Whenever I'd come to a friend's house, whether it be a close friend or a friend I met just a few weeks ago, I'd never, ever know so much about them within just a few weeks. But with Nathaniel, everything was different.

I was standing in front of his painting of blue eyes again, holding a mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows. He drove me to his apartment after all the drama, and surprisingly, no one followed us here.

As I stared into the painting of beautiful blue, there was something inside me that kept on saying that those eyes weren't mine.

"Rin," he called from behind, and I immediately turned around to see him with messy hair, wearing a white sweatshirt and black sweatpants. My heart immediately jumped at the sight. Ermerger. "Are you okay?"

I sighed. "No," I replied straightforwardly, gripping tightly on the handle of my mug. Everything that happened within just a day was so overwhelming, and I couldn't take it. I knew this day would come, when everybody would know about me and Nathaniel, and I would be exposed to the public with an image they created in their own heads, and it was up to me whether or not to be affected.

But I didn't expect it to happen sooner. I wasn't ready, and the impact was so much more than I expected it to be. I don't even want to step out of Nath's apartment for weeks. I'm afraid of what they could do to me, and I'm more afraid if they could reach my family and ruin them.

Nath looked at me intensely, which made my cheeks heat up and my eyes darted to look at the other paintings around the room. My heart was pounding against my chest and I had a feeling that he hears it, since the room's so quiet.

"Come here," he extended his arms to his sides, and I immediately crashed on his chest. He wraps his arms around me, and I've never felt so protected and secure. "I'm so sorry, Mari."

"It's not your fault —" I replied. "—NATH MY HOT CHOCOLATE."

Nathaniel cursed as the hot choco spilled on the back of his shirt, immediately backing away from me because of the heat of the liquid. "Shit, I'm sorry."

I looked at the spilled hot choco that was starting to create a big, brown stain on his shirt, and felt incredible sadness. Oh my gosh, my chocolate.

I looked at Nathaniel, who was still flinching in pain. Oh my gosh, my boyfriend.

"Are you okay? Um, I'm the one who's sorry. I was too clumsy and . . ."

"It's fine, I'm fine," he says, his deep blue eyes looking at me as he smiles. "I still have lots of white shirts anyway."

"Um, I'll get you a new shirt. Wait here," I stated as I placed my mug at the nearest table, and when I turned, I realized that I had no idea where his closet was. His apartment was awfully big, and I haven't explored all of it yet. "Damn it, where the heck is your closet?"

My heart flutters at his deep chuckle from behind me. "You don't have to, Mari."

"Are you kidding? This is the least I could do. That shirt probably costs a fortune or something. Or maybe not. I don't know. Anyway, Nathaniel, please tell me where ---"

"--- Mari?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

I stopped moving. I stopped talking, and I tried to find words to say, but I couldn't. My heart literally skipped a beat the moment he said those three words.

I slowly turned around and realized that he was just a few inches in front of me, and I could smell the hot chocolate from his back. His electric blue eyes looked into mine and didn't give any signs that they were gonna look away soon.

"W-What?"

He smiles, his eyes sparkling. "I love you."

I gripped on my shirt. Butterflies were going crazy inside my stomach and my mind was empty, yet at the same time it felt so chaotic. Hearing those words come out from his mouth gave me a feeling I couldn't quite comprehend; yet my mouth wasn't about to say anything back.

"I . . . I —" Why can't I say it too?

"You don't have to say it back," he says and shrugs, his eyes still locked on mine. "I understand. I just wanted you to know how I feel."

My heart immediately melted. He knew. He knew I couldn't say it back, but it's there. It's going there. He understood, and he wasn't forcing me to say that I love him too.

He's too sweet.

I instantly threw my arms around him and rested my face on his chest. "Thank you."

×××

Avoiding the paparazzi was harder than I thought. But God knew I'd need the best superhero and the best best friend ever and gave me Alya. She dressed me up as Britney Spears as a disguise, because the baseball cap and shades were "cliché", she said.

In case you're wondering, yes, I'm wearing a blonde wig and a pink glittery dress and pink stilettos. I look like an extremely obnoxious Malibu Barbie with blonde hair that literally almost flew with the wind. And the stilettos were as uncomfortable as wearing sandwiches as slippers—in fact, I'd prefer the latter over this any day. I've tripped over nothing for countless of times already, but at least the people who saw didn't know who I was. Thank the gods.

Though my pink backpack didn't match my outfit except for its color, it was very useful, since it contained my actual, comfortable outfit inside. I can't wait to wear it.

The moment I reached Star Building, I immediately ran inside, ignoring the front desk who told me that running wasn't allowed, and then went inside the elevator before anyone else could come along with me. I also went as early as possible, so that it was less likely that more than ten people in the studio would see a random girl with a blonde wig that turned 360.

Letting out a big exhale, I took off my glasses and hid them inside my backpack. When the elevator door opened at a different floor, I internally panicked.

A chubby man about six feet tall with a baby face looked so surprised, he almost dropped his sandwich. I folded my arms and glared, non-verbally telling him that the elevator wasn't welcoming anyone else for now. Please leave, I pleaded in my thoughts, and he took a step back, bit on his sandwich, and the elevator door finally closed.

In complete silence, I looked at the numbers at the top which were indicating the floors.

18.
19.
20.
21.
22.

When the numbers turned 23, I composed myself and took a deep breath.

Here we go.

I expected the doors to open and show me a completely empty space, but no. My breath hitched when I realized that the person standing in front of me was Adrien Agreste himself, looking sparkly and handsome in just a white v-neck shirt and jeans. He was looking down on his phone, tapping away.

"Shit," I whispered to myself, which was probably loud enough for him to hear. Then he looks up from his phone, his green, cat-like eyes turned as wide as saucers when he saw me. I froze in place.

"Who—?" he paused, as if he already knew who I was. My heart pounded harshly against my chest as I nervously tried to cover my face with my hands. Anyone but him. I was okay with Penelope seeing me like this and I wouldn't mind receiving a two hour lecture from her about reputation and whatnot. I was even okay if our director was the one standing there and start questioning if they casted the right girl. But no, it just had to be this guy.

"E—Excuse . . . me." I pleaded.

Then, his curious eyes glinted with humor when he heard my voice. "Marinette? Pfft. Hahaha!"

I glared at him as I tried to walk past, removing the annoying, misplaced wig from my head. He clutched his stomach as he continued to laugh harder than he did a few seconds ago. "This is gold! Hahaha!"

"Shut up, banana hair," I yelled as I quickly rushed to my dressing room. No one else but Adrien and about three of the staff were there, at least until I opened the door to my private, supposed to be haven for the day.

A blonde girl had her arms folded as she scanned my closet which contained my outfits for the shoot today. She looked awfully familiar, with her tan skin, effortlessly elegant posture, sparkly hoop earrings, and powerful aura. Even though she was just standing there, you could tell that she's an important person. I felt even more embarrassed with my ugly pink outfit.

When she turned around, I felt as if everything went blurry. My heart pounded even harder, to the point where I couldn't breathe anymore. I couldn't believe it.

Her piercing, cold blue eyes scanned me from top to toe, as if I was the next possible meal for her fancy monster dogs at home. I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe, and I couldn't think straight. Her very presence felt like the destruction of my entire life.

Her mouth turns up from a frown to a smirk, having a mischievous glint in those icy blues.

Her.

Why is she here?

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng. It's been a long time."

It took me a few seconds to finally gather up enough strength to move my lips.

"Chloe Bourgeois."