Adrienette Love Story

Chapter 29

"We can carry those, miss."

Kagami warily eyed the pair of guards her mother sent along. "Mother has ensured I've done physical training for the whole of my life. Do you think I am unable to handle a few-wheeled bags?"

One guard had the sense to look contrite. "Tsurugi-san ordered us to see you on the plane."

Her brows rose. "I've already checked in and gone through security."

"Are you ready to do this?" Adrien inhaled, offering his hand to her to deter the guards.

"And here is my travel companion." Kagami smiled widely, putting on a show of accepting with far more fondness than she felt. "Are you sure everything is ready?"

He nodded.

"Then we'll be off." Kagami smiled curtly. "On our own."

The guards straightened their shoulders. "Safe travels, young miss."

Grinning, Kagami eagerly spun away from the guards, striding out to the flight deck. "Now, what do I need to know?"

Adrien still held onto her hand just in case eyes were still on them. At least there was no one to record them once they started walking out on the tarmac.

"Nino arranged for a driver to pick us up and take us to the train station once we're back off the plane. And I've got a little something from his hacker to interrupt the signal for just a moment to loop it. We'll have to scan our passports on the train, but Max confirmed that the record isn't publicly available for quite a while afterward."

She smirked. "By the time they'd be tracked, it would be too late for them to notice."

"Did you get everything you needed?"

"Luka and I stopped together around lunchtime to have a civil ceremony. We can't trust that Mother won't try to counter anything once we're starting to travel, so this is to ensure we've registered it fully before she could even start to unravel anything. His father's very capable girlfriend, who also used to be his producer, ensured that the paperwork wouldn't be filled until next week." Kagami smirked. "Thankfully, she's also arranging the second leg of our trip."

Adrien exhaled the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "That is a relief."

Things were going almost a little too well.

Until they got on the plane.

Nino blinked as he hefted the tray of food into the storage shelf. "I didn't know you would be here."

"The feeling is mutual." Alya sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring out into the cabin where Adrien and Kagami were moving the bags into place. "I'd much rather be with Marinette today."

Nino scowled, keeping busy as he stocked up the tiny kitchenette. He pushed Alya half hoping she would take the hint to keep up the ruse. "It's too late to change the plan now."

"Of course, it is." She hissed, not nearly quietly enough. "None of this bothers you any. You made sure you're getting everything you wanted."

Adrien frowned at the pair. Considering how willing Nino was to go over and talk to Alya before, it had never occurred to him that they wouldn't exactly get along.

"Alya..." Nino sighed, throwing a worried glance over his shoulder before leaning in a little closer to whisper. "Can we just work together to get through this trip? Then everything can go back to the way it was."

Shoulders slumping wearily, Alya massaged her temples. "Honestly, Nino? I'm not even sure any of that's possible anymore."

As soon as he could, Adrien pulled Nino to the side as he headed back down to get another crate. "Do you need some help bringing up the rest of the bags?"

The flight crew still had the cockpit opened, the co-pilot stuck his head back into the cabin. "We can help with those, sir."

Adrien plastered on his best model smile quickly. They couldn't risk being overheard "I'd rather you focus on getting us out of here as soon as possible."

"Very well, sir." Thankfully, they closed the cockpit door right after.

Nino set up Max's override gadget before they headed down.

Kagami nodded and headed to the back of the plane with Alya.

Wasting no further time, Adrien headed back down the stairs to grab the last of their bags. Once Nino had joined him safely out of hearing range, Adrien asked. "What's going on with you and Marinette's friend?"

"I've got no idea why Alya is so irritated with me right now."

"Were you rude when you talked with her the other night?"

Nino frowned. "I don't think so. You heard a bit of it anyways."

Adrien pulled his phone out of his pocket, handing it over to Nino. Kagami had sent him the app and he had recorded the footage in the car ride over. "Just play nice over the trip... At least until we can all safely board the ship."

"You can count on me," Nino assured, hefting the second large bag up the steps to the little luggage alcove. "You have a backup phone?"

"I'll message you from it once it is safe."

"Kim will have your bags already in the car by the time he picks you both up."

They knew they needed to move fast, so Kagami and Alya and he and Nino had been wearing matching outfits, which would make it easier to hide once the jumpsuit was handed off.

Kagami handed over her jacket. "It will get cold being up in the air for so long. Mother never really splurged on the heating."

Alya looked genuinely grateful as Kagami handed her jacket over, with her phone in the pocket. She set about showing her how to use the holographic modifier.

Once the luggage had been stowed, Adrien glanced back to watch Nino head to the hidden alcove to remove the jumpsuit.

Nino pulled Alya to the side to chat but wasn't nearly as quiet as he assumed he was. "Why are you steamed? We just have to game and sleep until we land. Plus, won't this be a crazy scoop for you once the dust settles?"

"Work isn't the only thing that worries me." Alya's eyes narrowed, glancing over at him. "I'm watching out for Marinette."

"Adrien is the best dude. He'll take care of her."

Adrien smiled. Nino was the one who was the best.

"That's what I'm worried about." Alya sighed. "Marinette has only known him for a week and has already put her whole life on hold for him."

"Not just for Adrien, Alya. You said yourself that Marinette isn't happy where she's been working. Can you just try and hide whatever's bothering you while we're on the flight?" Nino frowned, resting his hand on her shoulder. "They're already nervous about everything."

She nodded.

Nino frowned. "You're that worried about Marinette?"

Alya sighed. "Until this last week, she'd been totally in love with this guy she'd been chatting with for years. So much so that I can't believe she would let him go so quickly. It's so like her to help out like this because she feels bad for him, but I'm afraid that she's going to get herself hurt."

Nino sighed, heading back to the bathroom to leave the suit for Adrien to change into. "This is going to be a long flight."

Safely in their borrowed jumpsuits and holographic masks, Kagami and Adrien hurried off the plane, pressing the button to seal the doors behind them.

Kagami glanced at him as they strode off the runway and into the hangar. "Are you alright?"

Adrien frowned, peering back over his shoulder as the plane started to move. "I'm not sure."