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 had102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7duPNw6e81
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡManieXKEAw
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNyl9dLB48
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdogm9E73te
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 her102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfRUZJGqQl
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡitafS1nDYg
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2MkvN9wV4B
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXUtgcVlS2
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 and102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9fHzaFFjB1
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgKHDhDzbx
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoSj8XvpbB
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwvaiF3zaw
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9YAiNThq0u
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzoyNgv3ARk
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4RfqUtKo0
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWMHsKGG50Y
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgaG7rNdA2
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrXlLfbmuL9
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBk2gtRrNnI
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzlPaCsluGM
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqgAPISTJz
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2xMahu02m
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJwoGiXAPf
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsSLrppbhNk
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCjo9maKGV
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJRl05stYN7
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3lM3mjC5Nl
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsBfTv1jkBo
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 Lloyd102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4VJAcDZUu
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ56h4EWLPh6
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuNgj2yFHZu
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuB60tRPVYv
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqH6NPAyhlT
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWsSx26yRCH
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyLFWiV9GXL
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCmp2R2Ehbl
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4sTsgUjKGq
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GuXvT1HMc
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnVRFXEvxs
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlYvTFjdiwO
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 before102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2DKyODaaBU
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1f300umMA
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9QfHZ8VYIe
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV9Mi1QpPNL
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx9ZQa7PBB5
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9OIVD84Ts
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNHQXGT7cfE
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWuTFb5v89c
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnDi2m2H7J
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZgaIv3SwQG
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnQAqsHs6n
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMGQZifghv
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDmVud4cqwR
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvpGqAYeYU
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPfKenXkpG
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0XjrDsC2HC
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNESMjqtiQP
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOihICYrCh
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOzFdcYSRoX
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8kAW4bwml
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 go102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDgDYWTtty7
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Nww65rl1t
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless102Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ29kcBe69gS
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
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