A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you so much for sticking around for this story! I got my much-needed sleep and even an extra nap after work! :D Actually, my sleep schedule is always terrible during summer, because it's too hot to exist, but I'm still the only person in my workplace who has never slept in! I'm really excited to write the next chapter! Sending you all some love!

Zella Rae - I'm really happy the love has reached you! I firmly believe that the only things we could never have enough of in this world are love and kindness ❤️

16.

Talking didn't come easy for either of them. However, Kagami was Adrien's friend and Marinette wanted for them to get along, if only to be closer to the man every single girl in Paris dreamed of dating. The more they talked, though, the more she warmed up to Kagami until she felt brave enough to ask her: "Can I ask you a question?"

Kagami stared at Marinette, her expression saying nothing. "You just did."

"No, I mean… like…" Marinette tried to gesture what she meant and slumped when Kagami didn't seem to get it. "A question. A personal one."

"Sure." Kagami tensed a little. Whenever she met someone new, there was a moment when people became more comfortable in her presence. She had learned to recognize it and knew that this was it. In Kagami's experience, things could go in two ways: the person asked something about her, like Adrien had done in order to get to know her better, or they asked about Adrien (like Chloé), revealing their true intentions. Kagami made it a point not to bother with anyone who asked about her friend.

"Well… it's embarrassing really." Marinette blushed, suddenly looking more flustered than throughout the entire conversation. In Kagami's eyes, it wasn't a good sign. "Um. It's about A-Adrien."

Nothing in Kagami's trained expression changed, but Marinette could sense that something was different in the atmosphere. It felt somehow despondent, as if all happiness had been sucked out. Which worried her, because she thought things were going pretty great, all things considered.

"I swear! It's not what you think!" She rushed to explain. "I'm just, uh, curious…"

if he has a girlfriend, Kagami finished it in her mind.

"If the man on the photo is really him?" Marinette finished out loud. She held out her phone for Kagami to see what she was talking about, nearly dropping it because she was getting too excited. "Because I don't think it is and it's bugging me."

"What?" Kagami was stunned. She was sure she had heard wrong, Marinette's voice had momentarily overlapped with her thoughts.

"Is this man dreamy… I mean, Adrien! Mr Agreste!" Marinette corrected herself this time, realizing how weird it might sound to Kagami, if someone who had met the man only twice called him by his first name.

Kagami blinked. She laughed – a sight so rare that it confused Kagami more than it confused Marinette. Apparently she had to reconsider the types of people in her life, because Marinette was in a category of her own: the quirky, the confusing, the unpredictable. Kagami wasn't sure how to react.

"I have to make a phone call," she told Marinette who jumped up and showed her to an empty room. Afraid of having offended her new friend (it still felt weird to call Kagami that, but she couldn't think of a better word), the young designer leaned against the closed door to eavesdrop on Kagami's phone call.

"Good morning, Adrien." said the woman after a couple of moments. "You have an interesting problem."

There was a small pause while Adrien said something back. Marinette wished she could hear both sides of the conversation but she had to settle for the woman's, but it was enough to get the general idea.

"Bug knows," Kagami continued, voice calm and clear. She huffed in annoyance when the man wanted a clarification. "She saw the photo and she knew it wasn't you."

Another pause.

"What do I tell her?" The following pause was so long that Marinette thought that the conversation had ended, but Kagami spoke again, sounding a little frustrated. "I'll bring her. It's your problem. You fix it. I just thought you should know."

Marinette, sensing that the conversation was really over this time, quickly receded to her place by the counter, pretending to look as bored as she could while freaking out on the inside. Her hands shook a little and she couldn't wait for Kagami to come back. But the door that opened first wasn't the door to the room where the fencer was.

"Good morning, Marinette!" A sweet voice greeted her, as the bell above the door chimed several times while a group of people her age came in. Marinette recognized the speaker instantly, the woman's blonde pixie cut and the memorable shade of her dress bringing back good memories. It was Rose Lavillant, one of her good friends from school.

"Rose! It's so nice to see you!" Marinette left the counter to give her a hug. "It's been so long!"

She released Rose from the hug and looked at the other incomers with newfound admiration. "And this must be Kitty Section."

"Yeah!" Rose smiled sweetly. "You remember Ivan and Juleka, don't you?"

