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 had225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBBJdCnOhe
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡveSevaSGJc
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4s50xNouCT
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlB6pP7q60f
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 her225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEG82VYSzcH
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6pAL7cmBUs
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvuZIs9rya
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuiz9H6Mbd
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 and225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpk6KI6iZy8
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddRZCB5XIn
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLzQeNzgHL
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkVhnkIRaY
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDA0LDL8zVB
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡESF13l3OmA
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMp6zJAhelD
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3zpVOc5cfm
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrW5WZWrxYi
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ16oxxRNXXY
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUTSgm9aAU
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbL77hvxFeP
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzvAS4LVUAN
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5S9zmwwoEA
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78HYTl1MtU
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKcVNt4iz4
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7PcHdISZs
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5RBWu5vkaZ
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuvzXyhCEN
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkiC0yB2ir
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 Lloyd225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsAxiRVOKV
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRAxQXxxym
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKsOOUx1h3
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeItKDbgIfR
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJYhhKJLoH
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ93dR1itOqC
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFkELsjyXkm
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZgrftsA9C
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSCGLh349wS
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw8y6HFUENf
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaarDQwgAVu
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfrNm6ldwuj
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 before225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2p7HJcNGz9
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6y3FHs55Aj
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QJkbGq4vV
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcv0Kyz3nNd
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHmRc0h9v9
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcd4ZHz2JC
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvWL2ec5no
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZmvthWn9N
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNM7dYivJ8O
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1tjZGLOTK
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFY5CagXNQ
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhhEanrPFhR
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7QmlDUL9oB
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaTqJ06Xio
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyWV8GfIqDq
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr00umqygdk
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxNMVJK1Wt
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCiTwKX3ES
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr05NO2zGKZ
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrecQVfTRD8
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 go225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDm8e6Mjf3d
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtrOhq9ycjq
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless225Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBfKfc1yws
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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