A\N: Now, this is an old, really old thing I had in my WIPs ever since 2016, and I never ever published it before because I kept telling myself that I would make further progress with it. That's right, I spent the last four years with the file untouched because I was waiting for the "right time" to develop a long Modern AU for Vinceada, because I don't have enough Modern!Vinceada.

Yeah, I didn't do any of it.

But I decided I couldn't keep pushing this story back forever, so here it is. Also, I missed writing for this fandom - and this couple. I was supposed to polish and publish this during the PH Love Month on tumblr, but I just had to get like super busy last month, even though I was technically on vacation.

Enjoy your reading, and please forgive the mistakes past me made that present me didn't notice during editing.

She was stupid. Completely and totally stupid. She shouldn't have even agreed to that stupid idea in the first place, but no, she just had to concede and join her friends on their ridiculous sleepover games. She should have known better. She should have asked someone to come for her rescue when they refused to listen to her suggestion of 'just watching a movie'. She should have told them she was feeling sick and tired when they picked the truth or dare game. She should have jumped from the window of the seventh floor when they decided to create a rule of no picking dare for more than three times in a row after she went for 'dare' on all of the five times she was asked.

But no, she just sat there, sweating nervously, as she watched their trap being laid and baited. And now, she was caught on it.

"Do I really have to answer that?" She protested a third time.

"Yes!" Four voices shouted in unison, and the faces around her grew even more impatient.

"But I told you, there is no o-"

"The truth, Ada!" Another friend interrupted her attempt at evasion.

She sighed. Even though she always said 'there is no one', they had spent the last few weeks trying to find a different answer. Probably due to a few months of investigation that confirmed that yes, she was most likely dating someone. If not, then she was at least madly in love with someone. However, they still didn't have the name of said someone, and that was the last thing they needed to complete their evil plans.

They had probably come to hate Ada's discretion very much.

So now they had changed their tactics, going for kidnapping and interrogation instead of spying. Cunningly arming their scheme before finally directly asking 'Who's the lucky boy?' and she found herself cornered and helpless.

She glanced at the girls around her who waited anxiously before she looked down and answered shyly.

"I can't tell."

Their reactions were mixed.

"So there is someone!"

"I knew it!"

"What do you mean you can't tell?"

She shrugged awkwardly, eyes going from the floor to the walls, then the ceiling.

"Things would get... too... complicated... if anyone knew it..."

They grunted in annoyance, but one of them jumped and shouted again.

"So, does that mean you two are together?"

All the thirst for information came back to their eyes.

"What?"

"How long?"

"I knew it!"

"Why didn't you tell us?"

Ada buried her blushing face in her hands, asking herself once again how could she be so stupid.

"I don't want to talk about this..." She declared in protest.

"You have a secret boyfriend and don't want to talk about it?"

"Do you even know what 'secret' means?" Her accusation came out as a shriek.

"C'mon, you probably talk about him to someone else, why not us?" The one who asked - demanded - for 'truth' tried to compromise.

"No, I don't," she raised her face and stared at them dead serious, "There's a reason why I can't tell. To anyone. If not, then we wouldn't be so discreet about it, or hiding it in the first place."

There was silence in the room, as they quietly acknowledged her words. Ada hoped this time they'd take no as no and let the topic rest, at least for a while.

But of course, her peace didn't last.

"Okay, but can you tell us how he is?" The instigator attempted once again.

"What?"

"Is he good looking?" Another one tried.

"I don't th-"

"How old is he?" The question made Ada blush even more.

"Why are you asking this?" She tried to shut them up.

"Wow, that old?" They would never shut up.

"He must be rich and famous!"

"What if he's married?"

"He might have kids already."

"You're not making any sense!" She tries to be louder than their musings, hoping they would listen to her and put an end to their weird brainstorming.

"You're not giving any answers!" One of them replies in the same tone, laughing at her distress.

"Fine, then! No, he's not married. No, he doesn't have any kids. Happy now?"

Their smiles didn't reassure her at all.

"Is he rich?"

