After school Marinette and Nino met at the zoo while Adrien tries coach Nino and Alya tries coach Marinette from afar encouraging them in their respective dates; Adrien was trying to get Nino to confess to Marinette while Alya wanted Marinette to be on a date with Adrien thinking that he was going to show up. The pair waited for Adrien to "arrive" while Adrien efforts Nino to confess his feelings only for him to impulsively tell Marinette he was in love with her best friend Alya upon hearing the confession Adrien was shoickingly confused, Alya was shockingly upset, and Marinette was shockingly happy for Alya. While trying to setup a date between Alya and Nino they heard Kim and Max scream running past them away from an akumatized person that was transformed into a panther also letting loose the animals of the zoo. Once Marinette and Adrien tranformed into Ladybug and Cat Noir they attempted to capture Animan with them being stopped by the stampeding animals he let loose then Cat Noir suggested that they recage the animals but Ladybug knew that the animals wouldn't be so compliant. The animals went berserk throughout the zoo while Alya and Nino ran away in fear from the animals; Ladybug quickly seized them both leading them to a cage for safety closing them in while she and Cat Noir stop Animan.
After getting sealed in the cage by Ladybug, Nino tries to break the akwardness of their situation by performed what he thought was a cool gesture only for Alya to become upset at it. Sensing the tension around them Nino decided to start a conversation with Alya once more only to find that it would be harder than he thought since Alya and him didn't really speak to each other one on one that they only spoke to each other once their friends or classmates were around. The only thing he could think of was to ask her how long she thinks they will be trapped in the cage only for it to blow up in his face. Alya was clearly becoming more aggravated at their situation so Nino further questioned if she was feeling alright noticing how tense she was but little did he know it was a landmine question that would fracture their friendship. Alya grew with rage lashing out on their situation and directing it all her anger towards Nino with making the last statement really stick to him so the he would leave her alone. Nino was always getting teased by others growing up which he ignored until moment because this was coming from a person he thought of as friend and it felt devestating towards him. He remarked how hurt he was to hear the insult stating he only wanted to start a conversation with her then Alya starkly told him that he got his conversation harshly asking him if he was happy now; Nino felt more distraught at Alya's harsh words. Feeling guilty Alya began to realize that she was going too far and using Nino to dump all of her rage onto then she began to try to calm herself down thinking of what she has done. Alya began to take slow relaxing breathes to reduce her anger as Nino feeling belittled asked if she was feeling any better only getting a snap remark to zip it; he quickly complied.
They began to sit down realizing they may be there for awhile so they might as well get comfy to talk things out and repair their fractured friendship at the very least; Alya spoke as she finally began to calm down apologizing to Nino for yelling at him due to their situation telling him he didn't deserve it. Nino quickly forgave Alya saying it was okay that she was just upset at being trapped in a cage and there was nothing wrong feeling the way she did but could of at least said it in a better way. She explained that it wasn't just that she also revealed that she overheard his conversation with Marinette about how he was in love with her. Nino was astonished at first but then became a little embarrassed while he gathered his thoughts and feelings he then decided to tell her the truth because he felt that he could trust her. Nino admitted that he was nervous talking to Marinette while Alya became bewildered to why he was nervous he explained that it was Marinette he had a crush on and not on her that he panicked and only could think of her name to throw off Marinette. Alya reacted with confusion at the news that he was in love with Marinette she then began to ask why he felt that way towards her best friend. Nino remarked how kind and cute Marinette was while Alya began teasing Nino that she was Marinette's best friend making him blush in embarrassment thinking she would tell Marinette what he thought of her. Alya advised him that if he would continue to pursue Marinette the he would just end up heart broken then he realized Marinette's heart belonged to another; Nino became upset when he figured out like all the other girls she too was in love with Adrien and that the reason she was there in the first place was to see Adrien. Nino confronted Alya if it was Adrien that Marinette was in love with; only to be given a quick denial that seemed like she was obviously lying about who she really loved. He quickly tried to recover from his broken heart telling Alya that it did not matter who it was Marinette loved and began to tell the story about how Adrien and him were walking through Paris two days ago. Nino reflected on the day Adrien snuck away from his bodyguard to hang out with him at a local music shop upon traveling the sidewalk a bunch of Adrien's fans called out to him rushing towards them pushing Nino out of the way and onto the ground. Nino became visibly discouraged but kept on continuing his story of how out of the entire crowd Marinette came over to help him off the ground asking if he was alright. Alya remarked that those people wanted to be with a celebrity and did not care for Adrien's personal space nor his safety for those type people shouldn't matter to him. Her words had the opposite affect on him as Nino became jealous continuing the story of how people treated Adrien compared to him making him bitter towards Adrien for the first time as friend; that people throughout his life people always viewed him as weird or a loser without really getting to know him. Memories of the past came onto Nino when he began to curl up into field position with tears rolling down his cheeks while Alya was bewildered at this new side of Nino she didn't even know existed. Alya came closer to Nino trying to comfort him wiping away his tears reassuring him that Marinette was only doing what came natural to her and she didn't do anything out of her character while the others were just rude and should just be ignored. Nino again felt belittled telling Alya that it didn't matter who it came from it still hurts; upon remembering their recent argument the last words about how she didn't want to be stuck with him echoed in his head. His memories of the past abuse came to the surface bringing him tears as Alya softly embraced him then slowly pulling away gathering her thoughts and feelings.
