"Allow me to escort you home."

Ladybug wasn't supposed to utter those words, especially when she promised herself not to involve with Adrien anymore, but after seeing how the blond limped himself through the alleys, her compassion ruled over.

"I don't want to impose on you," she continued meekly "But your leg is not yet on its full recovery, and it's almost midnight. Someone might spring on you behind the shadows and mug you, and I'm aware that you're capable of handling yourself but you're alone and injured, and I - "

"I really appreciate the offer, Ladybug" he interrupted her blabbering then chuckled "And yes, feel free to carry me to my residence."

The masked heroine tried not to fluster when the blond model wrapped his arms around her neck and inhaled a familiar scent of body wash. After he told her about his address, she hooked her right arm behind his legs while her left propelled her yo-yo to the air so they could swing towards the Agreste's mansion.

They landed on the balcony just above Adrien's room.

She was about to leave when the blond stopped her and asked "Would you like to have some hot cocoa before you go? You know, a payment for finding my lucky charm?"

She could never say no for hot cocoa.

She tried to ogle around and act like she was curious about the surroundings when he ushered her into his room. There weren't many changes in the interiors the last time she has been there secretly as Ladybug, except with the big pin-up board hanging just above his study table.

"Nathalie often joked it as Marinette's 'murder board'," his bemused voice broke her reverie, "Dr. Porteau said that it's beneficial for my recovery if I will arrange my thoughts like this."

"Dr. Porteau?"

"He's my therapist," said Adrien as he busied himself in his kitchenette with his back facing hers "He's uh, a shrink, by the way."

Ladybug stood there with dumbfounded expression at his revelation "I...I didn't know that...that you're sick."

The blond snorted as he poured the steaming beverage in two mugs "Even my best friends Alya and Nino have no idea either. It's something personal, and I'm not destructive enough to involve other people in my case."

"I'm really sorry to hear that."

"Don't be, Ladybug," he topped a handful of marshmallows on each mug then turned around "I know depression sucks, but I'm getting all the help that I need. Cocoa?"

The masked heroine accepted the mug with a crestfallen expression "Thanks."

"You're welcome. I hope you don't mind the mallows."

"It's fine. I love putting mallows on my hot cocoa," she answered then took a small sip of her drink. She had to stop herself not to sigh in bliss.

Adrien cracked a fond smile "She's the one who taught me how to make a good cocoa."

Ladybug choked and almost burned her tongue when she gulped her drink audibly.

"Are you alright?!"

"I - I'm fine," she croaked "Wrong pipe."

She didn't have to ask to know the person he was referring to. Her bluebell eyes trailed back to the pin-up board filled with her old civilian's candid pictures, article clippings about the designs she never knew was featured before, post-it notes of her daily schedules and activities back when she was a student, random doodles she remembered she drew in her sketchbooks, and printed labels that revealed the date with a brief explanation of the story behind each pinned item.

"It's been a year since she left us," his deep voice reverberated in the room "She was once a constant presence in my life; an ear whenever I have an issue at home, a shoulder that I lean to cry on, a hand that feeds me if I skipped a meal, a voice who entertains me during my shoots...I can't name them all. She means the world to me."

He paused a bit to down his cocoa then continued "Nobody knows about her whereabouts, not even her parents or Alya. They thought I knew everything since I'm her childhood friend...her first best friend. Turns out they were wrong. I was wrong." his emerald eyes glued on hers "Nobody knows the real Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

She averted her gaze immediately "Will you be getting well if you see her again?"

The blond shook his head noncommittally "I don't know. Probably. If Marinette ever shows up again, I'd prefer not to be a one-time thing."

"What if it's going to be a one-time thing?" she asked while berating herself not to probe further "What will you do?"

"I'll just give her a reason to come back," was his wistful answer "Something that she can look forward to – her family's pastries, Alya's news scoops, Nino's sick beats, our classmate's weird antics, her favorite singer's album hits, her favorite magazine's fashion covers, her favorite places..."

"Aren't you supposed to respect her wish?" the heroine blurted out in a whisper "She vanished at her own will."

"Marinette is not a person who runs away to escape her problems."

"What made you think that she ran away because of problems?" she snapped, placing her mug on the center table then stood up "I have to go. Thanks for the cocoa."

His brows furrowed when he glanced the inside of her mug "You didn't eat the marshmallows?"

"While I love my hot cocoa topped with mallows," she reasoned as she walked towards his window "I don't like the taste of the un-melted ones. Have a safe evening, civilian."

"Adrien," he corrected with a lopsided grin "My name's Adrien."

"Goodbye, Adrien."

Throwing her yo-yo outside, Ladybug left his room without looking back at the blond who remained seated as he observed her departing figure being swallowed by the dark.

"Hope to see you again," he muttered pensively "Marinette."