Ada grunted and buried her face in a pillow, laying down and hoping they would get tired of making wild guesses and just leave her alone.

"You know what?" They continued to talk among themselves, "I bet he's super hot."

"And he could keep his relationship a secret for so long? Are you sure?"

"He's probably older too, she didn't deny that."

"And besides, if he were around our age, then there wouldn't be a problem with them openly dating."

"Maybe it's his family..."

"A rich and influential family, you mean?"

"That wouldn't allow their promising heir into a relationship with a young and inexperienced girl?"

"A forbidden love! So romantic!"

"But if that were the case, then how would they even meet in the first place?"

"It wouldn't be a problem if they had ever gone to the same event at least once."

"But to grow to a relationship you need more than that, no?"

"So, a previous acquaintance that eventually grew to a lover? A forbidden lover?! So much more romantic!"

Ada refused to move and to encourage them with any of her reactions.

"So, it's someone older, rich and from an influential family. As well as a previous acquaintance."

"Also someone that would shock a few people, so they have to keep it a secret."

The silence that followed their discussion made Ada get even more nervous.

"No..." A shocked voice broke it first.

"It couldn't be..."

"No way..."

A thrilled one concluded their thoughts.

"It's Gilbert!"

Ada shot her head up. Her face was so much hotter that it felt like it was melting, her ears were burning and her vision got blurred for a few seconds. She had thought she was at the peak of embarrassment before, but now her outraged protest reached a volume she didn't know to be possible.u

"What?!"

She didn't even have the time to deny all of that before they jumped screaming around the bedroom.

"I knew it!"

"No, you d-"

"Oh my God, that's so beautiful!"

"Listen, this isn't-"

"And you didn't tell us?!"

"But it's n-"

"Now I know why I never saw him with anyone else!"

"I know, right? I should have seen it coming!"

"I always knew it!"

Ada sighed. No attempts on denial would make them shut up now. She finally collapsed on the bed and hoped she was tired enough to sleep through all of their noise, hoping and praying that they would leave her alone for the rest of the night.

Apparently, she never got tired of being wrong.

.

.

.

.

In the morning she woke up sooner than usual, hoping to slip away while they were all sleeping. But it seemed that she underestimated them once again, considering they were all up and wide awake before she even brushed her teeth. They crowded all around her with questions, suggestions, and insinuations, and after such a long night she felt too tired to even argue with them. However, her silence only appeared to encourage them even more.

"How long are you two going to hide it?"

"Does anyone suspect it?"

"How do you guys go out on dates?"

"What do you think your brother is going to say when he finds out?"

"Oh, what about his brother?"

The worst thing about the interrogation was that they would answer their questions themselves, with unlikely scenarios and overly dramatic lines, leaving no place at all for Ada to explain herself. Their delusions were ridiculous to the point of making her roll her eyes, which they would always take as a sign that they were right. (Then Ada would roll her eyes once more and they would scream in happiness).

She tried to shut them out, focusing on her phone and on avoiding them to see what she was texting.

"Hey, did you two already like each other when you were kids?"

She rolled her eyes once again, they were impossible.

"Now, the real question: Is Gilbert a good kisser?"

She sighed an nth time.

"Alright, that's it! Just listen!" She raised her voice as she finally spoke, "I don't know what you guys are on, or whatever I did to make you all think I am in some kind of relationship with Gil. But, as I tried to explain to you the entire night, there is nothing, absolutely nothing, going on between us. And if you're going to insist on this absurd based on a weird misunderstanding, then please, do it quietly and with no more questions! Also, please, don't ever speak about this to him, I would die of embarrassment!"

They all stared at her in silence. At first, Ada thought it was because she rarely spoke in that tone, and she didn't have the habit to get mad or even scold them. But then the Instigator from last night finally moved and she remembered what they were really concerned about.

"So it's not Gil?" Her voice was so broken that Ada almost felt sad as well.

"No, it's not Gil," Ada's voice was a lot calmer as the relief washed her nerves, "And I would appreciate it if you all let this matter be."

One of them actually let the tears fall.

"Gilada is over!"

