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 had179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJePxT4At8
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs34YJKrLEL
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgk0IlqIoXY
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcqr7vbDM6p
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 her179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8DITCegrZG
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwddlY6PfV
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAldn2cUl6m
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jGPUY76eb
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 and179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2LOE9ojht
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfAnLwEZZ4
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCGzWohN2d
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOZPq6RKm5
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxF9v7lFWCV
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuK5O5I1CNB
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QnbRdmZuT
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVJaJFkn8bS
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUQUcbiVWWM
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTomJEN0rHG
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrhaUqLcea1
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHhFptPN6J
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Dfum1LO2x
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHJcOIZeA3w
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0BNduTQKD
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW3KweUhjMm
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxxP3dTtb2
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGByjcr39Lc
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡccVBkkD0Xc
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡca3Ke65MuC
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 Lloyd179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7a3Jsk6sOU
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQBmhVvbELm
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IST9ngTeW
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlIfv1dQaA
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNXTrFqmk23
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjl0bnmcCz
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlAlD2XZt8Q
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIj1NsB76Lh
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLuqEuABsii
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsYl6ryucGe
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1SbYR32TfR
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHRnL9wOiP
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 before179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpHeHT9NiB
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQWhY62vG1f
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5LnQQQlLi
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeu5ADz1Ch4
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIoXqf1XPS3
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW9OIj3SCry
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6ASgVRt5K
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4MmoI1nn1k
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1LE26kjpbg
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnO0XCUqORc
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63rVeo96cb
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0AtPxoGmj
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlb1cbt29vq
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIjCoE98PN
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQP2JAXYsl
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ58V6iI5C4E
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiNCa3d6neC
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsfXzNqTPz
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBH1LSUWmhq
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gqgcQZsKV
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 go179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEtrlmCe3BP
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKj89ugmKWi
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MtRC2LRRZ
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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