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 had153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOquBIwiAi
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhZVPwbk8RS
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKuq1zhMR1
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs55Q7ZJZGt
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 her153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ625PMVhKZu
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxDIA4FSOH
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDuQ7HRgyAe
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEYwG96BgUh
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 and153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hXAiv9lam
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuQTETfC1H
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWxFk6AX8v
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuA5SHYbSlI
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtIRLoCZEjB
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9AWUbDLJZ0
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAeNvaRPvU
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAyiK8tjoV
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpLmeMDipwy
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJdrexlhZt
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkPvclcRmC
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5CbjdtP02l
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70KMtQ4Slz
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kpNih51nu
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nBYZoqPXk
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9zNgH7rjp
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4YIYOrhaz
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7MGxyLVGMP
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMBOeiHqXg
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgePqxijmu7
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 Lloyd153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GrAaCafB1
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOUVC2ozC5
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHNoc5aeYPR
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0VmWFoLXOi
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSp53STYreC
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAI2bJDYkD
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcag9t8HhsG
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtaJP2FGqIY
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLSghFXImWv
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2EGBrHKZE
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHUhFgjlyF
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWtZTGo2Vxe
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 before153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl95XErobzR
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUaKtXJ8WJ
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZF01ZNe78r
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCrkvYiHgZF
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9dXR26nyuT
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0x3tOpxQ7L
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ19lATKVYuo
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhFX3dEyqS
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWIx0BInSv
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczvWmVQTVa
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElPQuFnv4l
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0f167Zrxoo
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU5deNGUnwj
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6FvIo8dSHn
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUNDVamxKA
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVWBfrI7UQ
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0rnWIthuX
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHGcF1DMX2
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5zf3cDQe2
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOmKXuauJVR
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 go153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmTVF3LLC5
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw3fySo0Tm7
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless153Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMmqpmkIKwA
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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