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 had341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyzfmnmFFn
just gotten off the plane, taken a train and bus for another hour, and was341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqiJQROUR3y
wrapped in layers of thick clothing. Yet, the starry sky didn’t captivate her.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeISTfwPhDG
Exhausted, she dragged two heavy suitcases and a backpack, struggling to341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7qBrfltSx1
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 her341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijvQmxFLGZ
housemates had planned to return to their hometowns, and the landlord decided341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKC3xAy2A4a
to take his family on a vacation. He had repeatedly instructed everyone to lock341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71vQWPsbzg
all windows and turn off the devices before leaving. After the last housemate341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZepGjxzdFl
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 and341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6uO53O32nW
reached into her backpack to find her keys, but after searching for a while,341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo91yUs9r7D
she couldn’t find them! Panic began to set in. The landlord and her housemates341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRxzQrcKwpb
were all gone, and there was no one inside to help her. She was completely alone341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xp9dePCdC
and helpless—was she going to be locked out? Just as she was debating whether341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8nMbLYs8xk
to break in and pay for the damages later, the door suddenly opened from the341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTGCGocmvh
inside! Startled, she stepped back, but then recognized her housemate, Lloyd.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsVXHDgRmYp
Relieved, she was also puzzled—no one was supposed to be home. Why was he still341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX3FlJOteZL
inside?
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"Welcome back! Come on in, it’s freezing outside,"341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcu4o75aqF
Lloyd said with a smile. Just as she was about to ask him why he was still341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5XjZbF59no
there, she noticed that Lloyd was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist,341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGaBrLKLFE
his upper body completely bare. Shocked, she nearly screamed, but Lloyd seemed341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfIizXzZoj
unfazed, remaining calm as he helped carry her suitcases inside. Swallowing her341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUzNjGcTOb
questions, she awkwardly suggested, "It's really cold—maybe you should put341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp5HK4zTbQc
on some clothes first." Only then did Lloyd realize he had just come out341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaY7Ri67JF
of the shower. Still calm, he carried her suitcases upstairs, promising to get341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZo7kuR3N8j
dressed afterward.
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After Lloyd left her suitcases outside her room and she341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gl35IAooU
thanked him, he returned to his room and closed the door. Behind it, he covered341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIZ9qtX8V0
his face, cringing at the embarrassing situation. "That was so341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdUsc9uK6Yv
awkward!" he thought. Little did he know, inside her own room, Tresa’s341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUR2gAd3G5P
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 Lloyd341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6Dr5ZERIY
got dressed and went downstairs to prepare dinner. Knowing they were the only341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNaSoPLToMI
two in the house, Lloyd knocked on Tresa’s door and asked, "I’m making341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfC6HV3mx6T
noodles. Would you like some?" Without warning, she opened the door and341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYnysEU2Lr
handed him a large bag of snacks with a smile. "I’ve got a ton of snacks.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx5C6Dg3WVo
Let’s have them together after the noodles!" she said, then quickly shut341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZh3vQ2xcS0
the door before he could respond.
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Lloyd blinked in confusion. Did that mean he was supposed to341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB4rpwuZMq7
cook for her too? Shrugging, he decided to make an extra portion anyway—he341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhj9lHUI2st
figured he could eat it if she didn’t. He took the large bag of snacks she had341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMuxDsrdTO
given him and placed it on the dining table before heading to the kitchen. When341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2N4ZtbQQXS
the noodles were ready, Tresa came downstairs with a disappointed expression.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwqB7FxPqh
"I wanted to help, but I guess I was too late!" she said. Lloyd waved341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5L4op35hfk
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 before341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeaKzCim8T5
she put down her utensils, dug through the snack bag, and pulled out a variety341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwBam8Gg3f
of instant snacks—dried eggs, mini sausages, and other unfamiliar foods.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbI1k7YZWp
Curious, Lloyd watched as she went to the kitchen to grab scissors, came back,341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwzi13Kd9h
and started cutting open the packages, sprinkling the snacks into her noodles341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQZle1bnFR
and mixing them. She took a bite, her face lighting up with satisfaction.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEOEqISL9AA
Noticing Lloyd staring at her, she pushed the bowl toward him, offering him a341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgXzCIF8L8i
taste. Hesitant, Lloyd pointed at her bowl. She nodded, encouraging him to try.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuTOXoumMPr
After confirming a few times, Lloyd finally took a bite. To his surprise, he341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOh7R39lr0
said, "It actually tastes pretty good like this!"
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Smiling, Tresa handed him some of the same snacks, along341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2iEhyujr4
with the scissors. "Want to make yours the same?" she asked. Without341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGIb78V4Fj
hesitation, Lloyd took them, mixed the snacks into his own bowl, and after a341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9TCCbLRDqa
bite, nodded in approval. "This is really good!"
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As they ate, Tresa suddenly remembered something.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZiTAc9eyK
"Weren’t you supposed to go home for the break? I thought I’d be the first341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtEY0u2E5G
one back. Good thing you were here to let me in."
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Lloyd shrugged. "Yeah, I just got back. Nothing special341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOsBdWREh8
at home."
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"Really? Don’t you miss your family?" she asked,341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLAs1anmIUm
recalling a night when he had silently cried while gazing at the moon. Lloyd341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbv0gmyfNg
paused for a moment, then softly said, "…My grandma passed away last year.341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2RSeiqmjAm
After that, I haven’t had any family left."
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Tresa was stunned by his words. She lowered her voice and341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOHJlXtYI1
said, "I’m so sorry to hear that."
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Lloyd shook his head gently. "It’s okay. I just went341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx33tFNakoN
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 go341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVq3n4vMBSr
check it out!" She grabbed her coat and pulled Lloyd outside. Together,341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyo5w1OdFOm
they looked up at the night sky, watching as the snowflakes fell like countless341Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn81KYkqcBW
tiny diamonds under the light of the full moon—beautiful and serene.
End
ns216.73.216.134da2
and then Add to home screen.