Chapter Text
Biarritz, 14th of July (le quatorze juillet/Bastille Day; National French Holiday)
Hôtel Mercure Biarritz Centre Plaza – 21:00 (9:00 PM)
‘‘Marinette. Sweetheart.’’
Marinette is so immersed in her comic book about the adventures of Ladybug and Chat Noir that she hasn’t noticed that her mom has been calling her name for the past few minutes now. It is only when Sabine snatches the book from her hands that Marinette seems to awake from her daydream.
‘‘Hey!’’ Marinette protests, wildly swinging with her arms in her mother’s direction in a futile attempt to retrieve the book. Her mom however does not relent and stares her down, forcing Marinette to finally look her in the eyes and pay attention to what she’s been saying.
‘‘Marinette, it’s le quatorze juillet. Enough reading.’’
‘‘But Mom, I’m almost done.’’ That was a lie. In fact, she’s only halfway through the book, which she knows because she remembers it by heart from the eight times she’s read it before. It had become something like a comfort book to her, the one she would always come back to whenever she was feeling anxious or sad. Not that her mom knew any of that.
Her mom sighs deeply before continuing on.
‘‘You can always read the book later, ma chérie. But it’s only once a year that we have le quatorze juillet. Come on, you will miss all the fireworks.’’
‘‘I’ll catch up with them on New Year’s Eve,’’ Marinette says dismissively while staring longingly at the book in her mother’s hands. Mentally she lists all the ways to get the book back before settling on one of her secret weapons: the infamous Dupain-Cheng puppy eyes. She often used them on her parents to play one more round of Ultimate Mecha Strike before going to bed. While they were much more effective on her father, her mother had proven in the past to not be immune to them either. Making her blue eyes as large as possible and pouting her lips as if she’s about to cry, Marinette crouches down on the floor while holding up her hands pleadingly.
‘‘Please …’’ she says, rolling out the word for as long as she can for dramatic effect. Sabine sighs, albeit more fondly now.
‘‘Marinette …’’ she tries, but her daughter interrupts her.
‘‘But now comes the best part! Ladybug and Chat Noir are about to discover who they are underneath the masks! That he’s Felix, the mysterious rich kid in school that Bridgette has had a crush on since forever!’’ she cries out enthusiastically.
‘‘Sure, sweetie.’’
Although Marinette had tried to explain the Miraculous universe to her time and time again, Sabine Cheng still didn’t really know what it was about. What she does know though is that her daughter is so caught up in a comic book that she’s completely shutting out the real world.
‘‘There is a teen party going on the beach. I’ve laid out your best clothes. Come, get ready.’’
‘‘A teen party?’’ Marinette says, eyeing her mother disbelievingly. In her daily life, she rarely went to parties, instead preferring to hang out with her friends, or designing clothes and baking at home. It’s curious why her mom would bring up a party now. Sure, she’d seen many young people during the summer holidays, especially in Biarritz, surfing, laughing, and just generally enjoying themselves. So far, Marinette hadn't had any intention to join them. Holidays, in her eyes, were to relax and rewind. In her daily life she was already busy enough, taking design commissions from friends, family, and strangers. Although she loved every minute of it (she got to design an album cover for Jagged Stone last year, how cool is that!), she had to admit that it was nice to do nothing sometimes and just spend some quality time with her parents. Besides that, making friends in strange places wasn’t her forte. She wouldn’t say she was shy, but in large groups, especially with strangers, Marinette tended to keep a low profile.
At some point, Marinette’s eyes fall on the clothes her mom has laid out for her: a light blue washed pair of jeans and a dark blue sweater with silver sequined stars on it. Even though she really liked the sweater, it was definitely still too hot outside for these clothes. Despite that, she had to admit her mother had a keen eye for fashion. That’s probably where I got it from, Marinette thinks to herself.
‘‘Mom, it’s still 30 degrees outside. Don’t you think a sweater is a bit much? I think most people will still be in their bikinis or bathing suits with a pair of shorts and a t-shirt thrown over them. Maybe a cardigan for when the temperature drops.’’
