On the other side of the glass, time seemed to be under a spell of slow motion, solidifying into a tranquil yet primal oil painting.
Inside the glass, Jaden's palm was gently resting on the broad head of the black panther.
The beast, rumored to easily tear through steel, was now as docile as a domesticated big cat.
Its huge golden pupils were half-closed, and a satisfied, low purr, like a miniature engine running smoothly, rumbled in its throat.
His sleek black fur shimmered like silk in the light, and with each breath, strong muscle lines slowly rippled beneath his fur.
Jaden's movements were relaxed and full of trust; his hand gently stroked behind its ear, feeling the warmth and softness there, as if they weren't meeting for the first time, but were old friends of many years.
This surreal scene, for the people outside the glass, was nothing short of a powerful shock to the soul.
The first to be captivated by this fairytale-like scene were the two small figures of Ella and Etta.
They both practically pressed their entire faces against the cold glass, their small noses flattened, and their round, big eyes sparkled with adoration brighter than the sun.
Their breaths formed small puffs of white mist on the glass, which quickly dissipated.
"Wow… Etta, look," Ella whispered to her sister beside her, her voice filled with uncontrollable excitement, "Big Brother… he's petting the panther! And the panther isn't even mad!"
"Mhm, mhm!" Etta nodded vigorously, her pigtails swaying, "The panther seems to really like Big Brother! Even more than he likes Daddy!"
The innocent words of the two little ones, however, expressed the admiration in everyone present's hearts.
Their world was simple and pure: a strong, gentle, mysterious Big Brother who could communicate with animals, almost fulfilling all their fantasies of a "hero."
And Marinette, standing a little further back, was already experiencing a sweet storm within her heart.
Her big, azure blue eyes gazed unblinkingly at the figure inside the glass; her worry had, without her even noticing, quietly transformed into a more complex and profound emotion.
The initial fear and anxiety were like stones thrown into a lake; the ripples they caused were smoothed over the moment Jaden and the black panther harmoniously coexisted.
In its place was a sense of reassurance that bordered on awe.
In her opinion, Jaden's actions were not reckless, but rather an expression of absolute self-confidence stemming from within.
He wasn't challenging a beast, but rather engaging in an equal exchange with an equally powerful soul.
"He… how can he be so amazing…" Marinette's fingers unconsciously twisted the strap of her cross-body bag, her heart pounding like a startled deer.
Brave, steady, mysterious, gentle, powerful, daring to take responsibility… these beautiful words swirled and intertwined in her mind, finally converging into a radiant image.
She even felt that Jaden possessed a divinity, a magic that could calm all things.
This made her feel that her own girlish sentiments were so insignificant, yet at the same time, it made her fall hopelessly deeper.
She felt her heart was about to melt, turning into a pool of warm syrup, cloyingly sweet, yet making her feel immensely happy.
Unlike Marinette's pure infatuation, Nora, the kickboxer who believed in strength and fists, had eyes as sharp as an eagle.
She had no girlish fantasies, nor Marinette's filter of affection; her observation was more direct and more fundamental.
She scrutinized every one of Jaden's movements—his gestures were steady and relaxed, his gaze calm and unwavering, his body posture devoid of any tension or fear.
This couldn't be faked.
Nora herself was a fighter; she knew all too well how honest a person's body language was.
What emanated from Jaden was a powerful aura of truly being in control of the situation.
Animals' instincts are the keenest, and the black panther's submission was the most direct acknowledgment of this aura.
Her gaze slowly shifted from Jaden to her sister Alya's face.
That look made her frown slightly.
Alya's expression was the most complex of all.
Her face still held the smugness of a successful plan, and her lips even habitually curved upwards, wanting to show a "See, how perfect my plan is" smile.
However, that smile was incredibly stiff, like a fragile mask, completely unable to conceal the surging bitterness and struggle in her eyes.
Her gaze darted back and forth between Jaden inside the glass and Marinette beside her; each shift was like a needle gently pricking her heart.
Nora subtly turned towards Alya, and in a low voice, with her characteristic husky quality, audible only to the two of them, she said, "This kid, he's good."
