"Meeting Gabriel"

They reached Adrien's home – as Marinette confessed to herself – definitely too soon. If Gabriel Agreste came back from his business trip, it would be over within a few minutes. She felt like her stomach did a triple somersault. Had Adrien felt the same before "the serious talk" with her parents? Nah… Her parents were always nice and friendly to him. And Gabriel Agreste was like an iceberg. Like Elsa from "Frozen" but without ability to love. No chance to melt the ice in his heart.

Adrien and Marinette walked in together holding their hands. Gabriel Agreste was standing on the stairs in front of the entrance. He was observing them in silence. Marinette reminded herself the day when she had brought back the spell book. What a terrifying experience! And now, she was going to experience something even worse. What if Gabriel wanted to humiliate her in front of his son?

"Good afternoon, son." Gabriel welcomed them coldly. "As I can see, you invited your colleague. Are you going to do homework together?"

"Dad… Uhm… I would like to introduce Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

"I've known her already, Adrien. I think she won the contest for the bowler design you were wearing in our last campaign."

"Yes. But…"

"And very recently she visited us, or rather me, to bring back something lost." he added with a smile, but it wasn't a nice smile. Marinette had an impression that it was kind of evil… Did it mean that Adrien's father saw them through?

"Marinette told me that she had brought the book back." Adrien replied calmly. "The thing is that… Uhm. I'd like to tell you that Marinette is my girlfriend now."

"Your girlfriend?" Gabriel was surprised. "I thought you were in love with Ladybug."

"Dad!" Adrien exclaimed blushing.

"Really?" Marinette decided to take the opportunity and acted as betrayed or disappointed girlfriend.

"No, Marinette." Adrien joined the play. "It's not what you're thinking. Don't listen what my dad's saying. He must have mixed something up."

"Yes, yes. Apparently, I must have mixed something up…" Gabriel smiled slyly.

Marinette realised that he could see their plan through. They didn't convince him. What should she do now? A scene of jealousy? Nope, it wasn't her style. It would be more like her to leave and spend the rest of her life in the bedroom, preferably under a blanket.

"No, it's OK, Adrien." She replied quietly. "Really. You know… I knew it was too perfect to be real. I think… I'd better go."

"No! Marinette, please. Don't go!"

But she left anyway. Adrien looked at his father with reproach and said:

"What have you done, dad?"

"I had the best intentions…" Gabriel muttered, observing Adrien run after his girlfriend.

Marinette stopped at the gate. She knew Adrien would follow her. They had to play their roles to the end, and the gate was the best stage to do it. There were so many cameras and microphones that Gabriel Agreste would have the best picture and sound to eavesdrop their talk.

"Marinette, wait!"

"You didn't have to follow me." She replied. "I… I'll be OK…"

"Oh, Marinette. How can I convince you that my father was wrong?"

"How can I compete with someone like Ladybug?" she asked, trying to sound as hopeless as she could.

"Why should you compete with her? I chose you. I love you, not Ladybug."

"But… But your dad said…"

"Oh, come on. A half of teenagers in Paris love Ladybug. My dad probably thinks that I must love her too. Well, maybe I said something like that once or twice…"

"You see?!" she exclaimed.

"I've already explained that to you, Marinette. And I thought I convinced you."

"I don't know why it bothers me so much now. Maybe because your father said that? Or maybe he just reminded me that… that I don't deserve you. Maybe he'd prefer Ladybug to be your girlfriend?"

"I had no idea that you have a Ladybug complex…" He grinned.

"Oh… she's so… so wonderful. And I'm worse than ordinary… I'm clumsy. I always say something wrong. If I care a lot about something, I'll mess it up, for sure."

"No, you're wrong." He denied putting his arm around her. "Remember when Chloe took your design of a bowler? You definitely knew how to prove it was your idea. I didn't notice you were clumsy then. You even convinced my father!"

"That was something completely different!"

"No, Marinette. That was you. All of you. Let's go!" he led her back home. "I'm sure you can convince my dad again about how exceptional and wonderful you are." He added kissing her cheek.