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 had113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpsOzVpSOO
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBqqn2MPMAm
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmbFuiD5SFF
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡizAjsRVvii
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 her113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3emob8Kiv7
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6aIajzu6n
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZcHLzVhwkx
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjgshRpDcH
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 and113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORRXjEMCto
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3e5od6kqP
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3VbPK0WQ40
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjNmn9stf2J
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx4Y1vO8vg4
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXgISrhC3c
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYJe3zeR8Qo
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioihwscZy7
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYbK02HObOO
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8jAGlkVo7
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNLmFEdlRdC
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbiKHrmFOno
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhIg44tJKsb
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA39q9WE1Sh
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaCha75rD15
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6kCy1wmeiW
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4Ze6JliRh
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpHsvUB2jF2
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZxX3GmskZr
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxQ8cjuWPA
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 Lloyd113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlS9AcIbACZ
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnQkRIrPKO
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRtA46gb0r
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUF9efD5142
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRlYbyFvwi
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAeYeMk345
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LZ7VYY443
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRmZgamS8XV
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuAOlLpRxr
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiifWiFeT3
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUFTTyg4rPq
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlRf3x9gu6F
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 before113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNeGVcZoAjC
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4QUhKXGB3r
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ZDjVXNrLS
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQrKnEbBKo
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqAyI2LP9a1
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4FJIOFJ8X
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ZyqSclQOm
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxyEFJ0myMh
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyeNUBrAEuF
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvdQ9c1hDhu
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBh8sDV2hX
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2lNTqqJQt
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEzm8dn4bbb
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wZUMJyaKc
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTCPMxHscl
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0JIAbm3I3R
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlmLxUvBhx
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMAUEkEvMt
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh4vRmFWl4g
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJquACcMoN9
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 go113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6OJBwRNh7
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡztFiFIOmCL
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless113Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCSGWs3zEX0
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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