Night watcher, I am Chloe Bourgeois! || Miraculous Ladybug

Someone to listen (2)

«My life was pretty different from yours.»

"Huh?"

«I'm reincarnated as well.»

I was silent, processing what he just said. It was absurd. I even forgot my depression from before. I shrugged, concluding that he might be lying to comfort me.

"I told you you have to just listen. There is no need for false relatability."

«What made you think that?» He sounded calm, completely composed of the situation.

But wouldn't that be obvious? Because he cared about me, that's why.

Then it came to me that what he said might be true. After all, there was no concrete evidence that I was the only one reincarnated. Besides, it would be strange for only one person to be the reincarnated one in the population of 4 billion people.

I was surprised and shocked at why this possibility never occurred to me.

And yet, in disbelief I asked, "then tell me what was the population of your previous world?"

«8 billion.»

I joalted off my seat.

Bringing the phone near me I asked with a shaky voice, "then name some famous movies."

«Uh, give me a moment.»

"Ok."

I waited but that moment felt like eternity before he spoke again.

«Oppenheimer.»

The floor beneath me disappeared and I collapsed.

«Barbie, Attack on titan-would you know that?-Alice in Borderland, ugh, Interstellar! Um. . . Marvel- no, that's the company's name. Cinderella- wait that exists here . . .»

As he continued to list out movies and shows that were popular and those that he might've liked in his past life I stood silent. Contamplating my next words.

«Fifty shaded of gray-actually forget I said that!-Ahum! Uh, Spiderman . . . Should that be enough?» He stopped. That was all he could think of, he probably named thirty or more shows. Some of them I knew, others I didn't.

«Do you need any more proof?» He asked softly with a sigh, his voice tickled in my ears.

"You really are a reincarnator . . ."

«I had a hunch that you might be one too.»

"I had no idea . . . And if you had a hunch why didn't you drop any hint!? I would have picked something?"

"I did regain my memories at an awkward time. Having a conversation back then would have been hard."

"What can be more awkward than remembering that you have lived a different life?"

He took a deep breath and spilled the following in one breath:
«You see, I regained my memories during the September Incident when you transformed in front of me into that owl hero with the promise of telling me everything but then you fell into coma. Do you have any idea how hard it was for me when you suddenly turned out to be a new secret hero and my memories rushed into my head like shards of fragmented glasses and then I was told that my lovely girlfriend has gone into a coma? Not only was I bombarded with memories that at first I refused to accept as mine, I also kept hearing people criticizing your hero form and our band's performance was getting this sudden spike that we cannot refuse. There were also inside struggles. Sam and your sister Zoey were on the edge of their sanity so I had to take YELLOW out of the city with the request of keeping Zoey safe to Mr. John? Even more so that I can't even tell what Mr. John might be going through his smile-»

"Ok pause! Give me time to process at least!"

He stopped and I could hear his breathing loud and clear.

Don't tell me he forgot to breathe.

«Chloe, you have no idea what burden I've just left off my shoulders. I'm so sorry for bombarding when you need emotional support.»

"Don't," I Interrupted. "I feel like I only leaned onto you and I barely listened to your side. So, um," I took a breath and now my cheeks felt hot, "I'm happy you are opening up to me."

He chuckled.

"Daniel," how I wished we can have some idle talk right now of our respective past lives but on the phone we should not talk about something so sensitive. "We should meet."

«Yes. I was thinking the same.»

"Where are you right now?"

«London.»

"Alright. But will you do me a favour?"

«Make sure Miguel and Sam do not hear about this?»

"I'm sorry, but yes."

«We have to tell them someday.»

"Yes, but that can wait."

«Are you scared?»

". . . Yes."

«. . . Me too.»

At that point we were closer than mare lovers and we both shared a fear that might be eating us alive.

"I'll send you the location."

«I will tell you the time.»

Exchanging our goodbyes, we hung up the call.

The moment after the call left me with a strange silence. It wasn't calming, nor was it anxiety. It was something in between.

•••

It took almost two weeks to finally come up on the date and time to meet.

At first he insisted on coming to Paris to meet me but I talked him into not and instead I went to London. He has a busy schedule after all.

We met in a three story cafe near Buckingham Palace where the scenery of the view was clear by the glass window. The place was bustling with customers, we made a prior reservation for a private table room on the third floor.

Looking at him now, it came to me again that he is a celebrity. Even in a muted peach hoddy he was looking too good.

We had a bit of idle chat about our current lives of how the three have taken up on modeling and acting too now while I told him everything that had happened in the September Incident and how I've navigated my life since regained my memories when he asked me a certain question.

"Have you brought him?"

"Who?" I asked, does not understanding what he was saying.

"Void."

I looked at him. It was just a glance as his question was unexpected.

And yet I somewhat expected it.

"Yes."

The moment I said that my pearl necklace swayed, a shine surrounded the necklace and from within emerged a certain owl.

"It would be better if you stay low." I warned, "although we are in a private room but it's still near the window, Void."

"Aww, would you look at that~? Is this human worried about me~?"

I grabbed him, "if you are spotted-even by mistake-I will not renew our contract that you are so begging me to do."

I guess I squeezed him more than necessary as he turned pale and all sweaty.

He nodded and hid inside my small purse that was placed on the table.

"But you better not forget to feed me!" He whined.

"Yes yes," I slid him my pastry with a small spoon. I turned to Daniel, "this is Void-"

Daniel was quietly glaring at Void. I was startled, I've never seen him make such an expression before. Expression as if-

"Daniel," I paused, "do you know him?"

His pupils, that were frighteningly fixated on Void earlier, turned to me without a blink.

"Do I know him, you ask? It would be hardly an exaggeration to say I know him very well."