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Chapter 9– A Story Between Us
(MC POV)
The morning sunlight felt ordinary, but my thoughts weren't. For the last two nights, I hadn't stopped thinking about Marinette—well, not her exactly, but the notebook.
My notebook.
My stomach had sunk when I realized it was gone. All the ideas I had carried over from my old life—Naruto, Death Note, Fullmetal Alchemist, Your Name, and more—gone in one clumsy collision.
But if Marinette had picked it up, she would've noticed by now. She didn't strike me as the type to keep something like that intentionally. Which meant… she would return it.
The question was—how much had she read?
When I entered class, the answer stared back at me. Marinette was at her desk, fiddling nervously with a notebook on top. My notebook. Her bluebell eyes darted toward me the second I walked in, then quickly dropped, as if she'd been caught sneaking cookies before dinner.
I walked over calmly, though inside, my heart was drumming.
She stood up so fast her chair almost toppled. "A-Adrien! I—I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to take this, it—it got mixed into my bag yesterday when I bumped into your desk, and—and I didn't realize until I was home—"
I raised a hand, cutting her off gently. "Relax. I figured that's what happened." I took the notebook from her hands, slipping it into my bag. "Thanks for returning it."
Her shoulders slumped with relief. But then, before she sat down, her lips pressed together, like she was holding back words.
And then she blurted, "I read it."
My head snapped toward her. "You what?"
Her cheeks turned crimson. "I-I didn't mean to at first, honest! But when I opened it, I saw sketches, and then the summaries, and then I… I couldn't stop. Adrien, those stories—" her voice softened, almost reverent, "—they were beautiful."
For a moment, I forgot to breathe.
No one else had ever read those. Not in this world. To me, they were echoes of a life I'd left behind. To her… they were brand-new.
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Lunchtime
I thought that would be the end of it, but when lunch rolled around, Marinette surprised me again.
Instead of scurrying off to eat alone or awkwardly tagging behind the Defenders, she walked right up to my table—where Gwen and Ned were already sitting—and set her tray down beside mine.
"H-Hope you don't mind if I sit here."
Gwen raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. Ned gave her an encouraging smile.
I nodded. "Of course."
For a few minutes, the usual lunch chatter filled the air. Ned rambled about a new Lego set he was eyeing, Gwen teased him about spending more time building than studying, and I mostly listened. But Marinette was quiet, poking at her food like she wanted to say something but couldn't.
Finally, she spoke. "Adrien… about your stories."
Ned perked up. "Stories? You write?"
I shot Marinette a warning glance, but she either didn't notice or didn't care. "Yes. He has this notebook full of them—amazing ones. Like Your Name." Her eyes lit up. "Two people connected across time and distance, trying desperately to find each other again… it was so moving. I—I cried, actually."
Ned blinked. "Dang. Sounds intense."
Marinette wasn't done. "And Your Lie in April—a boy trapped in silence until a girl's music brings color back into his world… Adrien, that one broke me. But in the best way. I never thought a story could do that."
I sat there, stunned, as her words spilled out with unfiltered sincerity.
No one in this world had reacted like that to those tales. To me, they were memories. To her, they were revelations.
A crazy idea sparked in my mind. Something I hadn't dared before.
"What if we made them into manga?" I asked suddenly.
Her fork clattered against her tray. "M-Manga? Like… actually draw and publish them?"
"Exactly," I said, leaning forward. "You've got talent, Marinette. I've seen your doodles in class. Your designs have a real spark. And with my writing and your art…" I shrugged. "Why not?"
Her eyes widened, hands fluttering as if trying to physically push the idea away. "Oh, n-no, I couldn't! I—I'm not good enough, and besides, school is already so busy, and—"
"Excuses," I cut in, smirking. "You just listed excuses."
She froze, mouth open.
I softened my tone. "Look, I'm not saying we need to start a company tomorrow. Just… try. You love these stories. I can tell. And I think you could bring them to life better than anyone else."
Her gaze dropped to her tray. For a long moment, she didn't respond. Then, very softly, "…You really think I could?"
"I know you could," I said firmly.
Her cheeks flushed, and she fiddled with her fork. "…O-Okay. I'll try."
Ned whistled. "Dang, Adrien. Recruiter skills on point."
Gwen gave me a sly look. "So, you and Marinette are starting a secret project together, huh?"
I rolled my eyes. "It's not like that."
But Marinette's blush only deepened.
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After School
Walking home, I slipped into the Timeless Zone to clear my thoughts. Tikki hovered in front of me, eyes narrowed.
"So. You're planning to pull Marinette into your world now?"
I shook my head. "No. Not like that. She doesn't need to know about Miraculous. Not unless…" I hesitated. "Not unless it's a real emergency. And I mean big."
Tikki studied me for a long moment, then nodded reluctantly. "Good. Because giving someone a Miraculous isn't a casual decision."
Plagg snorted. "Pfft. You're just making excuses to spend more time with her. 'Let's make manga together!' Smooth, kid."
I groaned. "Why are all of you like this?"
Wayzz chuckled. "Because you're easy to tease, young master."
"Traitors," I muttered.
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Dinner at the Stacy's
That evening, I joined the Stacy family for dinner. George Stacy was quieter than usual—probably still shaken from recent attacks. Gwen's little brother chattered about school, her mom fussed over the food, and I did my best to lighten the mood with stories and jokes.
By dessert, the tension had mostly eased.
Which was exactly when Gwen struck.
"So, Adrien," she said casually, spooning ice cream into her bowl, "how's your new partner doing?"
I blinked. "Partner?"
She smirked. "You know. Marinette. The girl who sat next to you today. The one you're making manga with."
I nearly choked on my drink. "It's not like that!"
"Oh?" Gwen leaned her chin on her hand, eyes sparkling with mischief. "Because from where I was sitting, she looked pretty flustered around you. And you looked… well, not uninterested."
Her mom raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Who's Marinette?"
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "She's just a new transfer. That's all."
Gwen's grin widened. "Sure. Just a new transfer who happens to share your desk, read your secret notebook, cry over your stories, and now is working on a big creative project with you. Totally random. Nothing to see here."
Her brother piped up, "Does Adrien have a girlfriend?"
The table erupted in laughter—except me.
I buried my face in my hands. "Kill me now."
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(Later, MC POV)
Back in my room that night, I opened the idea notebook. My pages, my handwriting… but now, a new weight pressed against them.
Someone else had seen them. Someone had believed in them.
Marinette wasn't Ladybug here. She wasn't destined to fight akumas or protect Paris. But maybe… maybe her story was meant to intertwine with mine in a different way.
And as crazy as it was… I didn't mind.
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