"Don't be bemused, it's just the news. I'm Nadja Chamuck and this is Side By Side. Later on today's show we are going to be joined by none other than teen heart throb Adrien Agreste. But first, over to Alec with some breaking entertainment news…"

Adrien let out a heavy sigh. He hated doing interviews, especially live ones in front of a camera. He was only slightly appeased by the fact that he had been given the list of general questions beforehand so hopefully there should be no surprises. His father had insisted on him doing the interview saying that Adrien needed to be more involved in the running of the company, and not just as it's poster boy. Adrien didn't mind that necessarily, but putting himself out there like this didn't do much to make him feel better about it.

Recently Gabriel had been pushing Adrien more into the corporate side of the company. While he was still the face of the brand, it had become apparent to fashion designer that his recently turned eighteen year old son was not always going to be a model. While he definitely still had a few good years in him, it was a fickle business and he really needed to start grooming him to eventually take over the company. After all, he wasn't getting any younger and he had plans for himself. Plans that included a quiet life with Emilie, once he found a plan that worked that is. Add to that Adrien becoming more resistant to his role as a model and it really left Gabriel needing to find new avenues for his son to commit to. Adrien was happy enough to spend time immersed at the Gabriel Flagship Building, even being given his own office, but the downside to corporate life meant he didn't get to see his friends much outside of school and he missed them terribly.

"Oh look, Adrien is going to be on Side By Side." Rose squealed out, grabbing Mylene to sit down. Juleka walked over to the TV to turn it up while Ivan and Luka packed up the instruments. They had just finished a great rehearsal session on the houseboat and were looking forward to playing as a support act for an upcoming benefit concert that Jagged Stone was hosting. Marinette had come to check some last minute details for the new costumes she had been working on, with Alya and Nino tagging along. While most of the group had moved over to the TV, Marinette got out her needle and thread to sew one of Luka's buttons back onto his shirt which had come off during the rehearsal.

"Do you want me to take my shirt off?" Luka asked. There was a hint of playfulness in his voice, but Marinette wasn't sure just how innocent that request had been and avoided making eye contact. Over the last few weeks she had spent quite a lot of time with Kitty Section and so with Luka too. She was acutely aware of his feelings for her and he had made no attempt to hide it. While there was a small part of her that wanted to reciprocate his affections, she knew she would be lying if she said she loved him. That wouldn't be fair on either of them. She couldn't deny though that he was certainly easy on the eyes and his kind and caring nature made her feel special. Luka had just turned twenty and was quickly becoming as big of a heartthrob in the music world as Adrien was in fashion.

Adrien had started spending a lot of time recently with Kagami. Although no one had talked to him about it, the story was being reported in most magazines that they were dating as they had been seen at a few public events together. Marinette couldn't bring herself to ask Kagami directly, but there didn't seem to be any need. Spending time with Kitty Section was a way to try and move on from her long time crush. It had been a bit of a strange paradox really, once she thought Adrien was with Kagami, she had actually been able to act more as a friend around him.

"No, I can sew it while it's on you." She said, motioning to the chair behind him. Luka sat down and Marinette pulled over a stool, leaning in to line up the button in the right place. He started humming a little tune. She had heard him humming it before and figured it was a new song he was working on. Marientte could feel the bush of his lips just above her head as he breathed her in, ghosting his hand down her arm. He had tried to kiss her before, but she had always skilfully avoided it. She carefully started to move the needle through the button. "Keep still please, I wouldn't want to accidentally poke you." She said, hoping he would get the message to stop.

"Marinette." He whispered just above her ear. "Can you stay a bit for tonight? I have a song I'd really like to play for you." There was so much hope in his voice it was heartbreaking. They way he spoke to her, so loving and tender, should have been sending shivers down her spine, but it didn't. She only felt sadness for him.