Nora's evaluation was concise and powerful.
She lightly nudged Alya with her elbow, her eyes indicating Marinette, who was completely immersed in a happy fantasy not far away.
Alya instinctively tensed at her words.
Nora's gaze was as sharp as a knife, as if it could see through all her disguises. "Alya, don't do… anything you'll regret."
These words were like a faint electric current, instantly striking Alya's most vulnerable nerve.
She suddenly turned her head, wanting to retort, but when she met her sister's all-knowing eyes, she was instantly speechless.
Regret?
She was regretting it right now.
She regretted why she had to concoct this damned plan, regretted why she had to personally push the boy she had feelings for towards her best friend.
Her self-righteous "cutting the Gordian knot" now felt like a tangled mess, binding her tighter and tighter, almost suffocating her.
Just then Alya's gaze passed over Nora's shoulder to her father, Otis.
He wasn't looking at them but quietly at his second daughter, his eyes devoid of blame, only full of understanding and tenderness.
He understood Alya's dilemma, he understood her pain.
His lips moved silently, and Alya clearly read his lips—
"You choose, you do it."
With a boom Alya felt the last line of defense in her mind collapse.
It's over.
Only these two words remained in her mind.
It's over, it's over, it's completely over!
Dad saw it, Big Sister saw it too! Their whole family, except for the twins who were still out of the loop, had all teamed up to watch her make a fool of herself!
No, it wasn't a joke; they were judging her with an "we all understand you" look!
She had orchestrated this date herself—the route, the timing, the excuse… everything was perfect.
But what was the result? The result was that she personally laid out the red carpet for Marinette into Jaden's heart, while she herself became the clown standing on the roadside, clapping louder than anyone, but bleeding inside!
She knew Marinette too well; this girl usually seemed scatterbrained, but when it came to matters of the heart, her ability to re-evaluate afterwards was practically on par with Sherlock Holmes!
Once she noticed even the slightest abnormality in herself, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Alya's mind was in chaos; she even had an absurd thought—let an Akuma Butterfly come, please, Hawk Moth!
Akumatize anyone, just turn this place upside down, so she could escape from this damned, sweet drama she had personally directed!
As if sensing his daughter's predicament, Otis, the man as steady as a mountain, slowly raised his hand inside the Museum, clapping twice crisply.
"Clap! Clap!"
"Alright, Jaden!"
Otis's voice was gentle and resonant, with a hint of a smile, "Come out for now; I imagine you young people probably have other things to do."
His gaze meaningfully swept over Marinette, who was still staring blankly outside.
His words skillfully defused the situation and brought everyone's attention back to reality.
The black panther "Shadow" seemed to understand as well; it let out a low, reluctant whine, rubbing its huge head against Jaden's leg again,
Then it reluctantly turned, moving with elegant and silent steps, disappearing into the shadows deep within the simulated jungle.
Jaden stood up, brushed off non-existent dust, nodded to Otis, and then turned to walk towards the heavy iron door reserved for zookeepers.
With a soft "click," the door opened.
When Jaden reappeared outside the glass, before the crowd, he was met with entirely different gazes.
"Big Brother! You're amazing!"
Ella and Etta, like two happy little birds, rushed over immediately, hugging Jaden's legs one on each side, looking up with their small faces, their eyes full of sparkling little stars.
Their adoration was undisguised, so pure that it was irresistible.
Jaden chuckled; he reached out his big hand and ruffled the two little ones' hair, which felt as soft as stroking two kittens.
His tone was gentle and doting: "Really? Then as a reward, next time Big Brother will treat you to a big meal and take you to the best amusement park, okay?"
"Yay!"
The two little lolis immediately burst into bell-like cheers, and their harmonious laughter echoed through the empty venue, dispelling the faint awkwardness from before.
Nora walked over, her arms crossed.
She looked Jaden up and down, her scrutinizing gaze now much softer.
A barely perceptible curve played on her lips as she said, "Alright, kid. From now on, I'll call you 'Panther Kid.' It suits you."
After she finished speaking, she turned to her sisters, "Alright, it's getting late; I need to take these two little ones home."