"It never happened in the first place," she tried to comfort them, "And Gilada is a terrible ship name."

"I knew it…" A choked voice muttered.

"Now we're back to step one," another one complained.

The collective sigh made Ada smile. Peace, at last.

"I have to get going now. Sorry about leaving so soon," Ada spoke while taking her backpack and heading to the door.

"It's okay," the girl who proposed the truth or dare tried to look unfazed, despite the face of disappointment, "And I guess we're the ones to apologize. Last night was probably too much for you."

"And if I stay any longer, you guys will recover and interrogate me again," Ada laughed, "Let me escape while I can."

"Ada," the Gilada shipper called her, "Are you sure you don't want to wait? I can drop you at work."

"I can't afford to be late today, but thanks!" She said absentmindedly, her eyes locked on the phone, "And don't worry, I got a ride already."

"Really? With whom?"

Ada froze. Then she started to curse silently. Stupid stupid stupid.

"No one," she blurted out. Then she cursed herself a little more.

She was cornered one more time.

"Don't tell me…"

"Is he really…"

"I knew it…"

"All right!" Ada rose her hands in defense and tried to stop them from whatever fangirl thing they would start this time, "Now, please, keep in mind that I'm not going to tell who he is, give any hints or indications, nor satisfy your endless curiosity. He's going to pull over, I'm going to jump in, and all of you are going to stay inside to avoid seeing his face."

"Stop being so paranoid, Ada!" Her speech didn't affect them at all.

"Yeah, what's the big deal about us finding it out?"

Ada bit her cheek, her jitters taking her words away.

"Guys, please!" She tried to beg, but her timing was terrible as always.

"Is that his car?" A loud voice shrieked.

They all crowded around the window, looking down at the car that stopped in front of the house. It wasn't his car, Ada noticed. But she recognized that one, as it belonged to one of her dearest friends. And unfortunately, the girls with her recognized it too.

When the first one showed the signs of fangirling, Ada ran to the door, desperately trying to escape from the torrent that was about to fall over her. She immediately closed it behind her, but that wasn't enough to muffle their screams.

"THAT'S GILBERT'S CAR!"

"OH MY GOD!"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT WAS REALLY TRUE!"

"I KNEW IT!"

"WE WERE RIGHT!"

"YOU'RE SO LUCKY, ADA!"

"OH MY GOD, HE'S SO CUTE!"

"GILADA IS BACK!"

"I KNEW IT!"

Ada ran to the car, red face and ears itching, her eyes tearing up. They would never shut up now, they would never stop the suggestive glances, the obvious giggles, and the mortifying comments. Not to mention the questions, the rumors (they wouldn't hold their tongues even if they promised on their mothers' graves), and worst of all, the mortified look of Gil when he found out about all of it.

It's over, Ada concluded, My life is over.

.

.

.

.

He was laughing and Ada was contemplating the idea of killing him.

When she had entered the car she had ignored his questions and tried to pretend she wasn't listening to the screams of the four busybodies inside the house. She looked straight ahead, eyes burning holes on the windshield as if her face wasn't in the reddest blush he had ever seen.

And boy, did he ever see her blush.

However, after a few minutes of stubborn silence and uncountable annoying questions from him, she sighed and finally cracked and told him the events of the previous night, still not daring to look anywhere besides the road ahead. It was difficult, and it took a while, as she appeared to be unable to say one single understandable sentence, and he had to put the pieces she spilled out together until he finally understood the situation.

Then he had to pull over because the burst of laughter that came upon him was too strong for him to keep driving.

He had been laughing for five minutes by now, and apparently was nowhere near to stop.

Ada still didn't find any of that funny.

"Why are you still laughing?"

"Why aren't you laughing? This is hilarious!" He said, wiping out a tear.

She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, which made him laugh even more.

"Cut it off, it stopped being funny like, ten minutes ago." Her voice was embarrassed and annoyed.

"Sorry," he attempted and failed to contain his laughter and look serious "But Gil? I always thought they would guess wrong, but that's a whole different level."

"Still not funny."

He turned to her with wide eyes.