"Oh..I...ah...I can't tonight Luka." She stammered out. "I have to help my parents with a large order that is being collected early in the morning." It wasn't a total lie, but it wasn't the whole truth either. She knew what Luka wanted to say to her, he'd been trying to say it for weeks now, but she wasn't ready to hear it, wasn't ready to see that look of disappointment on his face that she had seen over and over again in Chat Noir's face. There was her other problem, and one she couldn't avoid.

Chat was without a doubt the person she trusted most in the world. They had grown very close over the years as partners and friends and she couldn't deny there was a growing place in her heart for the boy who had stood by her side and been her shield for the past four years. While she had always been a stickler for the secret identities, she would be lying if she said she didn't want to know who he really was. She had said once to Tikki that if it hadn't been for Adrien, she probably would have been more open to Chat's advances. The red Kwami would only say that things had a way of working themselves out, but now with Adrien off the market, she was feeling more lonely and in need of love more than ever and her mind would often wander to the other blonde boy in her life. Talk about having a type.

"Maybe another time then." Luka said quietly. She could hear the disappointment he was trying to hide. She hated hurting him like this, but what could she do? Between Adrien and Chat Noir, there just wasn't enough room in her heart to deal with any more emotional baggage. What was it with her and wanting boys she couldn't have, but rejecting the one she could?

"Welcome back to Side By Side and here with me now is the face of the Gabriel fashion empire, Adrien Agreste." The camera panned to Adrien who smiled and waved politely before turning back to Nadja.

"My Dude doesn't look too comfortable if you ask me." Nino said, regarding his best friend on the screen. He looped his arm around his girlfriend Alya's shoulder. "He said he hates doing these interviews, but the old man insisted." Marinette glanced over to the TV. Nino was right, Adrien was smiling but it was that phoney model smile he pulls out for photoshoots. Most people wouldn't notice it, but his friends recognised it instantly. Alya nodded in agreement.

"He rang me up last night wanting some pointers for handling questions he didn't want to answer." She added.

Marinette turned back to her sewing wondering what kind of questions Adrien would want to avoid. She was aware of Luka watching her as she worked but she tried to ignore it. Whenever Chat gazed at her as Ladybug like that, her pulse would race, if Adrien so much as looked her way, her heart pounded, but Luka? It just wasn't there. She felt kindness and friendship, she enjoyed his company and his music, but it wasn't love. She simply couldn't make herself feel something that just didn't exit. As much as she hated to say it, Luka really was just a friend no matter how she twisted it.

The interview started easy enough with mostly questions about the Gabriel brand, new season trends and other fashion related topics. Glancing up again Marinette could see Adrien's body language had relaxed a bit as the interview went on, but that soon shifted dramatically.

"So Adrien, as one of Paris's most eligible bachelors, can you confirm for us your relationship with your girlfriend Kagami Tsurugi." Marinette almost poked Luka with the needle when she heard Adrien practically choke on the water he had been taking a sip of.

"Excuse me?" He spluttered, darting his eyes off to the side. Nathalie looked back at him with wide eyes. This was definitely not on the list of questions she had approved.

"Are you not in a relationship with Miss. Tsurugi? You have been attending various social events together recently." He looked back over at Nathalie who was nodding and gesturing for him to answer the question.

"Um...no." He answered quietly with a frown. Why was Nathalie now rubbing her temples and shaking her head? He'd answered the question. Nadja shifted forward in her seat, her eyebrows raised. Her face was a mixture of surprise and the smell of a scoop.

"So you're confirming here for us tonight that you are not dating Miss. Tsurugi?" Nadja pressed on. Adrien looked back at the reporter. He felt like all the blood had rushed out of his face but he cleared his throat and sat up straighter.

"No, I'm not." He said more confidently. "Kagami and I have been good friends for a long time and I have the utmost respect for her. We are often both invited to events in the same social circles so it would make sense that we attend these events together. Not much point going alone." He said curtly, trying to hide his annoyance at this line of questioning.