The two gave a shy wave. They hadn't changed a lot in the years since their graduation. Juleka was taller and her curves were more noticeable, though Marinette felt a little weird noticing that. She chose not to comment on it. Ivan looked happier and the young designer recalled what Alya had told her about Ivan and Mylène getting back together after a not so pleasant misunderstanding.

"And this is Juleka's brother, Luka." Rose concluded the introductions by pushing the last member of the band a little forward. "Luka, this is Marinette."

"Hello, Marinette," he breathed, her name sounding like a melody coming from his lips. Marinette felt her knees go weak, but unlike in Adrien's presence, she managed to stay composed. Her cheeks turned a little pink, as a wide smile spread over her face.

"I didn't even know you had a brother!" she exclaimed to Juleka, giving her a hug. Juleka muttered in response that it had never come up. From Juleka, Marinette moved on to hug Ivan who accepted it awkwardly, not sure what to do with his hands. He wasn't used to getting hugs from anyone other than his girlfriend. And then it was Luka's turn to be hugged. Marinette hesitated a little, but stepped forward with open arms, not wanting him to feel left out. She was surprised by the arms that gently wrapped around her torso, pulling her closer. She expected this movement to send her heart racing, but it didn't. All she felt was peace.

It was that moment when another door opened and Kagami stepped out, putting her phone away. The sight surprised her, but seeing Ladybug in another man's arms certainly explained why she wasn't pestering her about Adrien Agreste. If she already had a boyfriend who she loved, she wouldn't be interested in other guys. Kagami nodded to herself, satisfied to finally have figured Marinette out. She waited for the designer to notice her.

Marinette was the first to stop the hug, Luka's arms dropping only after hers had. He looked a little flustered, like he wanted to say something but couldn't make sense of the words in his head. Marinette didn't notice. She caught a glimpse of Kagami and suddenly remembered that she already had a visitor.

"Guys, this is my new friend Kagami," she introduced the fencer, grabbing her arm and clumsily pulling her closer to the group. "Kagami, these are Rose, Juleka, Ivan and Luka."

"Hello." The fencer said coolly. She attempted a smile before turning back to Marinette, face as stern as ever. "I would like to take you to dinner tonight. Adrien will be there. I will pick you up at seven p.m. Is that okay with you?"

"There will be Adrien?!" she almost squealed, mixing up words, but making it almost sound like a sentence. "Yes! It's fine! Completely fine!"

"Perfect." Kagami didn't think much of her quirky attitude. Having concluded that Marinette had a boyfriend, she didn't feel the need to protect her best friend from another groupie. "Do you prefer to be called by your full name or a nickname?"

"Err…" Marinette didn't understand the question. Her brain wasn't ready to let go of Adrien.

"People here call you Marinette. However, when we first met, you introduced yourself as Ladybug. Which is your preferred name?" Kagami spoke fast, but monotonously. And when her words finally broke through the fog in Marinette's brain, the designer panicked.

"Oh no! What have I done?!" She pulled her hair. "You can't call me Marinette! I mean, you can… but not at the fashion house! You can never call me Marinette there!" She buried her face in her hands, hating how confusing she must have sounded. "There, I must be Ladybug. No one can know my real name. No one. And you especially can't tell Adrien…" His name came out of her mouth with a sigh.

The thought of Adrien finding out she hadn't followed the company guidelines somehow seemed worse than anything else. She doubted he would out her to his father, but she wasn't brave enough to risk it. For all intents and purposes, it was better if he didn't get mixed up in the mess like Kagami had.

"I understand." Kagami said calmly. She didn't entirely understand, but that was okay. Complying with her request wasn't a difficult thing to do. "Now, I must take my leave. Excuse me."

The fencer walked away, head held high, feeling as confident as she looked. Marinette watched her go, wondering if Kagami really understood or was just saying she did. When the woman was almost out the door, Marinette remembered the pastries she had packed and ran after her. She caught Kagami when she was about to sit in her red car. Marinette pushed the bag in her hands and thanked her for coming, cheeks flushed and a smile on her lips.

She watched Kagami's car turn around the corner before returning to the shop where she offered the other visitors a treat on the house.

"We have a practice at five, if you'd like to come," Rose told her sweetly, helping Marinette pack the treats into a brown paper bag. "At the boat house."

"At five? I don't know if I can make it. But I'll try."

Marinette smiled. Her eyes met Luka's. He smiled back at her. It did unspeakable things to her heart.