"Are you serious? It's even better than when Nii-san found out about us, and that was priceless! Wait till he hears about this."

"No!" Her eyes burned with angry tears, "You won't tell him a thing about this story."

He shrugged, "Knowing your friends I probably won't have to."

"Oh, really? Because I think Gil is dense enough to not notice a thing."

"Ada," he rebutted her nervous argument, "They are too noisy even for his obliviousness."

"And so are you! So shut up!"

He chuckled.

"I'm not good at hiding things from my brother..."

"Liar."

"But," he ignored her interruption, "I'll keep this nice piece of gossip to myself."

"Thank you," she sighed in relief.

"Anytime," he smiled as he took her hand, "And Ada?"

"What?"

"If they reached that conclusion, then it's very likely that there's some kind of rumor involving you and Nii-san going around."

Ada froze.

"You think so?"

He shrugged as if that matter held no importance to him.

"It's just safe to guess. I doubt they would get to that conclusion without some sort of base."

"No way."

"And it's not something new either," he continued.

"How can you even guess that?"

He leaned his head back on the seat with an expression of ultimate delight and a sly smile on his lips, "Remember what happened when you told your uncle you were in love with someone?"

"Yeah, Ojii-san and Onii-chan thought…" Ada's mind froze as she recalled that mortifying day, as the realization slowly dawned upon her, "They thought it was Gil."

"See how funny this is, now?"

"No!"

Vincent resumed laughing.

"Stop it. There's something important going on and you're laughing!"

"The greatest prank in the world and I'm not allowed to laugh at it. How cruel, Ada."

"You're laughing at me."

"I'm laughing at them."

"I don't care who you're laughing at, just stop it and help me to figure out what we're going to do."

He squeezed her hand and pulled her closer.

"We are going to pretend we have no idea of what they're saying. We're going to watch them run around and misunderstand everything and laugh at all their ridiculous theories. And when the time for us to go public comes, we'll film their reactions, post it online and that video will go viral."

"This isn't right."

"Well, you tried to tell them they were wrong, didn't you?"

His hair fell over his shoulders, which would make Ada have an urgent need to run her fingers through them if she wasn't focused on looking deadly angry.

"Oh, yeah? What about your brother? Will we laugh at him too?"

"Nii-san knows about us. It's not like he won't understand."

"Still, we should clarify things with everyone."

"Since when do I care for everyone?"

"For the sake of your brother!"

"Is it so bad that people think you two are dating? If anything, it just gives us a better cover."

"Vincent!"

"Ada! Just think about their faces when they find out the truth!"

"I can't. The only thing I'm thinking about is how Ojii-san couldn't hold a conversation with Gil without threatening him."

"Yeah. That was hilarious!"

"Can you be serious about this for once?"

"Can you relax about this for once? The only other solution for this situation is to simply tell everyone"

"You know we can't do that just yet."

"Then why are you so worked up about this?"

"I just… don't like this whole story, okay? People are thinking Gil and I are dating! We must have done something to make them think that."

"If that's the problem, don't worry. I'm not jealous of you two."

"Shut up! How am I going to face my friends after this?"

"The problem wasn't Gil?"

"Well, he's my friend too!"

"Really? I heard you two were together!"

"I'm going to break up with you."

"No, you're not," he cupped her face and brought her forehead close to his, "You love too much."

"And you're lucky I do."

"Yes, I am. And for your endurance I'm grateful," he twirled a loose strand of her hair around his finger, and his smile got gentler and warmer, "So don't mind the rumors. Nii-san won't probably hear about them, and if he does, he won't mind them either."

"I'm still worried," she sighed, "If they can come up with stories like this, then what else will they spread around?"

"I doubt it will be anything bigger than when our relationship is public. And even then you won't have to be concerned about anything. Remember, I'm right here with you."

She allowed him to pull her face closer then, and to kiss her worries away.

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.

.

.

"Here, Gil, there's some cake on your face." Ada proceeded to sweep some frosting off her friend's face.

"Oh, thanks, Ada."

"See! That's why people think you two are dating!"

"People think what?!"

"Vincent!"