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 had221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2Zd9EgU57
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjJOpjsc3s
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5UvP1qi4v
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoIL4nJYsM
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 her221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFMJdmHCNQp
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkjKcvhwSsh
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFNXt5GEJt
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2whhrgDRrr
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 and221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDOEOALxsU
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN7EriHJb6S
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH7yWoSqoE7
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEO4lT3NrIQ
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1dKUzddIX
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymlMolpuiT
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60vDRnBErv
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0E0sfLIjK
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0vlEwkAgA
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyMfLHtmKL
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgjbLYyfZCK
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSRN71qwthO
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIa7VtfI9j8
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMki1Fw66aH
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttxmhWDvp5
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NXfzTLkkW
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYqABMFFXpt
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRN7gLYyhGn
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngBSgMIGVF
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFUdYBQcJ2L
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 Lloyd221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGps98XDsv0
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnIH1UY70YK
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4EWscOhC9
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9W60bOVUQX
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFEGAechBf
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLX1fA1QWak
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSbstRpL4j
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZCI8OgQT9
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgM4YyVITVQ
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡILOUwBVF4X
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5Zy8er2Qq
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8cPX2uoip
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 before221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMUY8KK9W72
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAs47Dw71C
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXVkXEMqwU
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtQrFuJkKfc
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHoILJhu285
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMG42AfIglO
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPplRlpVeOJ
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRyNFzHlHvw
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWwfZRc93wc
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwz4Leh0U4
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg4kOs4CUSK
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oHDYfqzac
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP1o4A2yvPc
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqtT23cCIj
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcynqQRvE2F
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFGHYEzcxn
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKXcG9DfgZ
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhHyOV2SQN
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZG2LLSdJtX
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY6qQdNgJNB
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 go221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHTxyFPZmf
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQA2v8Odof
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless221Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtc8oaHJiDf
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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