"Hey, Marinette," Adrien greeted with the same friendly smile he always give her whenever they talk.
"Uh. . . Hey!" Marinette replied, panicking a little. They were in their classroom. Miss Bustier was in front, but Marinette didn't understand a thing about what she just said because she was busy thinking about Chat Noir — it's been two weeks but she's still confused about her feelings.
"Miss Bustier said we'll be paired up for our activity today," Adrien explained as soon as he realized that Marinette is clueless about what's happening.
"Okayyyy," she said, smiling a little too wide. She didn't really know how to react. "What about Kagami?"
Adrien stole a glance at his girlfriend. "She's paired up with Max. I asked Miss Bustier if she can be paired with me instead, but she said no," he explained. "I think she'll be okay."
Ouch, Marinette thought to herself. Does he really have to tell me that he'd prefer if Kagami's his partner?
She shook the thought away, telling herself that Adrien didn't say that to offend her. The guy was just too honest and definitely had no intention to hurt her feelings in any way.
Right after Adrien briefed her with the task they have, they started working on it. For a moment, Marinette wished that they'd stay like that forever — just like before Kagami entered the picture. . . Just like before everything got messed up and started to change.
But she knows it's not possible anymore.
"You look tired, Ladybug," Chat Noir said when he found her sitting at the roof of the hotel of the Bourgeois.
Ladybug forced a smile. "I haven't really recharged my energy since that akuma attack earlier," she reasoned out.
Chat Noir nodded understandingly, sitting beside her.
Ladybug really looked tired. Her eyes look heavy. The akumatized villain they had to fight earlier really drained her. Then right after defeating it, she ran an errand for her parents, delivering their orders to the customer's respective homes. It exhausted her more.
To be honest, she wanted to just stay at home and tell Chat Noir that she'd skip the night patrol tonight, but she can't. It's the only time he'd get to spend with Chat Noir peacefully.
And if she'd be honest, she misses the time when she's the only one that Chat Noir sees.
"Hey, Ladybug," Chat Noir called.
"Yes?"
"When you said you like this guy, how did you know?" he asked.
"Uh," Ladybug was having trouble answering his question. "I don't know. . . Why?"
"Well, no offense, Ladybug," Chat Noir said, trying to make the ambiance light. "But I think I'm starting to like this girl. . . The girl my father wanted for me." Ladybug stared directly at the moon, avoiding Chat Noir's gaze. "She's really quiet at first — the reason why I think everyone seems to misunderstood her. But she's really nice. She knows how to have fun too," he continued, a smile making its way to his face. "At first, I thought the only reason I gave her a chance was because I wanted to move on, but I think I'm really starting to like her."
There was a long moment of silence before Ladybug knew she had to face him.
"Great," she smiled. "I'm so-so happy for you, Chat!" She tried to sound as cheerful as she is. "You should tell her!"
"I will."
Ladybug forced a smile. That was the moment she realised that she did successfully moved on from Adrien who's already with someone now. . . But that was also the moment she realised that she has fallen for Chat Noir instead.
And again, that was the moment she realised that she has to move on and just be happy for Chat Noir.
So with a smile on her face, she tried her best to be a good friend to Chat Noir and listened to him talk about someone else.