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 had71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvCVLdHIWV
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSsCDBMHNlI
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSrMtRqX06
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa00OODMrif
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 her71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTtUHMmt6uA
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYP14Efq18
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ76uHl7TgU
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJLqHl6s9L0
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 and71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Eg8m2acEN
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡptEfMJJ8N9
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFcepwEp9B6
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRdVtOh1WFc
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7TqW1YjT0j
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRPHo6t0n4
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFvZLMLiCp2
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTNQ6b1jau
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSUV4Y5COp3
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFm3ybbmP9A
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrspgToV3ru
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVo2VS8mRno
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡukLB4GT4y4
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk7zRpntO6b
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkqlnXtoBS6
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlV02bRK9H
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPXpqM7kLgC
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLoeYGSlfw
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIavHFMxIih
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk29q2JFCdW
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 Lloyd71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvTHQSeAuF
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeoFUWNSrRv
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtSeuSUx7j
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKAR9TgPm9
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DHJoq9mPd
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡquxofu8vxJ
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCUDzTnX8T
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1gBFlxFWj
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLvNyb2kpFj
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqDjgXDs5k
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHCz93lGeM
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg96j1rzPsV
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 before71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT0sVrBD2lZ
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaO5pp7gJlf
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYwTa1l5RB
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtNGvYqA2y
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdqAt25MkL
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7zOqDl9Kcx
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeUoaDZlES
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqviufCPGa
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8i4lxZCII
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUMgehglPq4
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPIUgexMRmn
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡullAfcmiw4
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFf8nqT8n0
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZDZlD0dgAB
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNtepmIEzR
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMPBzjDlY7m
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFsPvxLV0f7
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs0GfJktD89
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLssjJO3u39
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQC1yBVmDJ
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 go71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB8AraxOQLT
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡViPrQRJ9zf
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless71Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMpLNlUguCV
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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