eating, everyone scattered around, "Remember be back at 7 p.m."
Thoma then felt someone slapped his back, he turned just to see his boyfriend mouthed to him, "Let's go."
"Where?"
"Anywhere, or do you want to stay here?"
Thoma looked around, the place is too crowded. Ayato reached out to Thoma's hand without hesitation and they both walked away from the group.
Thoma squeeze back his hand out of habit.
The sky grew dark and all they could see is was bright-coloured lights, fireworks and lanterns filled the street, glimmering.
They walked side by side until Ayato saw a stall selling sweets, he turned to face his housewife and said, "Do you want sweets? I'll buy it for you."
"How childish, how are old are you?" Thoma mocked. But Ayato already ordered, "Sir, this one."
Ayato used to carry lollipops with him to help him quit smoking, then he got used to it. But he still puts some in his pocket just in case.
Thoma looked down at the sweet on Ayato's hand and then bent down and tasted it.
Ayato leaned down to bite the other side.
Thoma wanted to buy some things for his mom but couldn't find anything suitable.
They ran into the twins and the others on the way. "Ying-jie, you bought a hammer?" Ayato asked.
"This isn't a hammer!" Lumine said as she raised the massage stick, "I think I need a massage."
Ayato smiled and took it, he then rapped it on Thoma's back.
He rapped so much that Thoma could not take it anymore and almost punch him in public.
They then decided to go back to the hotel and rest. Heizou and others were playing cards, when they caught sight of Ayato, they waved, "Hey! Wanna play?"
Ayato watched Thoma going back to his room and then said, "Next time, right now, I want to play something else."