37 Lanterns

"I know we have a tournament soon, but I'm getting crazy! I need to get out!" Yitian shouted, killed the monster in front of him, and picked up the loot. Quick leveling like before wasn't possible now. After level thirty the experience required for the new level was huge. So, after a few months of playing Chao was currently level forty-one and Yitian level forty. But those quests, monsters, instances, and bosses were getting harder and harder. Even though they had two other players joining them every instance, a magician called MoSHU and an assassin named HeaiN_YoulinG, whom they called HYNG for short, both of those guys were still students having regular lessons in school. Every holiday and every evening they all were doing as much as they needed for smooth progress in the game. They were still at the top but new guilds made by the professional teams were founded on the server and the amount of competition got huge. Thus they were playing all day and night long, except going to university. Chao even hired a maid and cook, who delivered meals three times a day, because 'You cooking is time consuming I need you in the game' as Chao stated. And Yitian had no choice than to stop. Because his competitiveness got awakened and the fun from this game became part of his life.

"I can't go like this anymore. We have been here like this for almost three days, without going out to breathe some fresh air in! You can't manage a professional team like this." Yitian was frustrated. He needed more than four hours of sleep per day. Chao looked at him with interest.

"How do you know so much about professional teams?"

'He is suspicious of me, and justly, but I won't tell him that I was checking out all the rules and everything, just to be useful to him… Ha, in his dreams!' Yitian thought for himself but got up and pulled away the curtains covering the big windows in front of them. A bright night light hit Chao, who quickly closed his eyes. Hong Kong shone more brightly than usual.

"Huh, it's eleventh today? Wait…" Yitian looked at Chao who said nothing. "You have a birthday tomorrow!" Yitian grabbed Chao's hand and forced him to get up. "Go, change. We will go to celebrate!" Chao looked at Yitian then at his open game and back at Yitian. He went to his room and changed into black jeans and a white long shirt, with a black hoodie, so he won't be cold. When he got out of the room, they both halted. They actually wore the same colors, the same type of clothes, only Yitian had a strapped hoodie.

"A couple clothes now?" Yixing who got out of his room commented, took a bottle of water, and then went back in, just like if he said nothing.

'Damn idiot!' Chao thought because Yitian hurried back to change. But Chao took his upper hand and stopped him.

"Hey, go like this. Don't mind that pain in the ass." Yitian just nodded at him, red and looking weird at him. "Are you sure, you want to go out? Do you have a fever?" Chao touched his forehead, but it was okay. 'He was blushing!' Chao's mind shouted and he smirked a bit. Cute.

"Just let's go," Yitian said and they went out with slight smiles on their faces.

There was a lantern festival in the city. So every street was shining brightly with red lanterns. People were laughing and talking cheerfully. A lot of couples could be seen on the streets. And there he was. Chao was looking at the excited Yitian running from one stall to the other. Like a little child.

In times like this, he remembered that he probably had no childhood. Even Chao could remember that he was with his parents attending the lantern festival before. When they were a happy family. So after his mom's death, he stopped celebrating this holiday. It wasn't as bright and happy as before.

But now, looking at the happy person in front of him. A person that he made happy. Well. His repulsion for this festival won't be as big as before.

"Look! It's a dragon!" Yitian shouted and pointed to the skies. There was a big paper dragon above the street shining like a big sun. Chao was surprised by how much he liked that dragon. Its colorfulness and brightness evoked a happy feeling inside him

"You like dragons right? That's why I designed it on the headphones stand I gave you." Chao was stunned.

"You designed it? All by yourself?" he asked Yitian because he thought he just bought them. All, the gloves, headphones, headphones stand, and a little pin, for the headphones wires.

"Nah that pin was a gift from the artist who made it but Yeah I worked with him on the design. It wasn't my work only. I can't take all the credits." He smiled at Chao and then ran away again, Chao had no other choice than to watch him run. As if pulled by him he made a few steps towards Yitian but stopped almost immediately. Yitian came back with a sky lantern and a pen.

"I can't give you any more gifts, but let's do this. The release of the sky lanterns will be soon. So let's both write our wishes on the lantern and then if we release it our wishes will come true." Yitian smiled at Chao, having a plan in his mind. He knew what was Chao's wish, but he needed to be sure. When Chao nodded, he gave him the lantern and the pen for him to write his wish. When Chao finished, he passed both to Yitian and waited.

"Do you have matches? Or lighter? How will we do it?" Chao was a bit taken aback because he saw all the people around them starting to prepare their lanterns. But Yitian was prepared. He scooped up a lighter from his pocket and passed it to Chao.

"I will hold it and you will light it up. then we will release it together, with everyone." Chao nodded and Yitian had the symbols with his wish his way so that Chao wouldn't see them as he held up the lantern. It was soon filled with warm air and ready to set off.

Chao and Yitian were both holding the lantern with both hands, facing each other. When they saw others releasing their lanterns they raised it up more and then slowly let go. Enlightened by the flames and with all the lanterns above them, it was a magical sight. Yitian looked down at Chao, who was still watching the lanterns up in the sky, and let out a small smile. Chao looked at Yitian at the same moment and smiled back. The whole scene was beautiful and surreal. It made Yitian's heart skip a beat.