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 had101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZq1tpuE79F
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndRb2yfWgr
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Dc7wmuoCv
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR2O05peX4b
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 her101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWVNJsxBIa
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1mv0CYd8ar
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxY41nWYIIH
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUnxLO5PBwX
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 and101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNbe4Ybb8r
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKqEOCEaoM
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvad1XuxTIf
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7BSrWMHasc
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiyRsqEAnWi
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGC08zElSte
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡymgLI6IXCb
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnYWYUQQ5K2
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyZhbXlO0s9
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUa1f6MVEnn
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJItlY20h0
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1afGvQU3aw
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjghVYgSUK9
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdI7Re9AfbF
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCrrtB2yrle
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauMcGOjazf
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8tIWpfcwd2
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VpjAhLSAz
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzDkvqUDck
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5atfN3qEv
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 Lloyd101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ81qsKCUQAv
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwOgEwAF05O
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9f64CUxOKD
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcfqcqNNgrT
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOVkitz3HAU
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLda9IkzHF
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM6Q053ded8
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSaQf0HO9H
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUfO59YQJ3
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyoqjw7ILQA
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGVOjfxacrb
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39bsYbADns
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 before101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRi6bU7OaSP
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPlU8wyvch3
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOgYCZU3iz
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsVW6XLQWb
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8wPce1v2p
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcZKpRigMao
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40PcDZ9Dkh
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTPEguNjn1q
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHRTluRPjw
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9a4Hq2Via
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwIFbLJgpT
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZv22MsWKk
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUp6fRHyOMa
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnF1RAX13E
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZ9k0MViPa
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnaY4Ga6sGC
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT6kLPIOYZ4
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpRgGhTENP
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxV88sQqz8Z
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtgCEa6jhR
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 go101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrMImFOYKWc
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVYtk9h72ID
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless101Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGgaI5WeJkh
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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