Forgive me for being gone for a year.

And forgive me for such a short update.

V. Feelings

It was no use. He couldn't focus on the exam sheet in front of him. All he could do was think about the two unread messages that were on his phone. His right pocket was itching his leg.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Agreste?" The professor, a slim middle-aged man with a face like Prince Charming (the reason why that class was full of females), approached. People that were sitting around him looked towards their direction. The philosophy professor peered curiously at the young man's blank sheet of paper.

"N-no..." Adrien couldn't find any other words. What would his excuse even be?

"Mind over matter, Agreste," he said as he walked back towards his desk.

Adrien sighed. His professor was right. Right now, he had to focus on what was most important.

And that's somehow answering all 20 philosophy questions in the last fifteen minutes of class.

...

"You are really hooked, aren't you?"

Plagg took a bite into his Camembert cheese as Adrien absentmindedly stirred his bowl of soup.

"It's just been a while since I've seen her."

Plagg snorted. Adrien didn't understand what was funny about what he had just said, but he didn't feel like asking the dark kwami.

He checked the screen of his phone. He had replied to Marinette's texts as soon as he got out the door of the classroom. She had sent him a picture of the coffee art of her cappuccino, and wished him 'good luck' on his exam. He still hasn't gotten a message back from her.

She's probably busy, he thought.

"Aren't you meeting up with Nino later?" Plagg asked after stuffing the last bit of cheese into his mouth. Adrien laughed at the sight of Plagg's cheeks doubling in size.

"I am," he nodded, "he said he had something to show me."

"Ooh~ I wonder what it could be." The kwami's face lit up in a mischievous grin.

"Who ever knows with Nino?" He said as he gathered his stuff.

Nino was always someone very unpredictable to Adrien. While it was easy to see what his best friend was feeling, it was hard to know what he was thinking.

...

"No way!" Nino slammed his hand onto the table.

Adrien flinched slightly, before backing up from his friend.

"I can't believe you've gotten closer to Marinette within the two days you've met with her again than in our entire four years of high school." He bursted out laughing.

"It's not really that funny." Adrien sighed.

"Yeah, man. It actually really is." Nino took off his glasses to wipe his eyes. "I guess now the four us can hang out again."

By 'four,' Adrien assumed he meant the two of them with Alya and Marinette.

Wait...

"What do you mean? Why couldn't we hang out before?"

Wasn't it always because Marinette was always busy and couldn't make it?

His friend gave him a serious look.

"You can't be seriously thinking it was always cause she was busy, right? Adrien..."

"Well, I am serious cause I've always assumed that was why." He wasn't sure why, but he was getting really tired of all the allusions.

"Adrien, Adrien, Adrien..." Nino shook his head.

Okay, now he was annoyed for real.

Bzzt!

He jumped a little when he felt the vibration inside his pocket. Not listening to whatever his best friend was saying, Adrien casually took out his phone.

Marinette.

He opened the image file she sent him. The picture showed the runway with a few models standing around. Adrien figured she was really excited to be up and close to the stage.

"Is it Marinette?"

"No."

"Man, don't lie to me. There's this goofy smile on your face." Nino folded his arms.

"Okay, I lied," Adrien admitted. "But you're gonna go on and on about this. It's not a big deal that we started talking again."

Okay, he was definitely lying to himself at this point. He even felt Plagg stir in his shirt pocket.

He didn't think he would be, but seeing Marinette actually made him more happy. For reasons unknown, he looked forward to her texts and to seeing her around his father's institute. He was just...happy to be in her presence.

He watched as a weird smirk appeared on Nino's face. Before he got the chance, Adrien asked, "What was it you wanted to show me anyway?"

He regretted it once the smirk grew into a grin.

"We are going to the gentlemen's club."

...

"Won't Alya be mad?"

Adrien watched as Nino adjusted the bow tie around his neck.

"Alya and I aren't a thing. Elle n'est pas ma petite amie."

Adrien was aware that he and Alya were always on and off. Although he knew that Nino really liked her a lot, he also knew that Alya was the type to expect the most out of someone and Nino just wasn't satisfying her.

"I feel weird, Nino." Adrien confessed. He wasn't sure why it was bothering him so much, but the idea of going to the gentlemen's club made him feel guilty. The club itself was perfectly modest. It wasn't an indecent place–not what most people think it is–but it served as a second home for most of its male members. From the homey ambiance to the fun activities provided for them, it was understandable why most of them never want to leave.

Adrien perfectly understood this. After all, he used to be one of them.

But now...

Wait, why am I feeling guilty?

He feels Nino's hand on his shoulder.

"What's up? We've been going to this place since we were 18. You've never had a problem with it until now."

"I'm just not feeling like it. Every time we go, we would always stay for at least two days..." Adrien frowned.

"Man, we don't have to. You can stay however long you like. Go home whenever you want." Nino informed. He crossed his arms. "What's really the deal?"

Adrien was silent for a while. His mind flashed back to the last time they were there. Back to the moment he found that a woman had snuck into the club. Back to the moment he—

"Look."

Adrien blinked, startled. "What?"

"If you really don't want to, we don't have to go." Nino turned his attention to his phone.

Adrien thought about it. He knew bailing on Nino would be the first thing on his 'Never To Do' list. But he really didn't feel like going. There were just so many reasons that were stopping him from going. For one, what would Marinette say if she—

WHOA. What?

The blond scratched his head. Why did she even pop up? She shouldn't have even been a factor in this.

By this point, Adrien was suffering from a lot of confusion. He was thankful Plagg was asleep.

He's sure the little kwami felt his befuddlement.

"I'm going."

...

He regretted it the minute he stepped foot into the building.

"Whisky?" Nino held a square glass towards him.

"You're going to give me alcohol poisoning." That was his third glass.

Adrien wasn't a lightweight, but he knows he couldn't hold as much liquor as Nino could.

Hell, even Alya could outdrink him.

Nino noticed that his friend wasn't having a good time. He knew that Adrien was reluctant but he didn't know that he was going to be such a bore. He figured that once they got to the club, Adrien would be his usual charming self.

Boy, was he wrong.

"I see Doctor Jackal over by the blackjack table. I'm going to say hello. Try to smile, dude. At least correct your face a little."

Adrien grunted in response. Seeing his sullen face, Nino felt bad.

"We'll leave as soon as I finish talking to Jackal. Promise." He firmly patted Adrien's shoulder. Adrien gave him a small nod in response.

Great. Now he Adrien ruined his friend's night. He wasn't sure why. He just wasn't into it tonight. There were other things he could be doing.

Adrien was about to take out his phone until he remembered he had left it at the front desk. This club had a strict policy of no cellular devices. The goal was for the gentlemen to mingle and focus on the company they could see. Having cell phones hindered the entire process. They weren't allowed to have their phones on the main floor. He never minded before but it irritated him this time for taking away his one source of wanted entertainment.

Heaving a sigh, he headed towards the bar to return his almost empty glass. Adrien was starting to feel the effects of the drinks. He regretted not stuffing his face before they went out.

"Adrien?"

The familiar voice sent a chill down his spine. His arms caught goosebumps and suddenly all the memories started to run through his drunken mind.

He rubbed his eyes.

"It is you."

The voice was getting closer.

The world seemed to move really slowly as the person came into his blurred view. They were dressed in a suit and tie. Their hair was short, black.

It wasn't like how he remembered.

"Isa—"

And then he felt something soft swiftly covering his mouth.

Elle n'est pas ma petite amie - "She isn't my girlfriend" (French)