"This is a disaster Tikki!", Marinette whispered-yelled at her kwami as she squeezed her head. She was on her balcony watching as the black cat was jumping on every roofs of the city, just to reach his destination. Tikki let out a sigh and concerned look to her owner.
Suddenly, her father called him from downstairs then Marinette's eyes widened in nervousness as she glimpse on her room. "Marinette! Your guest is here!", his father called one more time, a little bit loud. Marinette face palmed then turned back to Tikki who gave Marinette a shrugged then the kwami hid in Marinette's purse. She groaned then went downstairs.
As she took her last step on the stairs, his father immediately pushed him slowly towards the door that's keep on knocking. She slowly opened the door revealing Chat smiling nervously. "Hey.. C-chat", Marinette greeted giving him a nervous smile and a wave. Chat stepped in and greeted back as he waved and chuckled nervously.
Chat immediately planted a kiss on Marinette's cheek then Marinette's father rushed to hug him. Chat immediately wore a nervous smile while he's in his giant arms. "Tom", Sabine said as she patted her husband's arm. Tom immediately chuckled nervously then he puts down the black cat. Then he shoved the bluenette and the blonde towards the table and they took a sit. As they sat down, the nervousness of the blonde and the bluenette didn't lost.
"So, how did you two met?", Tom asked as he put the the appetizer on the table. Marinette immediately looked at the black cat who was enjoyed eating the food. She face palmed and replied calmly as she can, "He saved me once dad", and Chat nodded still chewing his food.
His father enlightened when he heard those words, his smile grew wider and Marinette immediately felt shivers as his father stood up and walked closer to them. She immediately gulped while Chat was still eating not minding what's happening. Suddenly, his father hugged them both and say, "Oh, my little darling has already grown up.. I'm so happy for the both of you".
Chat chuckled nervously, in response while his breathe stopped because of the man's tight grip. And, as well as Marinette. "Dad…. Can't… Breathe…", Marinette managed to say while trying to get out from his father's grasp. They gasped for air and Tom immediately apologized after he put them down then they sat back.
As the dinner was already finished, the blonde-haired cat immediately waved goodbye to the Dupain-Cheng family, kissed Marinette on the cheeks that she immediately returned and Tom hugged him once again and released Chat when he was patted by his wife, again. As the blonde jumped out on every roofs, Marinette immediately excused herself and went to her room. She locked up herself in her room and that's when Tikki flew out from her purse wearing a concerned face.
"Tikki…", Marinette called out her kwami as she tucked herself on her bed. She covered her face with a pillow and started to roll over her bed. "This is a nightmare", she groaned as she kept on hitting her head to her pillow. Tikki let out a sigh and patted Marinette on the back to calm her down.
"It's okay Marinette, but why didn't you confess to him that you're not in love with him?".
Marinette positioned herself into sitting position and she started to explain, "I can't Tikki! He looks so in love with me.. And if I confess that I'm not really in love with him, he'll be so disappointed and Hawk moth will probably akumatized him, and I can't fight my own partner", then she face palmed.
"Guess I'll have to pretend that I'm in love with him.. This is gonna be hard Tikki..". Tikki shrugged.
~~•~~
As the black cat landed on his giant window, he immediately de-transformed and threw himself on the bed while his kwami immediately flew to the cabinet and grab some cheese. Adrien rolled over and over to his bed consciously. Plagg stared at his owner while eating his cheese.
As he finished eating his Camembert, he finally decided to make a word to his owner. "What's the matter Adrien? I feel dizzy of you rolling around your bed..", Plagg asked then he sat down on Adrien's pillow. Adrien immediately sat down as well and gave Plagg a concerned face.
"I felt bad for Marinette, Plagg", he said then he picked him up. Plagg tilted his head in response and the blonde sighed worriedly. "There's nothing wrong about it kid.. Marinette looks kind.. And they owned a bakery - where there's so many precious cheese", Plagg stated while fidgeting his small palms imagining his 'precious stinky cheese'.
Adrien broke his hand and Plagg immediately flew so that he wouldn't fell in the bed. Adrien laid back to his bed and groaned in concern. Plagg patted his back and Adrien tucked his head lower to his pillow. The he raised his head to inhale some air and went back again.
