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 had160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUPFoc93uO
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlBPnj0xvc
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJQUsh2Pwr
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8mVdgUUhRO
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 her160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6GcvdCodSh
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvhDiJxwzX
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE4Pf0H1qCm
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBetEcOaJG
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 and160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC5iJmA4FCc
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDN9zUCbmrK
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7TeSZ286G
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEdy9lWOFof
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJD740ukqg
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUc7CxUoaRf
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ09A0avnPSz
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHhrPUSJXg
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIrqVwFBzol
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmp9jFI1Pq5
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcHcGkePb2
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCycUfe5ec
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCL0ALlIWVc
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdmMWwDYhnr
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxuk39FYmj
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtgKfaImyLC
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZyWFrWKca5
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgFMSSfGrf
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOF56EwOrD
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpZJE5icxM
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 Lloyd160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwiqcMxaX6y
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDK8PBsDh7f
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7jLyVrJS0
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUl9DTn0n5
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuMIcOAyqXw
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsws4XNmxBr
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfotDJBDBPx
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ65JxgwKz43
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXd75Z1SAuT
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfCy8n9djE
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Q9aVlczhy
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqcXG8rusus
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 before160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rQbm1pTLk
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJw9qzTcNn9
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2wJPco1VuT
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsD42ZiPKi7
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vlPrUyHBY
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxK7bdS0ewj
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb09sscadxi
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ416I3Z8x49
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡglpK4KJ7id
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡALeVhk11lK
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJ83Zdq74A
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqduwm4KpIw
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCrvyLokD2a
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFnneevzq8c
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7GPR40bgw
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbPF7mZ9zHb
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkncxlMnXma
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq1Xg26RJgz
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYBSaSMILo
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHToylngjzA
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 go160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevQ67QmWUw
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9iojRKsSDT
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless160Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm9PrOV3ZJn
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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