Marinette didn't even realise she had dropped the scissors she was holding until she was startled by the loud clatter as they hit the deck. Luka bent down, picking them up and placing them on the small table nearby. He looked with concern at Marinette, but she didn't see him, her eyes fixed on the TV screen. Luka could see it in her face though, the realisation that Adrien had not been dating Kagami. She had resigned herself to the idea that Adrien was out of reach, but she and everyone else had been wrong. He was not dating Kagami at all. Then something in her eyes shifted.

"Did she know?" She asked herself out loud, the others in the room turned around and looked at her. Marinette was lost in thought at first but then looked up at them. "I should ring Kagami and make sure she's okay." Swiftly she stood, pulling her phone out of her bag and heading outside.

Adrien was grateful when the interview finally wrapped and he was able to get away. Nathalie ushered him into the awaiting limo, taking the seat opposite him. He was surprised because usually she sat up front with his bodyguard.

"Adrien what was that all about?" She asked. Her voice was firm, but not unkind. "I thought you liked Kagami."

"I do." The blonde answered, an air of annoyance creeping into his voice. "But I'm not in love with her." Nathalie sat back in her seat, surprised by his sharp tone. She had worried about Adrien being lonely and thought some female companionship would be good for him. Guess she focused on the wrong girl. Adrien could see the frown in her face and softened his own. "I'm sorry Nathalie, I didn't mean to get snappy."

"I should apologise Adrien, I feel I may have inadvertently contributed to this situation." He looked at her inquisitively. "I understood your feelings for Kagami to have been something more than they were and did not immediately act upon the rumours that had been circulating in certain media. I will get onto this immediately." He leaned over and patted her hand. Nathalie meant well and he knew that. Ever since his mother left, she had always been there for him and he would truly be lost without her.

"It's alright Nathalie, it's not your fault." He said comfortingly. "Reports will always say what they want anyway. How many times did they say I was dating Chloe after we attended an event together, or Lila after that photoshoot." He had to restrain a cold shiver at that thought, then he began to laugh. "Or remember that time when Marinette tried to help me hide from my crazy fans." Nathalie nodded, but saw a slight blush and soft smile on his lips at the memory of it as he looked out the car window. That's interesting, Nathalie thought, his expression never changed when he mentioned the others.

"Kagami, are you sure you're alright?" Marinette was surprised by the calmness in the Japanese girl's voice.

"Thank you Marinette, but really I'm perfectly fine. Adrien and I had already talked about our relationship and he was quite clear that he only sees me as a friend, and I accept that." She replied. Marinette was relieved. The last thing she wanted was for Kagami to have been akumatized again. "I thought I was in love with him, but after spending a lot of time together these last few weeks, I see now that love wasn't what I felt. I never really had many friends before I met Adrien and then you and I guess I was confused by my emotions. I think Adrien might be a bit the same."

"What do you mean?" Marinette asked, but Kagami only sighed.

"It doesn't matter." She said dismissively, "Besides, his jokes really were not that funny." Marinette had to stifle a laugh. She had seen that side of Adrien more recently as their friendship got closer and she could see where Kagami was coming from, although she herself probably wouldn't be that harsh. Then again, she had been listening to Chat and his bad jokes for years, so maybe that kind of sense of humour had started to rub off on her, heaven forbid! "So what about you and Luka? I thought you two had something going on." Marinette was taken aback.

"Who...who told you I had something going on with Luka?" She queried.

"I just assumed. Adrien said you had been working with him and Kitty Section a lot recently. Why? Is that not the case?" There was silence on the other end of the phone. "Marinette?"

"I am working with Kitty Section yes, but I'm not with Luka." She finally said after she got past the initial shock. "He...he would like more, and hasn't been all that subtle about it." She heard Kagami say a questioning 'oh' on the other end. Marinette let out an exasperated breath. "I know Luka has feelings for me but I just can't return them, not while…" She cut herself off from saying it, but Kagami understood.

"Not while you're still in love with Adrien." She said softly. Marinette went silent. She rang Kagami to make sure she was okay, not to talk about her feelings for Adrien. "Listen, Marinette." Kagami said firmly. " You are my friend and that isn't going to change if you were to start dating Adrien…"

"Kagami!" Marinette interjected surprised. "Adrien only thinks of me as a friend." Kagami huffed.

