Main character: Tresa(F) & Lloyd(M) //Time: A night in23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡli3PUDPAtb
winter //Place: A house in E city23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡllVkEkerJS
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The sky was filled with rows of twinkling stars. Tresa had23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriJokGsmVK
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ7gtGgZMMC
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHan5iPjw2P
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKHNL3rQ6nr
breathe as she made her way from the gate to the house’s front door.
A month ago, with the long winter break approaching, all her23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0VcBFR9vS
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jiND8nHsm
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNTrAALOhB
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMLkJHlCLp
left, the landlord and his family went off joyfully on their trip.
Standing in front of the door, Tresa caught her breath and23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzZek8HnOm
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJCTICbhZL
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAl7uIEeLy
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCz3ZsUYwyZ
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYzWBHfDHh
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhBSvZzIA8C
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCBAQYSJVhM
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTyzhMWExFT
inside?
"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1093XhKan
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Q7k3DcWrD
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQaiSo6VBG1
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPrhN7rtNak
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3bqkUSVyS
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcm6z4efk1
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtCcmgatyBW
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡenA2mxeqtV
dressed afterward.
After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCNnjAdNxL
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQveg9UFAs
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWcsXVJzZ9
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ1f6CAwvXK
face had also turned red as she silently marvelled, "He has abs!"
Once they both calmed down, Tresa began unpacking while Lloyd23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQha7AVScCS
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMYPFaoKil
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfDN4roifp
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVthyKsEx7Y
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGf7Xiy36s
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxtSREKwlKo
the door before he could respond.
Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVwa6Bo7ZJI
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjSgL8Z79hR
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl9j7TBUO2K
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHibRoVNsAT
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBaQuE7BX6
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jbfR6vvXe
it off casually, "No worries, it’s just noodles. Let’s eat."
As they sat down to eat, Tresa only took a few bites before23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7pXztRK5A
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFcQuwQoBX
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoAhTrwHQya
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mg8TS9KZm
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh92by2f9Wv
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi2fE94rRGO
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrVs6CSG5ac
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh6cD0CxeMW
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7czEFbELTI
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGdvRQ3dnc
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTCjBk7qwD
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4S2Uh3BKq
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkrd2XQYt8
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUt1cTNJ00
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsJ8uHZUT9O
at home."
"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKzuqbtizX8
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhlqSTaVZS
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNenFXEBDg0
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsn9zpsAR1
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTpfnvVFJg
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 go23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZB7Ylt0IuV
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULAmVIE3gT
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ132MxLGcFK
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
ns 18.68.41.175da2