Sabine sighs deeply, knowing that she won’t win this argument. She never does when it comes to fashion.
‘‘Fine, wear your bikini then. Maybe the cute red one, with the black spots? I really like that one. But please, do try to cover yourself up a bit. It’s still nice outside, but it will get really cold in a few hours.’’
Marinette nods absentmindedly. Sabine then grabs her daughter’s hands, making sure that her daughter is truly listening to her.
‘‘Go have fun, sweetie. You can stay until 1 a.m. But please call us if you want to go home earlier. Then we’ll be at the parking spot near that five-star hotel, Hôtel Du Palais Biarritz I believe it is called, to pick you up.’’
‘‘Yes, mom. I’ll remember it.’’
Seeming satisfied enough with her daughter’s answer, Sabine finally hands the book back to Marinette, who thanks her mom by giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. Once Sabine has closed the door behind her, Marinette picks right up where she left off in her book. It doesn’t take long until she is completely caught up in the comic once again, almost forgetting about the party altogether.
Hôtel Du Palais Biarritz - At the same time
After two days of intense photo shoots at the beach and the Biarritz Aquarium, Adrien can finally just lay down in his bed and do absolutely nothing. Finally, no photographers giving him commands, no makeup artists meticulously applying sunscreen on his body for what seems like the 400th time that day, and, most importantly, no father staring over his shoulder the whole time, always looking slightly disapprovingly at him for some reason. It’s in his hotel room that his tiredness really kicks in.
When he starts to lean down from the bedside to unbuckle his belt and undress, there’s a soft but efficient knock on his door. Hastily he puts his belt back on and turns the lock in order to open it. Nathalie Sancœur, his father’s personal assistant, is standing in the doorway with a neutral expression on her face. Adrien can’t help but smile brightly at her in return.
Since his mother’s passing, which was now almost a year ago, Nathalie had kind of taken on the role of his mother in its most basic sense, making sure he was being properly fed and clothed and always arrived on time. Adrien even suspects that it was Nathalie who had bought him presents for his first birthday without his mother this year, as his father hadn’t even bothered to show up. However, her being his father’s personal assistant also made it hard for Adrien to truly confide in her, as he was always afraid she would tell his secrets to his father. Nevertheless, Nathalie had really tried to invest time in creating a more personal bond with him. Initially, Adrien was grieving too much to notice or care about her efforts to help him. Now he was slowly starting to appreciate her small gestures. Her face at this moment was more business-like than friendly though. Expecting to be reprimanded for forgetting to do something, Adrien braces himself for his father’s wrath, conveyed through Nathalie.
‘‘Adrien, why are you not going to the party?’’
Adrien blinks. He doesn’t remember any party being mentioned by his father, or by Nathalie for that matter.
‘‘A party? But there wasn’t a party on the schedule today.’’
‘‘There wasn’t,’’ Nathalie confirms. ‘‘But there will be a party tonight near the beach, for which you’ve been given permission by your father to attend.’’
Adrien looks at her questioningly. There must be some ulterior motive behind him attending the party. His father only gave permission for him to attend events when the events in question could help his blooming modeling career or the Gabriel brand in general. Parties purely for pleasure did not exist in Gabriel Agreste’s life, and thus not in Adrien’s life either.
‘‘What kind of party?’’ Adrien asks, cautiously.
‘‘It’s a party for young adults.’’ Nathalie simply states, her eyes never leaving her tablet. Adrien is not convinced.
‘‘I thought my father said that I should keep a low profile here, so as ‘‘to not draw any attention’’ to the photoshoot,’’ he quotes from memory.
