Chapter Six

It was another rainy spring day. Marinette didn't go out because it was the weekend, so she stayed home and started creating a sketch for a new dress that she was going to design. And Tikki was sitting in a corner, watching him take small bites on his macaron.

She thought about making the dress long and fluffy. A belt of satin fabric, short watermelon sleeves and flowered at the waist... She got scared when the phone rang. When she saw the caller, her eyes opened in shock and she got up from his chair and started jumping where she was.

She turned to Tikki in shock. "Tikki! It's Adrien! Adrien Agreste is looking for me! What do I answer? Why is he calling?"

"Calm down, Marinette. Just pick up the phone!" But it was too late. The phone was silent. Marinette was upset, but soon she read with a smile when a new message arrived.

Adrien* I need you to come to me, Marinette.

For a few seconds, she stared at the phone's screen in amazement. Then, in joy, she raised her arms in the air and said, " Hooray, Tikki! Hurray!"and the door to her room opened. "What's going on, Marinette?" It was her father. He brought a big plate of croissants with him. Marinette put her hand around her neck as if she wasn't the one who screamed all that, and she didn't know anything, and said, "Oh, no... nothing," she said, trying to distance himself from the issue.

After her words, he smiled big, as if relieved. "I brought you a croissant. They just came out of the oven." He put it carefully on the table. And Marinette gave him a kiss on the cheek to thank him. "Thanks."

After his father left the room, Tikki also came out of her hiding place and bought a croissant. "Tikki, Adrien needs help. I have to go to." Tikki enjoyed his croissant. "Will your parents allow it?" She gave Marinette a questioning look. "If I tell my friend I'll bring a croissant, they'll be fine."

After getting permission from them, she took off his pyjamas and put on her gray and rubber tracksuit, and left the house wearing a black inflatable jacket. She painstakingly lined up the desserts her father had brought for her in a box she had bought from the bakery.

Adrien was in the park waiting for her. He didn't care about the rain because today was his worst day. He left the house immediately without even taking an umbrella.

A little later, Marinette appeared with an umbrella and a box of croissants in her hand. Her black and pink striped boots had a little mud on them. When she arrived, he was sitting in his white coat, hands joined in front of him. Seeing Marinette, their lips curled up and they hugged each other.

'Because our coats were swollen and fluffy, we could be looking like two little bears hugging each other right now.'

Marinette found it hard not to giggle after this childish and absurd thought.

Adrien raised his head while she created ridiculous pictures in her head again. They sat on the bench together.

She could hear his crying. "Thank you for coming."

Marinette was curiously waiting for him to tell her why he was called. "What's wrong, Adrien? Nothing bad, right?" He realized late that he was asking this question because his mind was in his past.

"Today, three years ago, my mother left us." He had tears mixed with rain on his cheeks. He couldn't bear to see her sad. "Adrien, well, I-I brought croissants for you. Would you want?"

Adrien smiled. "Croissants? I love the most!" He was a little relieved to see him happy. "I love you, Marinette."

In shock, he raised his head and turned to Adrien. His eyes were wide open in surprise. "Well, I mean... You're the only friend I have who makes me happy on my hardest day." Adrien tried to recover, but it was as if all Marinette's life energy had been taken away in an instant. It was as if his heart had been crushed under a stone with the words of this madly loved child. "Eemm-yes, that's what good friends are for," she said, adding, "I-I couldn't leave you alone." Adrien confirmed these words with his head.

"I mean, actually, something very good happened today three years ago." Adrien's green eyes shone in an instant. Marinette curiously asked a question again. "Is that so? What is that?"

"I met Nino. I was so angry with my father that morning, I ran away from home. Of course, he didn't make such expensive guards for me back then. Whatever happened, it started this year. Never I don't understand why..." Before he finished his words, he brought his hand to his chin. He just far away. He was obviously thinking something, but he didn't look good. "Are you okay?"

"Imm... well... There's nothing... Whatever...

Just as I was sitting in this park, Nino came to me and comforted me, just like you did. He didn't come because he went to visit his parents and grandmother."

