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 had118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoFF73t9JEj
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJXVlSZTB5
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXOwTEMTJ6
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUmxdJhCGw
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 her118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJtj1HeJA0
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3IdpQnrZ3
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDjGxoEJvec
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrY0TXnlrit
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 and118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfZid0UYmmO
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxrtmQMtT7
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgSHsElh27
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLMX6Nv4aaR
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbJDHEWVNqo
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDPDAnu2Ui
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwNFlR8Zccg
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUuVgCoEIA
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEc4gRWtZ3W
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaCRX37c4g
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXbz8OH8hy
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCb8Ro8SCV
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhplVHs1QDZ
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAYJWYGrukC
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3b2KSv5g5b
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuzC9pKi8Ed
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUGr9Hz52c
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtipBivf9iE
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3m9L0JRUz
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4htBBkuQ7m
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 Lloyd118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWeTc4fI37G
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBwpwa1fykI
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPf0KSkUWVd
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvln7tHxOs
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm260IvASGj
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPz0F5FZShP
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbOioA0EaW
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwilMSDnd3N
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kzxSitBjG
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpUqhwixfBv
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKFL3Zgpwt
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYWP7ET6mbV
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 before118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm6FVCzRjme
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCl2mwGErfT
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDM9uMK1QeT
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2SB205s8xr
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9ByIQLRpH
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShwGCOGXCi
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPHkhYpbZn
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRH0G2xSxUS
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6XFh5MGeb
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDX0bJ5qG4
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZubWtguD9
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡob5leJeZCC
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FQvyHPhtC
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZXLiAUBDGk
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7mtMYZUQE
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAVGOsQSPZ
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbio4THlhM
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBHzRcRZ28
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ83WpBrQ01F
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5cxMDnUh3
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 go118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Hx0rtynsB
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk19D8s7Eja
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless118Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SNsV3m6lO
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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