Nathalie pauses for a moment. She had been present the day Gabriel had said the very same words to his son, and it was always hard to argue against the truth, especially when her boss’s own words were used against her. What Adrien didn’t know was that she had urged Gabriel to honor his promise to his son that the trip to Biarritz would not just be work-related, but also be a way to mend their troubled relationship. Gabriel however had not relented, claiming he was simply too busy to spend time with his son. In the end, Nathalie and him had found a middle ground in allowing Adrien to go to the most trendy teen party held on le quatorze juillet, so that he at least would not be alone and could spend some time with kids his age.
‘‘Well, I’ve discussed the matter with your father and he agrees that you deserve some time off. You worked hard the past couple of days, and he knows that too. You deserve to have …’’
Nathalie pauses for a moment as if looking for the right word. When she remembers that there is really no other word she can use that sounds formal enough for Gabriel Agreste’s standards, she sighs, almost defeatedly. ‘‘Fun.’’
It is hard for Adrien to not show any surprise in his expression. Did his father really say that? Rarely did he even acknowledge Adrien’s existence and this vacation had not been any different, even though Adrien had really hoped it would be. Either Nathalie was lying to him, or his father was feeling guilty for not being there for him. Adrien had to admit that he didn’t really care anyway. For a few hours, he could do whatever he wanted to, and he wasn’t going to further question their motives.
‘‘Really? Thanks, Nathalie!’’ Adrien exclaims, already standing up to grab his phone. It is then that Nathalie lifts a finger. Immediately, Adrien stops in his tracks, listening attentively. Nathalie quickly opens the notes app on her tablet, finding the document in which she had written down Gabriel’s requirements regarding the party.
‘‘There are a few rules, however. Your curfew is 1 a.m., not a second later. If you want to return earlier, you must immediately let your bodyguard know, and he will be there in a few minutes. So make sure your phone is charged and on you at all times.’’
Adrien lightly scoffs but nods at Nathalie in understanding. He hadn’t expected any less. Nathalie continues.
‘‘Also, keep the Gabriel brand and reputation in mind. So no drinking, smoking, or drugs. And when it comes to girls … Uhm, be careful and stay safe,’’ she adds, visibly uncomfortable uttering the last words. Adrien was pretty sure that Nathalie was also remembering that awkward moment a few months ago when she was sent by Gabriel to give ‘the talk’ to Adrien. It had been thoroughly embarrassing for them both, especially when Nathalie had clumsily tried to show him how to put on a condom by demonstrating it on a banana. Adrien couldn’t even look at bananas, much less eat them for a few weeks after that exchange. Blushing furiously, Adrien quickly seeks a diversion.
‘‘I will! Happy quatorze juillet Nathalie!’’ he says, quickly kissing her on the right cheek before leaving as if in a hurry. Once Adrien has left his room, Nathalie can’t help a small smile from breaking through, before quickly schooling her face into a more neutral expression. Gabriel probably needed her soon, so she needed to be ready for anything.
Knowing her mother would probably scold her if she doesn’t go, Marinette reluctantly tears herself away from her book to get ready for the party. Maybe her mom was right. She could really lose herself in her fantasies and interests sometimes, so much so that she forgot what was going on in the world around her. Perhaps she had isolated herself too much on this vacation. Although Marinette liked being on her own, she had to admit that she had felt a little lonely sometimes, her being an only child and all. A party would be a good distraction from all of that. Besides, she wouldn’t be gone for long. An hour at the most, which should be long enough to appease her mom.
However, she can't help looking longingly at her comic book. Should she keep it with her? On one hand, there was the risk that she could lose the book. On the other hand, this issue was her baby, and if it wasn’t too crowded at the party, she could find a place to settle down and finish it. Besides, she would fight tooth and nail if someone attempted to steal it or harm it in any way. In the end, she decides to take it with her. Remembering her mom’s advice, she quickly throws on a mid-length sarong that matches the bikini she’s wearing.
The party is in full swing when she arrives, with teenagers ranging from 14 to 18 dancing and mingling with one another. For a second, her anxiety takes hold of her. This was a mistake, she thinks, almost immediately turning around again. It is when she notices that nobody is really looking at her that she relaxes. Okay, just find a spot to sit, Marinette.
