A Lady's Choice

8

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   Adrien hummed in thought before writing something in his notebook.

   "Okay, that doesn't sound too bad so far. What else can I put?" Adrien thought out loud. He gnawed on his pencil's eraser thoughtfully.

   "What are you doing, Mister Agreste?"

   Adrien had a miniature heart attack. He played hot potato with his notebook for a few seconds before finally managing to close it. The blonde's cheeks went red from embarrassment and arranged himself to look like a "normal sitting person." Yet, he only sat awkwardly on the bar stool with a weird smile.

   "M-Marinette! Hey, what's up? Ho-How long have you been here?" he asked quickly. The raven-haired teen found his antics odd but didn't question it. Being odd was normal behavior for Adrien so it really wasn't anything unusual.

   "I had just arrived. My grandparents will be up here in a moment so prepare yourself," Marinette warned.

   The Chengs, Sabine, and Marinette went to the park to review tea time manners. From what he spied from the window, it was more of a fancy picnic. Tom was working in the bakery.

   Adrien stayed at the Dupain-Cheng residence since he wasn't needed. The reason for him being here was to wait and visit a senior center once they finished their tea party.

   And it seemed like they just did get done.

   "Okay," Adrien said, avoiding Marinette's very first question.

There was no way he was going to let Marinette know what he was doing until his thing was finished. He feels like a total dork for doing it in the first place. He didn't want to screw it up and make himself look like a bigger idiot than what Marinette already sees him as.

Voices could be heard coming from the stairwell, making Adrien hurriedly react. He shoved his notebook under the first place he could hide it: under a couch cushion.

Adrien fixed himself and took his place next to Marinette. Like a light switch, Adrien went from himself to a gentleman in the time the door opened.

"Welcome back, Mr. And Mrs. Cheng and Mrs. Dupain-Cheng," Adrien greeted, bowing out of respect.

"Greetings, Suitor," Mrs. Cheng acknowledged before making her way over to the couch along with her husband. Sabine went into the kitchen to clean the dishes used during the tea session.

Adrien and Marinette stiffened when the two Chengs sat down. Much to their luck, Marinette's grandparents were none the wiser of the notebook.

"Child, you and your suitor will be volunteering at an old folks home today after lunch. That...baker peasant will escort you there and pick you up," Mrs. Cheng explained.

"Excuse me, mother," Sabine nudged her way into the conversation, voice thick with venom, "That baker peasant's name is Tom, respectfully so. And he is unable to escort them. He is working. All by himself, I might add since you will not allow me to help him. I will escort them."

"Please, daughter. Only peasants dirty their hands so people like us do not have to. It is how the social food chain works," Mrs. Cheng replied just as sharply.

"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted. You will volunteer but me and my husband will not be there to watch. We have business to attend to—much more important than baking cookies."

Sabine's eye twitched, doing all she could not to blow up.

"But that does not mean I do not want you on your best behavior! You are representing our family name so do not tarnish it! I want to hear only good things from the workers," Mrs. Cheng finished.