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 had126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCqPpeQnCAF
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡam40MueI2z
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpWR4ssGvK
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtnXONoYQp
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 her126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFPRpx4zVf
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZsnNdqMhP7
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNtb2wXmzih
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5TNWF2zvA6
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 and126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcl55PkcrO
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoJGnE5WESO
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKsJPpmwTJ
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXPGsCmDeuq
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo67VLKjKDq
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhYbZvChXu
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXh5Z6lAU2n
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBfYZwWDTq
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JvMzIJ8Jb
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4kXguklGp
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp7fnrk9xel
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3x5iGlKNS
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ20MBKmlIMi
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxpPoDCckB
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtu3N6iXJiI
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡElnYVzR47g
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUOhtK0Kj69
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqMZEAN6yB
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgd4gJKSTaM
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVxwd27NJn6
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 Lloyd126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSykWHXadu
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDq35PzHHsK
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsX2GTLIz9
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA2UYBZv1ft
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTnJ5LpGTY
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc3CeuFsedx
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMvGlWRMEH
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPLszlYQF22
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVhR2PPxLk
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8Wj2mHNif
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa884Hc9ZV1
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkHdQ6W2i71
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 before126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfewYPcwQfZ
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvMrZNajyp
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6cCvZI205u
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSfCW86x5ZF
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39pnnbdCsf
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6VaxU8oIb
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoCS0540MS
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvuGvWr7Eci
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYEBALfj8i
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvpFat0Yx7
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzttvVP7wTT
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7CIHEtlzu
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvuMQodMX2
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRlvwNwd24g
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1dsO38A5sG
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW6v7Qsyfdo
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0lpTLesSR
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzF7SeDEV8L
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrizMc51IkF
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwZILdAFtp
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 go126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbCVsg0QAzd
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcevxhFdF0r
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless126Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrXEaUjL1a
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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