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 had219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNNd13TLzMa
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3pya7zzvE
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyrKGR4dto4
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPyZZwkk8D5
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 her219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dpOjzY21w
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAA9cKo9RLK
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkADHQytT66
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIaE6bdpMNU
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 and219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgqNUWDotMd
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO2XmVvhY8K
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbjp6s2aO9
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcmFfAC5BGL
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq9MTWwsuvf
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDeuRiGbIA
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJwzkIhlpD
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgSDA9pGPkR
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYa4BID4zec
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFc3GKklWrZ
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZbxGqhbtR
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6BLOxOx1Dd
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1WzGerCxr
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWBYKRtovX
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjqsman9Da
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uMr86AR76
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpn1fGSLuon
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlEbPX7Q4LO
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZdwbKJfeJ
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb6zXXCvkLi
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 Lloyd219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbh8A9CHVne
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIJtyYUr3gx
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqiQOmBPKO
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrcHvaQu0q
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7AznUMsH8q
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEc0yIFte73
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaQFz7dIuz5
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBHRj6fRrKA
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7e6r3pcAuE
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9csyrkgDYT
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0EnjM8ts3
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoKmpJThU3F
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 before219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Dk66uS9rz
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWhmHd4zOU
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7p6oim6hb
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡduZOAyYj4s
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5pXHYZlLt
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpCGeLllR2D
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrN3NguHDNC
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Uwn3FCyNg
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUItG3LLZXo
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0TnZN0cX7
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhQn6zNEk5L
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTn4ubb4mX
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMn2qLtM5lf
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiyuzJQnpAD
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFryALsgVc
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bZN37rrym
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tKJVIEJyd
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Fp0JgcYYO
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2bQHPBrLZG
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs5R7u9HxJF
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 go219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrgjgGdMTw
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ86Aoc6oGa
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless219Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDiE2hR2yG8
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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