The young girl again made other meanings out of her sentence. So Marinette wouldn't be here if it was Nino. Marinette wouldn't even have thought of it if she hadn't gone. He really thought of her as his friend...

She then creased his forehead thoughtfully. "Well, if it's not very special, May I ask, why did he leave you, your mother?" He actually hesitated when she asked about it, she knew that his mother was his sensitive point. Some people might have given counterproductive answers on such matters. So she was a little scared, but if she knew Adrien a little, he wouldn't say anything offensive to his friends.

Adrien swallowed his bite. To take a deep breath gave out. Obviously, even talking about it made him sad. But he could hold out for his friend Marinette. "He said my father worked hard, never took care of him."

Adrien did not disappoint Marinette, but Marinette did not expect to hear such a reason. With small shock opened her eyes wide for a moment, "What! What a ridiculous reason!" she shouted. But when she saw Adrien's face drop after that, he said, " Oh, I'm sorry!" she tried to recover the situation. Fortunately, Adrien didn't care. He just reacted by shaking his head. "It's not important."

Marinette once again damned her stupidity. She decided to leave, thinking that she had come to restore his morale, but that she had broken even more with her absurd words. She had his usual excuse in mind again. "I have to go," she said hastily, turning her head to her pink watch. "my parents are worried about me."

Unwittingly, her eyes slipped into her black umbrella. And then Adrien, his golden hair wet... She thought he could afford to get wet halfway down the road because she loved it. She knew she had to always be compassionate and loyal to the people she cared about.

"Take my umbrella. You'll need this when you leave." After she gave him the umbrella, he smiled and began to walk away in slow steps, putting my hands in the pocket of his coat. She was startled by Adrien's fingers, which suddenly touched his shoulder. "Thank you, Marinette. You made me very happy." This time she smiled, showing her teeth. "It's not important. Best friends do." But when she turned around, all her smile disappeared. She had ruined everything again.

The rain began to increase in intensity. But she still didn't regret giving away his umbrella. On the contrary, he was more happy that he didn't get wet, which she loved. And Tikki writhed next to her to make Marinette happy. "Did you hear that, Marinette? He likes you!" That girl, she didn't like this situation at all.

"Well, we're just friends. And you just saw it, and I'm not making him happy. I'm even more upset with my absurd words. I don't even know how to share his pain."

"It doesn't change anything, Marinette. Adrien knows how good you are. And if you didn't make him happy, he would have called you!"He giggled slightly. "You're Right, Tikki. I trust you."

She kept what she said in his memory for a short time. She was really right. If she wanted his to love her, she really had to do something.

"I'll do it!"

Tikki held out his head curiously from his bag. "I'll invite him to my house!" She quickly turned around. Somewhere far away, when she saw his blonde hair again, she tried to catch up with his.

"Adrien!" After that, she would never stop until I noticed her.

"Adrien... ADRIEN"

The young man turned away in astonishment. He was very surprised to see Marinette, who was soaking wet and panting.

"Do you have a moment? Because I've been thinking, I don't mind coming to my house and eating some more croissants!"

Adrien bowed his neck, smiling at those words. Marinette's wishes only came true in her dream.

"Sorry, Marinette. You're really cute, but my dad..."

Marinette pensive grabbed Adrien's wrist and said, "Come on, Adrien... This is your worst day!" said. She obviously didn't realize she was still holding his hand. "Think about yourself!"

"Maybe you're right," Adrien added thoughtfully. "I'm coming with you!"

Marinette gave a deep breath, saying silencely, 'that's it!' she sighed. But when she realized she was holding Adrien's hand, all her relief was gone, leaving it to the cramps and butterflies in his stomach.

Seconds after she started walking, Marinette went under the umbrella and grabbed he its iron. But his fingers found Adrien's again. When she pulled back in a hurry, her cheeks blushed and said, " Uhm-sorry! I... I didn't think you'd hold it... I'm sorry!" said. "No problem," Adrien said with a relaxed demeanor, smiling. "It wasn't annoy me."