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 had229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfRTZ41PXQl
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmmuowyGBB
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRKiW9HQmja
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbnZIGr5UR
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 her229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0D27Kl1lvm
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhvMDixKEvn
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxBkk8Tnom
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbghJXVPNEk
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 and229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwcxVjAN1yW
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSuQNPa114
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDL0XfCUD1L
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmkMFLvPjD
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFglQQL4u7Y
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wy1ngd7RF
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6PWEFJrCv
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCpueZLc4bY
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3Iz2RZJRJ
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOOA7bOwqLF
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNKgyurSAld
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBGtD3FcRAu
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAjC5ysfBs
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡacC0ew36Qo
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa2fxx6O2Ru
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9JrHq2EzVP
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXiseZdv5Y
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6oXnE2ZNp
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81ZIOrE9cL
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGVgV2sNIQ
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 Lloyd229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76iX7NKmaT
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYTEwO913k
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQOfnB4EuKG
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJXsedqsDsx
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBIAw5KaCvE
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfgC58b19P
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktPnH7HULq
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTptTcTTHbx
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Nn2qLwlpa
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhqBjVwDUA0
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlkEIJheMVy
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdf35DMyBZ
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 before229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXxQVHfkGWl
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfkreTCXws
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMSRu2wteZ
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzVEbw5Ugq
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGUkdicqF47
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpNf98lkKs
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzw5dmfeJw5
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvT2FXZXV0k
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3xt1liw1d2
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2zowsGwKw
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3Ehmvt50y
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFeXma8g3E
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEzcVpt26Zs
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡimSDLZLs62
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86Zl9rVNER
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyul89VHyG0
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJjQoPTMmud
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEmnHNImfnW
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdOMw1It7b
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pUC9IF5Zk
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 go229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdy4igC4bF
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZuiLcoG8h
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless229Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH6Ju97V7lK
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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