"Huh? Big Sister, let's play a little longer!" Ella tugged on Jaden's pant leg, refusing to let go.
"No."
Nora's tone allowed no room for argument, "Mom is already waiting for us."
As she spoke, she easily "peeled" the two little ones off Jaden, one with each hand, then turned to Alya, who was still frozen in place, and said:
"And you Alya, remember to come home early."
With that, she took the two chattering little ones, who kept looking back every few steps, and left decisively.
Jaden waved goodbye to them, then looked at the remaining Marinette and Alya.
Marinette was still immersed in immense happiness and excitement, her cheeks flushed, her eyes a little hazy, completely looking like her soul had left her body.
Alya, on the other hand, was like an ant on a hot pan, completely ill at ease.
"Um… shall we… shall we go too?" Jaden suggested.
"Oh! Mhm, mhm!" Marinette, as if waking from a dream, nodded repeatedly, even stammering a little, "Let's go, we can go!" She subconsciously looked at Alya beside her, sending out a distress signal with her eyes: Strategist, what's the next step?
Alya, receiving the signal, feigned composure and forced a smile: "Yes, let's go."
She proactively stepped forward, taking one by each hand, and walked between them as usual.
But after walking only a few dozen meters, she felt like every step was on cotton, and the invisible, cloying atmosphere between the two beside her made her feel suffocated.
Finally, at a fork in the road, she couldn't take it anymore.
"Ah! I remember now!" she suddenly exclaimed dramatically, stopping in her tracks.
Jaden and Marinette both looked at her in confusion.
"I… I suddenly remembered I have something urgent to do, I have to go first!"
Alya's words came out like a rap, her eyes darting around, refusing to look at either of them, "It's really important, yes!"
She let go of their hands, took a step back, then, as if remembering her "strategist" duties,
She rushed to Marinette's ear and, at an extremely fast pace, as if giving her last words, instructed: "Remember, maintain this state! This atmosphere! It doesn't matter if there's no progress today, there's always tomorrow! Stay steady! Bye-bye!"
With that, she didn't even wait for Marinette to respond, just waved to Jaden, turned around, and ran off without looking back, almost as if fleeing in panic, as if a beast were chasing her.
Leaving only Marinette, standing in place, staring blankly at Alya's disappearing back, then turning to look at Jaden beside her.
Although Marinette felt Alya's behavior today was a bit strange, her entire mind was filled with pink bubbles at the moment, and she had no time to think carefully.
She nodded, as if responding to Alya, and also as if cheering herself on.
"Hmm, stay in character!"
Alya left almost in a rush, leaving the whole world to Jaden and Marinette.
And in Marinette's world, there was only the person in front of her.
Her gaze, like iron filings attracted by a magnet, was firmly fixed on Jaden's face, unable to move away.
He was also looking at her, his eyes devoid of the mystery and distance he had when he was with the black panther earlier, returning to the gentle warmth she was familiar with, like a spring lake.
Within that warmth, there seemed to be something else added—a focus, a search, a seriousness that made her heart skip a beat.
It was this one look.
Marinette's brain, that incredibly active brain usually filled with all sorts of whimsical ideas, design sketches, and battle plans, instantly crashed.
"Buzz—"
With a sound, all thoughts evaporated, leaving only a pure, bewildered blankness.
Alya's parting instruction, "Stay in character," flickered emptily like a lone system command on a frozen screen.
Stay in character? Stay in what character? She felt like a statue instantly petrified; besides still being able to breathe, she couldn't even issue a command to move a finger.
Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, each beat making her eardrums throb.
What to do? What to do? What to do? What should she say? Smile? Or, as Alya had planned, pretend to trip over something?
Just as her brain attempted to reboot but only emitted a string of garbled code, Jaden moved.
He didn't speak, but simply extended his hand towards her, slowly and naturally.
His palm was clean and warm, bathed in the dappled sunlight, like a carefully carved work of art.
This simple gesture, however, seemed to possess some magic, instantly breaking through all of Marinette's inner defenses.
