Main character: Tresa(F) & Lloyd(M) //Time: A night in24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡni64xyHluE
winter //Place: A house in E city24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dlGooaCaQ
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The sky was filled with rows of twinkling stars. Tresa had24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡniMb6NxK4F
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyO2m6W8rfc
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN63R8bYUCY
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKpwneSYzf
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 her24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUhAzybo0Q
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQf0O5KkLWz
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGkdxJP6SK
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlTvs1hkCF5
left, the landlord and his family went off joyfully on their trip.
Standing in front of the door, Tresa caught her breath and24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcNhKQoZfW2
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5WEnmiWNk
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkpyVrVMCe6
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGv1D8p68nR
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmvTTFjHaMh
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaNYu35HY4C
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOXOPYsYIc1
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwTdzNaoxhp
inside?
"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yxrFWIoLv
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxH2fBSNov6
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA1GWXVhcZh
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5nb2iHUhp
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgD7FBDyKL
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyjmb6pTJk
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDkXq0GzdKo
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfDxzujpn9
dressed afterward.
After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEO4ZIfet7D
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwePupPBNkn
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvkaW58ugHs
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC8pFbUnqri
face had also turned red as she silently marvelled, "He has abs!"
Once they both calmed down, Tresa began unpacking while Lloyd24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSlEPST80E
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8LsK0HBtj
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVsMM3mrG0
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn84XGQs5bv
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gM0cIOy99
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwkT4PWuZk
the door before he could respond.
Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3VCWXQeiY
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡubmkXFlGcZ
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrP4NhAtW1C
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1JBH5B0P3K
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFzeDM9y0k1
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaM9WgOEJgd
it off casually, "No worries, it’s just noodles. Let’s eat."
As they sat down to eat, Tresa only took a few bites before24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3QuXmouy5t
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1F9Lxgwg7B
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqYxRu0bI5
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5x2wrOEqZO
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQF2aCwAv10
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs8tlZvO6BQ
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxIR5swcbw
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUmFut8yZml
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0ilCxxLL3
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGp7my0IlH
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBRCp9MQ1Ar
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlX7AFA7nd
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUc7W93gwth
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQgwl3YcfZ
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡScdnXvqsUn
at home."
"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7200XaHF1
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECIPn8eXdS
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlX1Dja5qih
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGBHKuLZNdK
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwhurS0CpbK
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 go24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGSOXOZeqQq
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTteEee02gk
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5EfKZDWGZ
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
ns 15.158.61.54da2