Adrien spoke while his face was still on his pillow and he immediately turned to see Plagg for his response but Plagg gave him a 'what-did-you-say' look. Then he repeated, "Marinette really is a good and kind person but.. You know that I'm in love with Ladybug? And my heart only belongs to her".
Plagg rolled his eyes and groaned. "Then tell her that you're not in love with her.. Easy kid..", Plagg said then he crossed his arms and flew back to the cabinet and grab a cheese and immediately went back in front of his owner. The blonde-haired boy's still in a concerned look then he responded to his black kwami, "I can't Plagg.. She looks so in love with me.. And if I tell that I'm not in love with her, she'll be so disappointed and Hawk moth will probably going to akumatized her, and I can't fight my friend".
"Then learn to love her", Plagg immediately commented to the blonde boy.
Once again, he groaned and laid back down. Thinking of what stupid ideas would came up on his mind just to tell Marinette that he's in love with someone else.
As his thoughts were running inside his head, someone knocked on his door and he immediately got up and headed to his door. He opened the door and Natalie was behind it. He raised an eyebrow and Natalie spoke up, "Adrien, your father wants to see you".
Adrien nod then Natalie walked away followed by the blonde. As they reached the emotionless Gabriel's office, Adrien inhaled and sighed, trying to chill. He's a little bit afraid of his father, that's why he always got nervous when he's father is near to him. Especially when it comes on talking, he always got stunned - like, paralyzed by a bee. He entered his father's office and he stood still, behind the door. His father was busy.. Busy looking at his wife's picture.
The silence was getting really awkward for the blonde boy, so he cleared his throat then Gabriel immediately noticed his son's presence. He turned around - his face was emotionless as a tired person and calm like a sea. He stared at his son and examined him from head to toe. Then he spoke, "Come closer son..", plain, like a newly washed and wiped plate. The blonde immediately walked slowly while his head bowing down, not to capture his father's lifeless blue eyes.
He stopped one meter away from his father still bowing his head down. Then his father spoke again, "Son.. Listen to me.. You have exchanged schedule for one month. No photoshoots, Chinese, fencing and piano lesson..".
Adrien widened his eyes in surprise. He was screaming inside but still he remained calm on the outside. For once, he felt freedom. After those screaming inside, he immediately asked, "Why? And why didn't just Natalie said that directly to me?". He's curious why his father suddenly changed his schedule. It's a miracle for him.
"Because I'm going to Italy tomorrow.. It's about the business, and partnership of the Tsurugi family.. I don't want going out of country but it's for your own good and for the company.. And I'm bringing Natalie and Gorilla with me.. You're free but.. Only but.. Don't you ever bring a friend here or throw a party in our house. No one must knew that I'm gone to Italy, cause people will take advantage of you while we're out.. You get me?".
As his father finished his word, he received a slight nod from his blonde son. Even if his schedule was all cleared up, hearing his father doesn't allow him to bring a friend really broke his heart. He thought he would be free when his father will go to other country, but no. There's still rules even if he's not in his sight. He can't just break his father's rules while his away cause his emotionless and plain father will probably turned into wild, raging beast.
"If someone wants to talk to me, just pretend and say that I'm busy and doesn't want any disturbance, so is Natalie and Gorilla", Gabriel said not even looking at his own son. Once again, Adrien nod in response then sighed slowly. The blonde was about to go out from his father's office when he spoke again, "I'll just get you a cook so that you can still maintain your healthy diet and eat properly". This time, Adrien didn't respond or took a nod or anything. He was just looking at his father's face.
After the long and awkward silence, Adrien immediately excused himself to rest and he got out. As he stepped inside his room, he immediately threw himself on his bed remembering that he had other problems regarding the Dupain-Cheng family. He started to think of a way to make things right. Then he remembered what his father said, "If someone wants to talk to me, just pretend and say that I'm busy and doesn't want any disturbance, so is Natalie and Gorilla".
The word 'pretend' keeps on bugging on his mind. "Guess I'll have to pretend that I'm in love with her.. This is gonna be hard Plagg", the blonde spoke up then he turned to his kwami for response but he was already asleep, probably tired of waiting (which is true). The blonde boy sighed enough to hear for himself then he went to sleep.