She stared blankly at the hand reaching out to her, and then, as if guided by invisible threads, she uncontrollably placed her hand gently onto his.
The moment their hands touched, a warm sensation emanated from the point of contact, flowing up her arm like a winding stream, instantly spreading throughout her entire body.
That warmth dispelled all her panic and helplessness, leaving only a comforting, soft warmth.
His fingers naturally closed, completely enveloping her slightly cool hand in his palm.
That embrace, neither too light nor too heavy, carried an unquestionable firmness.
"There are still many places we haven't visited,"
His voice sounded, closer and deeper than usual, with a hint of a smile,
"And we still have plenty of time."
Marinette stared blankly at their clasped hands; the scene was so unreal, yet so clear.
The sunlight shone on his hand and on hers, as if plating them with a golden halo.
She slowly raised her head and met his smiling eyes.
At that moment, she felt like a hydrogen balloon filled with air, her whole body light and airy, a huge and surging sense of happiness welling up from the deepest part of her heart,
Like blooming roses, it instantly filled every corner of her body, even the air she exhaled carried a sweet scent.
She said nothing, just nodded vigorously, her lips uncontrollably curving upwards into a silly, yet incredibly brilliant smile.
He smiled, took her hand, and they walked side by side, slowly along the cobblestone path in the zoo.
Their steps were not large, yet they were strangely synchronized, as if they had been walking side by side like this for a very long time.
Their hands remained tightly clasped, fingers intertwined, conveying a silent language.
His actions were always gentle, whether it was the strength with which he held her hand, or his unconscious habit of guiding her to walk on the safer side; everything conveyed an unspoken thoughtfulness.
And all of this was witnessed by a distraught figure not far away.
Alya hadn't gone far at all. Her so-called "urgent matter" was merely a clumsy excuse to escape the sweet atmosphere.
She hid behind a thick palm tree, watching the scene that made her heart ache.
Watching Jaden extend his hand, watching Marinette place her hand on his, watching them walk away hand in hand... She felt her heart being squeezed by an invisible hand, and sour juice was slowly pressed out, soaking her internal organs.
Her original plan was to "cut the Gordian knot," using a perfect assist to completely sever the inappropriate feelings in her heart and fulfill her best friend's happiness.
But now, as the knife came down, she found that the other end of that tangled mess was tied to her own heart.
She severed others' entanglements, but left herself bleeding profusely.
A series of chain reactions played out wildly in her mind: she had planned this date, her sister had seen it, her father had seen it, and Jaden had left a perfect impression on their whole family... All of this seemed like a broad road paved for Marinette, and she herself was the most diligent road worker.
She walked forward absentmindedly and aimlessly, like a ghost detached from the world.
She didn't notice at all that she was passing by a lively small group.
"Hey Alya..."
Adrien subconsciously raised his hand, wanting to say hello to her, but he only spoke half a sentence when he saw Alya walk past them without even a glance, as if they were just air.
"Uh..." Adrien's hand awkwardly stopped in mid-air, "She didn't seem to see me?"
"It's not that she didn't see us,"
Nino pushed up the red baseball cap on his head, looking at Alya's obviously abnormal back with surprise.
"Dude, she completely overlooked us. What's wrong with her? Is she in a bad mood?"
"Max, can you analyze it?"
Adrien looked at the young man pushing his glasses beside him.
Max adjusted his black-rimmed glasses, and a few lines of data streamed quickly across the screen of Marc, the small robot beside him.
"Insufficient data,"
He replied calmly, "Lacking critical emotional variables and event triggers, unable to establish an effective behavioral logic model. My analysis... is currently ineffective."
"Then why were you so enthusiastic with your analysis when you zapped me just now?"
Kim grumbled indignantly from the side, rubbing his still slightly numb arm,
"I wasn't even finished arguing with that black panther guy!"
Max glanced at him, His tone unruffled: "My analysis showed that if I didn't use a low-intensity current to temporarily incapacitate you, the probability of you making inappropriate remarks next was 98.7%.
Given Mr. Otis's physique and profession, the probability of you being physically expelled from the zoo by him was 85%. I was protecting you, Kim."