Alya reaffirmed him that he deserves to be loved and that any girl would be lucky to have him as a boyfriend also telling him that she too felt jealous towards her best friend Marinette. She began to say how with him that makes two people in their class that fell in love with Marinette and how she has a personality that draws people towards her except for Chloe. She mentions how jealous she was of how good of a person Marinette is blaming her own faults for not finding someone to love for like any teenage girl she too wants to be loved by, date, and kiss a boy but then when she viewed it from a different point that jealousy became admiration toward Marinette. Alya also reminded him that she also was a girl and that now she feels like she truly understands him now listing all the qualities she saw in him from the past up until today. Nino thanked Alya for her compliments blushing at the last part where she called him handsome feeling better he decided to return the favor complimenting her for now he was starting to see her in a different way. He gave Alya a well detailed list of her qualities he knew she had making her blush at the remark of being called beautiful as they peered into each others eyes they began to fall in love with each other then a flash of red light past by. Reappearing outside at the zoo Alya was nuzzled into Nino's chest as she slowly gazed upwards blushing while Nino was nervously looking around not trying to get too embarrassed himself. Alya quickly pushed him away trying to evade further embarrassment now that people were magically returning in the zoo along with the animals reappearing in their rightful cages. Shaking her embarrassment off Alya suggested that they head over to Marinette's family bakery as Nino's stomach began growl at the thought of the baked goods he agreed to get some cookies to share with her. Alya scoffed at the idea of sharing the cookies but with some pleading Nino got her to agree to share the cookies together as he slowly took her hand leading them out of the zoo towards Marinette's place. Upon reaching the bakery Nino suggested he go in and get the cookies while Alya would wait outside to see if she could get a hold of Marinette who has been missing since the attack at the zoo earlier today. Alya began to call Marinette wondering where she was when Marinette's voice began apologizing for trying to set up a date with Nino at the zoo only to run into her in front of the bakery. Nino then came out of her parent's bakery with a fresh bag of cookies lending a cookie to Alya while Marinette stood there shocked at the sight as he offered her a cookie too she quickly asked Alya what was going on. Alya told her that Ladybug locked them in a cage while Nino said that after spending time with Alya in the cage they got to truly know each other and began to clear up the confusion from earlier stating that it was her that he had a crush on and not Alya. Alya nudged Nino on the side telling him not to tell her all the details so he complied while she told Marinette that Adrien was coaching Nino at the zoo remarking how funny it was. Nino returning to the conversation tells Marinette that he heard from Alya that she was in love with a guy; Marinette began to panic as she thought Alya told Nino her secret but Alya shoved Nino aside reaffirming that she didn't say who it was with swearing to Marinette that she doesn't go making decisions for others. Nino told Marinette that he could totally help out only for his foot to be stomped on by Alya's; remarking in pain if he only knew the guy with Alya yelling at him for being nosy he tells Marinette to forget he said anything but restated he could help her Alya again yelled at Nino.
Alya and Nino decided to walk through the park to enjoy the rest of the day as a couple; Alya reached over to the bag of cookies grabbing the last one while Nino peered over to her remarking that he was saving that cookie for later. She snickered at him while telling him that she literally saw an opportunity and took it as Nino was dumbfounded seeing her eat the last cookie as Alya began to tell him next time she tells him to stop the conversation that he stops referring to their conversation with Marinette. Nino remarked on how Marinette was in love with Adrien only for his mouth to be greeted with her hand part way into saying his name as he glanced over to Alya he could only see terrifying anger coming out of her eyes. Alya grabbed his hand with all her strength and led him over to somewhere away from the park crowd to have a private conversation; becoming more terrified Nino stared Alya waiting for her to say something for if he did he could only image something like death would be waiting for him so he stood there like statue mortified what would happen to him. Alya spoke asking him if he remembers what she just said about knowing when to stop a conversation with Nino reaffirming that when she says stop the he should stop upon hearing this Alya grinned that he was listening. Her grin become more maniacal as fury was still in her eyes she uttered in his ear that he would have to be punished for not stop and nosing around Marinette's crush as Alya slowly pulling away grabbing his ear Nino felt petrified not being able to move the only thing he could do was scream out her name as she twisted his ear.