Adrien stays put where he should as he wonders if Marinette is any closer to solving the case. He blushes just a little.  He does not know what he should do. It is not like he can tell her he has a crush on her. Not when it would put him in danger and he has no idea where she is anyway.

    He looks out the peephole and sees her. He blushes more.

   "Is that drool I see?" Max asks now that he has come back with some sub sandwiches and sodas.

   "Oh, sorry did not know you were back yet," Adrien replies.

   "It figures as much, but no problem,''  Max says.

   "I brought us some food," Max remarks.

Adrien's sandwich has cheese, onions, turkey, ham, lettuce, no tomato, and mayonnaise on the wheat bread loaf while Max's is white bread with turkey, ham, cheese, mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato and bacon.   

   Adrien has a coca-cola to go with his sandwich and Max a sprite to go with his sandwich.

  "Wow, looks good,"   Adrien exclaims.

  "You are so welcome," Max responds.

     Adrien eats his food in silence, then drinks the soda. 

       Max wonders why his stepbrother is so quiet.  He has no idea if it is about the breakup Adrien had with Kagami or if it is something else on his mind.  He hears Adrien sigh.  He thinks whatever it is must be about a girl.

      "Adrien, who was it you were drooling over earlier?"  Mask inquiries with a smirk on his face.

       "Me, drooling, pff, you must be mistaken," Adrien scowls.

         "Stepbrother, you know as well as I do that you did such a thing, " Max retorts.

          "Fine, so what it is not as if she will ever know!" Adrien yells. Then, puts a hand over his mouth. He can not believe he just blurted that out loud for Max to here.

           There was no going back now though.

               Max chuckles, "so who is the lucky girl?"

                 Adrien does not answer.

            "Adrien, who is she?"  Max wants to know.

              "Do not tell anyone, but I  like this  private investigator, Marinette," Adrien answers. He feels his face flush.

              Max grins.  "Whoa, there so you mean to tell me your crush is not another model?"

          Adrien frowns. He can not believe Max acts like the whole thing is a joke to him.

              "No, but so what?  Kagami was a bad match all around," Adrien points out.

               "What made you too break up?" Max blurts out.

               "I told her that I need some space cause I felt she was overcrowding me. She responds, that she needs affection cause she never felt love from her mother.  She tries to go all guilt trip on me or something.  Next, thing I know we are yelling at each other, and as I leave I remark that we are through," Adrien explains.

             "Oh, so the news that she was heartbroken over the break up is that true?" 

             "I hardly doubt it, but she had her chance, and I did not love her," Adrien announces.

            Adrien recalls the day he first met Kagami.  He remembers how their supposed budding romance was a lie from the start.  He took her out for coffee because he felt bad he put a dent on her car.  

            "It is to bad the new girl you have your heart set on is busy working on your case," Max tells him.

            "I know," Adrien sighs again.

        "It would be a conflict of interest," Max states the obvious.

   Published on December 21, 2019, and Edits made on September 29, 2020.