Previously on: Tresa(F) & Lloyd(M) are exchange students living in a host family's house. For details, please refer to 31. <Full moon night 1> and 32.<Full moon night 2>.
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Time: A night in winter //Place: A house in E city
The sky was filled with rows of twinkling stars. Tresa had200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjvANZXYUI
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgiVVHHeUfJ
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrofr2PP4B
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhiQ05gyuJ
breathe as she made her way from the gate to the house’s front door.
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A month ago, with the long winter break approaching, all her200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKzqLNIF9W
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQENUIyHxzG
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7f19DmsWzP
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZENIhOB1i
left, the landlord and his family went off joyfully on their trip.
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Standing in front of the door, Tresa caught her breath and200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdMJNnd0Ud
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡED7JgGR54O
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxd0uLvjXOO
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0pHcWiGKYJ
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8iEO9jQUF
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIs9IPMmqaX
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdek5NUXpYK
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9pDMzd8lY
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8ZiCHTJClm
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBlFy65f1S
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlxl0BztRo
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSDhPUOn3I
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EJyprjzxh
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnaHJwTbuf0
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMGx9TSkxu2
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYIT1TEX3iC
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhWrhllKrz
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkCMmtvOW4
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKPaHQ5ljG
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4HQeVslax
face had also turned red as she silently marvelled, "He has abs!"
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Once they both calmed down, Tresa began unpacking while Lloyd200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4g8ZcqOUqA
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77Ol2LpnEW
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFJNRZRbaJb
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtsQmpaqwNt
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNDjhQGFHJ
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdLNS4vg5LO
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7nVTPJGVKu
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZDboDTlWC
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6OmB2hCUwR
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbN6PJR8HH
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡze0fhdwoBP
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡERFMXZZDea
it off casually, "No worries, it’s just noodles. Let’s eat."
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As they sat down to eat, Tresa only took a few bites before200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6rWP2LDBM
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhDv8YoUlZ
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeNID3oQORN
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGzZYBBDGi3
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx11Aj4DOal
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ulork50sk
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1Z7tTQIzK
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvMuuGrBpwL
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3Ie2J1SSm
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmzjTnzBLR
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMFjSAdYymH
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4dBFgXTrK
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbDhqmArSsg
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI9UkLTFPEJ
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTLdkwZuG66
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQqWXWpUYC
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzMm1HDcdqF
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobuTln8HNY
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs6EZwANB9f
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZIbapabiA
back to visit her grave."
There was a brief, sombre silence. Looking for a way to lighten the mood, Tresa glanced out the window and noticed a change in the
scenery. She exclaimed excitedly, "Hey, it’s snowing outside! Let’s go200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdreCgWFjb
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYu2vMFKKJ
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless200Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2HyHsqr6u
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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