Wanted ✘ Luka Couffaine

chapter twelve

The sudden interaction completely catches me off guard. The next thing I know I'm facing the guy I've been texting for the past week or so. The same blonde hair and honey eyes from the bubble tea shop are captured in him, but he looks different in a way. When I first saw him, he was quite flustered.

Now, he appears more confident.

The sun backlights him so that the outline of his hair is a blinding white. It's shorter than Luka's and carefully ruffled, as if he spent a little too much playing with it in the mirror. As for his outfit, he's wearing a slim-fit black tee along with some normal light-wash jeans.

It takes me a moment before I can speak again, and when I do, it comes out a little more high-pitched than usual. "Hey, Kai."

Upon this reaction, his lips tilt up slightly in a knowing smile.

I quickly divert my gaze to the others, who are watching us with very different expressions. Marinette looks insanely happy with this and I know she's going to tease me about this later. What I don't expect however, is Luka. I can't tell if I'm imagining this or not, but his blue eyes seem to be fixed on Kai's hand still resting on my shoulder. Other than that, nothing is readable on his face.

To break the silence that's settled over us, I say to Kai without meeting his gaze, "This is Marinette. I was with her when we met."

Removing his hand from my shoulder, Kai steps forward so he's beside me and shoots her a little wave. "Hi. I'm Kai, but I'm guessing you already know that." He sends me a side-glance, as if knowing I've shared every detail with her.

"Nice to meet you," she says with the addition of her bright smile.

"And this is Luka." As I introduce him, he just extends his hand. The lack of emotion in his features is unfamiliar to me, but at the same time, it's kind of attractive-

I need to stop thinking like this.

My eyes flit to Kai taking Luka's hand in his as they lock gazes. A weird tension manifests between them and it's as if something has been said between them. When they part, the atmosphere softens slightly but there's still an air of unease.

"Let's go inside," Marinette says, utterly oblivious from what just happened between the two.

"Yeah," Luka says, not looking away from Kai.

I'm about to think this is what it will be like for the rest of the night when Kai's serious front falls and a friendly smile takes over. He grabs my hand as we walk in and I instantly feel a blush coming on. He's awfully touchy and comfortable around me for someone I technically just met.

Luka follows us in, tucking his hands into his pockets — a rivalry brewing in his eyes.

Marinette had told me this place was really popular, and as I walk in, I'm not surprised. Notes of popcorn and burnt chocolate linger in the air. The walls are dark, contrasting to the plush red floor. Original arcade machines line this entranceway. There's a small counter with a tired-looking girl behind it. Despite her grumpy appearance, she does her best to greet us with genuine enthusiasm, causing the butterflies to fade.

When we go further in, I instantly spot the famous Ultimate Mecha Strike III, featuring Ladybug and Chat Noir themed characters. Doorways branch off to smaller rooms, filled with even more games. Surprisingly, it isn't too busy. There are a few people having a go at some of the games, but not nearly as many as would be expected on an evening like this.

I'm still very aware of Kai's hand warm against mine. Because of our close proximity, I also catch the faint scent of peppermint on him. I have to admit it's rather enticing.