She then notices a bench in the middle of the beach club, which is currently unoccupied. With a relieved sigh, she sits down and retrieves the comic book from her bag, eager to read Ladybug’s long overdue love confession to Chat Noir. Thank God, she thinks. I can’t stand those lovable idiots dancing around each other any longer. Hope I never get in that situation ...
The minute Adrien enters the beach club, he wishes for the floor to swallow him whole. There's just so many people present, and they’re all his age! This immediately leaves him with a pit in his stomach and the urge to leave the party. The idea of a party had seemed so fun before, but in reality, it was always a kind of stressful situation for Adrien. Because he has been homeschooled and generally lived a very sheltered life, he hadn't been around other kids his age much, which always made him anxious. What if he doesn’t fit it in, because he doesn’t know the rules? He may not have the best relationship with his father, but at least the latter set clear boundaries and rules for him to follow. Adrien knows how to act around his father. It’s a different story when it comes to his peers, who all act like they know what they’re doing, as if it all comes naturally to them. Well, it did not come naturally to him. He always feels like he's playing a role when he is around other teenagers, just like when he’s posing in front of a camera. He takes a deep breath to calm himself. Game face on, Adrien.
It is then that he hears someone loudly singing Katy Perry’s ‘Firework’. A fitting song, Adrien thinks. He can hardly wait to see the fireworks, because this will be the first time he will see them up close, instead of through his bedroom window all by himself. He looks around to see where the voice is coming from. Finally, he traces it to the large stage in the middle of the dance floor, which is currently occupied by a small girl who is enthusiastically and consistently singing out of tune. Despite her lack of singing skills, Adrien is impressed with the girl’s courage. She exudes confidence and is clearly enjoying herself. It takes Adrien back to the last time he had felt the same joy when experiencing music.
His late mother, Émilie Graham de Vanily, who had privately taken her husband’s surname but had kept her maiden name professionally, had been a trained classical singer, performing almost exclusively in the Palais Garnier in Paris as its prima donna. As a young child, Adrien, together with his father, would sometimes watch her perform from their own opera boxes. He would watch in awe how his mother would seemingly effortlessly sing the highest notes in the world, and see how his father’s normally stern expression would soften when looking at his wife. The shift in Émilie’s behavior on and off stage had been remarkable as well. The characters she played often went through unfathomable tragedies, but the moment she saw her son and husband applauding from the balcony while she was receiving flowers and standing ovations, she’d smile and blow kisses at them.
Since his mom’s passing his father had kept him away from anything that had something to do with music; his daily piano practices being the exception. Just one day after Émilie’s funeral, where Adrien had sung a part of his mother’s favorite aria, Gabriel had forbidden him from performing in public ever again. ‘‘It is too painful,’’ his father had simply said. Activities such as singing lessons or music performances were therefore out of the question, and Adrien largely respected his father’s wishes. Still, Adrien sang sometimes by himself when he was in the shower, in the car, or in his room.
Adrien can’t help but wonder whether his father would approve of him singing along with the songs at the party but quickly dismisses the thought. It’s not like his father or anyone else can control him now. Even though the pop music at the party is a far cry from the music he used to listen to when his mother had still been around, he finds he missed hearing music in a casual, fun way, when it’s not connected to tragedy, or mandatory, like his piano lessons. He sighs. It is at moments like these he misses his mom the most.
Adrien is shaken from his thoughts when a lanky blue-haired boy with piercing eyes enters the stage, seemingly acting as the emcee and lightly bouncing his head to the beat. After testing the microphones, he signals to the DJ to put on the spotlights. Adrien cannot contain a yawn when the two spotlights move around the crowd. Perhaps I’m even more tired than I thought.
It is at that moment that a blinding spotlight lands on him. The other spotlight has found its target as well, which is a girl sitting on a bench looking utterly confused. When his eyes no longer see white spots, Adrien puts up his hands in protest. At first, he thinks he’s been recognized when he sees the blue-haired boy staring at and gesturing to him with the microphones in his hands. The boy’s smile is friendly, albeit slightly mischievous.
