Chapter 2

The First and Last Visit(s)

The first time Adrien met Marinette was when he was twenty years old.

He was being chased by one of his fangirls who apparently happens to run a very famous fanpage of him on social media. He had a black and green hoodie and was covering his face that day, so it would be no surprise that the mixed Chinese girl wouldn't know who the blonde was, and had ran into a random shop. He decided to order something since he was thirsty from running down the hill.

She was stunning in a bun and apron on. He was wondering if he could get her number.

"Hello, do you want to order something?", she had asked, handing him a menu. The boy blushed when their fingers accidently touched. "What's good?"

"Well I recommend our croissants, they are the best in all of France", she said with a smile. Was her smile made from the freakin' sun? "Um, I was thinking about drinks, but yeah. I'll have some croissants." He fumbled around the menu. Everything seemed pretty cheap. "Oh! No! I am so so so sorry! If you want a drink. Please drink the Bubble Tea. Or wait. Do I sound desperate? We're just overloading with Topioca Pearls, and cause you know. My mom just loves the stuff." They blankly stared at each other. "Oh no. I'm rambling again aren't I?"

To him, she could ramble all day.

"I'll have the Strawberry Tea", he said quickly to break the awkward silence between them.

She wrote it down on her notepad, "What's your name?"

He wasn't prepared for this.

"How about we go for Chat? Chat Noir", he said with confidence. Marinette tried to hold her laughter, but she couldn't and started to burst out laughing. "Chat Noir? What kind of name is that?"

"I don't want you to treat me differently if I told you who I really was."

"Okay, whatever", the girl went to make his drink.

She came back and sat down in front of him. In her hand was two drinks instead of two she handed him the pink one. "So... why do you work here?", Adrien asked with a questioning look. "My parents own this bakery. I'm studying to be a fashion designer in London at the moment. But you know, staying home for the summer", she swirled the big pearls in her drink. Then took a sip.

"Oh really? I know a thing or two about fashion", the disguised model answered, also sipping on his straw.

"Hmm, any favorites?"

"How 'bout Gabriel Agreste?"

"Well almost anyone on the streets know who Agreste is."

"How about Rabanne?"

"Really? I wouldn't think somebody like you would like his works."

They ended up talking about fashion designers for the few hours. And Adrien felt like he was enjoying himself. He hasn't been himself since his mother had disappeared almost two years ago. His father had turned cold in a result, now making the young growing boy to work harder. Adrien was planning to go to college to earn a degree in science. But his father insisted that his work was for important. Seemed like Marinette forgot the croissants. He paid full price anyway.

Adrien's phone rang. "Hold on", he said to Marinette, leaving from his seat to the other side of the shop.

"Hello?"

"Adrien! Where are you! You were suppose to come to the Bourgeois's party three hours ago!"

Oops. He totally forgot about that. He looked at the time on his phone. Was he really here for five hours? He dropped his voice to a low whisper, "I'm sorry, I'm on my way there now."

"Where are y-", Adrien hung up on him before he finish his sentence. He turned to the girl, "I really gotta go."

"Fine, come visit later, 'kay?"

"Bye", he then rushed out of the bakery door.

Instead of coming the next day, he came the two days after. It wouldn't seem like those dependent people who desperately needed a friend. Well he did desperately needed a friend. Right now, the only friend he had was Nino. Nino has an overenthusiastic girlfriend who jumps at any little news and make it into a headline. Adrien tends lets his grumpy side show, hanging around with Nino doesn't involve work. He bets she knows he does not like interviews. But she does it anyway.

Today, he had on his black hoodie, he left the hood off and had on a black surgical mask on instead. Fashion purposes, not like he was going to perform surgery. He wanted to conceal his identity from Marinette. He wanted to be treated like a normal person.

He walked through the bakery door and sat where he sat the last time. The man then opened the menu that was placed in the middle of the table. "I should get actual food this time", Adrien thought to himself.

"Find anything good?"

The blonde jumped out of his seat, luckily catching his self before he fell. He looked up to see Marinette peering at him. "I am so sorry for not giving you the croissants!", the girl said, with the croissants on a platter. He laughed, "It's fine." Together they started eating the pastry. "This is really good!", Adrien said in between bites. Marinette laughed and Adrien was staring at her in awe. How could such a wonderful person live such a lowkey life?

"A face mask? How mysterious and... Asian-like of you", Marinette said remembering his interest of Asian culture. And being fluent in Mandarin. She was beginning to wonder if he would accept her as a student.

"My dad has these laying around."

"Why would a non-asian person like you own face masks?"

"Shut up."

This time, he stayed for about two hours. Eventually exchanging phone numbers, His father's assistant, Natalie ended up calling needing him for a photoshoot.

After this second encounter, Marinette already was falling deeper down the love hole.

Adrien was visiting the Dupain bakery nearly everyday. Even when the girl asked, he still wore that mask and wouldn't ever take it off.

They even went to the beach. He still had that mask on. Occasionally he would wear one that would cover the top half of his face. But that was a rare sight.

One day, Marinette introduced him to her parents as her boyfriend, who seemed sceptical from the mask he always wore. Not even revealing his own family and parts of his past. They eventually warmed up to him as he was friendly and heartwarming.

He called her bug-a-boo, he fed her cherries before her mouth was all red, he helped bake around the bakery.

On the day he wore the rare mask, he finally kissed her. Sending butterflies in her stomach. Plus having dimples was a bonus.

Unfortunately this summer romance was soon ending.

"America!", Adrien echoed what his father had said before. Realization had then hit him. "AMERICA?!"

"Adrien, we have new collaboration with a company in New York. We will have to work with them for at least two years before the contract ends. If we're successful enough we can finally open our own headquarter there", his father said hurriedly packing his personal and work belongings. His son was still in disbelief at what he had just said.

"America! Father! I though we were perfectly fine here! We opened a new branch out in China! And we were only there for about a month!"

"That's because Chinese people are a little more welcoming. They also like Western fashion, which was an easy way to convince them."

"Why do I have to go with you?"

"Because, you're basically the face of the company! One day I expect for you to take over this company and take over the things what I have worked so hard to establish. You are still uncertain of your future. And I have already paved one out for you! Others are unlucky to have such low-paying parents, yet you are here complaining about a taking over such a large company!", his father slammed down a bunch of papers.

"It dosen't mean I want to do it." He was more concerned about his relationship with Marinette.

"I don't care about what you think. Pack your stuff now. We're leaving tomorrow."

"But father! Isn't that a little too-", Gabriel walked out the door before Adrien could finish his complaint.

The next day he left, not giving his girlfriend a warning.

Marinette was still in a state of shock.

She still hadn't officially ended her relationship with Chat.

What could she do now?

Before you complain about her being able to recognize his hair, people can change in a few years. I am currently writing this and listening to Wonder Girl's songs. RETRO QUEENS. Anyways today is my birthday, so I am going out to celebrate! And over 40 follows already? This was better than I thought it would be.