Chapter 229

Elio shoved June away. "Get out of here. If I had to marry you, I'd rather just become a monk."

June stumbled, rolling her eyes. "Please, you think I want to marry you because I love you? Keep dreaming. If you don't marry me, I'll just keep following you around."

"Just go away."

"No, YOU go away!"

Lucie frowned. "Can you two knock it off?" She glanced at Mick and added, "Ignore them, Mick. They're always like this. Don't take it seriously."

Mick gave an awkward, shy smile. "It's all good, really."

Elio snorted. "Why shouldn't he take it seriously? I'm definitely going to be your husband one day."

June shot back, "Don't be so sure. If you want Lucie, you'll have to marry me first."

Elio practically groaned. "Why are you everywhere? Can you stop bothering me for once? Didn't you go flirting with that... other guy? Go hassle him instead, will you?"

June huffed. "Mind your own business! You marry who you marry, date who you date, and play with who you play with. Don't you get it?"

"What?"

Lucie and Mick both stared at her in shock.

They were both straight-A students, quiet and reserved, the type who followed all the rules. June's logic was a whole different universe to them.

"Enough already. Let's just get dinner," Lucie said, stepping in before another fight could start.

"Hmph," the two of them scoffed, turning away from each other.

"How about the Royal Kitchen down the street?" Lucie suggested.

Mick nodded, though he looked like he was bracing himself. "Yeah, sure."

If he'd known Lucie was bringing these two, he never would've asked her to dinner.

"So, whose car are we taking?" Lucie asked.

"I'm riding with you!" both Elio and June blurted out, scrambling for Lucie's car.

This round, Elio snagged the front seat. June had to slump into the back, pouting.

Barely a minute after the car started moving, Elio and June were back at it, bickering like sworn enemies.

Lucie tried to drive and play referee, but the more she tried to calm them, the louder they got. Her head was pounding.

"Okay, seriously, stop it. You're making it impossible for me to drive," she said, raising her voice.

Elio immediately zipped his mouth shut. "Alright, alright. No more fighting. You just focus on driving."

June's phone buzzed nonstop. She gave up on arguing, brightening as she picked up her phone and started texting Steven.

Steven: What are you up to?

June: About to eat dinner.

Steven: With who?

June: Some friends. I'll send you a pic later.

Twenty minutes later, they pulled up at the Royal Kitchen.

It was the fanciest place around. Rumor had it the chef's family used to cook for

the royal court. The whole restaurant leaned hard into the palace theme.

Lucie had eaten there before, so she led the way. "Here we are. I already called and booked us a private room. Let's go."

"Sounds good," the others replied.

They piled out of the car and into the restaurant, where the staff greeted them in full-on vintage costumes. "Welcome, honored guests," they said, bowing

A server led them to a private room decked out like a palace.

It was Elio and June's first time there, and they couldn't help but laugh at how

over-the-top everything was.

June wrinkled her nose. "This is so cheesy."

Elio shot her a look. "If you don't want to eat here, then leave."

"Why should I be the one to leave?"

"Enough, you two," Lucie interrupted before another argument could start.

Elio turned to Lucie. "So, what's the specialty here?"

"There's no menu," Lucie explained. "The chef decides what to make based on what ingredients are fresh that day. Don't worry, everything's tophoton. They just serve, whatever they make."

"Alright, I guess."

Here, you didn't get to order. The food came out course by course, and every day was a surprise. The ingredients were the best money could buy, and the dishes were all about quanty over quantity the vie was super exclusive.

June whipped out her phone and started snapping pictures.

"Lucie, let's take some selfies!"

Lucie hesitated. “Uh, I'm really not into taking photos."

"Just one or two, for memories!"

June didn't wait for her to agree, pulling Lucie in and snapping a bunch of selfies, making faces at the camera.

Lucie wanted to say no, but since June was Elio's friend and had just bought a bunch of antiques from her-she forced a smile and went along.

While they waited for their food, June sent a selfie of her and Lucie to Steven. [This is my new friend. Isn't she pretty?]

Steven read the message but didn't reply. He'd recognized the restaurant right away; he was the one who'd first brought Lucie there.

A server came in carrying a tray. "Honored guests, please enjoy these appetizers. Your feast will be served soon."

Elio sipped his tea. "Hey, you know, this place really goes all out. I actually feel like a prince."