‘‘It seems that the spotlight has found a duo for the next song! Give them a warm round of applause!’’
When he realizes the position he’s in Adrien frantically shakes his head. He cannot sing in public. If his father were to find out, he would surely be punished. ‘‘I can’t sing, you can go.’’
The emcee just smiles at him. ‘‘Dude, I sing like all the time.’’ He points to one of the band stickers on his jacket. Kitty Section, Adrien quickly reads. It’s not a name he recognizes.
‘‘It’s time you get to share the spotlight.’’
‘‘It’s not like I’m not in the spotlight already,’’ Adrien whispers to himself, clearly sarcastic. The emcee then turns around to the other victim, who is staring at him like a deer caught in headlights. From where Adrien is standing, he cannot clearly see her face, apart from her black hair, tied in two pigtails. She seems just as eager to escape the place as he is.
‘‘Look, I don’t sing, I can’t sing. No guys ...’’ she protests. The blue-haired boy then hands them microphones, which both reluctantly accept.
‘‘Come on, no one will be judging you. And you know what? Someday you guys might thank me for this.’’
The girl is clearly uncomfortable. Her arms are crossed in front of her chest as if she wants to shield herself, and she’s looking anywhere but him.
‘‘Or not,’’ the emcee drily concludes, before stepping off the stage. Thanks, dude, Adrien thinks, slightly irritated. But the annoyance doesn’t last long, because before he has any time to mentally prepare himself, the first notes of the song have already started. Adrien recognizes it immediately. His eyes wander to the monitor where the lyrics are displayed. He takes a deep breath. I’m really about to do this, he thinks. I’ll just sing the verse and then get out of here as soon as possible. My father will kill me if I do anything more.
‘‘Livin' in my own world,’’ he starts, his voice cracking slightly. He quickly looks at the crowd to see if they have noticed his mistake. Most of them seem unbothered, too occupied with themselves to see him fail. Thank God.
‘‘Didn't understand’’ he continues, sparing a quick glance at the girl next to him. She still refuses to meet his eyes. Adrien wonders if she’s gonna sing at all or that he’ll have to endure this all by himself. Suddenly, he feels a cough coming up and tries to hide it in his hand.
‘‘That anything can happen, when you take a chance.’’
His part is over. In his head, he silently prays the girl next to him will not leave him to suffer in silence.
This is it, Marinette thinks. It’s sink or swim.
‘‘I never believed in,’’ she starts off unsurely, taking a quick glance at the boy standing next to her.‘‘What I couldn’t see.'’ He meets her gaze as if silently encouraging her. His small smile and slightly surprised look give her the strength to continue on.
‘‘I never opened my heart, to all the possibilities …’’
His voice quickly harmonizes with hers, and even though both still sound a little insecure, she has to admit their voices match each other perfectly. But the song has only just started, and they haven’t even arrived at the chorus yet. Marinette mentally prepares herself for the pre-chorus and prays the boy will keep up with her.
‘‘I know that something has changed
Never felt this way
And right here tonight …
This could be the start of something new
It feels so right
To be here with you, oh
And now, looking' in your eyes
I feel in my heart
The start of something new’’
Despite her initial hesitation, Marinette finds that she’s enjoying herself, which may have something to do with the company she’s in. She already found the still nameless boy attractive, but even more now that he’s confident in his singing. He reminds her a bit of Chat Noir, both in personality and looks. The cat-inspired headphones hanging from his neck certainly help add to that idea. Could they be the actual Chat Noir limited edition headphones?
‘‘Now who'd have ever thought that, mmm’’ the boy sings, taking off his jacket while smiling sweetly at her. This brings her back to the present. Marinette feels a slight blush appear on her cheeks knowing that he caught her unaware. But she doesn’t get a chance to really feel embarrassed about it, as they have to sing the next line together: ‘‘We'd both be here tonight?’’
