Main character: Tresa(F) & Lloyd(M) //Time: A night in51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnb1mcVYRgr
winter //Place: A house in E city51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEa0wnh9WT4
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The sky was filled with rows of twinkling stars. Tresa had51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJYZZavr2SJ
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡilCrgTtFfr
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjKeYSMqkqJ
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLP6CtFISsC
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 her51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2Py4BNCYz
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zSyAlCyv8
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ47EFmkZujl
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcpLBqHC9nc
left, the landlord and his family went off joyfully on their trip.
Standing in front of the door, Tresa caught her breath and51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGhTmMRS72I
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZ1ofsBUif
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrr80SVryel
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dQOpcQCtx
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNriJG7WC4S
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHK9UbgsrtL
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPDtHCdlj8
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBjgPP5ljwf
inside?
"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRA96rocJb2
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWamtqFrSO
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTBQixri6G
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡddjSWcJiXj
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DOpXBlSRq
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqqnACRSTW
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡryvWpTmh91
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uQTLiB6GT
dressed afterward.
After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRixJUjvCwD
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOSbRFWSu0
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKqIOLH9cl
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaieqqaojRe
face had also turned red as she silently marvelled, "He has abs!"
Once they both calmed down, Tresa began unpacking while Lloyd51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgfv5lNlDh4
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9h5CSkRhHx
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Rw3M9rJgh
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhIDoQ1Of4
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFPOei1Zhb
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyBUq9W0jA
the door before he could respond.
Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcAesRvcg3g
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKWcmlZuUBs
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaz0G6VzgFc
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr9lJgyT7Gf
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYouSamHiR
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBwPl5ocBO
it off casually, "No worries, it’s just noodles. Let’s eat."
As they sat down to eat, Tresa only took a few bites before51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3Dj6T24li
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6HeoEVIf1
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEUCGGEbOL
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4kr6oNdaMz
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjPp5hTIcU
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlixSjliFac
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xrmyE5kXj
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2vcIhxfPU
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26hAQFhAvv
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0SFDnmpOES
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAGv4I5JWzi
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuS2tNGD5g
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmH2uA7LOHI
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0HbLMkbUf
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw18pgAhSR4
at home."
"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDtdJd3Rwzq
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6zSaFxss2
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqlMWlpnZOA
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3UDnD4nPPp
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLyk48k7Eh
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 go51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM9wjJDGum6
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3WgOpFrQJ
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless51Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtxUKzdWxO
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
ns 15.158.61.20da2
