***Surprise! I am back with another chapter for you. One down, two more left. Comment your thoughts below. Thank you for the support, Sending love, MMF***

Marinette approached Kitty Section's lead guitarist and current lover with a timid smile. Her mind flooded with anxious ideas that she wished she could delete. She hoped things would turn out fine, but the chances of it happening were just approximately 40%.

The bluenette had to admit she was worried about the outcome. The young designer knew the result would not be what she had hoped for since she would most likely have to give up on one or the other, but Marinette remained optimistic that she could turn things around.

The more steps she took toward the guitarist, the more nervous she became.

Marinette wanted to turn around and flee back home, forgetting about all that had happened, but she realized it wasn't an option.

That's why, just minutes before leaving her house, she gave herself a pep talk, one that she was repeating this very second.

"Marinette, you've got this. There's no need to be concerned; everything will turn out OK. They'll understand.

You've made the proper decision. You've got it," Marinette repeated herself over and over.

As Luka's eyes landed on the bluenette, he jumped up and took her in his arms.

"Wow, Marinette, you look gorgeous. Truly more beautiful than ever," Luka complimented as his face burned bright red.

"Hey, L-Luka. Umm, thanks. For you know the compliment and meeting me here today," Marinette responded softly, stuttering a few times.

"Of course I would meet you. You know I'd go anywhere with you. I am glad you wanted to see me before Adrien for once. I almost thought that day would never arrive," Luka chuckled as if it had been a joke, but it was clear to the brunette his words had been a shot at both her and Adrien. His tone was almost bitter and almost sarcastic.

When Marinette heard Luka's remarks, she took a big breath. She despised the fact that he was continually bringing up Adrien. Marinette afterward noticed Luka did it frequently. He acted as if their relationship was a competition to him. Her heart is the treasure. That's why she had to do it; this had to come to an end once and for all.

Marinette stood up straight and flashed him a mild glare, saying, "Actually, that is what I wanted to talk to you about." The future designer didn't mean to come across as frigid, but Luka's attempt to portray Adrien as a horrible guy infuriated her. He was only ever guilty of loving her, which was a wonderful thing.

"I'm guessing this has something to do with our talk on Saturday?" Luka inquired as he took a seat on the bench behind him and patted the space beside him, motioning for her to join him. Marinette appeared to be perplexed. Luka either didn't see her rage or didn't give a damn. Marinette sighed and accepted the invitation, taking a seat next to him but maintaining a slight gap between them. Her gaze remains fixed on her boyfriend.

Marinette finally said, "Yes, it is." She then paused for a brief moment. Things were already off to a bad start after his statements. She was unsure of the words she needed to say next, but she knew their situation had to come to an end. Her heart had spoken, and now it was up to her to voice it.

Marinette waited all night for a message from Luka, perhaps apologizing and letting her know she didn't have to choose, but it never came. She couldn't understand why he felt compelled to take Adrien from her. But it's possible he wanted to say it to her face to face. Marinette had hoped that he cared more about her feelings than he let on and that he would not force her to choose, but she was surprised to learn that this was not the case. In fact, when she heard the following words that came out of his mouth, she was taken aback.

 "So the question remains. Did you make up your mind? Is it him, or is it me?" Luka inquired without hesitation. Luka, like Marinette, was desperate to put a stop to the situation. He had been considering it for a long time. The guitarist wasn't sure how much longer he could handle Adrien interfering with their relationship. He needed her to figure out what she felt before one or more of them got hurt.

Marinette was speechless as she looked at Luka. She didn't know who the man in front of her was, but he wasn't the one she had learned to love. Luka had never been the jealous sort. He had always put her feelings before his own, so why was he acting this way now?

Marinette was shocked by Luka's recent behavior. It was as if the Luka she had met had vanished, and a stranger stood before her. One who was unconcerned with her feelings only concerned himself with his own. He seemed to be the only one who mattered at the time. He couldn't possibly force her to choose between him and her best friend. Couldn't he see how much this was bothering her? Or did he not give a damn?

"Why are you doing this, Luka? Why do you insist on making me pick between the two of you? You don't realize how much this bothers me. Can't you see how much this is hurting me?  Are you unconcerned about my feelings? He is my best friend, and he means the world to me, so it hurts me that you don't want me to be near him anymore. Why is this a problem now, after you promised me that you understood my and Adrien's relationship?" Marinette inquired, making it apparent to Luka that he was giving her a great deal of agony. Marinette hoped that the kind and loving Luka she had met before was still inside him and that if he realized how much he was hurting her, he would return.

Luka let out a sigh and scratched his temples. The truth was that he didn't want to do it, but he had no choice. "I understand, Marinette, and I apologize profusely, but-" Luka paused, unsure if he really wanted to go on with it. He continued after making up his mind. "However, we both know that there isn't much room in your life for both of us. Both Adrien and I are looking for the same thing. I want your time, your love, I want you, and I can't have it as long as he's around," Luka lamented.

"Marinette, know that I despise asking this of you, just as much as I know how much you despise doing it, but please understand that I am feeling the same pain you are right now every second you are near him."