It’s almost creepy how accurate the song is for this very moment. When she came to the party, she’d never expected to sing a duet with a complete stranger, and a cute one at that, but here she is. She can’t help smiling widely while singing the next lyrics, finding them very fitting for her personal situation.
‘‘And the world looks so much brighter, with you by my side’’
When the chorus starts again, everyone around them is going crazy while Marinette and the boy only have eyes for each other. There is a spark in the air and both seem to feel that this is something special, truly the start of something new and exciting. The bridge only solidifies that, voices soaring to new highs while the crowd enthusiastically claps along with the chorus.
Then the boy slowly starts to walk up to her. Taken off guard, Marinette takes a few steps back, almost falling off the stage. Luckily some partygoers are standing in place to catch her, and she quickly recovers from her shock at losing her balance before joining the boy in singing the chorus one more time. Still only looking at one another, they are completely in sync while singing the last lines of the song together. ‘‘The start of something new,’’ they both end in harmony, hardly noticing the emcee returning to the stage and clapping for them. It is then that the boy offers his hand to her.
After the song has drifted off, he can’t stop staring at the girl in front of him. She truly has the most beautiful eyes he’s ever seen. And she’s also wearing a very cute red bikini top with black spots on it, letting his imagination run wild. Could it be a reference to The Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir? Adrien tries not to blush at that. Ladybug has been his crush since forever, and the still-unnamed girl kinda looks like her. She’s really cute, too.
‘‘Adrien,’’ he says, offering his hand. Keeping in mind that he’s supposed to keep a low profile, even though he’s already quite exposed himself, Adrien deliberately keeps his last name to himself. The girl just smiles.
‘‘Marinette,’’ she says. ‘‘Marinette Dupain-Cheng.’’
‘‘Nice to meet you, Marinette. Erm, so should we go outside for a bit or should we grab some drinks? I don’t know but I’m kind of thirsty after singing my heart out in front of everyone,’’ he laughs a bit nervously. Luckily Marinette doesn’t seem to notice and gratefully accepts his offer, walking alongside him to the bar. Once seated, it is quiet for a few seconds, both not quite knowing what to say.
‘‘That was …’’ Adrien starts. ‘‘That was great. You’re an amazing singer.’’
‘‘Thank you. You sounded like you’ve sung a lot too,’’ Marinette quickly replies.
Adrien panics. Revealing to this girl that his mother was a famous classical singer is also not really in line with his father’s request that he should keep a low profile. Even though most opera singers are not known by the general public, Adrien decides to downplay his musical background.
‘‘Yeah, sure my showerhead is very impressed with me,’’ he says, as casually as possible. Marinette laughs.
Adrien clears his throat. Should he bring up Ladybug? He’s afraid she won’t understand, or, even worse, know what he’s talking about and mock him.
‘‘So … I was wondering, your bikini …’’
Immediately, he wants to slap himself. Way to go Adrien! Now she will definitely think you’re a creep. Marinette blushes a little. Adrien can’t help but think that it makes her look even cuter than she already is.
‘‘Yes?’’ Marinette replies unsurely, suddenly feeling very self-conscious about her clothes, or rather lack thereof. Adrien rubs his neck and smiles sheepishly.
‘‘Is it a reference to Ladybug from The Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir ?’’
Instead of replying, Marinette just gapes at him with wide eyes. Then she remembers that it is rude to stare at a stranger and not answer the question.
‘‘Yes! And I was just about to ask you the same thing! Well, not about your bikini because you’re not wearing one, obviously, but I noticed your Chat Noir headphones, too! I’ve never seen anyone wear them because they’re so expensive. Do they really light up green when you say ‘‘Plagg, claws out?’’
Well, that was certainly not the reaction he was expecting! But a very welcome surprise nonetheless. He cannot help the smile that slowly appears on his face. ‘‘Yes, it does.’’ Marinette squeals loudly, but then puts a hand over her mouth.