"Then be his friend Marinette." The seriousness of Kagami's tone made Marinette still. "Adrien's father has him under all kinds of pressure at the moment and he is going to need his friends to support him and that includes you Marinette...especially you." As always, Kagami was blunt and to the point, but Marinette had learned to appreciate that forthrightness about her friend.

"Me?...Why me especially?"

"Because you were the only other person besides Nino he ever talks about. He likes you Marinette, even if he can't see it himself." Adrien talks about her? Well, maybe it's just because she designs and he's in fashion, it couldn't be because he likes her like that. No, Marinette was sure Kagami couldn't be right about that, but she did know she was all too right about the pressure he was under. Adrien did need his friends but she wasn't sure she could be what he needed.

"Kagami...I don't know if I can…" but Kagami cut her off.

"Marinette, just...just be there for him. Promise me you'll do that." Kagami pleaded. "He's surrounded by vultures that want to use him, his father included, and I know you're not like that. He really cares about you Marinette, if you would only just open up to him." Marinette didn't know what to say, but there was a waver in Kagami's voice that now had Marinette concerned.

"I will be there for him Kagami, I promise, but something else is wrong isn't it?" There was a moment of silence before Kagami answered.

"My mother and I are returning to Japan, at least for the immediate future. My grandmother is very ill and it is expected that we should take care of her." Marinette was floored, this was so unexpected.

"When...how long?" She stammered out.

"We leave in the morning and I honestly don't know how long for. It could be a few weeks, it could be a few months. Adrien knows, and I was about to call you to let you know too." There was a pause before Kagami continued. "I'll miss our catch ups for orange juice and ice cream." Marinette smiled to herself. There was a time where she would never have believed that her and Kagami would ever have been friends but she couldn't be happier that they were.

"There will be plenty more when you come back." Marinette promised. "You just worry about your grandmother, I'll look out for Adrien."

"Thank you Marinette." Kagami said with an air of relief. "I'm glad we are friends."

"Yeah, me too."

Marinette quickly said goodbye to her friends on the houseboat, avoiding getting too close to Luka, and raced back home. After the order for tomorrow was all boxed up and sorted she finally flopped herself in her bed. Tikki hovered by her head with a concerned look.

"Tikki, what am I going to do? Every time I think I'm over Adrien, he smiles at me with those emerald eyes and I just melt for him all over again." Marinette sighed as Tikki sat beside her. Rolling over she looked at the pictures of her friends on the wall. She had long since removed Adrien's professional photos and replaced them with more candid shots with their friends. He was so happy in the photos and she didn't want to see that change, but if Kagami was right about the pressure he was under then she needed to push past this insecurity she still had and be there for him.

"You would want Adrien to still be your friend." Tikki floated up into Marinette's face. "That is what you want?"

"I do want that Tikki, more than anything I want that, but this is me we are talking about." She said exasperated. "I still suffer from verbal diarrhoea when I try to talk to him. He must think I'm the biggest idiot." Tikki shook her head.

"Adrien would never think that of you." Tikki reassured her. "He cares about you a lot." More than either of you know, the kwami thought to herself. It was frustrating to Tikki to watch how close Marinette had become with Chat behind their masks, but she still struggled to talk to Adrien outside of them. She had gently suggested that perhaps knowing each other's identities wasn't such a bad idea now, but Marinette just freaked out about it. Then she had a thought. "Maybe you just need to be a little more Ladybug about this. You could pretend it's Chat Noir you're talking too."

"Pretend?" Marinette considered what Tikki said for a moment. It was true that she could talk to Chat without falling apart, but her own feelings for her partner just made her even more confused. "I don't know Tikki, that could be worse. I mean, is it normal to have feelings for two boys at once?" Tikki smiled sympathetically.

"Trust your heart Marinette. It will all work out in the end."