Main character: Tresa(F) & Lloyd(M) //Time: A night in55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGEksRZcpcf
winter //Place: A house in E city55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwyFLGaSQrq
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The sky was filled with rows of twinkling stars. Tresa had55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvUpi1KQsD
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwWgbjFRr5w
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnGFrOQigkD
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzkWwZSwvzp
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 her55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4F73jTY0FD
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf2wbPHH1XR
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZLfb8C5Mf4
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQgsBMCVt8
left, the landlord and his family went off joyfully on their trip.
Standing in front of the door, Tresa caught her breath and55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDpu14FCXx
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xzRugGlQx
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE36oS2axsh
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxvh7a8fOH
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpZEBXHXw9x
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61pilU0ny7
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuAqvUrj23F
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUDGre4jVp
inside?
"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdMIp3c4g3V
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLOB2D9bo1
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjPOsQ8Mrq
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHGcDtOLh3U
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6q9wvMXcwh
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMsVkKl90M0
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjatgJFt3NE
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDx1gsQcOG
dressed afterward.
After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs41NkUPoit
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLxJhQ4z5tt
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFa5rmmF8fb
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhygrkYgsQd
face had also turned red as she silently marvelled, "He has abs!"
Once they both calmed down, Tresa began unpacking while Lloyd55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDdP4QSwLj
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZHTQcvd41
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe536730R1f
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDDRPsT2mgQ
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3DQP5EOzY
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjQ3Q82tfo
the door before he could respond.
Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRL5iy0LCbl
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlFL8mENCr
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmqmBuApOqS
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCvEUZjz9v
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDdJPENL0C
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUvLrNLxwGl
it off casually, "No worries, it’s just noodles. Let’s eat."
As they sat down to eat, Tresa only took a few bites before55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYmJcEQ0Mo
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGJg2OdDjV3
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1krUGoC2a
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWd0jk8nWjs
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNFbQSYl6U
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjjQLkUIbQG
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9HZ0uHnbCh
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtILjItaECV
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQyvQxs35Wm
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5knyXh39pj
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsnxx9aHsj
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOsJVCPysuj
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxArGERWUV
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5docwJ4ZP
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLXKn8Swx6
at home."
"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdg0KWEAaZ
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsAP970wezF
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3fOaxy6SC
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKnq5p8efn
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgVPuVqkXV
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 go55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMfanJrI2C
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWdehnyNwC
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless55Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYhDgwwOQRM
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
ns 15.158.61.37da2
