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 had99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEiBkhyigIP
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNyjmZvd54S
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JyNaIhHJz
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNLyrzaJHm
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 her99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQKOdn9Tcrn
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7grewUjqOo
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0tpHrj1ZN
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuo3lTUjln
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 and99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DNJUhHbkT
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSxIfW4h2N
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhimIXPGq1l
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4bi9J5GfM
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCT8unDgJ0F
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZi8jYnjiET
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmojD6XY5F
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WBX3A6HHz
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZazaQW7PkW
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡizKscJofds
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaAepRJ1a5
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFYRShIMgv
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBHbqBXQGR
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGt3f3wXY3P
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7cgciyDhN
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkJOpJv1G6y
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTWJoS1GXdi
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlJ7RVoOZz
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKGLNJvOxo
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡst9O88L9VT
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 Lloyd99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWs6JIr0bLO
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJrRZl2ei5
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQ97iIlSDn
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55yMc4X31g
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuV0HRLWJ1c
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfiWn6DMSdj
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvfVRV6l2Au
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYozgTA8GOl
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYQDEj3A3TQ
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVowwyiKIz
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73PVnjxFi2
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXrdsFJytB
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 before99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEl0iWeMY6e
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZvgztoXO8
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHe2CkvYeyz
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ofZ3qo9FT
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhGRcQh4Jxq
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75nIrtB1MJ
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmaL32K31kR
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqskdNjoKot
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKebqWSV8K
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXfzjH5O8b
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCT8b3MYO4A
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQASN3soINn
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVlQr7M3qW
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5GW57CFYD
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUWi2BghaD
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡseezfFLGg7
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2qifkFICgh
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMEEfpwkuy
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhXU5oTJkz
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuTgFjlrLI
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 go99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0G4b3bfg9
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4z28FvtVIj
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless99Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZBgUnUN53A
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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