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 had214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHzWe5VK7G
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23qvKGz0GM
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNs8iirete
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHqIe20ngPA
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 her214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrCmsBOe7l
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGW8epPCuU
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtONIJV7Fz1
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSg5ogrfuiz
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 and214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63jAeUAtMn
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDmjGdHDkS
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRY9K5yW8t
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOeAGRCDCp1
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQiJznH2K2
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6piDe21U2H
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfbjd89zco
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDDvo1e752
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0wETVBPTW
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbU70FYjFIx
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTju9ENXMR
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdMS84wIvj
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZL3Tyok6ES
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgR9FscubO
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgoNyUPJv8b
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqa7VGfLJC
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWb6IZVNKXi
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwALmcK4b0
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6CwM1WfPN
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsQi2ZkdEH
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 Lloyd214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy0HIIJWTW2
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1dRsUFHc8
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsD4WicUD7O
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe66uHmiRVE
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBHmViWBjp
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXCc8hxw6z
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKpwWVsv6Xy
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVoXgxtOpX
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmfB9IZpbw
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPsbD79phs
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6tGFeY691
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7SnVVL6kt9
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 before214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZ0ZvFish3
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb21wFaIltM
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DtnW0afzJ
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPmz7ocRxPT
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbMrCWdGUW
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5FPPQTLAib
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUshx5BuxJu
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78aDdwF64B
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6fSZxAcC7l
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡylV5K89Ojl
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZ7ahpVKoB
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdFa5o5gWul
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf5FO8efPzo
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeU6DkzjSxs
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyEaWIsCiD
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsWva86fdgQ
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcY9CqQoAZx
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkx4bpPI9rz
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHF7zxEyMCq
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYX0RHeBpRT
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 go214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXPqbiLaxx
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIQDq7xnh7
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless214Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpok1RQILG
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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