"Marinette, Even though you don't want to admit it to yourself, I know you still love him. I'm also aware that he feels the same way about you, if not more so. I'm not stupid, and neither are you, so I'm sure you can see it, and I'm just scared that the longer he's around you, the more your old feelings surface. I don't want to lose you, but it's clear that if he stays around much longer, I will. I already know you don't feel the same way about me as you did about him. You have always made that clear. But I'm confident that if given the chance, I can change your mind. So my concern is, will it be Marinette and Adrien forever? Or will it be Marinette and Luka?" 

Luka was devastated. He'd been since Saturday evening when he was watching the too at the park. You see, Luka was well aware of her response to his question. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the two were head over heels in love. It was clear that something had happened between them after seeing them at the park together. Adrien's reaction to his arrival gave it away immediately.  That was the thing that pained him the most. The realization that he would never be able to have her to the full extent and that she would never love him as much as she loved Adrien was heartbreaking.

Adrien Agreste. The man who tormented her for months. She sobbed over and over about this one guy. He was too dense to see her feelings, even asked her for dating advice for another female. Made her sit in on their date, torturing her even more.  The same guy who had wronged her in more ways than one, and the one guy Luka felt did not deserve her. That was the guy Marinette was still in love with, and that enraged Luka. But even then, Luka decided to push past his feelings and help her.

Luka wasn't really forcing her to choose between them because he already knew the answer, but he was giving her the push she needed to recognize what she was feeling. When the guitarist declared there was no room in her life for both Adrien and him, he meant it, and he was willing to sacrifice himself for her happiness, no matter how painful it was.

Luka hoped that by increasing the pressure, Marinette would be forced to accept her sentiments. Marinette needed to stop lying to herself.  She was in love with the blonde. She'd always had been. Marinette began to lie to herself because she was frightened of being harmed by him again. Luka, on the other hand, would change that. Marinette would grasp the truth when faced with the prospect of losing the blonde forever, that much he knew.

Luka noticed something during the few minutes he spent watching Adrien and Marinette in the park together. Unfortunately, they were soulmates, and no matter how much it hurt him, he would never be the right guy for her.

Luka had to admit that seeing them so happy together made him angry. As if he didn't exist, they were rushing around and hugging each other in public. Luka wanted to hurt Adrien exactly the same way Adrien had just done to him, so he purposefully held Marinette in his arms. But, after seeing Marinette's expression as Adrien walked away, Luka realized he had behaved badly and decided to put his ego aside for her happiness. That's right, Marinette's happiness was still his number one priority, even above his own. 

Forcing Marinette to choose was Luka's lame attempt to help both teens be happy. Marinette would be forced to admit that she was still madly in love with Adrien, choose him, and avoid Luka, and Adrien would finally be allowed to date the girl of his dreams without fear of Luka stealing her heart. The two would be happy, even if he meant he would suffer in silence until someone could heal his heart. Luka had considered everything. Except for the part about how to deal with the anguish of never being able to speak to Marinette again, but he'd sort it out later. For now, he had to brace himself for the painful words that she would soon spit out.

"Luka, I'm not making a choice. I'd like to have both of you in my life. I refuse to let either of you walk away from me because I love you both, and while this circumstance may have opened my eyes to my sentiments, I've also learned that you're both equally vital in my life. Both of you are extremely important to me, and I refuse to lose any of you," Marinette admitted.

Luka was both amazed and confused by her answer. Did she refuse to choose? Luka definitely did not expect that answer. His heart jumped with joy. Marinette did care about him. While he knew it was not the same way she cared about Adrien, the fact that she refused to let him walk away from her life and forget him meant the world to him.

"W-what are you saying?" Now, it was his turn to ask.

"Luka, I can't lie to you. Last night I realized that you were right. I am in love with Adrien. I always have been and always will be. I was just so afraid of being hurt by him again that I made myself believe that I was over him, but the truth is I am not. Luka, I want to be with him. Although he is the one who has my heart, I don't want to lose you."

"I'm afraid you're going to walk away from this today and never speak to me again, and that's something I can't have. Luka, I need you. You've always been there for me, and I'd like the opportunity to do the same for you. I refuse to choose between the two of you because I want both of you in my life. So now it's my turn to ask you, Luka, will you still be my friend after today because heaven knows I don't want to lose you?" Marinette spoke with all honestly.

Luka couldn't believe it. He was on a rollercoaster of emotions. While Luka was still heartbroken that she did not love him, he was also happy that she still wanted him to be part of her life. He truly believed that Marinette would have left everything behind to be with Adrien. She had already sacrificed a deal amount of happiness for him, so the guitarist truly believed that she would be willing to do it again. He never thought Marinette would refuse to end their friendship. Marinette did care about him.

Not being able to contain his emotions, the guitarist jumped up and pulled Marinette up with him bringing her into a tight embrace. "Of course, we can still be friends," Luka whispered happily. ​

Pulling back for the hug, Luka cupped her cheek and used his thumb to clean a tear Marinette had not realized had fallen. "You mean everything to me, Marinette. I am so sorry I have to do this to get you to see the truth," he confessed.

Marinette gasped in disbelieve. Of course, he had a plan. It all made sense to her now. Luka was only trying to help her.

"Go to him, tell him you love him. Adrien deserves to know the truth."