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 had161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwDgCxR160i
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUWEUYOT93
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKNDBQWkonc
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoaQzY1jd6c
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 her161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsfsQiyDux
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6i8IOMpjl
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGwjnOlSec
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWWngtsO0o
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 and161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGKkCgMPDL
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUciSWuYT0L
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvXLMMgNgc
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5roeU6Hd9A
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2AMBiK95u9
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYua8TgC0wO
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnDBQ19qZXy
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfbDvfnBrR
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS9QSM7aqrf
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzVyaRlw1w
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWwoDTCpkD
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsByC3T4DlX
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGUKT3dOLy
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Q00pDtM3D
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCshBFxaJkr
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdRgYbGK06
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlToPpCbth
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTAY3FoYvP
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoiqRruu3j
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoVKRPJ23c
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 Lloyd161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0nuYNUlfz
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHl9lhIrPVp
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZO6ySUjMJ
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyo1lezYIZf
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9VT8EMb9LY
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNfPVIRtzOk
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnP0kLcXEq1
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9iNC6hUhc
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKks5VaVMNc
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDSNBR8FJ2
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9bHk68cjY
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeDdFnGKXT9
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 before161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxv5LVB5CeE
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9S5ptM5iP
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eDdxe1BE2
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiF9EjGb5Uj
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNQ7kNpH24
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEDjG99j7qB
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPz9oSxHr7
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0mMwzOYREl
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrnuk8aSaLk
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0KSNSnbp2g
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvAr5ELyHJ
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJCYthFRnXx
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFJrtbxnFe
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhG8Sd2nce4
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZjpJrY3YRU
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8zvrK86fRW
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWwA9hdRX2
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1P4z5M8vH
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjLcD2UnA8
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmOZDfEJzF
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 go161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ66YBIaUmp3
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfDe0w31ssp
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless161Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9QhZlKqfYb
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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