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 had131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgltCT3nUzs
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xpKM0Cqvq
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWRsj3KR8A
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡog8MkOltUX
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 her131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbLIezJTKd
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9p7LwWtZd
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8vny3flS2
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSl4DwLB8lR
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 and131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2pQG25vR8J
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfplloyXzJ
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jGJLf2vDv
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhHNYLerxV
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCCm2eTX2uz
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCicx5iXps
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrhVCaTqaH
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoWmVi3w0w7
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM1PW6vR9Ax
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ZMOq2puhc
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIuN5o0s2PS
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVP4Exu8Kd
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4GJgA19tBf
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqaEFzLUXi
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFMn22UhXL
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTJUdbNji0w
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUXP0BezWlz
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWGKnBjMZ1
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3EBp9ImtrA
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoBMqYMUMW
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 Lloyd131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXrX58aJPDZ
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDIA1nPZK6
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdseraoXtPX
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCPW5U5sKG
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKU1ZiWg4Z
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngyskXNbyz
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKglRi6gzQh
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb0LcAfrU4J
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj0yGOa1QaG
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOIGkNhdYYs
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6hfIMcDK5v
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8pYRpRANDn
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 before131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpjXehGnizO
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGhpNvDpSc
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3lVvGkrhVS
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj53KGDzvMP
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVLSKxVE5Lu
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQWkMULglH
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWEhp8pGDuI
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzd7BfhJTvJ
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsvJvy2KA0
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwrkFAlykvs
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKU9EiWHolC
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwAdclOlhb
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHWRrnYcgm7
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dTac7hNFy
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNAgrmXK6E
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFY3CPXIqe
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2uaOzUlYRJ
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡygA9umV6GC
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTpX8VnwuG
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnpcuFqBcrH
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 go131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi1dWKx9jnp
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQNCoNiWzb
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe9HDhsHwFR
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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