"Is... is it that exaggerated?"
Kim shrunk his neck, looking guiltily at Nino and Adrien.
Nino and Adrien nodded in unison, with great understanding, and said in one voice: "Yes."
"Let's not talk about this,"
Nino patted Kim's shoulder, a gesture of comfort, then turned to Adrien,
"Speaking of which, what have you been up to these past few days? We haven't seen you around."
At the mention of this, Adrien's previously relaxed expression fell, and he let out a long sigh:
"Don't even get me started.
I went to that gaming competition with Max and the others, and as soon as I got home, my father gave me a severe scolding."
"Ah?" The other three all looked puzzled, "You won the championship and still got scolded?"
"My father said I was 'not doing proper work,'"
Adrien mimicked Gabriel's cold, stern tone, his face full of helplessness,
"He said I was wasting my time on 'such boring entertainment games,' damaging the Agreste family's image."
"Alas, your dad is a fashion mogul, after all,"
Nino expressed understanding, "In his eyes, perhaps only design, fashion shows, and business negotiations count as proper work."
"Exactly, he's just like that." Adrien shrugged.
The four fell silent for a while, and finally, Nino broke the deadlock: "Alright, alright, it's rare to come out and relax, don't think about those unhappy things. Let's wander around first."
Thus, the four teenagers also merged into the flow of people at the zoo... On the other side Alya, distraught, walked to a slightly less crowded resting area and sat down on a long bench.
Soon after she sat down, a tall and gentle figure sat down beside her. It was Otis.
"Alya,"
He spoke, his voice as steady and reliable as ever, "You..."
He wanted to comfort his daughter, but he didn't know where to start.
He was good at communicating with animals, but not at handling his daughter's delicate and complex feelings. He could only sit there clumsily, silently accompanying her.
Alya buried her head in her knees, feeling terrible.
Just then, a delicate butterfly, shimmering with an ominous Akuma light, flew silently from the shadows of the distant trees.
Like a hound scenting sadness, it flew precisely towards Alya.
Its target was the intense, unresolvable sorrow and loss of the young girl.
However, just as the Akuma Butterfly was about to touch Alya, the anxiety and heartache that Otis, sitting beside her, felt as a father seeing his daughter's pain yet being powerless, reached its peak at this moment.
That deeper, more powerful negative emotion, like an invisible barrier, instantly drew all of the Akuma Butterfly's attention.
The Akuma Butterfly gracefully spun in the air, abandoned its original target, and flew directly towards Otis.
It didn't hesitate at all, directly merging into the bracelet on his wrist, which was made of animal teeth strung together.
Otis's body shook violently, and a tempting, deep, and authoritative voice sounded in his mind:
"Animan, I am Hawk Moth. Your daughter is immersed in sadness; she doesn't know how to express herself to the person she loves, and this breaks your heart.
I can grant you power to 'help' your daughter, to let her see her true feelings and make the right choice."
Otis's eyes began to glaze over, and he subconsciously resisted: "No... I don't need it..."
"Don't be so quick to refuse,"
Hawk Moth's voice was coaxing,
"I've already found a perfect excuse for you. Remember that arrogant young man who mocked you just now?
He's now mocking other animals, and his stupidity enrages you, doesn't it?
Go, let all those who disrespect animals feel the wrath of the Animan!"
"Yes... Hawk Moth."
The struggle in Otis's eyes completely vanished, replaced by a deep purple glow. He slowly stood up, enveloped in Akuma energy.
"Dad?"
Alya snapped out of her sadness, looking at her father's transformation in horror, "Dad, what's wrong with you?"
She saw the Akuma bracelet on her father's wrist and immediately understood what had happened.
Although she had once fantasized about the appearance of an Akuma Butterfly, she definitely didn't want it to happen this way, and even less did she want it to descend upon her most respected father!
"Dad, quickly take it off!"
She rushed forward, wanting to undo the bracelet.
However, a strong and powerful hand stopped her. Otis protected the necklace on his wrist, his formerly gentle eyes becoming strange and authoritative.
He was no longer the loving father, but—the Animan.