‘‘Oops, I’m sorry, I just got a little bit too excited,’’ she apologizes awkwardly. Adrien however doesn't mind, since he finds her reaction super adorable, which is why he almost misses her follow-up question.
‘‘Can I see it?’’ Marinette asks him innocently, almost as if it’s a super unusual request. A small chuckle escapes him. She’s really fascinated with his headphones, huh?
‘‘Sure!’’ he answers, handing her his headphones for her to put on.
‘‘Plagg, claws out!’’ she enthusiastically calls out. Her eyes sparkle when the headphones immediately light up, casting a green glow on her face.
‘‘Wow, this is amazing! God, I wish my bikini was like that. That I could just say ‘‘Tikki, spots on!’’ and black spots would magically appear on it. But no, I had to sew every single spot on it myself. As well as adding the ruffles, giving it that 50s kind of look.’’
Adrien gives her a quick and hopefully subtle once-over. ‘‘It looks … absolutely amazing. You’re a fashion designer?’’
Marinette smiles bashfully. ‘‘Well, not professionally, no. Not like Gabriel Agreste or something, but I’d love to be like him someday.’’
At the mention of his dad Adrien’s smile falters a bit. Marinette however doesn’t seem to notice, as she continues talking about her designs. Suddenly, she shivers.
‘‘You must be cold! Here, have my jacket.’’ Not waiting for an answer, he shrugs the jacket off his shoulders and offers it to her. Marinette at first looks absolutely stunned but then smiles at him before tugging on the jacket.
An awkward silence descends upon them, both at a loss for what to say. When fireworks light up the sky and the crowd erupts in cheers, Adrien and Marinette suddenly notice that they’ve subconsciously drifted closer to one another. For a moment, it is as if the world has stopped moving. ‘‘Are we going to kiss? ’’ both think at the same time.
Marinette turns slightly red. It is then that she backs off, frantically flailing with her arms in the air.
‘‘Uh ... I guess I uh… I better go find my … my ... mom and dad!’’ she hastily says.
‘‘Do you have a curfew?’’ Adrien asks curiously.
‘‘Yup. Because we have to leave pretty soon tomorrow, and I promised I would not stay out here too long. Hihi.’’
‘‘Oh,’’ he can only say. He can’t help but feel a little bit disappointed. They smile awkwardly at each other.
‘‘But we should definitely keep in touch!’’ Marinette suddenly says. Then, somewhat unsure, ‘‘Perhaps we can exchange numbers? So we can scream about Ladybug and Chat Noir together, of course.’’
‘‘Of course,’’ Adrien says, trying to hide the slight disappointment from his face. Sure, he would like to talk to this pretty girl about his favorite comic book characters, but he had also hoped that she would maybe want his number beyond that. Still, he is happy she wants to stay in contact with him at all. An idea suddenly pops into his head.
‘‘Wait, maybe we should take pictures of ourselves first? So that I know which phone number belongs to your face.’’
‘‘Sure! I will go first then since I have to leave.’’
‘‘Or we can take a picture together,’’ Adrien suggests.
‘‘Oh, yes!’’
Grabbing his phone and turning his camera to selfie mode, Adrien gestures that Marinette can stand beside him. Marinette feels a slight blush reappear on her face when Adrien puts one arm around her, but she manages to maintain her smile while the picture is taken. They are both surprised when the first one they take turns out to be perfect, with both of them looking as if they’ve known each other for ages. After putting his phone in his pocket, Adrien intends to find out more about Marinette.
‘‘Just so you know, uh, singing with you was the most fun I’ve had this entire vacation. So uhm… Where do you live?’’
It is when he turns to look at Marinette that he realizes that she has left. He scans the crowd behind him, which only confirms that she’s gone. All that is left is the picture they took together on his phone.
‘‘Marinette,’’ he sighs while staring off into the distance, a wide smile on his face. This is definitely the best vacation he’s ever had.