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 had140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD4yPWtWJeJ
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7U8IDWVhxG
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCStKdn6jWI
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDRc93fqbl
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 her140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQeesjHKJS
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK4dtnxGje3
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpouxsdYYiP
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFDhHuVs9s
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 and140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBau8FFH1Q
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIfhwh9RT6w
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpON6oC1nq
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFmqX3t3cUi
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7B6B4D8rw
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTmHmKMW9Q
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9vidrdC27
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmksjf657W
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGfUnWc4cW
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBj9j0GwRAH
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXmxejGSjK
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVocIBd1cNp
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWGYDy6is5
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHddsg6I1Yk
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Eq9tPVN9B
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn0dPDsLIqD
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8KwM8ThSaQ
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDisE5J2xSN
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjlVPMVcj6
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOZb7A8Mqv
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 Lloyd140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYg3YMAogPm
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjsgjkTdUz
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfU6hZT7xp
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ418ryac4SK
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUGXqxIMOcd
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73qtoAt9tD
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6RowZqgNm
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ039j3TSj0G
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBdkYW5NXJ
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2YrfzOYjeL
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnimI4lGWKV
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYzFkMLaktP
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 before140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBLMtqyoVLs
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiJHWCgJp8C
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXgpIbQNlT
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1nsqB2Yf7
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKUFyFnBlX
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ43rScwdcNb
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI0LPnO0mdp
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfwcVDU3L6
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVNA13RVD6
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIDJlpkPMl
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4LERs4ZHG
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs9lhBQH11M
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaAibIbzgAz
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTWKoY3V6P
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQxDsbXrJLp
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yAQv3ANj6
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJu71XdVeD
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeIhGxCzcvT
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcGCaW3501a
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVCZGbYITM
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 go140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHi2n8FtXeZ
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBcSiuIF3M
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless140Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0vceLAWfm
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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